Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Pickups for Week 7

Discover the top Week 7 fantasy football waiver-wire pickups. Find breakout candidates, injury replacements and more to boost your team.
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Pickups for Week 7
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Well, Week 6 wasn't especially kind to fantasy managers with yet another slew of critical injuries impacting multiple weeks. What's worse is it either directly impacted some of the top fantasy players (Emeka Egbuka, Puka Nacua) or created even more confusing fantasy situations. Complicating matters even further is the dreaded Byemaggedon, where over Weeks 8 and 9, 10 teams have a bye. More power to you if you're able to prepare ahead of time, but for just about every one of my 17 leagues, I'm flying by the seat of my pants one week at a time.

Looking to upgrade your roster? Check out our trade analyzer and stay in the know with breaking news that drives every deal.

For the audio and video component of the article, I also went through a fully developed list on the RotoWire YouTube channel that you can view below.

Teams with Week 7 Bye: Bills and Ravens

Quarterback

Michael Penix, Falcons - This article will be published ahead of Monday's difficult matchup against the Bills, but regardless of what happens in that marquee contest this might be as good as it gets for streaming options. Sterling waiver wire options like Sam Darnold (against the Texans), Jaxson Dart (against the Broncos) and Tua Tagovailoa (Browns) have difficult opponents, making Penix effectively the last man standing for bye-week needy teams looking to replace Josh Allen. FAAB: 3 percent if you need a starter for multiple weeks

Bryce Young, Panthers - In a similar vein to the above blurb, Young gets a Jets defense that has yielded a plethora of points whenever it plays in the States. I don't particularly trust Young, but the potential return of Jalen Coker (quadriceps) could help matters too. FAAB: Post-waiver pickup in shallower leagues

Running Back

Bam Knight, Cardinals - Oh, so you thought you were done being annoyed with the Arizona backfield? Guess again! Despite Michael Carter accumulating plenty of counting stats in the Week 5 loss to the Titans, coach Jonathan Gannon evidently was not pleased with the former Jet and turned to ... another former Jet, in practice squad call-up Knight, to resurrect a defunct rushing attack. That the starting RB switch was announced late Sunday morning was predictably a headache for fantasy managers, and while Carter at least salvaged the day with 64 total yards, it wasn't as if Knight was particularly impressive in his own right (11 for 34 and a touchdown). The availability of Kyler Murray (foot) muddies the water in Arizona, even more especially with a Week 8 bye looming as additional recovery time. I assume Carter will be much more useful against the Packers as a pass-catching specialist, but the incarnate spinning wheel of whim known as Jonathan Gannon means any live body is a speculative play for the Cardinals. FAAB: 7 percent of FAAB

Kimani Vidal, Chargers - I guess if you read this article last week Monday and listened to none of my subsequent conversations throughout the week, you'd feel pretty pleased to get the leg up on this controversial backfield. After we learned Omarion Hampton would miss at minimum Week 6 against the Dolphins (and now longer after landing on injured reserve due to an ankle injury), Daniel Popper from The Athletic, in my mind one of the best beat reporters in the country, suggested Hassan Haskins was "next man up" in the backfield. Vidal, who admittedly had done little in similar opportunities last year for a larger share of the workload, must not have the coaching staff's confidence I figured. There was a bunch of coach speak during the week about a split backfield, and then on gameday Haskins was hinted as the preferred starter. So naturally Vidal erupts for 138 yards and a touchdown in a massive win over the Dolphins while Haskins compiles just 23 yards as a clear afterthought. I still believe the Chargers could trade for a backup, but Sunday's performance alone, particularly as a pass catcher, might have solidified a longer leash for the second-year back. He's rostered already in 31 percent of leagues, but even in 10-team leagues, Vidal needs to be picked up everywhere. FAAB: 34 percent if somehow available

Wide Receiver

Zay Jones, Cardinals - Marvin Harrison left Sunday's loss to the Cardinals early with a concussion. Harrison doesn't have a significant history with concussions so he could be available Week 7, but with the Cardinals on bye the following week, it's unclear how quickly he'll return. Jones stepped up in his absence, recording five receptions for 79 yards on eight targets, but that volume could dissipate against a Packers secondary that has done well against slower, smaller boundary targets. FAAB: Could go up to three percent if news about Harrison is negative

Jordan Whittington, Rams - Puka Nacua suffered an ankle injury that likely keeps him out this week with the Rams on bye in Week 8. Tutu Atwell suffered a hamstring injury during practice last week that kept him out of the Rams' win against the Ravens, so the next man up might be Whittington, who saw a big uptick in playing time Sunday. I've liked Whittington as a prospect specifically in Sean McVay's scheme, as he's a willing blocker and can be good after the catch, but I have almost zero confidence he'll actually get volume despite the increased routes. That said, he should be on the waiver-wire radar. FAAB: Post-waiver pickup

Tez Johnson and Kameron Johnson, Buccaneers - I suspect this won't quite be on the level of name shenanigans like when the fantasy community had to decipher between the Bears' Adrian Peterson and the Vikings' Adrian Peterson, but the facts are important to lay out when sorting out who to roster between Johnson and Johnson (not a law firm).

A) Baker Mayfield is thriving despite facing adverse circumstances. 
B) Chris Godwin (fibula) could be out an extended time and may be joined by Emeka Egbuka, who suffered a hamstring injury in Sunday's win.
C) Mike Evans might return from his multi-game absence due to a hamstring injury, but the Buccaneers might play this one ultra safe given the comical level of injuries.
D) Tampa Bay's Week 7 opponent, Detroit, is potentially missing four of its preferred starting secondary players and likely won't have Brian Branch available due to stupidity.

All right, with all that in front of us, Tez Johnson has seen the largest playing time bump with the litany of injuries playing at least 20 offensive snaps each of the prior three weeks before earning a season-high 36 snaps Sunday. Tez has also compiled seven targets the last two weeks and capitalized on the blown coverage to snare a difficult 45-yard touchdown to effectively put the game away against San Fran. Kameron Johnson, usually the team's top returner, surprisingly saw four targets and looked good after the catch as well. Then there's Jalen McMillan, who is eligible to return off injured reserve, but was still in a neck brace earlier this week. I think Tez is the first target I'd look to, but there could possibly be leagues where Kameron is also worth considering too. Good grief this is a mess. FAAB: Tez Johnson three percent, Kameron Johnson post-waiver pickup in deep leagues

Tight End

Harold Fannin, Browns - David Njoku left Sunday's loss to the Steelers with a knee injury. Fannin was already playing 75 percent of the offensive snaps, so there won't be a playing time bump, but if Dillon Gabriel is only comfortable throwing in the middle of the field for five yards, one less target to occupy that zone is beneficial for the rookie. Fannin joins a list of it feels like seven tight ends who max out at TE8 on a week-to-week basis in PPR leagues. FAAB: 8 percent of FAAB

Oronde Gadsden, Chargers - Hey look, another member of the list! Gadsden is obviously in a better offense and isn't blocked by potential competition, but the Chargers have so many other prominent red-zone targets, and just overall explosive capabilities, that I wouldn't even call him my favorite TE pickup this week. FAAB: 6 percent of FAAB

Michael Mayer, Raiders - Mayer probably constitutes the top TE waiver wire pickup for me, but it's risky because Brock Bowers (knee) could technically play. The Raiders have a bye next week, so it seems silly to trot out the All-Pro after how severely limited he's looked this season, but Las Vegas is an unserious franchise, so I won't rule it out. It's not a particularly easy matchup for Mayer if Bowers is eventually sidelined, but I do think the 2023 second-round pick is a capable pass catcher and could be in for plenty of volume if Geno Smith falters once again. FAAB: 6 percent or higher if one-week starter needed

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joe Bartel is RotoWire's Operations Specialist and football contributor among many other things. When not at the office, he's probably playing a variety of Gen 4 console games or rooting on his beloved Green Bay Packers.
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