In the last couple of weeks, two teams with Super Bowl hopes -- Houston and Chicago -- have lost their starting quarterbacks. Throw in Adrian Peterson going down with an ankle injury and fantasy owners are starting to get their usual late-season headaches. Luckily, even though we're entering Week 12, the waiver wire always offers some hope. Let's take a look at this week's hot waiver wire targets and whether or not those players are worth pursuing. Jake Locker, QB, Tennessee -- Locker came in against Atlanta when starter Matt Hasselbeck left with an elbow injury. Coach Mike Munchak has already said Hasselbeck will still be the starter if he's healthy but it appears that Locker's time is coming. One thing Locker gives the Titans is mobility. Hasselbeck has been under heavy fire in recent weeks, and with his lack of mobility the veteran is a sitting duck. On Sunday, Locker was able to elude pressure and make plays down the field. One thing I noticed about Locker, though, is he really struggled throwing to his left. Damian Williams was lined up to Locker's left and he was targeted seven times. None of those seven passes ever had a chance. Every one of Locker's passes to Williams sailed over his head or out of bounds. Locker threw very well to his right and when he was on the run. I'm not sure if it was just one game or if it's an issue with mechanics but it's certainly something to keep an eye on if Locker starts this week. The Final Call: It's unlikely fantasy owners fighting for a playoff spot need a starting quarterback right now. However, if you play in a two-quarterback league Locker is worth picking up. He could have some fantasy value if Hasselbeck is sidelined. Kevin Smith, RB, Detroit -- In one of the more shocking performances in recent memory, Smith came off the street to record 201 total yards and three touchdowns Sunday against Carolina. There's no question Smith was running hard, but if you watched the game you saw how truly pathetic the Carolina run defense is right now. I can't remember a game where I've seen so many missed tackles by one team. I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt things won't get any easier for Smith this year. Now that's not to say Smith doesn't have any fantasy value. It's not like the Lions are loaded with great options at running back. Plus, Smith is a good receiver out of the backfield and the Lions love throwing the ball to their backs. Smith has obviously earned more playing time, but ...

Anyone who plays fantasy football knows that the last week in the NFL has been ridiculous. As a result of the lockout, roster moves usually made over the course of six months were condensed down to six days. Trades, free agent signings, rookie signings -- we've had all of it in less than a week. It has been a dizzying time for NFL fans and fantasy players alike, leaving even the most astute followers of the game curled up in the fetal position. Everyone knows that DeAngelo Williams re-signed with the Carolina Panthers. Everyone knows that Santonio Holmes re-signed with the New York Jets. Everyone knows that Brett Favre signed with the ... oh, thank God he's gone. But what about the guys who signed that may have flown under the radar? What about the guys who might not have signed the big money contracts? If you were paying attention, you may know about these signings, but they'll have fantasy impacts that far outweigh the fanfare they didn't receive. Marion Barber was released by the Dallas Cowboys, and ended up signing with the Chicago Bears. At first glance, this seems like no big deal, a move made more for depth than anything else. But upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that Chicago made the move not only for depth, but for more offensive flexibility. Barber is a fantastic short yardage back, meaning he'll likely end up vulturing some goal line touches and/or touchdowns from Matt Forte. In addition, his pass catching and pass protection skills will get him on the field, giving offensive coordinator Mike Martz and the Bears offense just another option in their arsenal. Trending up: Felix Jones, Tashard Choice Trending down: Matt Forte Matt Hasselbeck left the home of grunge rock for the home of country. As the Seattle Seahawks' signal caller, Hasselbeck enjoyed some productive years, but has been slowed in recent seasons by nagging back injuries. The Tennessee Titans look to him to mentor young rookie Jake Locker, whom Tennessee took in the first round back in April. But Hasselbeck still has enough left in the tank to be productive, and is a skilled enough passer that opposing defenses need to respect him. This means that defenses might have to think twice before loading up the box against Chris Johnson. Trending up: Chris Johnson, Kenny Britt Trending down: Jake Locker, anyone on Seattle's offense Todd Heap was a stud tight end about five years ago. So what happened? Well, besides now being on the wrong side of 30, he was also bit by the injury ...