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Andy breaks down his must add fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 7 of the 2026 NFL season. Add these players now off the waiver wire and win more.
RotoBaller drops our top fantasy football Week 7 waiver wire pickups for the 2026 season for RB, WR, TE, and QB. This week, we will look at some sneaky "backup" running backs who could see the value surge over the second half and a handful of rookie WRs on the rise.
This week's must-add fantasy football free agents are hand-picked to ensure you make the right picks to prepare you for the fantasy football championship. These are waiver wire winners heading into Week 7 for running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, and quarterbacks. Win more in 2026 with RotoBaller!
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2026 Fantasy Football: Week 7 Waiver Wire Adds
All Players are rostered in 50% or less in all Yahoo Leagues
Roschon Johnson, RB, Chicago Bears
With Kyle Monangai week-to-week with turf toe, the team's No.3 running back, Roschon Johnson, has not only moved up the depth chart but taken on a surprisingly large role. In their victory over the Falcons on Sunday, Johnson logged a season-high 13 carries for 51 yards and a score and brought in both of his targets for another 34 yards.
In comparison, the team's top option, D'Andre Swift, took 16 carries for just 44 yards but found the back of the end zone twice. Given that Monangai's status for Week 7 remains very unclear (especially since they play on Thursday), Johnson could hold borderline FLEX value in the short term.
Additionally, Johnson has high upside as a handcuff, as he could enter borderline top-15 territory even if Swift misses time. His workload could also continue to rise if Swift maintains his modest efficiency (3.6 YPC over the last three games)
Samaje Perine, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
The next running back may be a typical handoff back like Johnson, but his recent usage suggests he could have more standalone value. The Bengals were off in Week 6, but in Week 5, Perine quietly took many opportunities from incumbent RB1, Chase Brown.
During their victory over the Dolphins, Brown logged 13 carries for an estimated 39 yards, while Perine took 14 carries for a far more impressive 68 yards. This season, Brown has relied heavily on his passing game, averaging a modest 3.5 YPC but a solid 5.2 YPR. Perine is averaging 4.1 YPC, but his much higher workload in their last contest suggests the Bengals could lean on him more, especially if Brown continues to struggle.
Like Swift, Brown remains the "RB1" in this offense, which limits Perine's upside, but his value is rising and worth stashing ahead of another 15+ carry effort in Week 7.
Mike Washington Jr., RB, Las Vegas Raiders
Another "backup" running back to target is Mike Washington Jr. While Ashton Jeanty continued to lead the backfield, Washington took on a season-high workload during their loss to the Bills. Washington logged nine carries for 43 yards and saw 20 offensive snaps, a season-high.
While Jeanty continues to dominate the snap count (and carries), he has not been the most effective on the ground, averaging just 2.8 YPC over his last five games. Additionally, Jeanty has been dealing with a lingering ankle injury, which could be the reason for his struggles. Washington could see up to 10 carries a week while holding immense upside as a handcuff.
Jonah Coleman, RB, Denver Broncos
Coleman is currently on the IR but could be activated as soon as this week ahead of their tilt against the Arizona Cardinals. In his limited stint of NFL action, Coleman took 10 carries for 39 yards and a score and caught all three of his targets for 19 yards.
The team's starting option, J.K. Dobbins, has averaged just 3.3 YPC this season, after posting a much higher 5.0 YPC in 2025. Even if Coleman cannot return in Week 7, he is a top stash with immense upside if Dobbins continues to struggle on the ground.
Bam Knight, RB, Arizona Cardinals
The final running back we will spotlight may have the clearest path to short-term upside. With Jeremiyah Love dealing with an ankle injury and risking more time out, Bam Knight could lead a modified committee. While Tyler Allgeier was slated to lead the group, the former Falcon struggled on Sunday.
In their upset over the Rams, Allgeier led the team with 18 carries, but tallied only 38 yards, while Knight took 15 carries for 80 yards. Knight also logged 31 offensive snaps, which nearly matched Allgeier's 39. If Love stays on the shelf and Allgeier keeps struggling, Knight should get the better end of this committee.
Ja'Kobi Lane, WR, Baltimore Ravens
Rookie Ja'Kobi Lane made his return this past weekend (after an IR stint) and immediately made an impact, catching four of five targets for 40 yards. While he will operate as the No. 2 WR to Zay Flowers, the team's tight end Mark Andrews has seen his role decline, which should open the door for Lane to become a weekly contributor.
Additionally, the team's more experienced No. 2 WR, Rashod Bateman, is dealing with a shoulder injury and has been unproductive, aside from his seven-catch effort in Week 2.
With Lamar Jackson (ankle) nearing a return, this offense should keep improving in the second half, and Lane's role should grow as he gets accustomed to it.
Omar Cooper Jr., WR, New York Jets
The second rookie wide receiver we will spotlight this week and recently returned from IR on Sunday. With Adonai Mitchell (hand) sidelined again, Cooper immediately slid into the WR2 role and made a major impact, leading the team with 103 yards (on six catches) and a score. Cooper showed similar upside in Week 1, catching one pass for 30 yards before suffering an ankle sprain.
While Cooper's long-term upside isn't as clear as Lane's given Mitchell's looming return, he is expected to see a high target share in this offense for now. Cooper is a great pickup in all 3-WR formats, as he should carry FLEX value against the Dolphins next weekend.
Who Should I Pickup Tool
Trying to decide who to pick up off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool here:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to pickup...
Who Should I Pickup? Some common 2026 fantasy football waiver wire decisions are regarding players like Omar Cooper Jr., Ja'Kobi Lane, Bam Knight, Jonah Coleman, Roschon Johnson, Mike Washington Jr., Samaje Perine. But not to worry, we are here to help make these waiver wire decisions and build winning teams in 2026. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups in 2026. Our free Who Should I Pickup? tool will help make your fantasy football waiver wire decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to pick up... all free! Make the right decisions.
2026 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Omar Cooper Jr., Ja'Kobi Lane, Bam Knight, Jonah Coleman, Roschon Johnson, Mike Washington Jr., Samaje Perine. These are some common searches for 2026 fantasy football waiver wire pickups.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Pickup? button to see who the recommended waiver wire pickups are based on fantasy football rankings, projections, and more.
Recent Improvements For Who Should I Pickup? You may have noticed our Who Should I Pickup? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win on the waiver wire in 2026. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, stats, projections, strength of schedule, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football waiver wire rankings and projections based on their research, and updates them constantly throughout the week. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked.
Popular Waiver Wire Searches. Curious to see some tough waiver wire decisions for 2026? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Pickup? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at. Click any of the links to see the results and recommendations.
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2026 for Omar Cooper Jr., Ja'Kobi Lane, Bam Knight, Jonah Coleman, Roschon Johnson, Mike Washington Jr., Samaje Perine:
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