Wilson, Powell offer playoff boost for those in need of running backs

If you need a running back, go get David Wilson. Now! There likely are not better options on your waiver wire in small leagues. There are just two weeks left

If you need a running back, go get David Wilson. Now!

There likely are not better options on your waiver wire in small leagues. There are just two weeks left in the fantasy season for most, and the Giants' backup running back could be in for two more big games.

On Sunday against the Saints, Wilson rushed for 100 yards on just 13 carries, scoring two touchdowns. (He also returned a kickoff for a score.) What's even more important for Wilson is he had two more carries than Ahmad Bradshaw, who hurt his knee and underwent an MRI on Monday.

Even if Bradshaw is able to play the next two weeks, there's reason to think Wilson might be a good flex play. The Saints have one of the worst rush defenses in the league, but the Giants' opponents in Week 15 (Falcons) and Week 16 (Ravens) aren't great against the run, either. The Falcons allow the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs and the Ravens the 11th-most.

Wilson, owned in just 29 percent of Yahoo! leagues, might be a top-caliber running back for the semifinals and finals of your playoffs and he's just sitting there on the waiver wire, most likely. Go get him!

• Carson Palmer, Raiders (61 percent): Palmer is this year's Fantasy Football King of Garbage Time, racking up solid-if-not-spectacular fantasy points during the Raiders' six-game losing streak. This week he faces the Kansas City Chiefs, a team giving up the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Palmer will throw for two scores and a pick again. You could do worse.

• Nick Foles, Eagles (8 percent owned): Nice little game for Foles in his fourth start, though 135 of his 381 yards and both of his touchdown passes came in the final 7:21 of the game. Still, Foles had the best game of his career -- he even rushed for 27 yards and a touchdown -- and faces an average pass defense at home against Cincinnati on Thursday. He's not worth starting unless you're in a two-quarterback league, but he's likely the best option there is on the waiver wire if Palmer's gone.

• Bilal Powell, Jets (9 percent): Powell split snaps and carries with Shonn Greene on Sunday, rushing 19 times for 78 yards and a touchdown to Greene's 20 carries for 77 yards and a score. Rex Ryan says he's going to keep splitting the two, and again matchups are key: The Jets play the Titans -- who allow the most fantasy points to opposing running backs -- and the Chargers (the 20th) the next two weeks. Monday offers a particularly nice matchup, and Powell could be a good flex starter if you have no other starting options.

• Montell Owens, Jaguars (23 percent): Filling in for Maurice Jones-Drew (foot) and Rashad Jennings (concussion), Owens only got 13 carries but rushed for 91 yards and a score. Owens seems likely to start again this week, and the Jaguars get Miami, who has given up fantasy points in the teens to a single back in four of the last five weeks.

• Jason Avant, Eagles (3 percent): Good numbers for Avant with Nick Foles the past two weeks: 17 targets and 11 catches, including a seven-catch, 111-yard performance Sunday against the Buccaneers. Football Outsiders ranks the Bengals 22nd in the league against slot receivers. Given that, Avant is not an awful third receiver.

• Andrew Hawkins (17 percent): A he-plays-the-Eagles special! Hawkins also has 16 targets and 11 catches over the last two weeks, including six catches for 44 yards and a score this week. Philly's defense actually shut down any wideout not named Vincent Jackson on Sunday, but they did give up two passing touchdowns.

• Chris Givens, Rams (31 percent): Givens only caught three passes on Sunday but was targeted 10 times (he dropped a couple). Still, that led the team in targets, and the matchup with Minnesota this week is a good one.

• Brandon Myers, Raiders (61 percent): Myers had just two targets (and one catch) last Thursday against the Broncos, his worst output of the year. The Raiders should move the ball more this week against the Chiefs if you're willing to roll the dice.

• Scott Chandler, Bills (35 percent): Chandler caught four of the five passes thrown his way for 71 yards against the Rams, a team that defends the tight end pretty well. The Bills play Seattle this week; the Seahawks have an excellent secondary but are weak covering the tight end. For those in need of a tight end, roll the dice with Chandler and hope he scores or at least picks up some yardage.

• Phil Dawson, Browns (19 percent): The No. 2 fantasy kicker is available in most leagues, has missed just once all season and has a nice matchup against the Washington Redskins this week, a defense that gives up a lot of points to opposing fantasy kickers. He's your guy if you play matchups.

• Detroit Lions (30 percent): Detroit's D hasn't done much of anything all year, but faces a sputtering Arizona Cardinals offense this week. Arizona lost by 58 last week, turning it over eight times against Seattle. It doesn't matter who plays quarterback for the Cardinals; opposing defenses are going to light it up.

• San Diego Chargers (31 percent): San Diego gave up a lot of points, but recovered a fumble for a touchdown and sacked Ben Roethlisberger twice in a 34-24 win over the Steelers. The Chargers get Carolina at home this week, which isn't the worst matchup.