We’re nearly halfway through the fantasy football regular season. Two of the biggest bye weeks are now behind us, but injuries continue to pile up. As we approach the Week 7 waiver wire, it’s important to invest in the best players possible for your team. Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing or what they need. Keep stacking your own wins and submit claims for the players who are going to help you do so.
You may be dealing with injuries, bye weeks, or just need to cycle out players from your bench. Whatever the case may be, the waiver wire is there to help. There’s not always a need to put in a claim for players each week, but if you do, make it count. Below, we’ll look at players at each position, who are on 50% or less of most fantasy football rosters, that could be considered on the Week 7 waiver wire.
Teams with a Week 7 Bye: Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys
Week 7 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire By Position
Running Backs
Notable Players on Bye: D’Andre Swift, Rico Dowdle, Roschon Johnson
Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants
Tyrone Tracy now has back-to-back games with over 100 all-purpose yards. In Devin Singletary’s absence, Tracy looks the part of a lead back. The rookie has handled an average of 21 opportunities (carries and targets) per game. Additionally, Tracy has added value as a pass catcher recording seven receptions on eight targets, including hauling in all six in Week 6 for 57 yards.
Even if Singletary returns in Week 7, it’s hard to imagine Tyrone Tracy taking a complete backseat role, if at all. He is by the far the top Week 7 waiver wire running back regardless of Singletary’s status. If Singletary can’t go, Tracy is a must-start when the Giants host the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7.
Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings
Not far behind Tracy in priority on the Week 7 waiver wire is Ty Chandler coming off of a Week 6 bye. That’s why he’s more available than he should be. Aaron Jones will likely sit this week, and perhaps in weeks to come, boosting Chandler’s value for the foreseeable future.
Following Aaron Jones’ Week 5 injury, Ty Chandler the heavy majority of work out of the Vikings’ backfield. His 14 carries and two targets were 10 more total opportunities than Myles Gaskin and C.J. Ham combined. Chandler stepped up late last season for the Vikings as the lead back, as well, so this is a role familiar to him.
The Detroit Lions are a tough matchup for any running back. However, if Chandler maintains a lead back role for weeks to come, the Rams, Colts and Jaguars, from Weeks 8 through 10, all rank inside the top-12 in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs.
Isaac Guerendo, San Francisco 49ers
Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor Jr. are the only two healthy running backs currently on the 49ers’ depth chart ahead of their Super Bowl rematch with the Chiefs. Jordan Mason looks like he may miss Week 7 after suffering a shoulder injury in Week 6.
Guerendo got his most run of the season, logging 10 carries in Week 6. That’s after just 12 total carries in the 49ers’ first five games. Guerendo rushed for 99 yards, most of them as a result of a 76-yard run late in the fourth quarter to help put the game away.
While Guerendo’s speed, expected workload, and San Francisco’s system are all appealing, the Chiefs are a much tougher matchup than the depleted Seattle Seahawks’ defensive line on a short week in Week 6. Guerendo should still be added on the Week 7 waiver with potential to start in most lineups in the potential absence of Jordan Mason.
Other Running Backs to Consider
Tank Bigsby should be a higher priority on this list. I just didn’t want to steal the thunder of those above him heading into Week 7. There has been plenty of opportunity to add Bigsby so he’s not a name that needs his own heading. Travis Etienne is set to miss time with a hamstring injury. Though Bigsby seemingly got benched in a tough matchup against the Chicago Bears, I still expect him to see the bulk of the opportunities over D’Ernest Johnson moving forward. So, if Bigsby gets cut by a frustrated manager, take advantage of the opportunity.
Antonio Gibson, like Bigsby, should be on rosters already. Rhamondre Stevenson missed Week 6 so it’s more likely than not that Gibson isn’t available. However, if he is, he rushed a season-high 13 times in Week 6 with four targets, as well. He may have a chance again to operate as the lead back in a much better matchup against the Jaguars in Week 7.
Braelon Allen remains a high-upside handcuff to Breece Hall. Under their new interim head coach, Hall logged 24 opportunities, rushing for 113 yards on 18 carries. In the event Hall is unavailable, Allen becomes a potential top-10 play each week in his absence. If he is available or becomes available after scoring just 0.8 fantasy points on Monday night, I would stash him.
Sean Tucker is more likely fool’s gold than not as a Week 7 waiver wire pickup. He rushed 14 times for a career-high 136 yards and a touchdown in Week 6. Bucky Irving also rushed 14 times for 81 yards and a touchdown of his own. Tucker, however, added another 56 yards and a touchdown on three receptions. Above all else, this duo’s Week 6 performance is a bad look for Rachaad White. I’m just not ready to declare Sean Tucker a priority add until we see more, but he’s not a bad addition to your bench if you have the room.
Kimani Vidal scored on his first-ever NFL touch. We love to see it! However, he logged just five total touches after for 13 total scoreless yards. Still, Gus Edwards is one game into his four-game minimum stint on Injured Reserve. While J.K. Dobbins is the clear lead back on the run-heavy Chargers, Kimani Vidal is a handcuff worth stashing in 12-team or larger leagues.
Jaylen Wright remains an interesting waiver wire option out of the Miami Dolphins’ backfield. De’Von Achane should be back in Week 7 following a Week 5 concussion and Week 6 bye. Wright is simply a high-upside handcuff at this time who brings a strong combination of size and speed to the Dolphins when called upon.
Wide Receiver
Notable Players on Bye: CeeDee Lamb, D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, Jalen Tolbert
Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts
Josh Downs is still available?! Josh Downs is still available! The Week 7 waiver wire should be the last call to add Downs. Downs has a 25% or greater target share in all four games played this season. Despite concerns of a toe injury heading into Week 6, Downs caught seven of nine targets for 66 yards and a touchdown. It’s his third straight game of 15.0 or more fantasy points.
Nearly all of Downs’ best performances are thanks to Joe Flacco. He’s been the Colts’ quarterback for 11 of 12 quarters in Downs’ last three games. Heading into Week 7, it sounds like Anthony Richardson could be gearing up for a return. He has completed a brutal 50.6% of his passes this season. So, while Downs is a priority add on the Week 7 waiver wire, we may need to temper expectations if Richardson does make a return and continues to struggle as a passer.
DeMario Douglas, New England Patriots
After plugging Ja’Lynn Polk in last week’s waiver wire column, I’m pivoting hard to Pop Douglas for the Week 7 waiver wire. In Drake Maye’s debut as the starting quarterback, Douglas led all Patriots with eight targets. He caught six of them for 92 yards and a touchdown.
While it is Douglas’ best game of the season, the usage isn’t a fluke. Since Week 3, DeMario Douglas has a 22.4% target share. He’s averaging nearly 60 yards per game in that span and is just 19 total snaps behind Polk amongst New England wide receivers this season. Douglas is a great plug-and-play WR3 in a fantastic matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 7.
Juju Smith-Schuster, Kansas City Chiefs
Considering the Chiefs were on bye in Week 6, it’s possible Smith-Schuster is available on the Week 7 waiver wire. In Week 5, the Chiefs’ first game without Rashee Rice (knee), Smith-Schuster logged eight targets behind only Travis Kelce (10). Smith-Schuster led the team with 130 receiving yards, 82 of which were recorded after the catch.
It’s more than likely that Juju Smith-Schuster will assume the “Rashee Rice” role on the Chiefs’ offense moving forward. The role is one he is familiar with as Rice replaced Smith-Schuster following his departure after the 2022 season. This concept alone makes Juju Smith-Schuster a must-add in all formats. He has vaulted from fantasy irrelevancy to a potential top-20 wide receiver with upside any given week.
Other Wide Receivers to Consider
Christian Watson caught three of four targets for 68 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown, in Week 6. Romeo Doubs caught three of four targets of his own for 49 yards and two touchdowns. It’s nice to see both back in the mix after each missed Week 5 for their own respective reasons. Jayden Reed is still the top option in the Packers’ passing game. However, he left Week 6 briefly with an ankle injury and Dontayvion Wicks is reportedly “week-to-week” with a shoulder injury. Watson and Doubs should both be added.
Michael Wilson could be a plug-and-play option in Week 7 if Marvin Harrison Jr. is unable to clear concussion protocol. The Cardinals do play on Monday night so Harrison does have an extra day on his side to do so. We should have clarity on the situation by Friday and/or Saturday. Wilson did only draw three targets following Harrison Jr.’s departure but caught one of them for a touchdown.
Xavier Legette is operating firmly as the WR2 behind Diontae Johnson on the Carolina Panthers offense. Legette has caught a touchdown in two of his last three games, but it’s worth noting he missed time in Week 5 with a shoulder injury. The Washington Commanders’ defense has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. That includes a league-high 10 touchdowns to the position. Legette can be started as a high-upside flex option in Week 7, but should be on someone’s bench at the very least.
Gabe Davis is worth mentioning after a two-touchdown performance in Week 6. Davis did have 25 targets over the Jaguars’ first five games but logged just 25.9 total points in that span. He remains hard to trust week-to-week, especially amongst Christian Kirk, Brian Thomas Jr., and Evan Engram. Gabe Davis is a deeper league bench stash.
Bub Means looks to be rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler’s top receiver. This is, of course, as a result of Chris Olave exiting with a concussion. Means, a rookie himself, caught five passes for 45 yards and a touchdown. The Saints have a quick turnaround to host the Denver Broncos on Thursday to open Week 7. It’s highly unlikely Chris Olave will be available. On the other side, stud cornerback Patrick Surtain will likely be unavailable due a concussion of his own. Bub Means is a deeper league plug off of the Week 7 waiver wire, but a high-upside gamble if your roster desperately needs it.
Tight End
Notable Players on Bye: Jake Ferguson, Cole Kmet
Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After scoring his first touchdown of the season, it’s easy to put Cade Otton atop the Week 7 waiver wire for tight ends. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rank second in the NFL with 29.7 points per game. Despite Mike Evans and Chris Godwin leading the team in targets, Otton very much has a role of his own. Otton is firmly third on the team in targets with 31, which is 12 more than the next closest player, running back, Rachaad White (19).
More recently, Otton has six or more targets in three of his last four games. Up next for Otton is a matchup with the Baltimore Ravens. They haven’t allowed a touchdown yet to a tight end. However, they’re allowed the most receptions (37) and yards (436) through six games.
Other Tight Ends to Consider
Hunter Henry is back on the fantasy radar following rookie quarterback Drake Maye’s first start. Henry caught three of his five targets for 41 yards and a touchdown in Week 6. He logged the second-most targets amongst all Patriots catching one of Maye’s three touchdowns. Maye has a chance to build on his debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 7 overseas in London. The Jaguars are allowing the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks and the third-most points to tight ends. Henry is a great tight end streamer off of the Week 7 waiver wire with a chance to establish himself as an every-week starter.
Zach Ertz has a solid matchup if you’re looking for a tight end streamer on the waiver wire. The Washington Commanders host the Carolina Panthers in Week 7. The Panthers are allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends this season. That includes 40 or more receiving yards to at least one tight end in four of six games this season. Ertz remains second in targets on a Commanders offense that looks like one of the best in the league. He has a high floor and maybe a higher than usual ceiling with the matchup.
Quarterback
Notable Players on Bye: Dak Prescott, Caleb Williams
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Goff is absolutely on fire over his last two starts. Prior to the Lions’ Week 5 bye, Goff completed all 18 of his pass attempts for 292 yards, two touchdowns, and even caught a touchdown to earn a season-high 27.18 fantasy points. Coming out of the Week 5 bye, Goff let it rip through the air again for 315 yards and three touchdowns earning another 25.0+ point performance.
Given the bye week in between Goff’s top two games of the season, it’s possible he’s available on the Week 7 waiver wire, especially in 1QB leagues. Unfortunately, Goff and the Lions face their toughest test yet. They’ll travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings who are coming out of their own bye week. The Vikings defense is arguably the best in the league right now. They’ve allowed just 15.2 points per game this season, the third-fewest after six weeks.
Beyond this Week 7 showdown, Goff and the Lions have two more away games in the three weeks after against the Packers and Texans. The Lions rank fifth in rush attempts per game. They want to run the ball. However, in tougher, more competitive matchups, Goff may have to air it out more than usual. With an uptick in volume and adequate weapons in the passing game, he has a nice high floor/high ceiling combo if you need a steady option moving forward.
Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Given what we saw in his debut, I’m moving up rookie Drake Maye in the priority list on the Week 7 waiver wire. There are only two teams on bye and no devastating injuries to the position so far this season. That said, Maye is really only a consideration for 2QB or Superflex leagues, for now.
In his debut, Drake Maye completed 20 of 33 pass attempts, three of which for touchdowns. Two of his scores were from 40 and 35 yards out, respectively. Maye targeted eight different pass catchers with three different players catching his touchdown passes. Additionally, Drake Maye added 3.8 fantasy points from 38 yards rushing on a noteworthy five rush attempts, the longest of which was for 15 yards.
The key to picking up Drake Maye on the Week 7 waiver wire is the matchup. In Week 7, Maye and the Patriots travel to London to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. They’re allowing the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season. They’ve now allowed four-straight top-seven quarterback finishes in fantasy football including two overall QB1 performances. That includes Caleb Williams’ QB1 finish in Week 6. Drake Maye is the next beneficiary of this juicy matchup.
Other Quarterbacks to Consider
Caleb Williams is on bye which may make him available, if he isn’t already, on the Week 7 waiver wire. If you have the room, he’s worth the add. Williams has scored 52.8% of his total fantasy points over his last two games. He’s thrown six total touchdown passes with 90 total rushing yards, as well. Out of the bye, Williams heads to Washington then Arizona to take on the Commanders and Cardinals. They each rank inside the top six in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks.
Trevor Lawrence saw three different receivers drop four would-be touchdown passes in Week 6. While he himself has not been perfect, there’s been a lot of meat left on the bone from a fantasy perspective due to the shortcomings of the Jaguars as a whole. Still, Lawrence has exactly two touchdown passes in each of his last three games. His schedule softens up to some degree, as well, before a Week 12 bye. Lawrence has a higher floor than most if that’s what your lineup needs off of the Week 7 waiver wire. Again, this is likely an acquisition meant for 2QB or Superflex leagues.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 7 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!