In what has felt like a historic NFL season on the injury front, it's tempting to throw in the towel in fantasy football. How many stud running backs, concussed QBs, and dinged-up pass-catchers can one team tolerate before going on tilt? Fortunately, though, the waiver wire gives us round-the-clock opportunities to improve our rosters and soften the sting delivered by the oft-relentless injury bug. Our waiver wire watchlist ahead of Weeks 6 and 7 highlights the free agents you should either be stashing, streaming, or keeping your eye on.
Yours truly has pinpointed studs before their breakouts all season, a big reason why most of my fantasy teams have enjoyed strong starts to the season. Our lookahead watchlist has pointed readers in the direction of C.J. Stroud, Kyren Williams, Zack Moss, Puka Nacua, and Tank Dell when they were all under 50-percent rostered. Now, those guys look like week- or league-winners — not too bad for speculative adds that cost $0 in FAAB and didn't use up a waiver priority.
We've been telling you for weeks to make the most of your open roster spots or one of your opponents will. Try to anticipate who will be Week 7's top pickups after strong performances this weekend. Be proactive about your bye weeks and bad matchups by choosing your upcoming streamers now. By adding potential boom players as free agents before their breakouts, you find solid production without burning a valuable waiver claim or FAAB money.
WEEK 6 FANTASY ADVICE:
Sleepers | Busts | Projections | Start 'em, sit 'em
Weeks 6 and 7 mark the timeframe in which fantasy owners start playing matchups a bit more often. If you are, it's smart to plan ahead and get your first choice before other owners jump into the frenzy once new information emerges. Our waiver wire watchlist helps you think about the future while the rest of your league is thinking about the present.
Some shallower leagues don't feature enough roster spots to really take advantage of "planning ahead," but for those in leagues that do, our week-ahead watchlist will be helpful all year long. Even though you won't pick up most (or in some cases, all) of these players, it's worth watching their snap counts and target shares to file away for later.
WEEK 6 DFS:
DK lineup | FD lineup | Best values | Best stacks
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Watchlist
Reminder: This list was put together in the lead-in to Week 6, looking forward to the players who could be popular waiver wire targets ahead of Week 7. If you have a roster spot to play with, these are free agent options you could grab early to beat the waiver buzz.
All these players are below 50 percent ownership on Yahoo unless otherwise specified.
Week 7 Fantasy Waiver Wire Watchlist: QB
WEEK 7 BYES: Panthers, Bengals, Cowboys, Texans, Jets, Titans.
Sam Howell, Commanders at Giants in Week 7 (36 percent rostered)
Howell headlined our waiver wire watchlist last week ahead of Washington's Thursday Night Football tilt with Chicago, and for a little while, we thought he was going to make us look bad. When I got out of rec volleyball at 9:30 p.m. ET, the guy had a little over one fantasy point. By the end of the game, he had just under 30 points in leagues that credit six points per passing TD. As Mike Breen would say, "Bang!"
It's not how you start, it's how you finish. Howell has now finished strong in three of the Commanders' past four games, with fantasy totals of 25.3, 21.6, and 29.4, respectively. Of course, the second-year signal-caller still makes youthful mistakes — and he's one of the NFL's most sack-vulnerable QBs — but he also has a confident approach, strong field vision, and accurate arm.
In plus matchups, Howell has become almost a must-start unless you have one of the top three QB options of the week. If you have Week 7 bye-week chuckers Joe Burrow, Dak Prescott, or C.J. Stroud, say hello to Fantastic Sam now before he costs you a pretty penny. The Giants are going nowhere fast, ranking among the six most generous defenses in terms of points and yards surrendered. Don't wait until the rest of Fantasyland discovers him after he thumps Atlanta this weekend.
Kyler Murray, Cardinals (24%)
If you have an available IR spot, you should have already grabbed Murray and stashed him there. If you don't have an IR spot but have big issues at QB, you might want to grab him anyway. Murray has always had a fantasy-friendly game, with a big arm and elite burst raising his ceiling despite the poor decision-making that has haunted him throughout his turbulent NFL career.
Make an insurance claim on current starter Josh Dobbs just in case Kyler isn't ready by next weekend against Seattle, but we would be surprised if the veteran remains out much longer. The Seahawks' defense sits among the top 10-most generous to QBs in fantasy so far this season, and Kyler, the Creator always seems to step it up in this divisional rivalry (nine TDs, three INTs, 232 passing yards per game, and 49.1 rushing yards per game). Get funky and grab Cobra Ky.
MORE POTENTIAL WEEK 7 QB STREAMS: Derek Carr, Saints vs. Jaguars (24%); Jimmy Garoppolo, Raiders at Bears (15%);
WEEK 6 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 7 Fantasy Waiver Wire Watchlist: RB
WEEK 7 BYES: Panthers, Bengals, Cowboys, Texans, Jets, Titans.
Keaontay Ingram, Cardinals (15 percent rostered)
Emari Demercado went from a relative unknown to a household fantasy name in a matter of two days after James Conner went down with a knee injury. The rookie turned 10 carries into 45 yards and a TD. More important, he took every RB opportunity after the Conner injury. That might not have been the case if Ingram hadn't been dealing with a neck injury the past couple of weeks, though.
Ingram, a second-year back out of USC by way of Texas, is currently listed No. 1 on the Cardinals' RB depth chart. He's 6-0, 220 pounds, and runs a 4.5 40. Grab this dude just in case, and jump for joy if he suits up this week and gets the start. He will skyrocket up the ownership charts if he sees a heavier snap/touch share than Demercado.
Tyjae Spears, Titans (44%)
Are you sitting down? Well, sit and stay seated, because Derrick Henry might be relinquishing his throne to Tyjae "Juke Me Baby One More Time" Spears. The rookie has seen his opportunities increase in each of the past three weeks, from eight in Week 3 to nine in Week 4 and 12 in Week 5. He has topped 50 percent of snaps in four of Tennessee's five games. He averages 5.8 yards per carry and catches 73.7 percent of passes thrown his way. He even scored a TD last weekend. Meanwhile, King Henry has averaged just 3.8 yards per carry and scored just two TDs despite 13 red-zone touches (unlucky number, in fairness). Ooh baby baby, we are into Spears more than a 14-year-old in 1999.
Jeff Wilson Jr., Dolphins (53%)
Let's first pour some malt liquor out for our fellow fantasy friends and family who lost rookie phenom De'Von Achane to the IR with a knee injury. Now let's remember that veteran backs and speedsters always have opportunities to shine in Mike McDaniel's high-flying offense. Wilson Jr. may not be as quick as Achane or even veteran starter Raheem Mostert, but he certainly has good speed. We're stashing JWJ wherever we can, and if we have a deep enough roster, we're also grabbing veteran Fins backup Salvon Ahmed (7%) just in case Wilson Jr. doesn't come off the IR this week.
MORE POTENTIAL RB PICKUPS: Justice Hill, Ravens (39%); Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks (50%); D'Onta Foreman, Bears (26%); Keaton Mitchell, Ravens (24%); Kendre Miller, Saints (15%); Salvon Ahmed, Dolphins (7%); Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs (45%); Ezekiel Elliott, Patriots (42%); Jamaal Williams, Saints (40%); Elijah Mitchell, 49ers (29%); Chuba Hubbard, Panthers (29%)
WEEK 6 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 7 Fantasy Waiver Wire Watchlist: WR
WEEK 7 BYES: Panthers, Bengals, Cowboys, Texans, Jets, Titans.
Josh Downs, Colts (27 percent rostered)
With or without Anthony Richardson (shoulder), Josh Downs has turned fantasy frowns upside-down. The rookie has hauled in 23-of-33 targets for 255 yards despite the Colts' QB position being in a seemingly constant state of flux over the past couple of weeks.
Fellow rookie Richardson suffered a shoulder injury in Indy's win over Tennessee, but stud backup Gardner Minshew connected with Downs on multiple long strikes of 25-plus yards. With Jacksonville on the schedule this week and both the Titans and Steelers on the docket around fantasy playoff time, it might be a good time to get down with Downs.
Rashee Rice, Chiefs (44%)
We always knew that at least one receiver in this Chiefs offense would break out. After all, Travis Swifty can't possibly do all the downfield playmaking himself every week of the year. The rookie Rice has been the one who has impressed us the most, catching over 70 percent of his targets from Patrick Mahomes and scoring a TD in Weeks 1 and 5. You might not feel comfortable starting him in your flex spot just yet, but he's at least worthy of an add in basically all 12-team formats. If and when he fully emerges, you'll be glad you grabbed him.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks (49%)
JSN has plenty of talent — he's just had limited opportunities to showcase it because of Kenneth Walker III's breakout and veteran receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett outshining him. It's going to happen eventually, though. Seattle has a strong rest-of-the-season schedule for pass-catchers, so we're buying in while others are jumping ship. Rostering the rookie also gives us the unique opportunity to rename our squad "Teenage Mutant Njigba Turtles." Don't act like you don't like it, America.
MORE POTENTIAL WR PICKUPS: Zay Jones, Jaguars (31%); Curtis Samuel, Commanders (31%); Marvin Mims, Broncos (29%); Michael Wilson, Cardinals (25%); Jayden Reed, Packers (21%); DJ Chark (13%) and Jonathan Mingo (8%), Panthers; Chase Claypool, Dolphins (10%)
Week 7 Fantasy Waiver Wire Watchlist: TE
WEEK 7 BYES: Panthers, Bengals, Cowboys, Texans, Jets, Titans.
Greg Dulcich, Broncos (13 percent rostered)
Dulcich appears to finally be slated to return in Week 6 from his Week 1 hamstring injury. That's great news for Dulcich owners who have been surviving off tight end scraps over the past four weeks. The second-year tight end has an obvious rapport with veteran QB Russell Wilson, who sometimes looks like he doesn't trust his young wideouts (or maybe it's just that DangeRuss doesn't trust his arm strength or accuracy). We feel like we have a potentially high floor and ceiling with the long-haired Californian. Get this man a Head and Shoulders commercial already, and take a chance on him if you're hurting at TE.
Luke Musgrave, Packers at Broncos in Week 7 (19%)
We might like Musgrave even more than Dulcich, as the Packers rookie has showed out when healthy for fellow youngster Jordan Love. The burly tight end missed Green Bay's Week 4 due to a concussion, but he bounced back with six-catch effort on Monday night in Week 5. He'll now head to Mile High after the Packers' Week 6 bye to face the Broncos, who entered this week allowing the fifth-most fantasy points per game to TEs. Fire Musgrave up before he reemerges and 80 percent of fantasy realizes he's available.
MORE POTENTIAL WEEK 7 TE STREAMS: Zach Ertz, Cardinals at Seahawks (50%); Gerald Everett, Chargers at Chiefs (24%); Jonnu Smith, Falcons at Buccaneers (17%); Cade Otton, Buccaneers vs. Falcons (2%); Foster Moreau, Saints at Jaguars (0%)
Week 7 fantasy defense streamers and sleepers
WEEK 7 BYES: Panthers, Bengals, Cowboys, Texans, Jets, Titans.
Las Vegas Raiders at Bears in Week 7 (36 percent rostered)
The Raiders looked pretty good on the defensive side of the ball against the Packers last Monday night, mainly because edge rusher Maxx Crosby terrorized Jordan Love all night. As long as Crosby is active and near 100 percent, below-average passing offenses like the Bears with Justin Fields will fail more than they succeed. Expect some sacks and multiple takeaways.
Washington Commanders at Giants (36%)
The Giants have become a cupcake matchup for fantasy D/STs. Daniel Jones has been sacked the second-most times this season despite being blitzed the eighth-fewest times. In the rare cases that Danny Dimes does have time, he makes bad reads or underthrows wide-open receivers. It's completely baffling to watch. Washington's front-seven will feast during this trip to the Meadowlands.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Falcons (29%)
The Buccaneers have an underrated defense, especially in plus matchups. Desmond Ridder has been one of the most inefficient QBs in the NFL this season, and we wouldn't be surprised if he faces a ton of blitz pressure this Sunday. Tampa makes for a great sub if you have the Cowboys or Jets on bye and your leaguemates already have Vegas and Washington rostered.
Cleveland Browns at Colts (28%)
Myles Garrett and the Browns' pass-rush against Gardner Minshew? You had me at hello, juicy matchup.
Seattle Seahawks vs. Cardinals (20%)
The Seahawks have not been half-bad defensively this season, and the Cardinals have proven that they're good a lot of the time but bad some of the time. Divisional road tilts in Seattle can get pretty hairy, especially if Jonathan Gannon still has backup Josh Dobbs under center. You could do much worse.
Indianapolis Colts vs. Browns (11%)
DeForest Buckner hasn't been superb over the past few weeks, but he and this defense still have plenty of upside against poor offensive squads. Deshaun Watson (shoulder) seems convinced that his body's broken and he can't play, which puts Cleveland at more of a disadvantage every week. We simply wouldn't dream of playing (m)any Browns offensive players right now, and therefore streaming a high-floor D/ST against Cleveland (especially at home) has plenty of allure.
