Week 7 Waiver Wire – NFL Fantasy Football

DFS Army’s Gthom goes over the waiver wire targets for this week. These waiver wire targets are normally available in 50-percent of ESPN leagues.

Follow Gthom on the cesspool they call X, or Twitter, or whatever it’s called @GarettThomas.

 

QUARTERBACKS

 

Jared Goff (DET) – 46% Ownership

Goff torched the Dallas Cowboys with an impressive performance, completing 18 of 25 passes for 315 yards and three touchdowns. This was his second consecutive week with 25 or more fantasy points. Now Goff gets to face a team he has dominated over the course of his career. Against Minnesota, Goff’s career numbers are a 103.8 passer rating, 2,373 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and three interceptions in eight games.

Facing the Vikings in 2024 presents a different challenge than in years past, mainly due to their defense. However, Minnesota has shown to be susceptible to opposing quarterbacks, allowing 16.6 fantasy points per contest, which is close to the league’s median for this metric.

Goff operates with efficiency, which helps him navigate difficult matchups. Among quarterbacks, Goff ranks 1st in accuracy rating, 1st in play-action completion percentage, 1st in protection rate, 7th in red zone attempts, and 10th in passing touchdowns.

Caleb Williams (CHI) – 50% Ownership

After a slow start, Williams has scored 19 or more fantasy points in three of his last four games. Since Week 3, he is the QB6 overall in fantasy and is averaging 21 fantasy points per game during that stretch, ranking 9th highest at his position. His ascension is multifaceted: his receivers are healthy, he has gained more confidence, and his team is running the ball effectively. This is a perfect recipe for success for any quarterback, let alone a rookie.

The catch? Williams is on bye this week, but his upcoming schedule is very intriguing. He will travel to face Washington, which allows the 9th most fantasy points to quarterbacks, followed by a trip to Arizona, which allows the 4th most.

Williams could easily be a plug-and-play quarterback for fantasy managers. While his arm talent is off the charts, Williams usually runs the ball four-to-five times each game. He has logged 169 rushing yards in 2024 thus far.

Sam Darnold (MIN) – 46% Ownership

The king of efficiency is widely available to pick up, and he gets a divisional matchup at home against the Detroit Lions. Detroit has been vulnerable against opposing teams’ passing attacks. If you remove the poor performance that the Dallas Cowboys had in Week 6, the Lions had been allowing an average of 20.7 fantasy points to the quarterback position (now lowered to 16 when including the Cowboys game).

Darnold ranks 1st among quarterbacks in deep ball completion percentage (69.2%), 4th in touchdowns (11), 5th in red zone attempts (25), 6th in yards per attempt (8.1), and 8th in fantasy points per dropback (0.57). If he is not efficient, he can bust, but that has only happened once this season.

Drake Maye (NE) – 4% Ownership

Maye showed enough in his first start to be a viable streaming option in a pinch this week. In his NFL debut, Maye completed 20 of 33 passes for 243 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions, while adding five carries for 38 yards and one fumble on the ground.

Maye will be facing the NFL’s most generous defense to opposing quarterbacks in Week 7. Jacksonville is allowing an average of 24 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, which is 4.1 points more than the second-highest team. Over their last four games, that average increases to 29 fantasy points per game. The last four quarterbacks to face them finished with the following fantasy points: 30.9, 26.5, 29.6, and 29.3. Notably, three of those weeks were the respective quarterbacks’ season highs for fantasy points scored.

Maye’s talent and potential rushing upside make him a strong option against a team going through a historically bad stretch against quarterbacks. However, turnovers and Maye’s lack of NFL experience remain valid concerns.

 

RUNNING BACKS

 

Tank Bigsby (JAC) – 44% Ownership

This is Bigsby’s moment. He has been on waivers nearly all season but has gradually been eating into the workload of starter Travis Etienne. Injuries have also been nagging Etienne, and in Week 6, he suffered a hamstring injury that leaves him week-to-week. This opens the door for Bigsby to take over as the primary running back. It’s too early to tell for sure, so fantasy managers will need to closely monitor the Jacksonville injury report heading into Week 7.

Bigsby has averaged an impressive 7.24 yards per carry on a limited 41 rushing attempts. As a backup, he has totaled 297 rushing yards, one reception for 28 yards, and two touchdowns. If Etienne is unable to suit up against the Patriots in Week 7, Bigsby will be an auto-start for managers seeking RB2 production.

Alexander Mattison (LV) – 36% Ownership

Mattison continues to deliver enough for his fantasy managers. Prior to Week 5, his head coach mentioned that Mattison’s usage would increase, and he now has double-digit fantasy points in four of his last six games.

The fifth-year running back has been getting opportunities both on the ground and through the air. Through six games, Mattison has totaled 46 carries for 158 yards and three touchdowns (3.43 yards per carry) on the ground, along with 14 receptions for 135 yards and one touchdown as a receiver.

The biggest question mark for Mattison is the return of Zamir White, who has been sidelined for the last two games. White’s absence may have boosted Mattison’s usage, but once White is healthy, he’ll mix back into the rotation. How much of a role White will have is difficult to predict. For now, Mattison remains a low-end RB2.

Tyrone Tracy Jr. (NYG) – 44% Ownership

In two consecutive spot-starts, Tracy has posted a combined stat line of 35 carries for 179 yards and one touchdown on the ground, along with 7 receptions for 58 yards on seven targets. This resulted in fantasy scores of 14 and 22.7 points, respectively. Tracy has likely earned himself a larger role with the Giants, but how significant that role will be remains to be seen in the coming weeks.

It’s hard to imagine that Tracy’s injured teammate, Devin Singletary, won’t retain a large role in the offense once he’s healthy. Singletary logged limited practices leading into Week 6 but was still unable to suit up, leaving questions around his availability in Week 7.

While Tracy likely won’t take over the backfield, he delivered when the Giants leaned on him most, which should lead to a larger timeshare with Singletary. Tracy is a viable rest-of-season pickup and becomes a must-start RB2 if his injured teammate cannot return for Week 7.

Ty Chandler (MIN) – 33% Ownership

Chandler’s fantasy relevance will depend on his teammate Aaron Jones’s availability for Week 7. Jones suffered a hip injury during the Vikings’ Week 5 game against the Jets, and Minnesota announced him as “week-to-week” following that contest. After Jones exited, Chandler became the clear lead back for the offense. He finished with 14 carries for 30 yards on the ground and 2 catches for 9 yards through the air against a stingy Jets defense.

In Week 7, Chandler will face one of the league’s toughest defenses against fantasy running backs. Through five games, the Lions have allowed just 16.5 PPR points per game to opposing running backs, the third lowest in the NFL prior to Monday Night Football. Despite the tough matchup, Chandler’s projected volume puts him in the RB2 conversation for Week 7.

Jones has an injury history, and at 29 years old, he is older than most running backs. If Jones misses multiple weeks, Chandler would be a plug-and-play option. However, if Jones is active, Chandler should not be started.

Isaac Guerendo (SF) – 0% Ownership

Starter Jordan Mason exited Week 6’s contest against the Seahawks with an AC joint injury. If Mason misses time, Guerendo would be a plug-and-play RB2 with significant upside. We have seen 49ers’ running backs miss games in the past, and typically, the next player on the depth chart becomes the featured back and performs well. Additionally, Guerendo finished with 10 carries for 99 yards after Mason left the game in Week 6.

Trey Sermon (IND) – 48% Ownership

18 carries for 29 yards is a rough stat line for any running back, and that’s exactly what Sermon delivered in Week 6 against a tough Titans defense. Week 5 wasn’t much better on the ground, with 10 carries for 38 yards, though his fantasy day was salvaged by catching six passes for 25 yards. Without passing game involvement, Sermon is a fringe FLEX player at best, even when he’s the featured back.

Sermon has been the primary back while his teammate Jonathan Taylor recovers from an ankle injury, but his inefficiency is clear, averaging just 2.39 yards per carry over the last two games he’s started. Meanwhile, teammate Tyler Goodson has averaged 5.92 yards per carry on 13 attempts in that same span. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Goodson begin to take snaps from Sermon as soon as Week 7.

Jonathan Taylor must remain inactive for Sermon and Goodson to maintain fantasy relevance.

Jaylen Warren (PIT) – 45% Ownership

Warren has faced a long road to recovery following an injury in training camp, which was re-aggravated during the season. If you can find him available, he is a great RB2/RB3 for the rest of the season.

In PPR leagues last season, Warren finished as the RB22, accumulating 149 carries for 784 yards and 4 touchdowns on the ground, along with 61 receptions for 370 yards and 5 touchdowns through the air. Meanwhile, the starter, Najee Harris, continues to look inefficient with each touch. Among running backs, Harris ranks 32nd in yards created per touch, 46th in breakaway rate, 56th in true yards per carry, and 60th in fantasy points per opportunity.

Warren will receive serious usage in this offense once he is healthy, so grab him now before it’s too late.

Tyler Allgeier (ATL) – 43% Ownership

For all the pain he has caused to other fantasy managers, Allgeier has been a consistent back to mix-in for the Falcons over his two-year career. His usage normally garners 10-12 touches per game, but in Week 6 Allgeier exploded for 19 opportunities. He finished that contest with 106 total yards and one touchdown.

Allgeier will continue to have low-end standalone value for fantasy managers. He will also operate as a valuable handcuff should starting running back Bijan Robinson ever get injured.

Jaylen Wright (MIA) – 9% Ownership

Wright became more involved after starter De’Von Achane left with concussion symptoms in Week 5. Under the new protocol rules, concussions typically result in the player missing the next game. However, the Dolphins were on BYE in Week 6, and Achane will likely be ready to return in Week 7.

If Achane were to miss Week 7, Wright becomes an intriguing deep-FLEX option. After Achane’s exit, Wright was part of a running back committee and finished with an efficient 13 carries for 86 yards (6.62 YPC).

Miami’s next opponent will be the Colts, who are allowing 25.7 PPR points per game to the running back position, the 11th worst in the NFL (pre-Monday Night Football). Indianapolis has struggled so far in 2024, which bodes well for Miami’s run-heavy focus as they are likely to rely on it with their starting quarterback still returning from injury.

Tyler Goodson (IND) – 3% Ownership

Goodson has outperformed Trey Sermon while the two backups fill in for Jonathan Taylor. In his limited opportunities on the ground, Goodson is averaging 5.92 yards per carry compared to Sermon’s 2.39. The third-year player out of Iowa also has seven receptions for 45 receiving yards during this time.

With Taylor not participating in practice in any capacity leading into Week 6, it’s possible he may also miss Week 7. If that happens, Goodson would enter “desperation play” territory. He has finished with 8.7 and 10.5 PPR points over the last two weeks.

D’Ernest Johnson (JAC) – 0% Ownership

See his teammate Tank Bigsby’s breakdown above. With starting running back Travis Etienne potentially sidelined, Johnson could emerge as a PPR-only option for desperate managers. Johnson appears to be the preferred third-down/receiving back, giving him some potential to score fantasy points in Week 7. Over the last two weeks, he has caught four passes for 25 yards on five targets. He also has 16 carries for 67 rushing yards on the season.

Johnson should only be considered by desperate managers or those in 14-team leagues and deeper.

 

WIDE RECEIVERS

 

Josh Downs (IND) – 49% Ownership

Downs delivered for fantasy managers for the third consecutive week, despite a tough matchup. He finished with 7 receptions for 66 yards and 1 touchdown, totaling 19.5 PPR points against the Tennessee Titans. Over the last three weeks, with Joe Flacco as quarterback, Downs has amassed at least nine targets in each game. Additionally, his PPR scores during this stretch were 22.2, 15.9, and 19.5.

While it may seem that Downs is a slam-dunk addition to your fantasy football team, the return of starting quarterback Anthony Richardson looms. This is significant because Richardson has a true completion percentage of 57.4% and a true passer rating of 67.9, both of which are very poor metrics.

Richardson poses a threat to the fantasy floor of the Indianapolis receivers. However, anytime Joe Flacco is starting at quarterback, fantasy managers can plug-and-play Downs in any matchup.

JuJu Smith-Schuster (KC) – 18% Ownership

JuJu exploded for seven receptions and 130 yards against the Saints in Week 5 and is widely available following Kansas City’s BYE week. It’s really difficult to know what the Chiefs’ game plan will be and how they will mix in receivers. This makes it concerning to rely on Smith-Schuster, as he still managed to be on the field for only 67% of snaps despite an increase in usage.

The Chiefs do not have much depth at the receiver position at the moment. Chasing the points here may not feel great, but within this offense, it can lead to significant fantasy production.

DeMario Douglas (NE) – 21% Ownership

Douglas has always been a PPR option for low-end FLEX consideration, largely due to New England’s quarterback issues. However, rookie 1st-round pick Drake Maye finally made his first start, and on first glance, the Patriots may have found their quarterback to build around. This is significant, as New England’s identity has leaned heavily on the run game and defense since Tom Brady left.

Douglas has received at least nine targets in three of the last four weeks and has posted 11 or more fantasy points in that same timeframe. His Week 6 performance may have been the breakout game he needed to establish himself as a consistent fantasy option, finishing with six receptions for 92 yards and one touchdown against a tough Houston secondary.

The biggest concern remains his snap percentage (65.1%) and route participation rate (91.6%). These relatively low numbers create volatility in his role. Despite these concerns, Douglas should be played against the Jaguars, who allow 46.1 PPR points per game to the receiver position, the 2nd worst in the NFL.

Romeo Doubs (GB) – 30% Ownership

Doubs has been a difficult player to navigate as a fantasy owner. In the first four games, he was on the field a ton, second-most amongst Green Bay receivers, but could not ever get going. Prior to Week 5, it was announced that Doubs would be suspended for conduct detrimental to the team. In Week 6 he finally delivered a productive week and finished with 19.9 PPR points on the back of 3/49/2 on four targets.

Doubs can be started any week you need a wide receiver to stream, but especially in Week 7 since teammate Dontayvion Wicks being labeled as week-to-week. His quarterback, Jordan Love, can throw for 300-plus yards any given week. Love is 2^nd in passing touchdowns, 3^rd in air yards per attempt and 9^th in deep ball attempts, despite missing two games.

Christian Watson (GB) – 45% Ownership

Watson has a documented history of being injury-plagued and touchdown-dependent. Even with these factors in mind, he can be played in Week 7 due to teammate Dontayvion Wicks being labeled week-to-week.

The veteran receiver has only scored 10 or more fantasy points in two contests this season and has routinely had a low snap rate of around 60%. Week 6 was his best fantasy output in 2024, finishing with three receptions for 68 yards and one touchdown on four targets.

Watson may not have a strong floor, but his ceiling can rival almost any receiver in the NFL. It helps immensely that his quarterback, Jordan Love, can throw for over 300 yards any given week. Love ranks 2nd in passing touchdowns, 3rd in air yards per attempt, and 9th in deep-ball attempts, despite missing two games.

Xavier Legette (CAR) – 29% Ownership

Another streaming opportunity at the receiver position arises with Legette. The Panthers will be facing the Commanders in Week 7 and Washington has allowed 41.2 PPR points per game to the receiver position this season, which ranks as the fifth most in the NFL. In Week 6, this Washington secondary gave up nine receptions for 132 yards to Baltimore’s receiver Zay Flowers.

Dialing back into Legette, he finished Week 6 with three receptions for 23 yards and one touchdown on four targets after appearing in only 37% of snaps in Week 5. Against the Bengals in Week 4, Legette had 6 receptions for 66 yards and 1 touchdown, totaling 19.6 PPR points.

Don’t expect much from Legette if you decide to play him. While the matchup is favorable on paper, the Panthers’ offense is known for its volatile performances, making Legette a risky option.

Allen Lazard (NYJ) – 38% Ownership

Writing this before Monday Night Football, but Lazard’s fantasy stock is well known. He is a priority target for Aaron Rodgers in the redzone as Lazard commands a 33.3% redzone target share. Additionally, he does see some reasonably volume, 6.8 targets per game and three games with over eight targets this season. His target share lacks consistency at 18.5% and this Jets offense has been held in check all season.

Fantasy managers can throw Lazard into their lineups any time he is healthy. If the Jets find more fire power in their offense, it may move Lazard into a reliable fantasy role each week.

Rashod Bateman (BAL) – 6% Ownership

Bateman has scored 11 or more PPR points in three of the last four weeks, finding the end zone twice during that stretch. This week, he will face the Buccaneers’ secondary, which has been giving up a lot of scoring over the last two weeks. The Bucs are allowing 40.3 PPR points per game to the receiver position, the 6th highest mark in the league. Bateman’s favorable matchup pairs well with his offense, which ranks 3rd in yards per pass and 8th in yards per game.

Gabe Davis (JAC) – 26% Ownership

It may feel like you’re chasing Davis’s most recent performance, but he can be plugged into your lineups during the bye week. Davis has always been a touchdown-dependent player who occasionally pops off. In Week 6, he finished with 5 receptions for 45 yards and 2 touchdowns on eight targets. His snap count and route participation rates are worrisome for his fantasy floor, but there are worse options available.

The Jaguars will face the New England Patriots next, who are allowing 35.7 PPR points to the receiver position, the 13th most in the NFL.

 

TIGHT ENDS

 

Hunter Henry (NE) – 18% Ownership

With Drake Maye looking competent, it puts Hunter Henry and a few other New England pass catchers back on the fantasy map. Despite poor quarterback play for most of the season, Henry ranks 3rd among tight ends in red zone targets (with a red zone target share of 26.3%), 6th in yards per reception, 8th in total targets, and 8th in target share.

In Week 7, he will face a Jaguars defense that is allowing 11.7 PPR points to opposing tight ends, a middle-of-the-pack amount. Henry is a strong streaming option who could turn into a reliable tight end for the rest of the season, though that is an optimistic outlook. He finished Week 7 with three receptions for 41 yards and one touchdown.

Zach Ertz (WAS) – 54% Ownership

Ertz is part of a high-powered offense that fantasy managers can look to siphon points from. While he starts in Washington’s elite offense, Ertz has not produced significant fantasy numbers. He averages 7.6 fantasy points per game (14th among tight ends) and 0.28 fantasy points per route run (20th). The missing piece for Ertz is the elusive touchdown—he has yet to catch one this season. However, with a 25% red zone target share, that could change any week.

Cade Otton (TB) – 24% Ownership

Otton finally scored a touchdown in Week 7, but that was about all he did. He finished the game with two receptions for 15 yards and one touchdown, totaling 9.5 PPR points.

There’s nothing wrong with going back to Otton or relying on him temporarily if you need a waiver-wire option. He has 31 targets, ranking 6th among tight ends, 7th in red zone targets, and 11th in receptions. This volume has led Otton to being the TE8 overall across the last four weeks.