Early Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 7 (Fantasy Football)

The bulk of Week 6 action is in the books, and already we have some solid waiver wire pickups for fantasy owners to check out to get a jump on the competition for Week 7. Injuries and big games have made some players far more valuable after this week. It’s a great week for WRs, while the pickings are slim for QB, RB and TE. Let’s take a look at some early suggestions for your waiver wire, including the player’s Yahoo! ownership and upcoming schedule. Players listed here typically have under 30% ownership.

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Quarterbacks

Mitchell Trubisky (QB – CHI): 28% owned
His week 4, six TD outburst was not a fantasy anomaly. He looked great in a Week 6 shootout with the Dolphins and he’s now gone for 300 yards and three passing TDs in back-to-back games. The Bears have a favorable matchup in Week 7 hosting the Patriots and Trubisky is an excellent pickup this week.
Next three weeks: NE, NYJ, @BUF

Other QBs to consider: Jameis Winston (QB -TB) 58% owned is the top pickup if still available, Joe Flacco (QB – BAL) 27% owned, Sam Darnold (QB – NYJ) 9% owned, Brock Osweiler (QB – MIA) 1% owned, absolutely anyone but Nathan Peterman

Wide Receivers

Chester Rogers (WR – IND): 16% owned
He’s gone 20-206-1 in Weeks 4-6, posting at least 10 targets in all three games and drawing an insane 32 total targets. T.Y. Hilton is still dealing with an injury and Ryan Grant left this game early. Rogers should continue to soak up targets in a completely banged up Colts receiving corps with a QB passing only seemingly every play. Rogers should be one of the top waiver pickups this week, especially in PPR scoring leagues.
Next three weeks: BUF, @OAK, BYE

Albert Wilson (WR – MIA): 9% owned
He nearly doubled his season totals of 17-204-2 in this game alone. Wilson got behind the Bears’ defense early and often, posting a ridiculous 6-155-2 line on 10 targets. Through six games, Wilson now has 27 targets and a 23-359-4 line. The QB situation isn’t clear for Week 7, but Wilson has found success with Ryan Tannehill and Brock Osweiler.
Next three weeks: DET, @HOU, NYJ

Christian Kirk (WR – ARI): 14% owned
The rookie was expected to play a large role for the Cardinals this year with Larry Fitzgerald in the twilight of his career and no other real options in the receiving game. Kirk has been the Cardinals’ most reliable pass-catcher in 2018, reeling in 19 of 24 targets for 234 yards and a score through five games. He had another productive outing against a good Minnesota defense this week and his ownership should sharply rise from 14%. It’s definitely OK to grab CK from the waiver wire.
Next three weeks: DEN, SF, BYE

Jermaine Kearse (WR – NYJ): 1% owned
Kearse was a steady option for Gang Green last year, going 65-810-5. This year, he’s been buried on the depth chart but his role should increase after Quincy Enunwa left the Week 6 game with a shoulder injury. The extent of the injury is unknown but Kearse saw 10 targets in this one after averaging five per game over the last three weeks, catching nine of them for 94 yards. Robby Anderson is the deep-threat for the Jets and Kearse should find a lot of opportunities as Sam Darnold‘s possession receiver. He’s only 1% owned, so 99% of you reading this should go pick him up.
Next three weeks: MIN, @CHI, @MIA

Taylor Gabriel (WR – CHI): 22% owned
He’s been talked up for the last couple of weeks on this site and others but it’s finally time to recognize that his production this year is not a fluke. Gabriel was targeted 29 times in the Bears’ first four games, hauling in 22 of them for 193 yards and two scores. In Week 6, Gabriel made his presence known, catching all five of his targets for 110 yards. He’s only 22% owned, receiving a ton of looks from Mitchell Trubisky, and he possesses game-breaking speed. Pick him up without a second thought.
Next three weeks: NE, NYJ, @BUF

Josh Reynolds (WR – LAR): 1% owned
Cooper Kupp surprisingly came back into the game after being carted off with a bad looking led injury suffered on a horse collar tackle out of bounds. Kupp did not catch a pass in this game and it’s unclear how his injury will affect him in the coming weeks. Reynolds went 2-39 last week in limited action and, if Kupp misses any time, Reynolds makes an interesting add.
Next three weeks: @SF, GB, @NO

Other WRs to consider: Tyrell Williams (WR – LAC) 9% owned, Willie Snead (WR – BAL) 9% owned, Paul Richardson (WR – WAS) 6% owned, Taywan Taylor (WR – TEN) 6% owned, David Moore (WR – SEA) 2% owned

Running Backs

Marlon Mack (RB – IND): 26% owned
It’s the the return of the Mack. Nyheim Hines posted a meager five touches for 35 yards in Week 6, while Marlon touched the ball 13 times for 93 yards. The Colts have been waiting for Mack to get healthy and they showed full confidence in him, giving Jordan Wilkins no work in this game. Mack is owned in only about a quarter of Yahoo! leagues and needs to be owned everywhere.

Ito Smith (RB – ATL): 8% owned
The young man from Southern Miss has certainly gotten off to a great start to his rookie season. He’s been the “backup” to Tevin Coleman in Devonta Freeman‘s absence, but Smith has actually been the more productive of the two backs even with limited opportunities. Heading into this week, Smith totaled 21-80-2 rushing and 8-67 receiving. He scored this week, becoming the first Falcons rookie RB to score a rushing TD in three consecutive games. He was a popular dark horse last week, but he was mostly left on the waiver wire with Freeman likely to play in Week 6. Freeman suffered a setback at practice and didn’t suit up. With Freeman’s status up in the air indefinitely, Smith offers standalone value on a high-powered offense with the added Coleman-handcuff appeal. Snag him now.
Next three weeks: NYG, BYE, @WAS

Peyton Barber (RB – TB): 32% owned
Barber has been downright awful through the season’s first five games, rushing for less than 3.0 YPC and no TDs. Ronald Jones got more run last week, and the rookie was expected to get more work or even start in Week 6. Barber thoroughly outplayed RoJo in a juicy matchup with the Falcon’s horrendous defense. He finished the day with 106 total yards on 17 total touches and a receiving TD while Jones ended with 19 yards on four touches. Barber’s ownership has understandably dwindled in recent weeks but he should be picked back up wherever available.
Next three weeks: CLE, @CIN, @CAR

Other RBs to consider: Rashaad Penny (RB – SEA) 20% owned, Frank Gore (RB – MIA) 10% owned, Jalen Richard (RB – OAK) 8% owned

Tight Ends

C.J. Uzomah (TE – CIN): 32% owned
Next three weeks: @KC, TB, BYE

Gerald Everett (TE – LAR): 1% owned
Next three weeks: @SF, GB, @NO

Ricky Seals-Jones (TE – ARI): 21% owned
Next three weeks: DEN, SF, BYE

D/STs

Buffalo Bills D/ST: 3% owned
The Bills have been far from the laughing stock they were projected to be in the preseason. Buffalo’s D/ST has been absolutely solid over the last three weeks against good competition in Minnesota, Green Bay, and Tennessee. They put up a bunch of points against Houston, and limited the Texans to just 13 points. They are streamable most weeks.
Next three weeks: @IND, NE, CHI

Washington Redskins D/ST: 6% owned
Next three weeks: DAL, @NYG, ATL

Arizona Cardinals D/ST: 13% owned
Next three weeks: DEN, SF, BYE

Zachary Hanshew is a correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Zachary, check out his archive and follow him @zakthemonster.

NFL Mitchell Trubisky Jameis Winston Joe Flacco Sam Darnold Brock Osweiler Nathan Peterman Chester Rogers T.Y. Hilton Ryan Grant Albert Wilson Ryan Tannehill Christian Kirk Larry Fitzgerald Jermaine Kearse Quincy Enunwa Robby Anderson Taylor Gabriel Josh Reynolds Cooper Kupp Tyrell Williams Willie Snead Paul Richardson Taywan Taylor David Moore Marlon Mack Nyheim Hines Jordan Wilkins Ito Smith Tevin Coleman Devonta Freeman Peyton Barber Ronald Jones Rashaad Penny Frank Gore Jalen Richard C.J. Uzomah Gerald Everett Ricky Seals-Jones