RADIO
The waiver wire may not look any prettier this week but it's more important than ever with six teams due for a bye. For that reason, certain players coming off big games or on potent offenses may not be mentioned whereas others that may not normally be relevant will be on the list for Week 7.
For those new to this weekly column, the intent is to identify as many noteworthy waiver wire targets as possible at every position with a brief explanation of each player's current path to fantasy relevance.
All rostered percentages are taken from Yahoo and players are listed in descending order, not in order of priority. Only players who are rostered in approximately 40% or fewer leagues are considered. As a public service announcement, if a player not listed with a higher rostered rate is available in your league, for example, Kenyan Drake at 53%, Sterling Shepard at 52%, or Zach Ertz at 60%, they will likely be worth adding over any of the players listed below.
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Running Backs - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
J.D. McKissic, Washington Football Team - 41% rostered
Rarely used as a runner, McKissic saw a season-high eight rush attempts in Week 6 due to Antonio Gibson's lingering shin issue that kept him sidelined in the fourth quarter. There is legitimate concern that Gibson is facing a more serious injury than many are aware of. That could mean an uptick in usage for McKissic although his role wouldn't change much as a pass-catching back first. The ceiling is never high but it's always useful to have a capable receiver at RB in PPR leagues.
Jeff Wilson Jr., San Francisco 49ers - 19% rostered
We won't see Wilson back in action until November but this might be the time for deep-league managers to stash him in an IR spot. Trey Sermon has faded into obscurity and Elijah Mitchell hasn't exactly cemented his role as the RB1 either.
Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots - 11% rostered
Stevenson got the ball at the one-yard line in the fourth quarter against Dallas and took it in for his first NFL touchdown, finishing with 23 yards on five carries. This is still Harris' backfield, especially after he ran for 101 yards and a TD himself in this contest but Stevenson did catch three passes while Harris and Brandon Bolden caught one apiece. He isn't going to get many touches without a Harris injury but if he carves out a role as a pass-catcher and goal-line threat, he has some value outside of simply an insurance policy.
Chris Evans, Cincinnati Bengals - 4% rostered
With Samaje Perine sidelined by COVID, the rookie out of Michigan was able to see more significant snaps in Week 6. He stood out as a receiver in training camp and that is his main appeal in fantasy, as proven by his three catches for 49 yards as opposed to four carries. If Perine returns next week, Evans is simply a deep-league stash.
D'Ernest Johnson, Cleveland Browns - 2% rostered
Kareem Hunt's calf injury is expected to sideline him for a few weeks and an IR stint seems inevitable. Unless Nick Chubb has an impressively fast recovery time before Thursday night, it will be Johnson as the featured back in what was once the best rushing attack in the league. Last year, when Chubb was on IR, Johnson did nothing over a four-week span as it was all Hunt. Now, we may get to see what he's made of. Don't empty the wallet for the right to claim him off waivers but those with Hunt should strongly consider picking him up.
Devonta Freeman, Baltimore Ravens - 2% rostered
Don't read too much into Freeman running for 53 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers. As good as the Bolts have been, they are the worst run defense in the league, yielding 132 rushing yards per game to RBs. Freeman becomes relevant if Latavius Murray's ankle injury keeps him out next week and makes Freeman the starter. Baltimore has a chance to keep rolling at home against Cincinnati next week, so Freeman could enter the Flex conversation. He's only a one-week rental though, as the Ravens are on bye in Week 8.
Jaret Patterson, Washington Football Team - 1% rostered
As mentioned above with McKissic, the shin injury that is hampering Gibson could lead to missed time and a big opportunity for Patterson. He has all of nine carries for 28 yards on the season so we don't know what he is capable of just yet. He was a prolific runner at the NCAA level for Buffalo, tallying 1,799 rushing yards as a sophomore and then cracking 1,000 yards in just six games as a junior. Oddly enough, he was barely used as a pass-catcher, failing to haul in a single pass in 2020 yet in the preseason he was one of the leading receivers among running backs with 10 catches for 70 yards while running for 110 yards. He has the talent and may now have the opportunity, so he's worth a speculative add in most leagues.
Others to consider: Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles (28% rostered);Â Giovani Bernard, Tampa Bay Bucs (19% rostered); Elijah Penny, New York Giants (0% rostered)
Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts - 39% rostered
We didn't know what to expect from Hilton with Carson Wentz throwing him the ball in his first game off IR. He immediately made an impact with four catches for 80 yards, including a 52-yard reception early on. The problem is that he exited early with a quad injury. There wasn't great concern about it post-game but for a veteran who has dealt with multiple injuries over the past year, it's worth noting.
Marquez Callaway, New Orleans Saints - 34% rostered
The Saints are coming off a bye so Callaway may have been dropped in some leagues. They enter Week 7 with a great matchup against Seattle's secondary so we could see more long plays to Callaway as we did the past two games when he registered 85 yards with two TD and 74 yards. Although a Michael Thomas return to action may be on the horizon, that could actually help Callaway see more favorable coverage and improve the entire offense.
Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens - 28% rostered
In his first NFL game, Bateman caught four passes for 29 yards on six targets. He should get more involved as the weeks go on, although Sammy Watkins sat out Week 6 and could return. This Baltimore passing game doesn't seem as if it will limit the ceiling for its receivers as once believed, so feel free to add Bateman in 12-team leagues or deeper if you need receiving help.
Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions - 24% rostered
After leading the team in receiving the past two weeks, the rookie took a step back with just 26 yards on five receptions. The entire Detroit offense was anemic in Week 6 and he was still targeted seven times so it wasn't a matter of St. Brown struggling so much as his quarterback. He doesn't appear quite as enticing as last week but there's still PPR value here.
K.J. Osborn, Minnesota Vikings - 8% rostered
The Vikings' WR3 played the hero role in Week 6 with an overtime touchdown to win the game over Carolina. That aside, he finished with six receptions for 78 and that score, finishing with more fantasy points than Justin Jefferson on the day. Minnesota is on bye this coming week so don't run out to add him unless you have bench space to spare.
Donovan Peoples-Jones, Cleveland Browns - 2% rostered
DPJ was a strong recommendation even before his Hail Mary catch before halftime, giving him a second TD on the day. He finished with 101 yards and was the only Browns player to reach the end zone in a 37-14 throttling by Arizona. On one hand, his huge day and the expected absence of both top RBs in Cleveland could make Peoples-Jones a bigger part of the offense. On the other hand, Jarvis Landry should be back for Week 7 and Baker Mayfield is playing through a shoulder injury causing him obvious pain. He's a boom-bust option on Thursday night when they face Denver.
Nico Collins, Houston Texans - 1% rostered
This Michigan product hadn't played since Week 2 but he didn't take long to become an integral part of the passing offense. He tied for second on the Texans with four receptions and six targets and posted 44 yards on the day. His role could grow quickly as Chris Conley left the game with a neck injury and Anthony Miller was jettisoned last week. Houston will have to pass plenty in Week 7 when they face Arizona, so Collins suddenly becomes an interesting flex option.
Jamal Agnew, Jacksonville Jaguars - 0% rostered
For the second week in a row, Agnew has put up more fantasy points than Laviska Shenault Jr. The Jags are on bye in Week 7 and you can't be too interested in any of their receivers outside of Marvin Jones, so this is mostly just an excuse to vent about Shenault.
Others to consider: Tim Patrick, Denver Broncos (35% rostered); Jamison Crowder, New York Jets (27% rostered); DeSean Jackson, Los Angeles Rams (5% rostered); Kalif Raymond, Detroit Lions (3% rostered); Quez Watkins, Philadelphia Eagles (2% rostered); Demarcus Robinson, Kansas City Chiefs (0% rostered)
Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
Gerald Everett, Seattle Seahawks - 31% rostered
It was Will Dissly scoring on Sunday night but Everett somehow led the team in receiving with just 40 yards through regulation. This whole passing attack won't have much juice with Geno Smith behind center but in a very thin week for TE options, Everett is one of the few worth considering as a streamer despite a tough matchup with New Orleans coming up.
Ricky Seals-Jones, Washington Football Team - 29% rostered
Bingo. If you scooped up Seals-Jones last week and put him in your lineup, congrats. He paid off with 58 yards and a touchdown on four receptions, which made him the TE6 in PPR scoring for Week 6. He won't face KC again but he could still be one of the leading receivers for the team when they face the Packers.
Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears - 19% rostered
After spending the past month on the back of a milk carton, Kmet showed up against Green Bay. It wasn't a grandiose effort but four catches for 49 yards is better than nothing. The Bears continue to keep their offense mostly grounded as Justin Fields' 27 pass attempts marked a season-high. Maybe they'll step that up when they go to Tampa next week but Kmet is still just a high-end TE2 or desperation streamer.
Others to consider: Mo Alie-Cox, Indianapolis Colts (8% rostered); Anthony Firkser, Tennessee Titans (7% rostered); C.J. Uzomah, Cincinnati Bengals (6% rostered)
Quarterbacks - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
Teddy Bridgewater, Denver Broncos - 20% rostered
It wasn't a great day for the Broncos as they were rolled by the Raiders before making a late comeback attempt. That worked in Bridgewater's favor as he wound up with 334 yards and three touchdowns. Unfortunately, that was overshadowed by three INT that cost the team. There's a short turnaround to Thursday night when they face Cleveland but it's a good spot against a team that allows the sixth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks. Jerry Jeudy has a shot to return this week which would make Teddy B even more appealing.
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins - 16% rostered
The Dolphins fell to 1-5 after becoming the first team in the past 20 games to allow Jacksonville to win a game. That happened in Tagovailoa's return as a starter but it wasn't his fault. In his first game since Week 2, Tagovailoa threw for 329 yards and two TD with just one INT. If DeVante Parker comes back for Week 7 it could help his cause in another favorable matchup with the Falcons. In a fairly tough week for QB streaming, Tagovailoa looks like the top choice.
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions - 11% rostered
What matters more, desire or talent? If you believe the former, then take a chance streaming Goff in a revenge game against the team that drafted him and then banished traded him to Detroit. He was publicly challenged by his head coach to "step up" after their most recent loss. There is the potential for garbage time passing yards if the Rams are up big, which is how Goff was productive the first couple of weeks. Then again, if the talent discrepancy between the Rams defense and Goff's decision-making proves too great, he could have another poor showing. Start him only if desperate in two-QB leagues.
Others to consider: Taylor Heinicke, Washington Football Team (29% rostered); Carson Wentz, Indianapolis Colts (35% rostered)
Team Defense (D/ST) - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
Carolina Panthers Defense - 53% rostered
It was a disappointing effort from this retooled defense as they didn't register a single sack on Kirk Cousins and allowed him to throw for 373 yards while Dalvin Cook ran for 140. They'll have a great chance to redeem themselves when they face the Giants in Week 7; Daniel Jones just committed a career-high four turnovers and they'll still be without Saquon Barkley.
New Orleans Saints Defense - 39% rostered
For starters, this is a great DST to add for the long haul now that they've already had their bye week. New Orleans entered the weekend ranked fourth in points allowed and second in interceptions. Their weakness is getting to the quarterback, as eight sacks is near the bottom of the defensive ranks. They might have a fair amount of success against Geno Smith and the Seahawks on Monday Night Football.
Las Vegas Raiders Defense - 13% rostered
The silver and black played inspired football in their first game under interim head coach Rich Bisaccia. That included a defensive performance with three interceptions, one fumble recovery, and five sacks. They came into the week with just one INT in the five previous games so that output isn't likely to be repeated. Still, it's worth seeing if they can keep the momentum going at home against the Eagles. Jalen Hurts has only turned the ball over four times and gets sacked about twice a game but the Eagles aren't putting up a lot of points lately.
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