Fantasy: Waiver Wire - Week 7

Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver-wire pickups.

Roster percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. Free-Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are based on a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 50% of leagues are considered.

Quarterbacks

Drake Maye, Patriots

Despite playing behind a weak offensive line, throwing to one of the worst receiving corps in the league, and missing his starting running back, Maye still came through for fantasy in his debut.

The rookie threw for 243 yards, three touchdowns, and two picks while adding 38 yards on the ground.

The rushing production was the main reason I highlighted him as a stash last week, but he exceeded expectations and will finish as a low-end fantasy QB1 in his first start.

Things should only get easier against the Jaguars, who are allowing the most fantasy points to quarterbacks - including 13 passing touchdowns over their last four games. Maye might be able to flirt with QB1 fantasy numbers for a second straight week.

Sam Darnold and Justin Fields are just over the 50% rostered mark but should be rostered in all leagues.

Streaming options: Matthew Stafford vs. LV (37% rostered), Justin Herbert at ARI (41% rostered), Daniel Jones vs. PHI (21% rostered)

Risky streaming options: Andy Dalton at WAS (10% rostered), Aaron Rodgers at PIT (41% rostered), Bo Nix at NO (11% rostered)

Risky streaming options (if starting): Joe Flacco vs. MIA (7% rostered)

Desperation streaming options: Spencer Rattler vs. DEN (4% rostered), Aidan O'Connell at LAR (2% rostered), Deshaun Watson vs. CIN (18% rostered), Will Levis at BUF (10% rostered), Tyler Huntley at IND (1% rostered)

High-upside stashes: Tua Tagovailoa (44% rostered), Jameis Winston (1% rostered), Mason Rudolph (0% rostered)

Running backs

Ty Chandler, Vikings

Chandler, Isaac Guerendo, Trey Benson, and Antonio Gibson are just a few of the waiver wire options who could be promoted into feature roles in their offenses for Week 7.

Aaron Jones was on the field for a light practice on Monday as he tries to come back from a hip injury suffered ahead of the Vikings' Week 6 bye. At the time, he was deemed week-to-week.

Even if Jones were healthy, Chandler deserves to be rostered in most leagues. The former turns 30 in December and has dealt with durability issues in the past.

If Jones can't play this Sunday, Chandler would be a borderline low-end RB2/high-end RB3 in a tough matchup with the Lions. But the same could be said if Guerendo, Benson, and Gibson get the nod this week, so make sure you're monitoring the injury news on these backfields.

Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Alexander Mattison are near or just over the 50% rostered mark but should be rostered in all leagues.

High-upside backups like Blake Corum (15% rostered) and Jaylen Wright (9% rostered) should be rostered in most leagues.

RB2 options (if starter is out): Isaac Guerendo vs. KC (4% rostered), Trey Benson vs. LAC (19% rostered), Antonio Gibson at JAC (50% rostered)

RB3 options (if starter is out): Sean Tucker vs. BAL (1% rostered), Ray Davis vs. TEN (10% rostered)

RB3/flex options: Braelon Allen at PIT (47% rostered), Tyler Allgeier vs. SEA (30% rostered), Kimani Vidal at ARI (11% rostered)

Flex options: Jaylen Warren vs. NYJ (42% rostered)

Flex options (if starter is out): Tyler Goodson vs. MIA (4% rostered), Pierre Strong Jr. vs. CIN (0% rostered), Trey Sermon vs. MIA (50% rostered),

Risky flex options: Emanuel Wilson vs. HOU (12% rostered), Jaleel McLaughlin at NO (18% rostered), Justice Hill at TB (25% rostered), Ty Johnson vs. TEN (5% rostered)

Risky flex options (if starter is out): D'Ernest Johnson vs. NE (0% rostered), Jeremy McNichols at CAR (6% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options: Samaje Perine at SF (9% rostered), Ameer Abdullah at LAR (1% rostered), Miles Sanders vs. WAS (2% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options (if starter is out): Emari Demercado vs. LAC (0% rostered), JaMycal Hasty at JAX (1% rostered), Patrick Taylor Jr. vs. KC (0% rostered)

Other backups to roster: Kendre Miller (6% rostered), Dameon Pierce (6% rostered), Audric Estime (2% rostered), D'Onta Foreman (1% rostered), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (9% rostered), Julius Chestnut (0% rostered), Kenneth Gainwell (1% rostered)

Bye-week stashes: Roschon Johnson (26% rostered)

Injured-reserve stashes: MarShawn Lloyd (5% rostered), Keaton Mitchell (8% rostered)

Wide receivers

Romeo Doubs/Christian Watson, Packers

The Packers have had a revolving door in their WR room this season as injury and team-enforced suspensions have caused multiple players to miss time.

That continued this week when Watson returned early from his ankle injury only for Dontayvion Wicks to be forced from the game with a shoulder issue.

Wicks' injury is considered week-to-week, putting his availability in doubt for the next couple of games. In the meantime, Green Bay's depth chart will be much simpler to project with Jayden Reed as a fantasy WR1, Doubs a WR3/flex, and Watson an upside WR4/flex.

This is an offense fantasy managers should be going out of their way to invest in, so don't give up on Wicks unless you're in a shallow redraft league.

Josh Downs, Ladd McConkey, DeAndre Hopkins, Tyler Lockett, and Jakobi Meyers are near or just over the 50% rostered mark but should be rostered in all leagues.

WR3/flex options: JuJu Smith-Schuster at SF (32% rostered)

WR3/flex options (if starter is out): Michael Wilson vs. LAC (16% rostered), Darius Slayton vs. PHI (34% rostered), Jordan Whittington vs. LV (9% rostered)

WR4/flex options: Xavier Legette at WAS (19% rostered), Rashod Bateman at TB (11% rostered), Quentin Johnson at ARI (22% rostered), Allen Lazard at PIT (41% rostered)

Flex options: Keon Coleman vs. TEN (42% rostered)

Risky flex options: Noah Brown vs. CAR (1% rostered), Gabe Davis vs. NE (17% rostered), Mike Williams at PIT (15% rostered)

Risky flex options (if starter is out): Tutu Atwell vs. LV (12% rostered), Greg Dortch vs. LAC (6% rostered), Bub Means vs. DEN (0% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options: Jerry Jeudy vs. CIN (39% rostered), Kayshon Boutte at JAX (0% rostered), Alec Pierce vs. MIA (31% rostered), Ray-Ray McCloud III vs. SEA (21% rostered), Tre Tucker at LAR (14% rostered), Andrei Iosivas at CLE (7% rostered), DeMario Douglas at JAX (7% rostered), Devaughn Vele at NO (0% rostered), Troy Franklin at NO (1% rostered), Jalen Coker at WAS (0% rostered), Tim Patrick at MIN (0% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options (if starter is out): Demarcus Robinson vs. LV (12% rostered)

Other receivers to roster: Jauan Jennings (42% rostered), Ja'Lynn Polk (8% rostered), Ricky Pearsall (7% rostered), Xavier Hutchinson (3% rostered)

Bye-week stashes: Jalen Tolbert (35% rostered)

Injury stashes: Dontayvion Wicks (49% rostered)

Tight ends

Cade Otton, Buccaneers

The quality waiver wire options at tight end are drying up, leaving fantasy managers to choose from more volatile streamers.

Otton earns a second straight week as the featured waiver wire tight end after saving his latest fantasy day with a touchdown. That means the 25-year-old has at least 40 yards or a touchdown in four consecutive games.

While he's not going to win your week, Otton has finished as a top-15 fantasy tight end in three of those last four outings.

Streaming options (if healthy): Taysom Hill vs. DEN (33% rostered)

Streaming options: Tyler Conklin at PIT (31% rostered), Noah Fant at ATL (27% rostered), Colby Parkinson vs. LV (16% rostered), Hunter Henry at JAX (26% rostered), Zach Ertz vs. CAR (25% rostered)

Risky streaming options: Ja'Tavion Sanders at WAS (1% rostered), Jonnu Smith at IND (4% rostered)

Risky streaming options (if starter is out): Grant Calcaterra at NYG (0% rostered)

Dart-throw streaming options: Juwan Johnson vs. DEN (3% rostered), Foster Moreau vs. DEN (1% rostered), Mo Alie-Cox vs. MIA (0% rostered), Erick All Jr. at CLE (2% rostered), Theo Johnson vs. PHI (2% rostered), Will Dissly at ARI (0% rostered), Johnny Mundt vs. DET (0% rostered), Noah Gray at SF (1% rostered)

High-upside stashes: Ben Sinnott (2% rostered), Charlie Kolar (0% rostered)

Defenses

Week 7 streamers

Favorable upcoming schedules: Packers DEF (46% rostered), Lions DEF (14% rostered)

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