Viva Murillo!

It's halftime in the fantasy season, and also "give up" time for many players. Owners are sick and tired of their draft-day decisions under-performing and wasting a roster spot. Here's where you sweep in and make a play for those guys.

Now, some will pay off and some won't. But if you need to kick-start your team and push for the playoffs, why not do it while buying low? Consider these guys as you try to rally the troops in the second half:

• Matt Forte. One touchdown from Forte? One? Yep. Just one game over 100 yards rushing as well (same game, actually). But five of his next seven games are at home, and the Bears at in the playoff race at 3-3. If you can get him at a good price, he might be worth adding to your roster.
• Greg Jennings. Another disappointment with just one touchdown so far. But he's seeing plenty of targets (22 in the last three games) and his team is battling for playoff position and a division title. It's not like Ryan Grant is the greatest running back in the league, so the team will need to keep throwing the ball. There's no reason Jennings can't bounce back and have a great second half…on your team.
• Jason Witten. Nobody drafted Witten for one score in his first six games, but I think he's got a great chance to turn it around. He's been pretty decent in point-per-reception leagues, anyway. But if his owner was expecting bigger things and is suffering, you might be able to pick him up as the Cowboys push for a playoff spot.
• Anthony Gonzalez. Sure, he's done nothing (literally) this year, and Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie have helped the team maintain a perfect record. But if you need a good receiver for a stretch run, Gonzalez is a high risk player that might net you some big rewards on the field. The Colts are rolling, and they have to keep it up with the undefeated Broncos and the Patriots surging. If you can get him at a discount, why not own a piece of a high-powered offense with Peyton Manning at the helm? Maybe his owner is getting desperate and needs results now. I think Gonzalez could be a great buy low candidate for the last few weeks of the fantasy season.

The big factor in these players is price, of course. Their owners remember drafting them early, and they won't just give them away. Nobody wants to be the guy who traded away a player and watched him tear it up for someone else. But a bad record speaks volumes, and if an owner is sitting at 2-5 they can't afford to hope things change in the next few weeks. They need results now. If some of those players are on a team that needs to shake things up, I suggest making a decent (but not generous) offer. so if it doesn't pan out you didn't sink your own fortunes in the process. Good luck this week.

You can reach Michael Murillo at vivamurillo@gmail.com.

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