Four fewer teams were in action this week, which could be part of the reason the top Week 7 fantasy waiver wire pickups and free agent adds are so lackluster. The other big reason? Only a handful of notable injuries to skill players. Regardless, ahead of a brutal week of byes, fantasy football owners aren't going to find a lot of excitement on the wire -- unless handcuff RBs like Kenyan Drake, Deon Jackson, and Caleb Huntley or boom-or-bust rookie WRs like Wan'Dale Robinson, Tyquan Thornton, and Alec Pierce get you excited.
Our full Week 7 free agent primer features more players in this vein (Tre'Quan Smith, Rondale Moore, Mike Boone, Robert Tonyan), but our list largely consists of potential QB, WR, TE, and D/ST streamers. Week 7's depth-depleting set of byes (Rams, Eagles, Bills, Vikings) will force more than a few owners to dig deep for their starters, so we didn't skimp on the suggestions. All streamer recommendations can be found at the end of the list.
Given the uncertainty surrounding Baltimore's and Indy's RB situations (see below), it doesn't appear as if anyone is worth a high waiver claim this week. Chances are, Drake will fetch a decent claim/FAAB bid if JK Dobbins (knee) is expected to miss Week 7, but he's the only one. Jackson (if healthy) and Huntley merit low claims -- and the young WRs offer various levels of intrigue -- but unless you're in a deep league, you don't need to bid too high on them.
UPDATE: Latavius Murray will also merit a low waiver claim after taking over Denver's backfield on Monday night.
WEEK 7 FANTASY: Full waiver list | FAAB planner | Trade advice
That said, this should be a busy week on the free agent wire. Plenty of owners will be looking for streamers at QB, WR, TE, and D/ST. Unfortunately, there aren't many high-ceiling TEs, but there are a host of similar QBs, WRs, and D/STs. You shouldn't need to use a waiver claim to get someone worthwhile, so unless you're desperate, be active in free agency and skip the waiver rush.
WEEK 7 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Top fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 7
Unless otherwise noted, only players owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues are considered.
Kenyan Drake, RB, Ravens. We're hesitant to put Drake on this list because Gus Edwards (knee) and Justice Hill (hamstring) should both be back soon and presumably be ahead of him on the depth chart, but JK Dobbins was also ahead of him on the depth chart and played second fiddle to the well-traveled veteran in Week 6. Drake finished with 119 yards and a TD on just 10 carries, clearly outplaying Dobbins (15 yards on seven carries)), who reportedly aggravated his knee injury. This could be little more than a one-week fluke, but if Dobbins misses time and Drake can establish himself as a legit option in Baltimore's run-heavy offense, then he'll continue to have flex value. That's especially true next week in a favorable matchup against Cleveland's porous run defense.
WEEK 7 FANTASY: Full waiver list | FAAB planner | Trade advice
Deon Jackson, RB, Colts. With Jonathan Taylor (ankle) and Nyheim Hines (concussion) once again out, Jackson led the way in the Colts' backfield in Week 7. He totaled 121 yards on 22 touches (12 carries, 10 receptions) and generally looked like a solid, versatile back for the second-straight game. Hines figures to be back in Week 7 against the Titans, but Taylor might once again be out. If he is, it's reasonable to expect Jackson, if healthy, to handle the bulk of the carries and get a decent amount of targets. He's worth stashing just in case Taylor continues to miss time, but the quad injury that forced Jackson to exit early on Sunday will need to be monitored.
WEEK 7 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, Giants. Playing in his first game since Week 1, Robinson (knee) made his presence felt, catching three-of-four targets for 37 yards and a TD. Given how banged-up and uninspiring New York's receiving corps is, Robinson has a real chance to take over as the Giants' No. 1 or 2 receiver. He has a below-average matchup next week against Jacksonville, but his versatile skill set gives him upside every week.
Caleb Huntley, RB, Falcons. Huntley operated the Falcons' lead back most of Week 6, finishing with 59 yards on 16 carries. The average isn't great, but if Huntley is going to continue to get the bulk of the Falcons' carries over Tyler Allgeier (15 carries, 51 yards), who tacked on several touches late when Atlanta was trying to run out the clock, then he'll have value as long as Cordarrelle Patterson (knee) is out. Consider Huntley a volume-based flex in a tough matchup next week against Cincinnati.
Tyquan Thornton, WR, Patriots. In just his second career game, Thornton made waves by catching four-of-five targets for 37 yards and a TD and adding another 16 yards and a score on three carries. The Pats have a bunch of similar receivers, so it's tough to expect Thornton to be consistent, but the versatile, rookie speedster has big-play potential every week. You won't start him next week against Chicago, but he's worth stashing on deep-league rosters.
For additional waiver/free agent suggestions, including a bunch of potential streaming options, check out our full Week 7 list.
