You ever heard the saying "the best players will play"? It's not true, especially in the NFL. No matter how well a player performs in training camp, often enough they don't get the opportunity to display their talent unless an injury or a trade knocks out a higher player on the depth chart. Remember it took a midseason injury to Roy WIlliams before Miles Austin was able to prove himself and it took a trade for Peyton Hillis to become the full time starter in Cleveland. More than anything else, the opportunity to play is the number one factor in a player's success. This week's top two pickups were both given the opportunity to shine and they made the most of it, earning them future work in the coming weeks. 

Pickups of the Week

Jackie Battle, RB, Chiefs (0.7 percent in ESPN standard 10-man leagues)
Week 5 stats: 19 carries, 119 yards, 2 rec, 21 yards 
Coach Todd Haley has never liked small backs. This philosophy has frustrated Jamaal Charles and Dexter McCluster owners the past two seasons. Listed at 6'2 and 238 pounds, Battle is not a small back. He is the back Haley wanted Thomas Jones to be. He could easily see 15-20 carries going forward because we all know how bad Thomas Jones is. This Kansas City team likes to run, and still has the offensive line to do it. 

Tim Tebow, QB, Broncos (2.6 percent)
Week 5 stats: 4 for 10, 73 yards, 1 TD, 6 carries, 38 yards, 1 TD
Remember when Tebow started the last three games of the 2010 season? In those games he scored 22, 24 and 27 fantasy points in standard scoring leagues (four points for QB touchdowns). Sure, Tebow is not the surest of passers, but in those three games he averaged 66.3 yards rushing and ran for a touchdown in each game. With the Broncos on a bye in week six, Tebow has an entire week to work with the first team before taking on a below-average Miami pass defense.

Montario Hardesty, RB, Browns (16.3 percent)
Week 3 stats: 14 carries, 67 yards, 3 rec, 19 yards
Week 4 stats: 7 carries, 22 yards, 5 rec, 49 yards
Peyton Hillis is demanding a trade and could be out of Cleveland soon. Remember when Jerome Harrison was traded last year and Hillis' production exploded? Hardesty could find himself with the starting job within a couple of weeks.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Raiders (2.8 percent)
Week 3 stats: 4 rec, 155 yards, 7 targets, 
Week 4 stats: 7 rec, 99 yards, 12 targets 1 TD
The Al Davis favorite has now led the Raiders in both receiving yards and targets by a significant amount the last two weeks. The Oakland WR situation still isn't settled completely, but DHB appears to be a favorite of Campbell's. 

Jason Avant, WR, Eagles (1.7 percent)
Week 4 stats: 6 rec, 69 yards, 8 targets
Week 5 stats: 9 rec, 139 yards, 10 targets
The ceiling is low for Avant's fantasy prospects and he will never be more than a #3 WR, but you could do a lot worse, especially in PPR-leagues. Avant has caught 15 of the last 17 passes Michael Vick threw his way and was the highest targeted Eagle in week five.

Joel Dreessen, TE, Texans (0.1 percent)
Week 5 stats: 5 rec, 112 yards, 9 targets, 1 TD
Turns out Dreessen is the receiver not named Owen Daniels that you want to own with Andre Johnson out, not James Casey. His week five numbers speak for themselves and Johnson shouldn't return until week eight. Dreessen is a nice bye-week fill in until Johnson returns.

Early Doucet, WR, Cardinals (9.8 percent)
Week 4 stats: 3 rec, 42 yards, 6 targets
Week 5 stats: 8 rec, 92 yards, 16 targets
16 targets for Doucet on Sunday, but more importantly, only six for Andre Roberts. Doucet has easily become the #2 WR in Arizona and is a decent deeper-league add. Unfortunately for Doucet, his value is tied to Kevin Kolb, who not only looks like an alcoholic, but plays like one too. 

Steve Breaston, WR, Chiefs (3.8 percent)
Week 4 stats: 4 rec, 91 yards, 5 targets
Week 5 stats: 4 rec, 50 yards, 5 targets, 2 TDs
Keep your expectations in check, Breaston's week four and week five opponents have come against the Vikings and the Colts, both weak defenses. The Chiefs are still a run-first offense but nevertheless, that's two straight productive weeks for Breaston and he has a favorable matchup week seven against the Raiders. 

Bills D/ST (6.3 percent)
The Bills defense has scored at least 10 fantasy points in four out of five weeks. Despite giving up an average of 24 points per game, they've managed to put together 16 turnovers. They play Eli Manning in week six, and considering how much Eli likes to throw interceptions, the Bills D/ST should be a solid play.

Dan Bailey, K, Cowboys (13.2 percent)
Ever since Jason Garrett took over at head coach, the Dallas kicker has averaged about 10 points per game. That's more than any other team in the league. Bailey was mentioned here a week ago, but considering how little he is owned, he gets mentioned again.

How is He Still Available?...Guys from Previous Columns

Victor Cruz, WR, Giants (38.3 percent)
Week 3 stats: 3 rec, 110 yards, 5 Targets, 2 TDs
Week 4 stats: 6 rec, 98 yards, 9 targets
Week 5 stats: 8 rec, 161 yards, 11 targets, 1 TD
Of all the free agent WR pickups, Cruz has the most potential to be the best of them. Mario Manningham is still listed as the #2 WR, but that won't affect Cruz's workload. Led all Giants WRs in targets and Eli Manning looked his way during crunch time. 

Aaron Hernandez (84.0 percent)
Week 1 stats: 7 rec, 103 yards, 10 Targets, 1 TD
Week 2 stats: 7 rec, 62 yards, 8 Targets, 1 TD

Ryan Torain, RB, Redskins (77.1 percent)
Week 4 stats: 19 carries, 135 yards, 1 TD
Was on a bye in week five, but still is Mike Shanahan's favorite running back. Whether that makes him the starter is another question.

Ben Watson, TE, Browns (8.9 percent)
Week 1 stats: 3 rec, 45 yards, 7 Targets, 1 TD
Week 2 stats: 2 rec, 16 yards, 4 Targets
Week 3 stats: 5 rec, 64 yards, 10 Targets
Week 4 stats: 6 rec, 48 yards, 9 Targets, 1 TD
The Browns are an awful football team and awful football teams throw the ball. Watson is the Browns' most targeted receiver so far and should continue to be so going forward.