During the NFL regular season the TSN 4-Downs ‘Hail Mary Starts of the Week’ will be based around off the radar players with upside in their weekend matchup. The player must be owned in less than 50% of ESPN fantasy leagues, making them more likely to be available on your league’s waiver wire.

This Week 8 of the NFL season is a painful one for fantasy football owners as six teams take a break on the bye.

Baltimore Ravens- Steve Smith Sr., Mike Wallace, Joe Flacco

L.A. Rams - Todd Gurley, Kenny Britt, Tavon Austin

Miami Dolphins - Jarvis Landry, Jay Ajayi, DeVante Parker

New York Giants - Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard, Eli Manning

Pittsburgh Steelers - Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell, Markus Wheaton

San Francisco 49ers - Carlos Hyde, Colin Kaepernick, Torrey Smith

That is some serious firepower sitting on the bench. If you didn’t adequately stock your roster in preparation of this weekend then no doubt panic is setting in.

This will be no picnic for daily fantasy leagues either as it becomes increasingly difficult to decipher what bargain player price is going to deliver the greatest impact.

As usual ‘’TSN 4-Downs’’ offers a couple of ‘Hail Mary Starts’ to help out.

Wide Receiver - Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers

What a difference a year makes. Jordy Nelson missed all of 2015 due to injury and Davante Adams was being touted as the Packers fantasy breakout star.

Many an owner was spurned by the 23-year old’s pedestrian numbers and stayed away from drafting him this season. Well it looks like the 6’1’’ receiver may have finally arrived.

Adams’ five touchdowns through six outings is already more than he had in his first two NFL campaigns combined.

He, along with the entire Green Bay offense, blew up against a struggling Bears crew last Thursday. Adams exploded for 132 yards off of 13 catches along with a pair of scores.

It would be premature to believe that the 2014 second round pick will all of a sudden transform into an ongoing top WR1 option.

However, even if we take away Adams’ PPR format point total of 38.20 versus Chicago, it’s still been a good season. Out of the other five matchups he’s produced double digit points three times.

Against an Atlanta club that’s allowed 15 touchdowns to wide receivers and consistently battles in high scoring shootouts, Adams could be primed for another big game.

He’s owned in just 21% of TSN/ESPN leagues so scoop him up.

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Quarterback - Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs

The words ‘’Alex Smith’’ and ‘’fantasy production’’ are rarely mentioned in the same sentence. He’s the poster-boy for the term ‘’game manager’’ and is typically the furthest thing from a gunslinger.

While all true, Smith is thriving when facing bottom tier defenses in 2016. Now in his 12th season, the former 49ers first overall selection slapped up 31.02 and 19.26 fantasy points after skewering the weak ‘D’ of San Diego and New Orleans respectively.

Let the good times roll for Kansas City as Smith heads into Indianapolis to take on a Colts group that’s given up the eighth most fantasy points to quarterbacks this year.

He may not be flashy, but the 6’4’’, 217lb signal-caller also rarely turns the ball over with a 7-2 TD/INT ratio.

Smith should be waiting on the waiver wire, being available in 62% of TSN/ESPN leagues. If the QB1 in your life is on a bye or if they are underperforming then take a long look at No. 11.

Good luck!

Listen to "TSN 4-Downs" on TSN 1050 and TSN 1150 every Saturday at 11am with host Andy McNamara. Tweet Andy your fantasy football questions @TSN4Downs and @AndyMc81. Email: andy.mcnamara@bellmedia.ca