Fantasy football owners were on top of their games leading up to this week, grabbing a bunch of key free agents (Zach Ertz, Khalil Herbert) prior to this week’s waiver period. Still, our top Week 7 fantasy waiver wire pickups and free agent adds features several players (J.D. McKissic, T.Y. Hilton, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Ricky Seals-Jones, Rhamondre Stevenson, D’Ernest Johnson) who could make an impact with a six-team bye coming up. Fortunately, there weren’t many notable injuries outside of Kadarius Toney, Kareem Hunt, and Antonio Gibson (and the latter two might not be too serious), but that means there aren’t many high-priority claims, so we have to make due with what’s available.
Our full free agent list features more potential depth guys, including several players coming off byes (Michael Carter, Marquez Callaway) you might have forgotten about and players eligible to come off IR soon who are definitely out of sight, out of mind (Michael Gallup, Tarik Cohen, Rashaad Penny, JaMycal Hasty), much like Hilton and Rashod Bateman might have been prior to this week. We also have plenty of Week 7 streamer suggestions at QB, WR, TE, and D/ST, which can be found at the end of this list .
There have been at least a couple players worth high waiver claims the past few weeks, but unless Gibson, Hunt, or Damien Harris is expected to miss time, there might not be anyone worth a high claim this week. Carter probably has the most long-term upside if he’s on your waiver wire, but if he is still available, then your league probably doesn’t care too much about him, so take that into account. Ultimately, there could be as many four RBs worth high claims or as few as zero. We’ll need to wait for injury updates.
With a major bye week on tap, you might be desperate for a player at a certain position, so perhaps you feel the need to spend a high-to-medium claim on Seals-Jones or McKissic. That’s fine, but just make sure you’re taking into account all options. If there are multiple players at that position you can live with this week, then save your claim. The byes are from over, and we know the injuries will never end.
Top fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 7
Unless otherwise noted, only players owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues are considered.
J.D. McKissic, RB, Washington
Antonio Gibson (shin) was ineffective and in and out of Sunday’s game, which allowed McKissic to post 110 total yards on 16 touches (eight catches) against the Chiefs. A chunk of that production came in garbage time, but with Gibson bothered by his nagging injury, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Washington give him a week off sometime soon. Either way, McKissic is a must-have handcuff who can have standalone PPR value during the bye weeks. If Gibson does miss time, McKissic would be an RB2 in all formats. Next week, he’ll face Green Bay. — Matt Lutovsky
Michael Carter, RB, Jets
Carter was on a bye in Week 6, but he looks to be the lead back in New York. You don’t want to put all your trust in his against New England in Week 7, but he’s worth rostering for later down the road and should definitely be owned in more than 52 percent of Yahoo leagues. — Jackson Sparks
Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, Patriots
Damien Harris hobbled in and out of Sunday’s game in the fourth quarter, but even before that, Stevenson was getting regular playing time, especially on passing downs. The bruising rookie finished with eight touches (three catches), 62 total yards, and a TD. It’s unlikely Harris will miss time, but Stevenson figures to have a role regardless. With a highly favorable matchup against the Jets on tap in Week 7, Stevenson will be worth at least a flex spot. — ML
Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Browns
The Browns have an unreliable receiving corps, so it’s tough to feel good about anyone, but Peoples-Jones has stepped up over the past two games. He caught four passes (five targets) for 101 yards and two TDs in Week 6, though it should be noted a 57-yard Hail Mary at the end of the first half accounted for a fair amount of that production. Either way, with Odell Beckham Jr. (shoulder) banged up and Jarvis Landry (knee) not expected to be a target hog when he returns, DPJ has the potential to be a fairly consistent producer. He’ll take on Denver in Week 7. — ML
Tim Patrick, WR, Broncos
Patrick caught three-of-five targets and scored a (pre-garbage time) touchdown against the Raiders. This would’ve been a disappointing outing without the touchdown, but he’s proven he’s no stranger to the end zone. He’ll face the Browns in Week 7, who has proven to be weak in the secondary over the past two weeks. –JS
T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts
Hilton missed the first five games of the year while nursing a neck injury, but he looked good in his return, catching all four of his targets for 80 yards against Houston. Hilton actually led the Colts in targets, which perhaps says more about his relatively low ceiling than anything else, but we know he’s capable of big plays in any matchup, so he’s a nice guy to have around during the bye weeks. Assuming his quad injury isn’t serious, he’s in play next week against San Francisco and will be an especially good play in Week 8 against Tennessee. — ML
D’Ernest Johnson, RB, Browns
Johnson’s ultimate waiver value depends on the health of both Kareem Hunt (calf) and Nick Chubb (calf). Chubb didn’t play in last week’s game, while Hunt exited early. With the Browns playing on Thursday night in Week 7, Johnson could find himself in a primary RB role or a secondary one. Either way, he’ll have value in the Browns’ run-heavy offense. While he didn’t do much last week, that was in part because of game script. We’ve seen him shine in the past when one of Cleveland’s top RBs is out, and he can do it against the Broncos, too. — ML
Mark Ingram, RB, Texans
Against Indianapolis in Week 6, Ingram rushed 18 times for 73 yards and caught two passes for eight yards. His numbers weren’t flashy, but it’s his best day since Week 1 vs. Jacksonville. He continued to get fed every game, so he’s worth picking up for depth. Houston takes on Arizona in Week 7. — JS
Ricky Seals-Jones, TE, Washington
Seales-Jones has drawn six or more targets in each of the past two games and caught four-of-six targets for 58 yards and a touchdown against Kansas City. He’ll play the Packers in Week 7, who has been awful against the tight end. He’s our No. 1 streaming option in Week 7 and has legit value for as long as Logan Thomas (hamstring) is out. — JS
Christian Kirk, WR, Cardinals
Kirk caught five-of-eight targets for 75 yards and a touchdown against Cleveland and should be rostered in most leagues. Arizona is a rare offense with tons of fantasy-relevant options, and Kirk is just one of them. It’s important to know there is boom-or-bust potential here. At least two Arizona WRs have solid games every week, but there are a lot of mouths to feed in the offense. Arizona plays Houston in Week 7, so any of them could be in for nuclear fantasy points — JS
A.J. Green, WR, Cardinals
Green has continued to surprise us and has been productive after injuries derailed his past few seasons. In Week 6, he caught five-of-six targets for 79 yards and a touchdown. He’ll face Houston in Week 7, and Arizona has shown they will continue to pass in a blowout. That said, he’s a top streaming option, but he should be rostered for his season-long value, too. — JS
Mecole Hardman, WR, Chiefs
Hardman has received 17 targets over the past two weeks, so we can’t ignore the heavy usage. He’s been a letdown in the past, but maybe it’s time for him to break out. The Chiefs need someone to step up, so this could be his chance. He’ll face off against a horrendous Titans’ secondary in Week 7, so you can consider him a high-risk flex option. — JS
Henry Ruggs III, WR, Raiders
Ruggs caught just three-or-four targets against Denver, but in typical boom-or-bust fashion, he racked up 97 yards and scored on a deep touchdown. He’ll continue to be a boom-or-bust play and is most attractive in standard leagues He’ll face Philadelphia in Week 7, who has been up and down on defense. — JS
Michael Gallup, WR, Cowboys
Gallup will be on a bye in Week 7, but he’s set to return from a calf injury in Week 8. Jump on him now before he becomes too highly owned. — JS
Rashod Bateman, WR, Ravens
Bateman had a respectable NFL debut, catching four-of-five targets for 29 yards. Of course, those aren’t monster numbers, but it was nice to see him make an impact early on. He stepped in right away in the absence of Sammy Watkins (hamstring) and commanded an 18-percent target share just as many targets as Marquise Brown. Lamar Jackson has improved dramatically as a passer, so these are great signs heading into a matchup with Cincinnati. — JS
Devonta Freeman, RB, Ravens
If you’re looking to get a piece of the Ravens’ backfield, Freeman is looking like the best option behind Latavius Murray. He led Baltimore in carries (8) and rushing yards (53) against the Chargers and also drew two targets. Moving forward, he may carry some sneaky value, and he’ll play the Bengals in Week 7. — JS
Le’Veon Bell, RB, Ravens
Bell’s stat line in Week 6 wasn’t impressive (8-18-1), but this is at very least a backfield to watch moving forward. If his usage picks up, he could be fantasy relevant at some point, but he’s not worth starting just yet against Cincinnati in Week 7. — JS
Kenyan Drake, RB, Raiders
This game was probably a fluke since Drake had just six touches, but he did score two touchdowns. Some players just have a nose for the end zone, and we’ll see if that’s the case with a new play-caller in Las Vegas. The Eagles are his Week 7 opponent, and they have been in the bottom-10 against RBs in fantasy and have often given up points to backup RBs. — JS
Rashaad Penny, RB, Seahawks
With Chris Carson (neck) being placed on IR, Penny (calf) could be a sneaky stash. He can return as soon as Week 7, and surely Seattle will want to give the former first-round pick some work if he does. His best-case scenario is becoming a workhorse for Seattle with Carson sidelined. — JS
Tarik Cohen, RB, Bears
Cohen (knee) is eligible to play after being on the PUP list for the first six weeks of the season. We’re not sure he will return, but if he does, there’s room for production for a pass-catching RB in the Bears’ offense. Damien Willaims is on the reserve/Covid-19 list, but he should be back soon. Either way, Cohen should have some sort of role in this offense. This is a PPR-specific pickup. — JS
JaMycal Hasty/Jeff Wilson Jr., RBs, 49ers
Hasty (ankle) is eligible to return in Week 7 and Wilson Jr. soon, too, and we know San Francisco isn’t shy about giving several guys carries from the backfield. Who knows what their roles will be, but the uncertainty makes them attractive in this case. — JS
Marlon Mack, RB, Colts
Not much has changed with Mack, but we’re just hoping he gets traded as fantasy owners. In shallow leagues, you might not be able to stash him, but in deep leagues, you can target the uncertainty. — JS
Marquez Callaway, WR, Saints
Michael Thomas (ankle) and Tre’Quan Smith (hamstring) are eligible to return after the Saints bye, but you have to think they’ll be eased into action. New Orleans takes on an awful Seattle secondary in Week 7, so Callaway is an attractive flex consideration. –JS
Darnell Mooney, WR, Bears
In Week 6, Mooney caught five-of-eight targets for 45 yards and one touchdown. He’s led the team in targets and it looks like Chicago is starting to open up the passing game for Justin Fields. Chicago faces arguably the worst secondary (Tampa Bay) in the league in Week 7, so Mooney has the chance to eat in this spot and be worth at least a flex in a six-team bye week. — JS
Allen Lazard, WR, Packers
Lazard isn’t somewhat to trust every week, but he seems to be the No. 2 WR in this offense — not Randall Cobb. Maybe it won’t continue to play out that way, but he caught three-of-five targets for 27 yards and a touchdown in Week 6. Green Bay faces a struggling Washington secondary in Week 7, so Lazard is a deep league streaming option. — JS
Jameis Winston QB, Saints
Winston has been boom or bust this year, but he attempted a season-high 30 passes in Week 5, netting nearly 30 fantasy points. He has the highest passing touchdown per attempt percentage in the NFL and has one of the best matchups possible in Week 7 with a trip to Seattle. — JS
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Dolphins
Tua was productive in his first game back from injured reserve (ribs) — completing 33-of-47 passes for 329 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. It was good to see him on the same page with Jaylen Waddle and Mike Gesicki, and he showed he can produce against bottom-tier defenses. He’ll play Atlanta in Week 7, so he’s a nice streaming consideration. — JS
Taylor Heinicke, QB, Washington
Heinicke was a major bust in Week 6 against the Chiefs, but he had put up consistently solid numbers most weeks prior to that. The Packers aren’t the best matchup in Week 7, but he’s still in play as a streamer thanks to his rushing upside and the potential for garbage-time points. — ML
Carson Wentz, QB, Colts
Wentz has turned in two solid games in a row, and with a neutral matchup against the 49ers on tap for Week 7, he’s in play as a mid-tier streaming option. — ML
Justin Fields, QB, Bears
We still saw some rookie struggles from Fields in Week 6, but we also saw some of the things we were excited about for fantasy football. He threw for a touchdown and rushed for 43 yards, so he’s a streaming candidate against a lackluster Buccaneers’ secondary. — JS
Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Broncos
The Browns’ defense looks weaker now after a strong start to the season, so Bridgewater looks to be a decent option next week if your starting QB is on a Week 7 bye. — JS
Trey Lance, QB, 49ers
Jimmy Garoppolo (calf) is expected to return as the 49ers’ starter in Week 7, but we still like the idea of stashing Lance for the possibility of late-season upside. We saw signs of what he can do in his first career start with 89 rushing yards. — JS
C.J. Uzomah, TE, Bengals
Uzomah has had some nice games this year, including in Week 6, and with a matchup in Week 7 against a Baltimore defense that’s struggled against TEs this year, he’s in play as a streamer. — ML
Ross Dwelley, TE, 49ers
The 49ers love their TEs, and with George Kittle (calf) out, Dwelley is an interesting streaming option in a favorable matchup against the Colts in Week 7. — ML
Mo Alie-Cox, TE, Colts
It’s a rough week for tight ends with so many of them on a bye, so Alie-Cox is a low-end streaming target in Week 7 against San Francisco for the hope he scores his fourth TD of the year. — JS
Evan Engram, TE, Giants
Engram has drawn five or more targets in three-of-four games this year, so he’s a streaming target by default with so many Giants’ pass-catchers dealing with injuries. That said, he does face a Carolina defense in Week 7 that has been stellar against TEs. — JS
Arizona Cardinals DST vs. HOU
Arizona’s defense has looked impressive in spurts this year, and anydefensewho plays against Houston will be a top D/ST streamer. — JS
New Orleans Saints DST @ SEA
The Saints have been the No. 3 fantasy defense and take on Geno Smith in Week 7. Does anything more need to be said? — JS
Miami Dolphins DST vs. ATL
Atlanta’s offense is emerging, but they still don’t scare us too much. Miami has the talent to turn this thing around of defense, and this could be a good place to start. — JS
San Francisco 49ers DST vs. IND
Indianapolis’ offense is showing signs of life, but Joey Bosa and the 49ers’ front seven should dominate a banged-up Colts’ offensive line. — JS
New York Jets DST @ NE
The Jets haven’t done much on defense this year, but no team is allowing more fantasy points per game to D/STs this year. In a tough week for defenses, the Jets are a high-risk, high-reward streaming option in Week 7. — ML
New York Giants DST vs. CAR
The Giants D/ST has struggled all season, but if you’re in a need of a streamer, you can do worse than this unit against the suddenly struggling Sam Darnold. Consider them a major boom-or-bust option in Week 7. — ML
