Week 7 is now in the books. There are numerous storylines to track, but perhaps the most significant is the players turning it on in time for the byes. There were a lot of defensive fireworks in Week 7, so there are more than a few intriguing names on the waiver wire in leagues of all sizes. Let’s take a look at some of the names that may be worth some of your free agent budget.

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Defensive Line

Matt Judon (DE/LB – NE): 14%
The NFL sack leader with 8.5 sacks, Matt Judon, needs to be rostered and started in all fantasy leagues. Yes, he is still an LB-only on Yahoo but has still pushed his way to must-start status, at least while he is this hot. Judon is an LB1/DL1 option while he is this hot and will be an LB2/DL2 when (or if) he cools down. He now has at least one sack in all but one contest this season and is an excellent bet to add to his ledger in Week 8 against a New York Jets team surrendering the sixth most fantasy points to opposing edge rushers. As his rostered percentage numbers indicate, he is long gone in most competitive leagues, but with higher rostered numbers for Alex Highsmith at 20 percent, something needs to be rectified during this waiver claim period. Make the priority add if you are lucky enough to find yourself in a league where he is somehow still on the waiver wire.

Chris Jones (DT – KC): 7%
Chris Jones was excellent in Week 7, racking up two solos, one assist, two sacks, one tackle for loss, and one forced fumble. He is thriving with more focus on the inside and appears destined for his fourth All-Pro selection in five years. He is already long gone in DT leagues but should be rostered in all competitive DL leagues as well. Jones should cost less due to being on a bye in Week 8, so stash him now to avoid disappointment. Jones has three sacks in his last two games and is poised for another big game in Week 9 against the Tennessee Titans. Treat him as a DL2 with DL1 upside for the plus matchup. Jones is a must-start in competitive IDP formats.

Jeffery Simmons (DT – TEN): 13%
Jeffery Simmons stayed hot in Week 7, recording three solos, three assists, one sack, and two tackles for loss. It was his second straight contest with at least three solos and a sack, making him a DL2 option until he cools down. Simmons is one of the most talented interior pass rushers in the league and looks all but certain to be on his way to another All-Pro season. Simmons should be rostered in all competitive DL leagues as a DL2 option during the byes. Treat him as just that for a plus Week 8 matchup against a Houston Texans team surrendering the ninth most fantasy points to the position.

Sam Williams (DE – DAL): 0%
Sam Williams was a monster this past Sunday, racking up three solos, two sacks, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovered on just 14 snaps. Yes, just 14 snaps. His incredible performance is going to force Dallas to increase his weekly role, so now is the time to snap him up where still available. He will be hard to trust in Week 8 as we want to see his role expand before plugging him into lineups, but he is playing at a high enough level that he should be rostered in deeper leagues. Those in dynasty formats will want to check the wire just in case an impatient manager dropped him prematurely. Keep him benched for Week 8, but make the add wherever you can.

Cowboys rookie DE Sam Williams is still nowhere near his developmental ceiling, and that is what excites team most. His 14 defensive snaps in Sunday's win over Lions included his first two career NFL sacks with a body slam (no penalty) in between. pic.twitter.com/ilZevnzBAu

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) October 24, 2022

Yannick Ngakoue (DE – IND): 1%
Yannick was excellent in Week 7, racking up three solos, two assists, one sack, and one tackle for loss. He is now up to 3.5 sacks in his last five games and seems to be hitting his stride for the Colts defense. The plus tackles were a welcomed sign, but Ngakoue is going to remain one of the more sack-dependent DL2’s until he proves he can be consistent in that department. Ngakoue should be on rosters as a DL2 who can fill in for your DL1 during a bye. Treat him as an upside DL2 option for a plus Week 8 matchup against a Washington Commanders team relinquishing the fourth most fantasy points to the position.

Others to consider: Dre’Mont Jones (DE – DEN): 4%, Frank Clark (DE – KC): 1%, Darrell Taylor (DE – SEA): 1%, Aidan Hutchinson (DE – DET): 8%, Travon Walker (DE/LB – JAC): 10%

Defensive Back

Ryan Neal (S – SEA): 1%
Ryan Neal has been excellent since being inserted as the starter over Josh Jones and kept the momentum going in Week 7, recording six solos, one assist, one tackle for loss, one interception, and four passes defended. He will be playing an every-snap role for the rest of the season and has been producing at a DB1 level over the last three weeks. He shows no signs of slowing down and appears to be growing more comfortable in his new role on a weekly basis. Neal is a DB1 option for a plus Week 8 matchup against a New York Giants team relinquishing the 11th most fantasy points to the safety position. Neal needs to be rostered in all competitive leagues. Every. Single. One. Make the add now.

Geno Stone (S – BAL): 0%
Stone was excellent in Week 7, racking up eight solos, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovered. He played every snap for the Ravens and is now locked in as a high-end DB2 option while Marcus Williams is sidelined. Kyle Hamilton was also effective in Week 7 but played limited snaps in three safety looks. Treat Stone as a low-end DB2 option for a neutral matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Make the add where available.

Amani Hooker (S – TEN): 0%
Amani went off in Week 7, racking up nine solos, one assist, one tackle for loss, and one fumble recovery. He showed no signs of rust from his lengthy injury layoff and has placed himself right back in the DB2 conversation. As he showed last week, he does indeed have DB1 upside when he is clicking but should only be plugged in as one if desperate. Start him as a low-end DB2 option for a neutral Week 8 matchup against a Houston Texans team surrendering the 17th most fantasy points to the position.

Jaylinn Hawkins (S – ATL): 0%
Jaylinn was at it again in Week 7, tallying seven solos, four assists, and one pass defended. Hawkins has been heating up for three straight weeks and has bullied his way into the DB2 conversation in the process. He will cool down eventually but should remain in the DB2 conversation barring a drastic reduction in snaps. Treat him as a low-end DB2 option despite the neutral matchup against a Carolina Panthers team allowing the 19th most fantasy points per game to opposing safeties.

Jaquan Brisker (S – CHI): 6%
Brisker was excellent on Monday Night Football, racking up five solos, two assists, one interception, and one pass defended. Brisker is quickly emerging as one of the most valuable fantasy safeties in the league and needs to be rostered and started universally. Now a borderline DB1, he needs just two more strong outings to enter his name in that conversation, perhaps for good. Treat him as a borderline DB1 for a plus matchup against a Dallas Cowboys team surrendering the 13th most fantasy points to the safety position.

Others to consider: Duron Harmon (S – LV): 0%, Juan Thornhill (S – KC): 0%, Kamren Curl (S – WAS): 4%, Johnathan Abram (S – LV): 4%, Jayron Kearse (S – DAL): 2%

Linebacker

David Long (LB – TEN): 9%
Long stayed hot coming out of the Titans bye week, recording five solos, three assists, one interception, and one pass defended. He is playing at the high-end LB2 level many expected coming into the season and is back to being a weekly must-start in leagues where you can start two or more linebackers. Long is a strong LB2 option for a plus Week 8 matchup against a Houston Texans team allowing the 22nd most fantasy points to the linebacker position. Start Long wherever possible.

Quay Walker (LB – GB): 5%
Quay had another strong performance in Week 7, this time racking up five solos, eight assists, and one pass defended. Quay has posted five solos in three of his last four games, showing the type of consistency that puts him in the LB2 conversation. He should stay busy in Week 8, making him an LB2 option for a plus matchup against a Buffalo Bills team allowing the 10th most fantasy points per game to the linebacker position. Make the add wherever possible.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (LB – CLE): 11%
JOK had his obligatory big game against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens, tallying five solos, one assist, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble, and two passes defended. We don’t yet know if it was gameplan-related, but it was JOK, and not Jacob Phillips, who kept his snaps with Deion Jones finally active for the Browns. Owusu-Koramoah played 80 percent of the snaps, while Phillips was fourth in linebacker snaps at 48 percent. JOK is an LB2 option for a plus Week 8 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Add the speedy linebacker where available.

Akeem Davis-Gaither (LB – CIN): 1%
ADG has been excellent when seeing starter’s snaps and had a big game in Week 7, racking up seven solos and two assists. He has 16 solos in the two games in which he has seen starter-level snaps and is a strong LB2 option while he is being so productive. He will be a fantasy option for at least the next two to three weeks with Logan Wilson sidelined and should be starting in all competitive leagues during that time. Treat him as a high-floor LB2 option for a plus Week 8 matchup against a Cleveland Browns team surrendering the ninth most fantasy points to the linebacker position.

Willie Gay (LB – KC): 2%
Willie Gay returned from his suspension to record four solos, four assists, and 0.5 sacks in Week 7. He played 56 percent of the snaps with Darius Harris seeing 22 percent and Leo Chenal 20. The snap division suggests that the Chiefs are wasting no time putting Gay back into this role, and we will likely see his snap share rise to 70 percent territory when they come off their bye. Gay will be an LB2 option for Week 9 despite a tough on-paper matchup against a Tennessee Titans team limiting opposing linebackers to the ninth fewest fantasy points per game. Stash him now where available.

Others to consider: Isaiah Simmons (S – ARI): 9%, Kenneth Murray (LB – LAC): 0%, Zaven Collins (LB – ARI): 9%, Denzel Perryman (LB – LV) : 7%, Leighton Vander Esch (LB – DAL): 4%

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Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.