Bush has always been the Raiders bruising goalline back, but last night he was called upon to carry the load and he did so wonderfully, rushing for 157 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries, and adding another 85 yards through the air.  His 242 total yards helped the Raiders control the clock and move the ball down the field on a consistent basis against the San Diego Chargers, leading to an important 24-17 victory.

With the win, the Raiders move into first place in the AFC West.  They have Bush to thank, as he earns the “Stat Line of the Night” for Thursday, November 10, 2011.

I sure as hell hope that all NFL teams have been upgrading the size of their trainer’s rooms, because 2010 appears to be the year of the injury.  Much like the previous three weeks, week four was littered with key injuries.  Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy both sustained rib injuries in the Eagles’ loss to the Redskins, while Darren McFadden and Clinton Portis once again appear to be unable to shed their injury-prone labels.  So with the bumps, bruises, tears and pulls adding up, several names on the waiver wire have suddenly become quite valuable.

Here are a few of those names you may want to pick up.  They may become quite useful as teams enter their bye weeks.

Sam Bradford, QB, STL – If you were one of the many unfortunate owners that placed your hope in the return of Michael Vick, you may find yourself desperate for a replacement quarterback for the next couple of week.  If so, Sam Bradford is the perfect fit for you.  The Rams’ rookie quarterback has six touchdowns and 944 yards through his first four weeks of the season, and a week five battle against the Lions’ poor secondary should only help him increase those numbers.

Kevin Kolb, QB, PHI – Following Andy Reid’s announcement that Michael Vick would be the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, many owners were quick to drop Kevin Kolb.  The Eagles’ quarterback is hoping to make those owners regret their decision when he takes over the starting duties while Vick deals with a rib injury.  Kolb has not looked good in his five quarters of play, but with a full week of practice, a number of weapons at his disposal, and a suspect 49ers secondary next on the schedule for him, this may be the opportunity he needs to make a name for himself as the Eagles true quarterback of the future, and maybe even their quarterback of the present.

Ryan Torain, RB, WSH - We all knew that it was only a matter of time before Clinton Portis went down with an injury, and it appears as though that time has come.  Portis appeared to be nursing an injury throughout his game on Sunday, and while he was on the bench Torain filled in quite nicely to the tune of 70 yards and a touchdown.  Judging by Portis’ injury history, that likely wont be the last you see of Torain this season.  Get him on your roster now, before he becomes the starter in Washington for good.

Michael Bush, RB, OAK – Darren McFadden got off to a scorching start this season, but those who know him best knew it was likely only a matter of time before he went down with an injury.  Lo and behold, McFadden sustained a hamstring injury that kept him out for the end of the Raiders’ thriller with the Texans on Sunday.  Hamstring issues have a tendency to linger (see Knowshon Moreno), so that could be just what Michael Bush needed to move back atop the depth chart in the Raiders’ backfield.

Brandon Lloyd, WR, DEN – Throughout the first couple of weeks it was somewhat difficult to sort through the Broncos receivers in search of some fantasy value, but after four weeks it appears as though Brandon Lloyd has asserted himself as the big play target for Kyle Orton.  Despite having to split targets with the likes of Jabar Gaffney, Demaryius Thomas, and Eddie Royal, Lloyd is still having a career year, and his 454 yards and one touchdown currently have him sitting among the top five fantasy receivers in standard scoring leagues.  Some have already jumped on the Brandon Lloyd bandwagon, but if no one in your league has done so yet, I suggest you be the first.

It can be difficult to identify such players, and that is why we here at TPS are going to help you out. Each Tuesday for the remainder of the season, we will give you some players to look out for that may be on your waiver wire. These players are the ones we assume are available in most leagues, but beware. There may be better free agents out there that we have not listed because we just assume that someone should already have taken them. If one of those guys is a free agent in your league, PICK HIM UP!

Here is a look at some guys you may want to take a look at in you league:

Derek Anderson, CLE, QB: He may not have won the game for the Cleveland Browns, but Derek Anderson was able to preform well enough to record two offensive touchdowns for a team that had struggled to get into the endzone in the first three weeks.  He may not be starter worthy on most fantasy teams, but it may be a good idea to pick up the newly promoted starting quarterback in hopes that he can regain the form he showed two years ago when he threw for 29 touchdowns and 3787 yards.

David Garrard, JAC, QB: Garrard is likely to be the hottest commodity on most waiver wires this week (if he is avaliable) after putting up three touchdowns and 323 yards.  He was facing a rather weak Titans secondary, but with the veteran Torry Holt lined up at wide receiver, and Mike Sims-Walker emerging as a reliable target, Garrard should continue to produce a strong stat line against weaker match ups.

Michael Bush, OAK, RB: I am hesitant to put faith into any member of the Oakland Raiders offense, but if they finally decide to pull the plug on Jamarcus Russell and get a real quarterback in there, the results may be impressive.  Such a change should at least help the team develop some hope, and if that is the case, Michael bush may be the beneficiary.  With Darren McFadden expected to miss 2-4 weeks with an injured knee, Bush will shoulder much of the load.  If the bruising back can produce out of the lead role, taking a chance on him now will pay dividends.

Rashard Mendenhall, PIT, RB: Over the course of the first three weeks of the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers rushing attack had been non-existent.  That changed this week with the breakout performance by second-year back Rashard Mendenhall.  While Willie Parker may still be considered the number one guy in Steeltown, after recording 165 yards and two touchdowns, it will be difficult for Tomlin not to go back with Mendenhall.  Should he emerge as the goto guy, he will be well worth a spot on any fantasy roster.

Kenny Brit, TEN, WR: The Titans look to be in trouble as teams across the league have come to the conclusion that they can not defend the pass.  That means Tennessee may often find themselves playing from behind in games and that could be good news for Kenny Brit.  The rookie out of Rutgers has been impressive thus far this year, posting 271 yards over four games.  While he is not a legitimate starter on any fantasy team, he can be a viable replacement during bye weeks.