If you're in a league in which Lions running back Mikel Leshoure is somehow available, you should immediately stop reading this and put in your waiver claim.

Seriously, go. We'll be here when you get back.

Leshoure's ESPN ownership percentage is a comically low 36.9. It's unlikely he's available in any league with more than 10 teams, but he should be considered a starter in any format.

In his NFL debut last week at Tennessee, the Lions didn't gradually work Leshoure, who was suspended for the first two weeks, into the lineup.

They gave him 30 touches, which produced 134 yards and a touchdown.

Leshoure should be a productive No. 2 running back in fantasy, especially when you consider he plays in an offense that could average 30 points per game.

He's a no-brainer as the top-ranked running back this week, and it should be the last week of the season in which he's available in more half of the ESPN formats.

As always, we only consider players who are owned in fewer than 50 percent of the ESPN leagues, and we try to go much lower than that.

On to the rankings:

QUARTERBACKS
1. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills (owned in 42.2 percent of the ESPN leagues)
2. Christian Ponder, Vikings (5.9)
3. Matt Cassel, Chiefs (35.9)
4. Mark Sanchez, Jets (32.0)
5. Jake Locker, Titans (7.4)
Dropped out: Russell Wilson, Seahawks
Just missed the cut: Wilson (14.1 percent)

RUNNING BACKS
1. Mikel Leshoure, Lions (36.9 percent)
2. Andre Brown, Giants (41.9)
3. Bilal Powell, Jets (1.1)
4. Tashard Choice, Bills (0.4)
5. Jacquizz Rogers, Falcons (9.4)
Dropped out: Dexter McCluster, Chiefs; Daryl Richardson, Rams; Jackie Battle, Chargers
Just missed the cut: Danny Woodhead, Patriots (5.3 percent); Shaun Draughn, Chiefs (3.9); Lamar Miller, Dolphins (3.1)

WIDE RECEIVERS
1. Andrew Hawkins, Bengals (6.3 percent)
2. Kendall Wright, Titans (12.3)
3. Donnie Avery, Colts (15.6)
4. Jon Baldwin, Chiefs (25.4)
5. Ramses Barden, Giants (0.7)
Dropped out: Danny Amendola, Rams (he's now owned in 81.4 percent of the ESPN leagues); Brandon LaFell, Panthers (now at 49.1 percent ownership); Brian Hartline, Dolphins; Greg Little, Browns
Just missed the cut: Alshon Jeffery, Bears (16.7 percent); Davone Bess, Dolphins (8.2); Jeremy Kerley, Jets (4.8); Golden Tate, Seahawks (1.3)

TIGHT ENDS
1. Dennis Pitta, Ravens (43.0 percent)
2. Heath Miller, Steelers (27.6)
3. Jermaine Gresham, Bengals (20.5)
4. Kyle Rudolph, Vikings (14.2)
5. Greg Olsen, Panthers (16.6)
Dropped out: Coby Fleener, Colts; Brandon Myers, Raiders
Just missed the cut: Scott Chandler, Bills (24.6 percent); Myers (1.1)

Past waiver-wire picks: Week 2, Week 3

This week's batch of waiver-wire candidates is the weakest of the season, so we will present a few reminders before we unveil the highly anticipated top five.

-- Bengals running back Cedric Benson will serve his one-game suspension this week, leaving Bernard Scott as the featured back. Don't expect Scott to have a huge game Sunday at Seattle, which is allowing only 3.2 yards per carry, but if you need a one-game replacement because of bye weeks, Scott is a decent option as a low-end No. 2 back or upper-level flex play.

-- We wrote about DeMarco Murray extensively on Monday, but he entered this week available in more than 64 percent of the leagues on ESPN.com, so he has to be mentioned in this space. Murray is a no-doubt-about-it choice as the top waiver-wire candidate if he's still available in your league.

-- We broke down the value of Seahawks running back Maurice Morris here, and mentioned him again here.

On to this week's waiver-wire selections. A quick reminder: We choose players who are available in more than half of the leagues on ESPN.com (this week's group is available in more than 64 percent of the ESPN formats).

1. Steve Breaston, WR, Chiefs (owned in 35.4 percent of the ESPN leagues): Breaston has 13 receptions for 205 yards and two touchdowns in his last three games, a span in which the Chiefs are 3-0 and averaging 26 points per contest. This week's matchup against the Chargers (No. 3 vs. the pass) isn't great, but Kansas City will face Miami (No. 21 vs. the pass), Denver (No. 19) and New England (No. 32) in Weeks 9, 10 and 11.

2. Demaryius Thomas, WR, Broncos (owned in 2.7 percent of the ESPN leagues): He made his season debut last week at Miami (aka The Game That Gave ESPN Another Reason To Debate Tebow) and had three catches for 27 yards and a TD. Thomas, a first-round pick by the Broncos in 2010, received a team-high 10 targets last week, and the trade of Brandon Lloyd to St. Louis should make Thomas Denver's second-best fantasy option at receiver (behind Eric Decker). I would consider Thomas a No. 4 or 5 receiver in deeper leagues.

3. Delone Carter, RB, Colts (16.9 percent): He is Indy's leading rusher at 259 yards, and last week was the Colts' only bright spot against the Saints (10 carries for 89 yards and a score). With Joseph Addai battling a hamstring injury, Carter -- a rookie fourth-round pick -- has received 36 carries the last three games. Even if Addai is forced to sit this week, Carter likely will share carries with Donald Brown (nine rushes for 47 yards last week), but he seems to have emerged as the Colts' top backfield option. If Addai is out, Carter is a decent flex play Sunday at Tennessee, which ranks 24th against the run.

4. Roy Helu, RB, Redskins (15.3 percent): Mike Shanahan warning! Mike Shanahan warning! As we wrote Monday, who knows what the Redskins will do now that Tim Hightower is out for the season? Ryan Torain would seem to be next in line, but Helu, a rookie fourth-round pick, has value strictly because of the possibility he could earn the featured role at some point this season. Helu has 27 carries for 131 yards this season (4.9), but he has only three rushes for 5 yards in Washington's last two games. I would rather avoid both Torain and Helu until their roles are more clearly defined, but Helu can be a Week 8 desperation play if you base it strictly on the Redskins' matchup (the Bills own the league's third-worst run defense and are giving up 5.1 yards per carry).

5. Heath Miller, TE, Steelers (14.0 percent): Miller has four receptions in each of his last two games, and he has a TD in two of his last three. He caught four passes for 59 yards and a score last week at Arizona, and Sunday the Steelers will play host to the Patriots and their league-worst pass defense (322 yards per game allowed). Miller should be considered a top-10 tight end this week.

Past waiver-wire picks who remain undervalued: DeMarco Murray, RB, Cowboys (owned in 34.6 percent of the ESPN leagues); Bernard Scott, RB, Bengals (4.0 percent); Maurice Morris, RB, Lions (11.9); Greg Little, WR, Browns (9.0); Jerome Simpson, WR, Bengals (33.8); David Nelson, WR, Bills (33.2); Jabar Gaffney, WR, Redskins (6.6); Jermaine Gresham, TE, Bengals (30.6).

If you drafted Packers tight end Jermichael Finley -- or if you're like the owner in one of my leagues who made what looked like a lopsided deal for Finley (before karma struck like an unblocked Matt Roth) -- you probably figured you didn't need a backup at the position.

After four games, you had a tight end on pace for 84 receptions for 1,204 yards, aka PPR Gold. In Week 5, however, Finley suffered a knee injury and was scheduled for surgery this week that we were led to believe would sideline him for 3 to 6 weeks.

Later in the week we learned the damage to Finley's knee was worse than originally believed, and he could be done for the season.

If you're looking for a tight end on the waiver wire, here are eight who are owned in fewer than 50 percent of the leagues on ESPN.com:

1. Brandon Pettigrew, Lions (owned in 7.8 percent of the ESPN leagues): His low ownership percentage is baffling, especially considering the 2009 first-round pick has at least six receptions in three of Detroit's five games and 91 yards or more in two of five contests. Pettigrew is on pace for 83 catches for 880 yards.

2. Aaron Hernandez, Patriots (44.1 percent): The rookie has 17 receptions in his last three games, and the trade of Randy Moss should result in more targets and a quick end to his touchdown drought.

3. Tony Moeaki, Chiefs (11.9 percent): Another rookie, Moeaki has 16 catches for 173 yards and two TDs in four games. Dwayne Bowe has been so bad, Kansas City's best receiving threats are a tight end and a running back (Jamaal Charles).

4. Heath Miller, Steelers (46.1 percent): We'll write more about Miller's increase in value because of Ben Roethlisberger's return in a column for Saturday's print and online editions, but here's a quick snippet: The tight end had 76 receptions for 789 yards and six TDs last season, but has been dropped in many leagues because the Steelers had the league's worst passing attack without their suspended QB.

5. John Carlson, Seahawks (23 percent): He's not going to be a huge help in PPR formats, but Carlson can be expected to produce similar numbers to his stats from his first two NFL seasons (an average of 53 catches for 601 yards and six TDs in 2008 and '09).

6. Todd Heap, Ravens (19.8 percent): He had six receptions for 72 yards in Week 1, but has only 12 catches for 138 yards in four games since. At this point in his career, he's better suited to be a bye-week replacement option and not much more.

7. Benjamin Watson, Browns (4.6 percent): He has 20 receptions for 214 yards and one TD in his last four games. That's the good news. The bad: Rookie Colt McCoy will be his quarterback, and it might be for longer than this week's game at Pittsburgh.

8. Jermaine Gresham, Bengals (10.4 percent): Like Pettigrew, I'd expect Gresham to be a fantasy starter in Year 2, which in the latter's case is 2011. The 2010 first-round pick has had 35 receiving yards or fewer in four of five games, but is on pace for 70 catches.

Brady Quinn has thrown for 675 yards and accounted for eight touchdowns (seven passing and one rushing) in his last three games. In that same span, the once-vaunted Steelers defense -- minus safety Troy Polamalu -- has allowed Matt Cassel, Joe Flacco and Bruce Gradkowski to throw for a combined 845 yards and six touchdowns, with zero picks.

All of which might tempt a desperate owner to think with his heart and not his head and start Quinn tonight against the Steelers.

One word of advice: Don't. As well as Quinn played in parts of losses to the Lions and Chargers, he still should not be in anyone's fantasy lineup -- especially in Week 14, which should mark the start of your league's postseason. Quinn is no better than a No. 2 QB in fantasy, and that would have to be as a low-end No. 2 in 12- and 14-team leagues.

Before we get to the rest of the start-and-sit list, here are a few notes on the defenses:

-- The Steelers have the No. 5 overall defense and are the league's best against the run, giving up only 77.8 rushing yards per game and 3.6 yards per attempt. Pittsburgh has allowed three rushing TDs in 12 games.

-- The Steelers are much more ordinary against the pass, the area at which Polamalu's injury is most evident. Pittsburgh is No. 17 vs. the pass and has only eight interceptions, compared to 15 TD passes allowed.

-- The Browns are the league's worst defense at 400.3 total yards per game, and Cleveland ranks 29th vs. the run (154.2 yards per game, 14 TDs) and 26th against the pass (246 yards per game, 18 TDs, six picks).

START

Steelers: QB Ben Roethlisberger, RB Rashard Mendenhall, WR Santonio Holmes, TE Heath Miller, K Jeff Reed, defense and special teams

Browns: None

Quick slants: The assumption here is Hines Ward will not play because of a hamstring injury. If he is active, start the Steelers' receiving leader (72 receptions, 922 yards, six TDs). ... Roethlisberger threw for 417 yards, two TDs and one pick in the Steelers' win over the Browns in Week 6. He has thrown for 3,145 yards in 11 games, a total that is 368 shy of his career high of 3,513, set in 2006. ... Mendenhall has rushed for 842 yards in nine games as the Steelers' lead back. He has six TDs in that span. ... Holmes, who had five catches for 104 yards in the last meeting against the Browns, has scored a TD in two straight games and has 34 receptions for 490 yards in his last five contests. ... Miller, who had five catches for 80 yards and a score in Week 6 vs. the Browns, has only two catches for 29 yards in his last two games. He had 54 receptions for 490 yards and five TDs in the first 10. ... The Steelers forced four turnovers and had a pair of sacks in the last meeting against the Browns. ... Reed had nine points in the Steelers' 27-14 victory.

SIT

Steelers: WR Mike Wallace (if Ward is active)

Browns: QB Brady Quinn, RB Jerome Harrison, RB Chris Jennings, WR Mohamed Massaquoi, K Phil Dawson, defense and special teams

Quick slants: Quinn's eight TDs in the last three games are three better than the Browns' team total on offense in the first nine games. ... Harrison, who has battled an illness all week, is probable for tonight. He was effective last week (35 yards rushing, seven catches for 62 yards and two TDs), but shouldn't be much of a fantasy option until Weeks 15 and 16, when the Browns play at Kansas City and play host to Oakland. ... Massaquoi has two TDs in his last three games, but has only three catches for 36 yards in his last two. ... Dawson, who has 29 points in seven games, scored a combined 228 in 32 games from 2007-08.