It’s crunch time. If you’re hovering around the .500 mark, it’s make or break. A nice winning streak now could catapult you to the playoffs. An average or slump will leave you questioning your managing skills all season long. If you need that extra boost to your team, here are some athletes to look at on the waiver wire.

Quarterbacks

Jeff Garcia
He didn’t show much in his first start stat wise to be a fantasy football starter. Garcia can only get better as he was rushed a bit early to comeback. His body will get back to 100 percent along with his mental and conditioning strengths. Once that happens he should have some of his receivers back. Garcia may not look like a fantasy starter for the next month, but he could be one of the hottest quarterbacks come fantasy playoff time.

Daunte Culpepper
Yes, there were many owners that were too distraught to keep Culpepper on their team. They wasted a first round pick on him, and saw him put up one decent game. He still has a long ways to go (6 td’s to 12 int’s), but the chance of him revitalizing his season is higher than a continued downfall. A collapsing hole can only collapse so much. Culpepper brought his team back from the dead last week, and can now get them on a roll. As long as he stays patient and the Vikings use Mewelde Moore, Culpepper’s numbers should get back to a equal level.

Brooks Bollinger
The Jets had a win in their back pockets if they would have started Bollinger against the Falcons. He was a totally different quarterback off the bench, and maybe that was the reason for his solid fourth quarter. The Jets need to let go of their love affair with Vinny Testaverde. He may be keeping himself in shape all the time by lifting weights, but his legs and body can’t keep up. Nor can his arm as he left if flailing on many hits that caused the football to be jarred out with ease. Any other quarterback would have been benched, but the Jets still feel like Testaverde gives them a better chance to win. It looks like their in disbelief that Testaverde can have a duplicating type of performance. Well, maybe they never watched Testaverde last year with the Dallas Cowboys.

Kurt Warner
Dennis Green was a second away from yanking Josh McCown last week for Kurt Warner. Green is in a tussle on who to start, and only went with McCown because he had the hot hand. The hand went cold against the Titans last week, and almost froze. Green already has a trigger mind for pulling McCown, and the Cardinals didn’t pay Kurt Warner three million for nothing. In all likelihood the Cardinals are going to test both quarterbacks out for he remaining games. Both have one year deals. Either one will be retained or both will be let go.

Running Backs

JJ Arrington or Marcel Shipp
It’s strange to see an entire squad of running backs that get carries not on a fantasy roster. Well, Shipp and Arrington have made a new exception to that. It hasn’t been their fault though. Arizona gives the running game a try like the snow does falling in the valley of the sun. Add to that the offensive line is still trying to come together. Those pieces could be missing all year, or could come together on any week. If you have room, adding Arrington or Shipp would be smart. Just like Garcia, both will have high value around fantasy playoff time.

Artose Pinner
Both Pinner and Shawn Bryson have been getting a fair amount of carries suddenly. The Lions are either saving Kevin Jones for a late season run, or just want to have more of a crop of backs carrying the load. Both Pinner and Bryson have been fairly impressive, but Pinner would likely get more carries if Jones went down. Basically adding Pinner or Bryson would be looking hypothetically into an injury of Kevin Jones.

Tony Fisher

With Ahman Green and Najeh Davenport out for the season, Fisher will get the opportunity of a third string running back’s dream. The same dream that Nick Goings had a chance with last season and capitalized on. Fisher isn’t a back that doesn’t have much experience. He has been part of the Packers system for awhile, and should fill in with decent numbers.

Wide Receivers

Amani Toomer
For the first time in awhile, Toomer had a fantasy impact on Sunday. With Eli throwing more and with more confidence, Toomer’s last week shouldn’t be a fluke. Especially with the way Plaxico Burress is starting to draw double teams. Toomer is a veteran that still has the talent to warrant starting as a third wide receiver in fantasy leagues.

Az Hakim
Hakim is becoming Aaron Brooks favorite weapon with Joe Horn injured. He has had a fabulous month, and has done so quietly. For the second year in a row he has put up decent numbers when the opportunity has presented itself. Maybe the Saints will look into using more three wide receiver sets with Horn back. Hakim deserves to be on the field, as he is a hard receiver to cover.

Antonio Chatman
Favre has gone his way on occasion before the injury bug hit the Packers receivers. Now that’ll rise with a field of receivers that looks ugly besides Donald Driver. One thing we all know, is that Green Bay will be throwing a lot. Chatman has to be the target and hopefully the receptor of some of those throws.

Koren Robinson
The best story of last week was Koren Robinson. Here is a guy that drove himself out of Seattle, and now is the return specialist for the Vikings. Every kickoff he ran he had stellar returns, and was one man away from having a touchdown. It’s only a matter of time, that Robinson will be worked in as a threat at wide receiver. Travis Taylor and Marcus Robinson can’t compare to Koren Robinson’s raw talents.

Eric Parker
He did fumble away the game for the Chargers, but over the past few weeks he has finally been sighted in the Chargers offense. Drew Brees use to look his way a handful of times, if that, during a game. Teams are gearing more and more attention towards shutting down Antonio Gates, and it’s starting to cause Drew Brees to finally look elsewhere to throw the ball.