Jay Ajayi finally showed up and he did so in a big way

Cameron Meredith was a hot pickup last week, so hot that his ownership % put him too high to be on this list. After a second strong performance in the absence of Kevin White, he’d likely be one of the top names on the board, so if he’s available, consider him a strong waiver option. Now that we have that out of the way, week 6 didn’t introduce any significant injuries (sans Roethlisberger), but that doesn’t mean there aren’t quality players to be had off the waiver wire. There continue to be a few names that perform well week in and week out, but they’re readily available.

If you’re still not sure who to add to your team, though, below you’ll find a set of consensus waiver wire rankings from the pundits. The experts are also giving some advice along with their rankings as they discuss their favorite waiver targets along with defenses to consider streaming in week 7. The rankings will update as more experts chime in so be sure to check back a few times.

Get more advice with our Waiver Wire Assistant

Featured Experts:
Pat Fitzmaurice – The Football Girl
Matthew Hill – DataForce Fantasy Football
Zach Greubel – Gridiron Experts
Zach Wilkens – RotoBaller
James Hatfield – Hatty Waiver Wire Guru

* Editor’s Note: Eddie Lacy is expected to miss multiple weeks and Knile Davis is worth a speculative pickup.

*Ownership % derived from a consensus of Yahoo & ESPN leagues

Q1. Give us your thoughts on a waiver wire target (or two) you especially like as a pickup.

“At this point I think Cole Beasley has done everything he needs to do to prove he is a worthy pickup. He’s on pace for over 80 receptions and over 1,000 yards. He even has touchdowns in each of the last two weeks. He’s put up good numbers both with and without Dez Bryant in the lineup. There is a very real chance Dak is the QB for the entire season and he loves Beasley, so go add him!”
– Zach Wilkens (RotoBaller)

“Cole Beasley is a top pickup in any format and has the upside in PPR leagues. As long as Dak remains the QB in Dallas, then Cole is a solid bye-week or injury starter. Jacquizz Rodgers is a sneaky pickup if Doug Martin is out; San Fran run defense is not good and Rodgers would be a wonderful spot-starter this week.”
– James Hatfield (Hatty Waiver Wire Guru)

“Jay Ajayi will obviously be the top target this week, but anyone with a hole to fill at TE should make a run at Hunter Henry. There’s a case to be made that he’s now the most impactful pass catcher available to Philip Rivers. Over his last four games, Henry has caught 18 of 24 targets for 290 yards and three TDs. Even with Antonio Gates healthy again, Henry had a season-high eight catches last week, and I think he’ll continue to outperform Gates, who looks to be out of gas. Henry is the rare high-impact rookie tight end, and he looks like a future star.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (The Football Girl)

“Kenny Britt will be a hot pickup this week based on his eye-opening 7/136/2 week six line. However, there is more to Kenny Britt than just one monster performance. Britt has quietly been a consistent fantasy receiver through the first six weeks, posting four or more receptions each week and only failing to gain at least 67 yards one time. With a schedule loaded with potential shootouts, including contests versus the Saints, Falcons, and struggling Panthers, Kenny Britt needs to be owned in all leagues.”
– Matthew Hill (DataForce Fantasy Football)

“Jacquizz Rodgers has quickly earned the trust of the Buccaneers. Even when Doug Martin returns, Rodgers will assume the pass-catching and change-of-pace role Charles Sims left behind when Sims was placed on injured reserve. Rodgers is a top waiver-wire commodity right now, particularly in PPR leagues. Meanwhile, Kendall Wright may officially be back after a breakout performance in Week 6 in which he caught eight passes for 133 yards and a touchdown. He seems to have supplanted Tajae Sharpe at least. If you’re needy at wide receiver, Wright is probably one of the better options on the waiver wire. He has added value in PPR leagues. ”
– Zach Greubel (Gridiron Experts)

Q2. For owners renting a D/ST in Week 7, what readily available option should they target and why?

“Sunday’s lapses against Eli Manning and Odell Beckham notwithstanding, the Baltimore Ravens‘ defense has been stingy for most of the season. The injury to Terrell Suggs is a blow to this unit, but the Baltimore defense is still a pretty good percentage play this week against interception machine Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (The Football Girl)

“The Baltimore Ravens should be targeted against the Jets due to their sheer consistency in scoring. If you want a defense with more upside then go with Washington against the Lions.”
– James Hatfield (Hatty Waiver Wire Guru)

“Week seven is shaping up to be a tough week for streamers as the majority of the league’s most inconsistent offenses are matched up with some of fantasy’s highest owned defenses. However, there is one readily available defense that not only makes for an attractive week seven option, but may be a useful two-week rental… the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay will be rested coming off of a bye and confident after holding Carolina to 14 points and forcing four turnovers. They get San Francisco on the road then come home to face an Oakland team that looked very average in week six. With the possible return of Doug Martin this week, look for the Bucs/49ers game to be a low-scoring, run-heavy game, making the Tampa Bay defense a solid, high-floor option.”
– Matthew Hill (DataForce Fantasy Football)

“It’s understandable if a league-mate has already given up on the Cincinnati Bengals defense, but they’ll regret it in Week 7. The Bengals have one of the better matchups of the week against the Cleveland Browns at home. Cincinnati has underachieved on defense so far, for the most part. They’ll rebound against a lesser opponent.”
– Zach Greubel (Gridiron Experts)

“The Green Bay Packers have not been great this season but I like their defense in Week 7. It’s a Thursday Night Football game and the Bears just struggled to put up points against the Jaguars. This team just does not strike me as the type that will be able to turn around and play well on a short week. Green Bay should have a high floor in Week 7.”
– Zach Wilkens (RotoBaller)

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Thank you to the experts for ranking the top readily available waiver options. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter for more advice.