Mike Shanahan just couldn't leave us alone.

We were foolish enough to think the Redskins had their featured back in Tim Hightower, who rushed for 209 yards, caught nine passes for 74 yards and scored two touchdowns in Washington's first three games.

Hightower reportedly injured his shoulder early in Week 4, and the result left many of us cringing.

Yes, the Redskins might have a new featured back. The Shanahan Fantasy Curse is going strong, and so are our waiver-wire picks after a one-week absence in which real life intervened (hint: Moving is less fun than watching "Two and a Half Men" without Charlie Sheen).

As always, we're looking for players who are available in a majority of the leagues on ESPN.com. We made an exception for the first player on this list, since he's available in more than 42 percent of the ESPN leagues, and chances to get a featured back are rare on the waiver wire (even if it's a Shanahan back).


1. Ryan Torain, RB, Redskins (owned in 57.6 percent of the ESPN.com leagues): Torain rushed for 135 yards on 19 carries Sunday at St. Louis. It "was like he was possessed," Shanahan said.

You'll have to wait a week if you make this move, since Washington is off this week. By Week 6, Hightower could be healthy and "The Guy," whatever that means in a Shanahan offense.

Regardless, Torain was effective last season, despite receiving 10 or more carries in only eight games. He rushed for 742 yards, averaged 4.5 yards per carry and caught 18 passes.

Long term, he should be Washington's best option. Hopefully, his coach agrees.

2. Stevan Ridley, RB, Patriots (3.6 percent): The rookie third-round pick had 10 carries for 97 yards and a TD on Sunday at Oakland. In four games, he has 18 rushes for 148 yards (8.2 yards per attempt).

BenJarvus Green-Ellis is clearly the Patriots' top option for the time being in the backfield, but Bill Belichick likes to torment us when it comes to running backs almost as much as Shanahan.

Green-Ellis has rushed for 197 yards and three touchdowns. His backup, Danny Woodhead, has been banged up. He had 14 carries in Week 1, but has 12 since.

Ridley could overtake Green-Ellis at some point. The more likely scenario is he will share carries, with Green-Ellis dominating the touches at the goal line.

3. Isaac Redman, RB, Steelers (2.3 percent): Rashard Mendenhall has a hamstring injury that could limit him this week, and his numbers -- thanks in large part to the Steelers' much-maligned offense line -- are less than mediocre (173 yards, 3.0 yards per attempt, two TDs).

Redman has 107 yards on 22 carries (4.9), and he could receive a much greater workload this week because of injuries to Mendenhall and Mewelde Moore.

If you need a one-week fill-in, Redman might get the most touches of any back on this list in Week 5. But keep in mind Sunday's opponent, the Titans, are allowing only 3.2 yards per carry and rank eighth against the run.

4. Bernard Scott, RB, Bengals (5.9 percent): Scott's value depends entirely on Cedric Benson's looming three-game suspension. The latter has appealed Roger Goodell's verdict, but since the commissioner often only has to answer to himself, we should expect Benson to miss at least two games.

If the hammer comes down this week, Scott's value rises. Scott has only 13 rushing attempts and two receptions this season, thanks to a surprisingly productive start by Benson (348 yards, 4.5 yards per carry).

Scott has averaged 4.4 yards per carry in his career, and he could be a decent flex option if Benson is forced to miss Sunday's game at Jacksonville (No. 16 vs. the run).

5. Victor Cruz, WR, Giants (19.3 percent): The rookie has nine receptions for 208 yards and two TDs in his last two games. Sunday, he joined Hakeem Nicks in most of the Giants' two-receiver sets in the second half, reportedly because Eli Manning wasn't happy with Mario Manningham's route-running.

Manningham missed the Giants' game Sept. 26 because of a concussion, and he had one catch for 10 yards against Arizona.

Sunday, the Giants play host to the Seahawks, who are allowing more than 24 points per game. With six teams on a bye, Cruz has to be considered a No. 3 fantasy receiver in Week 5.

Three more possible free agents of note:

-- Jacoby Jones, WR, Texans (8.5 percent): With Andre Johnson possibly being sidelined this week by a hamstring injury, Matt Schaub has to throw to someone other than Owen Daniels and Arian Foster, right? Why not Jones, who had 51 receptions in 2010? In the final two games of 2010, both contests in which Johnson sat, Jones had 10 receptions for 185 yards.

-- Jabar Gaffney, WR, Redskins (6.2 percent): He has 17 receptions for 238 yards and one TD, and he's had at least 54 yards in each of Washington's first four games. Gaffney has 13 receptions in his last three contests, and he had 65 catches for 875 yards in 2010. The negative: If you play in a league in which touchdowns dominate the scoring, he's not an effective option. Gaffney has seven TDs in 52 games since 2008. A reminder: The Redskins are off this week.

-- Montario Hardesty, RB, Browns (19.6 percent): As we wrote Sunday night, Hardesty has a combined 29 touches in his last two games, as the Peyton Hillis Mystery continues to confound. The Browns are off this week, and Hillis eventually should get a lot more work, but Hardesty is an interesting option if you have the luxury of stashing him on your bench for later in the season.

Last week, we gave you Devery Henderson, Dustin Keller, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Aaron Hernandez and Ben Tate in this space.

If you only listened to us on Cadillac Williams, shame on you. OK, shame on us for thinking one game might mean Williams could somehow turn back the clock.

Anyway, we're back with more waiver-wire selections this week. Note that we are looking for players who are available in the majority of the leagues on ESPN.com.

Also note that we discussed the fantasy values of Dexter McCluster, Thomas Jones and other possible free-agent running backs on Monday morning.

1. Eric Decker, WR, Broncos (owned in 6.7 percent of the ESPN.com leagues): With Brandon Lloyd out because of a groin injury and Eddie Royal sidelined during the game because of a similar ailment, Decker had his best game as a pro Sunday -- five receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns vs. the Bengals. He has eight catches for 166 yards in two games, and Royal is expected to miss 2 to 4 weeks. Lloyd should return this week, but that doesn't diminish Decker's standing as a quality No. 3 receiver option in 12-team leagues.

2. David Nelson, WR, Bills (1.4 percent): Nelson had 31 receptions for 353 yards and three TDs as an undrafted rookie last season. All three of his scores were in his last four games. This season, he has 14 receptions for 149 yards and a TD in two games, including a huge Week 2 against the Raiders (10 catches for 83 yards and a score). He's a decent third receiver in 12-team point-per-reception leagues.

3. Fred Davis, TE, Redskins (16.9 percent): Chris Cooley is beat up, as evidenced by his two catches for 21 yards in two games (he was shut out last week). Enter Davis, who has 11 receptions for 191 yards and a TD in two contests. In 2009, he seemed to be Washington's future No. 1 option at tight end (48 receptions, six TDs), but he was disappointing last year. This season, he has surpassed Cooley and should be considered a starting tight end in 12-team leagues.

Five other possible free agents of note:

-- Rex Grossman, QB, Redskins (16.6 percent): He's thrown for at least 291 yards and two TDs each week. Do we think it will continue? No. Can you do better at QB? Absolutely. But Grossman does merit consideration in deep leagues, and he's a no-doubt-about-it starter in leagues in which you play two QBs.

-- Nate Washington, WR, Titans (3.3 percent): He has had six catches or more in each of his first two games, capped by a seven-reception, 99-yard performance against the Ravens. Washington had six TDs in both 2009 and '10, but he never had more than 47 receptions or 687 yards. With Matt Hasselbeck under center, he can at least be a part-time starter in fantasy.

-- Jabar Gaffney, WR, Redskins (5.6 percent): Gaffney averaged 59.5 catches per season in 2009 and '10 with the Broncos, but he scored two TDs each year. With Big Rex in command, Gaffney had five receptions for 62 yards last week against the Cardinals. He isn't a fantasy starter unless you're desperate, but he is roster-worthy.

-- Mike Sims-Walker, WR, Rams (31.3 percent): See Gaffney, Jabar. Sims-Walker had six catches for 92 yards Monday night, but he had one reception for 5 yards in St. Louis' opener. Sam Bradford spreads the receptions between Sims-Walker, Brandon Gibson (seven catches for 102 yards) and Danario Alexander (three receptions for 122 yards and a TD on Monday), so consider Sims-Walker a fantasy reserve.

-- Jason Campbell, QB, Raiders (27.5 percent): We're not fans of Campbell, but he has accounted for five TDs (three passing, two rushing) in two weeks. Campbell's season stats are obviously skewed by his huge game at Buffalo on Sunday. Also keep in mind Campbell threw for only 13 TDs last season. He's no better than a mid-level fantasy backup.

If you're looking into acquiring Matt Hasselbeck on the waiver wire, one or two things have happened.

1. You're desperate.

2. You drafted Brett Favre as your starting quarterback. If this is the case, No. 1 also applies.

If you have Favre and didn't draft a quality backup, Hasselbeck is a decent one-week option with Favre on a bye.

The Seahawks play Sunday at the Rams, who rank 24th against the pass, allowing 730 yards in three games.

All of which brings us to our free-agent selections for Week 4. The picks are available in more than 50 percent of the leagues on ESPN.com -- this week, they are available in at least 66 percent.

QB: Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks (25.3 percent)

Mark Sanchez is available in 53 percent of the ESPN formats, but I'd rather have Hasselbeck this week. He hasn't been very good since 2007, but he's averaging 208 passing yards per game this season and could throw for a couple of scores vs. St. Louis.

RB: BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Patriots (28.7 percent)

Someone has to get the carries in New England -- and fortunately for Green-Ellis, Fred Taylor left last week's game with a toe injury and missed practice Wednesday, Kevin Faulk is on injured reserve and Laurence Maroney is in Denver. Green-Ellis had 16 carries for 98 yards and a touchdown last week. Sunday, he'll face a Dolphins defense that is allowing 117.3 rushing yards per game, 4.5 yards per attempt and has given up two rushing TDs this season.

WR: Brandon Lloyd, Broncos (33.6 percent)

He's been Denver's best receiver, and I have reluctantly jumped aboard the bandwagon after a three-week stretch in which he's had two games with at least 117 yards. Lloyd has 14 receptions for 339 yards and a score. Don't expect a huge game Sunday at the Titans, who are the league's fifth-best pass defense and have given up only one TD toss (compared to three interceptions).

WR: Lance Moore, Saints (12.2 percent)

He caught six passes for 149 yards and two scores last week, and as I wrote late Sunday night, he should get a lot more chances with Reggie Bush out. Moore, who had three catches in New Orleans' first two games, was productive in 2008 (79 receptions, 928 yards, 10 TDs), and his Week 3 was better than the three-game totals for both Devery Henderson (seven catches, 89 yards) and Robert Meachem (four catches, 38 yards).

Of the three receivers on this list, Moore has the best Week 3 matchup. The Panthers have allowed six touchdown passes (the fifth-most) in three games.

WR: Jabar Gaffney, Broncos (19.0 percent)

That crafty Kyle Orton is spreading the ball around in Denver -- Gaffney has 26 targets, Eddie Royal 24 and Lloyd 22. Gaffney has 17 receptions for 189 yards, but because of the matchup at Tennessee, is the worst play of the three wideouts in this space.

TE: Aaron Hernandez, Patriots (23.5 percent)

The rookie has 12 receptions for 166 yards the last two weeks, and he is averaging 16.2 yards per catch on the season. He has 13 receptions on 15 targets (the erratic Randy Moss has nine on 21 targets), and he could be a top-10 tight end in PPR formats. Monday, the Pats play at Miami, which ranks ninth against the pass.

TE: John Carlson, Seahawks (27.1 percent)

He's surprisingly undervalued after averaging 53 receptions and six touchdowns in his first two NFL seasons. Carlson has 10 catches the last two weeks, and he had five for 61 yards and a TD in Week 3. His 24 targets are eight more than any other Seattle receiver.

Carlson also has a much more favorable Week 4 matchup than Hernandez. The aforementioned Rams are allowing 243 passing yards per game.