Week 7 Waiver Wire: MUST-ADD Pickups & Deep Sleepers

Wide receiver one with smash-week potential despite recent underperformance. In a game where he didn't play well, Brown posted 33% target share and ran 90% of routes, indicating the volume and opportunity remain elite. The source maintains conviction that AJ Brown will have smash weeks going forward based on his elite role.

Mayfield is coming back soon from injury; his play this year has been uninspiring, but the source notes he has performed well in years past, suggesting potential upside upon return despite the Buccaneers being a train wreck. Worth monitoring for a potential bounce-back opportunity.

Knight had 80 rushing yards on 15 carries and two catches in week 6, outperforming Tyler Algier who had 18 carries but was ineffective. The source recommends Knight should be added in deeper formats to monitor the Jeremiah Love injury situation, noting Knight is more productive and faces minimal backfield competition.

Quarterback in an unfavorable matchup against Seattle; the source had to use Nix as QB2 in a league with limited waiver wire options and experienced a poor performance, illustrating the downside of starting the week with a bad QB matchup.

Cooks caught a touchdown last week but is viewed unfavorably compared to Christian Kirk for the 49ers WR role; the source explicitly states a preference for Kirk despite Cooks' recent TD production.

Handcuff running back behind Bejan Robinson, who had a three-touchdown game. Handcuff lottery tickets are valuable investments, especially if your team is in good shape and you have roster room. Robinson Jr. represents a potential path to volume if the starter gets injured.

BTJ is experiencing one of the biggest falls from grace for dynasty wide receivers in the last 5–10 years after an elite rookie season. The source indicates mutual desire for separation between player and team, with constant media questions about his status. The Athletic reported that multiple teams are already calling about a potential trade. From a reddraft lens, there is a chance BTJ could have an immediate role somewhere if traded, but his current situation represents significant downside.

Kirk is coming off IR soon and could have a role in the decimated 49ers wide receiver rotation, which is missing DeJon Stribbling (IR), Deebo Samuel (injured), and has Mike Evans as a game-time decision. The source explicitly prefers Kirk over Brandon Cooks for the 49ers WR role, positioning him as a name to monitor.

Parkinson outproduced Higbee in both targets and catches in Week 7, positioning him as the more productive tight end option for the Rams and suggesting a potential shift in target distribution within the tight end room.

Parkinson outproduced Higbee in both targets and catches in week 7, positioning him as the more productive tight end option for the Rams.

Tight end posted season-high 6 targets and 1 TD in recent game; could be top-20 TE if Pat Muth sits out. Russell Wilson has targeted him multiple times. Described as 300-lb elite athlete with offensive lineman build who becomes less touchdown-dependent than typical tight ends. The source recommends monitoring as a sleeper with upside.

Waiver wire pickup with strong recent production and increased opportunity due to Romeo Dobbs' shoulder injury. Douglas posted four catches for 65 yards and two touchdowns last week, followed by seven catches for 86 yards and a touchdown in the most recent game. With Dobbs banged up heading into Thursday night against Chicago, Douglas can operate as a wide receiver two or flex option with elevated target volume.

Samson, a fourth-round pick in 2025 and SEC player of the year at Tennessee, has two-way ability and explosiveness with pass-catching skills. With Sean Judkins banged up and Raheem Sanders on IR, Samson should return soon and could have a fantasy-friendly workload. The source explicitly likes adding him this week, though notes the return of Samson could diminish Julio McLaclin's role.

Speculative tight end add for second half of season; has talent but difficult to roster due to depth chart constraints behind Hunter Henry. The source acknowledges upside but notes the practical roster limitations.

Henry has recorded double-digit PPR points for three straight weeks and is the top tight end waiver add. He would benefit from Romeo Dobbs being out on Thursday night, though he is likely already rostered in most leagues.

Giants QB waiver wire add; took over starting role after Jameis Winston was benched; has a fantasy-friendly profile with mobility and downfield passing tendencies. Recorded 243 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, and 2 carries for 26 yards in his first start. The source draws parallels to Daniel Jones' career revitalization and notes McCarthy's willingness to push the ball downfield and take shots, making him valuable in superflex formats despite Vegas favoring Houston.

Brooks had three targets in recent action and his role is growing in the Arizona offense; positioned as a speculative deep league add with more upside in dynasty formats.

Coleman, a Denver Broncos running back, may be available on waivers due to bye-week roster cuts despite being injured. The source notes that during bye-week hell, injured players like Coleman sometimes get cut because they provide no immediate value, so he's worth monitoring for potential pickup if he returns healthy.

High-upside top-10 pick for the Saints who could become available on waivers if injured and cut; the source recommends staying a week ahead on the waiver wire to monitor Tyson in case he hits the market, citing the pattern of injured high-upside players sometimes being dropped by teams that don't plan ahead. Potential return from injury for Week 8 adds to his appeal as a speculative add.

Jacobs is returning from injury and LaFleur will give him a high-volume opportunity immediately. However, there is injury risk concern for players who have missed multiple weeks, as they may be more susceptible to re-injury during the ramp-up period due to lack of game hits.

Lambert Smith had five catches for 32 yards on nine targets in Week 7; despite modest production, the source highlights him as a waiver add due to significant receiver attrition on the Chargers—Ladd Maki is injured, Trey Harris is out, and Quentin Johnston has been ineffective with only one catch in three of his last four games—making Lambert Smith's nine targets noteworthy even in a struggling offense.

Wide receiver in a very strong role with consistent production and target volume. Allen has looked good and is producing at a much better level than Josh Davis. He continues to produce and continues to get a lot of targets. The source recommends double-checking waivers to ensure he is not available in your league.

Miller had 22 touches for 70 yards in week 6 and was tackled at the one yard line twice, suggesting his production could have been higher. Until Travis Etienne returns, Miller has a decent role in the Saints offense, albeit with a low ceiling.

Wide receiver posted back-to-back games with 5 catches and 8 targets; solid role in Arizona offense. Getting slot-heavy work without Marvin Harrison Jr. over last two weeks. The source notes Bourne outtargeted Michael Wilson in one game but expects that to normalize; Bourne and Harrison Jr. play completely different roles, so Bourne's slot work is a distinct opportunity. Needs to be rostered given consistent target volume.

Vidal is in a split backfield with Omari Hampton and has scored between 7 and 12.6 PPR points in three straight games. Jim Harbaugh likes him, but the Chargers offense is struggling and something needs to change for Vidal to become a consistent fantasy asset.

Washington is in a great role and the source recommends checking if he was dropped during the bye week in shallow formats, suggesting he should be rostered.

Ravens tight end had only 3 targets and 1 catch in recent game without Lamar Jackson; historically has poor splits when Jackson is out. While this is likely a one-off, Andrews is aging and Josh Quavvis just led the TE room in targets, creating some concern about his role stability.

Mayer is a no-brainer waiver wire add despite being a second tight end alongside Brock Bowers. Vegas deployed 12 personnel (two tight ends) heavily against Buffalo; Mayer has posted 10 targets in Week 4 and 9 targets in Week 6, with 16 and 16.5 points respectively in those games, plus 12.2 points in Week 3 without Bowers. The source projects Mayer can be a top-18 tight end for the rest of the season and potentially flirt with tight-end-one numbers, available on waivers in non-tight-end premium formats. Treating Bowers as the WR1 in the offense, Mayer can function as the TE1. He is also a beneficiary of Washington's backfield split between Ashton Genty and others, which has created additional offensive opportunities.

Quarterback on the radar as a superflex starter moving forward after throwing a season-high three passing touchdowns in Atlanta's loss to Chicago, demonstrating upside in the position. Game flow dictated the TD volume, but the source expresses confidence in Penix as a viable superflex option.

Number one waiver wire pickup for Week 7 with strong recent performance. Cooper posted six catches for 103 yards and a touchdown on seven targets, including a 48-yard TD. He led Indiana last year in both target share and touchdown catches, outproducing first-round pick Charlie Becker and fourth-round pick Elijah Serat. Cooper is nasty with the ball in his hands and was a first-round pick by the Jets who traded back into the first round to acquire him. Available in many FFPC and NFC leagues despite his pedigree.

Freiermuth is dealing with a calf injury and had a poor performance in Week 7 despite playing through it. However, the source notes he has had a very strong year overall and Rogers seems to like him, suggesting he may have been rage-dropped and could be available on waivers.

Green Bay Packers running back with contingent upside that is likely to evaporate. Strong benefited from Marshon Lloyd's injury and posted a season-high 16 touches including five catches for 39 yards (up from three catches for 11 yards the prior week), with 11 rushing yards on 11 carries. However, Josh Jacobs' return will dominate the backfield; LaFleur will give Jacobs a high-volume opportunity immediately upon his return from injury. While Strong is athletically gifted with pass-catching ability, his role will shrink significantly once Jacobs is fully ramped up.

Hurst posted three catches for 40 yards on six targets in Tampa Bay's loss to Pittsburgh. The source suggests the Buccaneers may pragmatically ramp up the athletic Hurst over the second half of the season as they build for the future, making him a speculative waiver add.

Tremble dominates usage over Darren Waller coming out of a bye week and is interesting for tight-end premium managers. He posted 4 catches for 46 yards and 2 touchdowns in Week 7. Bryce Young is a very high-volume passer who has been productive, supporting Tremble's production ceiling and opportunity in the Carolina offense.

Hunter led Jacksonville Jaguars wide receivers in PPR scoring in London with 15.9 PPR points including a touchdown in Sunday's loss to Houston. Despite being tied for fourth on the team in targets with 4 targets, his targets-per-route-run data is elite: he ran 7 routes and received 4 targets, yielding an exceptional ratio. Positioned as a speculative deep league add with potential for increased work if the Jaguars adjust usage.

Wide receiver characterized as a spike-week performer with 5 catches, 97 yards, and 2 TDs in recent game. Las Vegas offense trending less run-heavy and more pass-happy, which benefits Tucker. The source frames him as a classic dart throw for WR3/flex upside; unpredictable but upside-chasing option worth monitoring.

Higbee had four catches for 22 yards on only four targets in Week 7, down significantly from his previous three weeks when he had 11, six, and six targets respectively. The source recommends holding him despite the production decline, attributing it to the entire Rams team struggling, and suggests waiting to see what happens against Vegas before cutting him even in non-tight-end premium formats. He was strong for three straight weeks but is now in a danger zone warranting monitoring.

Took advantage after Cam Saquon was benched and has the most juice in the Giants backfield. Has back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons from scrimmage heading into this year, found the end zone twice this past week, and looked good as a receiver in the comeback against Washington. The source emphasizes Tracy is the one to add in this shifting backfield.