Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups

I hope your week 6 performance ended up as a win, but if it didn't, I have some players for you to add to help you get there. Welcome back to another waiver wire article. Through 6 weeks your fantasy teams could be sitting pretty, or in the dumps. Regardless, continuing to improve your team is necessary to get you to that championship game. This is the heaviest bye week this season, with the Packers, Raiders, Steelers, and Seahawks all on a bye. You are likely to have some star players out this week, so it is important you play the right guys in the right matchups. As always, I will be basing my ownership percentage off of ESPN and will be ranking the players in the priority in which I would add them. One last note, check for guys who had a bye last week that were dropped. They could be more valuable than some of these pickups listed below. 

QB: 

Jameis Winston (57.1%)- I doubt he will be eligible for this article next week but it is important to check if he is still available in your league. He exploded him week 6 throwing for 395 yards and 4 touchdowns. He ended with the highest scoring QB performance this week. He is going to be a top 10 QB as long as he is starting and gets a nice matchup this week against the Cleveland Browns. 

Baker Mayfield (42.8%)- He hasn't performed well since taking over the QB job, only throwing for multiple touchdowns in one game. I think this week he will be able to do it once again. The Browns should make it a point to get their play-makers the ball more this week. He is in a great matchup in week 7 going against the Buccaneers. The Buccaneers have given up at least 3 passing touchdowns in every game this season, other than week 2. This is a bad defense who gives up a ton of points. Mayfield should rebound from his disappointing performances. Due note that he is a little banged up and continue to monitor his status throughout the week. 

Mitchell Trubisky (32.8%)- Trubisky has been on fire in his last two games. He is throwing for over 300 yards and 3 touchdowns in both. One of those games he actually had 6. This looks like the type of production that I was expecting when Matt Nagy became the head coach. He gets a matchup against the New England Patriots who just gave up 40 points and 4 passing touchdowns to the Chiefs. The Patriots have given up 717 passing yards and 7 touchdowns in their last 2 games. If you are looking for a decent streamer for this week, Trubisky could turn out to be a solid start. 

Other streamers to consider- Joe Flacco (18.7%), Eli Manning (11.2%), Sam Darnold (6.4%)

RB: 

Marlon Mack (26.3%)- If you stashed him last week you should be pretty excited. If not, he is still widely available. In his first game back from injury, he ran for 89 yards on just 12 carries. Once he gets some more practice in, his touch count should increase. He looks like he will be the lead back for an offense which has put up a ton of points. If you are hurting at RB he looks like a must add.  

Ito Smith (13.7%)- Falcons head coach Dan Quinn has already said that Devonta Freeman is likely out this week. Ito Smith has gone three straight games with a touchdown. In the number RB2 role, he was given 13 total touches last week. If Freeman is indeed out, Smith could be a solid flex option this week. 

Latavius Murray (46.2%)- If Dalvin Cook is once again out this week, Murray could produce similar numbers as he did in week 6. He ran for 155 yards and a touchdown. The Vikings have shown that they are willing to lean on Murray if Cook is inactive. He will be a solid play if Cook sits this week. 

D'Onta Foreman (8.5%)- If you are in need of RB help and have the roster space or a IR spot, he is worth a stash. I have him stashed in multiple leagues until he returns from the PUP list. Lamar Miller has continued to look bad and I think Foreman should have a chance to take over this lead job later in the season. 

Frank Gore (11.7%)- Some how the 35 year old running back ran for 101 yards on 15 carries for the Dolphins. He looked good running the ball. They will continue to use both Gore and Drake in this backfield. Running backs who get double digit touches are very valuable for fantasy football. He is worth a look if you have the roster space. 

WR:

Taylor Gabriel (32.6%)- He has really emerged in this improving offense. He now has back to back 100 yard games. If he continues to get a high number of targets he should continue to produce.  He has an added deep threat that can help him make some big plays. He should be a solid flex option for weeks to come. 

Chester Rogers (13.1%)- I think Rogers has earned a role even when T.Y. Hilton returns from injury. He has had 3 straight weeks with double digit targets for the Colts, including 10 in last weeks game. He should have had a better day, only catching 4 of those 10 targets for 55 yards. He did score a touchdown though. His targets may go down once Hilton returns, but he should still be a factor with Luck on pace to break the record for passing attempts. 

Chris Godwin (39.3%)- I think he could score more fantasy points than DeSean Jackson while Winston is in at QB. He has a touchdown in every game besides one this season. He saw 9 total targets and ran more routes than any game before this. He should benefit from the lack of chemistry from Winston and Jackson. 

Christian Kirk (13.9%)- He is really the only WR for the Cardinals who has been getting fantasy points. He has caught for over 75 yards in 3 of the last 4 games. He is seeing more targets than Larry Fitzgerald. He is a low end flex play for me but is still worth an add with the amount of work that he is currently getting.

TE:  

Austin Hooper (56.8%)- If you are looking for a TE, Hooper has been great as of late. He has double digit targets in the past 2 games. He is getting the volume and has 6 redzone targets this season. If he continues to play like he is, he will be a weekly top 10 option going forward. 

Vance McDonald (49.7%)- He had a nice bounce back game after a one catch performance. He has 60 yards in 3 of the last 4 games. He caught 7 passes for 68 yards in last weeks game. In a position where it is so hard to find production, McDonald is worth an add. 

Cameron Brate (39.6%) & O.J. Howard (36.5%)- Both TE need to be added if they are available in your league. I prefer Brate over Howard but both TE should hold value this season. Winston has past history with Brate and I think he will continue to favor him over Howard. They both scored a touchdown in last weeks game. Both are solid adds. 

C.J. Uzomah (15.4%)- Here is another TE who has been getting a nice amount of targets. He has made his case for the starting TE spot while Tyler Eifert is on IR. Last week he caught 6 of his 7 targets for 54 yards. He is a solid add if you are scrambling for a TE. 

D/ST: 

Chargers (52.9%)

Colts (7.1%)

Broncos (43.4%)

Bonus: Guys who I'm willing to get rid of 

With the amount of bye weeks coming up, you will be needing to make some difficult roster decisions. Listed below are some guys I wouldn't mind letting go. Some have way under performed and some have just been mediocre. I no longer feel the need to have these guys sitting at the bottom of my bench. 

QB- Alex Smith (Try to keep only one QB on your team also)

RB- Derrick Henry, Jamaal Williams, Rashaad Penny, Nick Chubb, Jamaal Charles

WR- Larry Fitzgerald, Chris Hogan, Pierre Garcon, Jamison Crowder, Kelvin Benjamin

TE-  Jack Doyle (Would try to get him back if you could), Antonio Gates, Ricky Seals-Jones