Fantasy managers had to be on their toes setting their week 6 rosters right up to kick off.
Michael Pittman was expected to head to IR in the middle of last week, and instead logged 56 of a possible 70 offensive snaps for the Colts. Meanwhile, his expected quarterback Anthony Richardson was trending in the right direction to return from a week 5 hip injury, but instead was listed as the emergency backup while Joe Flacco was named the starter and led Indianapolis to a win against Tennessee.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll spent all week saying how Devin Singletary was also heading in the right direction to get the start, only to be ruled out leaving the exciting rookie Tyrone Tracy as the lead back in New York.
Of course we need to try and follow all the injury news yet again this week. Added to the ever increasing list of players to monitor are Marvin Harrison Jr (concussion), Chris Olave (concussion), Travis Etienne (hamstring), Jerome Ford (hamstring), Dallas Goedert (hamstring) and waiver wire disappointment Dontayvion Wicks (shoulder), just to name a few.
Thankfully, there are only two teams on bye in week 7 – the Dallas Cowboys, who desperately need to use their time off to get healthy and try and get the train back on it’s track, and the Chicago Bears, who are hoping they can carry their momentum through their bye after a stellar performance in London last Sunday.
Let’s take a look at who you can grab to help you get through week 7. As always, all players we will discuss are currently owned in less than 50% of Yahoo leagues.
Quarterback
With Dak Prescott and Caleb Williams out for week 7, there are two fantasy starters that need to be replaced. This week’s waiver wire is highlighted by an exciting rookie who’s entering week 7 with a great matchup, but there are plenty of veteran options both for this week as well as potential stash picks.
Just a note that if you are invested in the Miami Dolphins offense, there are rumors that Tua Tagovailoa is aiming for a week 8 return, so he may be someone to consider picking up to stash away if you have the space.
Drake Maye – New England Patriots – 6% Owned
I was extremely high on Maye entering the draft. While I thought he should be sitting on the bench until at least halfway through the season to develop behind Jacoby Brissett, he got his first start against a strong Houston defense and gave the Patriots’ offense a major boost. In one game he’s already surpassed Brisset in touchdowns (3 for Maye in week 6, 2 for Brissett in his five starts). Not only did Maye throw three touchdowns, but he also led his team in rushing yards with 32. Maye was outgunned by the Texans offense, but he finished the game 20 for 33 with 243 passing yards, three TDs, two picks (one ugly, one tipped) and took four sacks. He was far from perfect, but showed a lot of promise.
The Patriots have a juicy matchup in week 7, as they’re traveling to London to face the Jacksonville Jaguars. A rookie starting in London might be a red flag as that’s a lot to take in, but the Jaguars are a complete mess. They were dismantled by Caleb Williams and the Bears in week 6, and the rumblings surrounding their coaching staff are getting too loud to ignore. Jacksonville looks like a team that has just flat out quit, and Maye has a chance to come out and shred them. Given how friendly the circumstances are, Maye headlines the waiver wire pickups at quarterback this week.
Justin Herbert – Los Angeles Chargers – 41% Owned
As expected, Herbert hasn’t been a strong fantasy option under the Harbaugh regime. The team is content to grind out wins with their run game, and it’s been working. In week 6, Herbert had a season high 184 yards in the first half against an impressive Broncos secondary, but with the Chargers up multiple scores in the second half, the team took their foot off the gas so Herbert’s final stats weren’t out of this world. After rewatching all of Herbert’s dropbacks against Denver, he finally looks healthy and threw some high level passes in the game.
In week 7, the Chargers are facing a Cardinals defense that’s been awful against the pass so far this season. They just gave up four touchdowns to Jordan Love and the Packers in week 6. If the Cardinals offense can hang around with the Chargers in this game (which admittedly is a big if), Herbert has twenty plus point upside as he can take advantage of the Cardinals lapses in the defensive backfield.
Andy Dalton – Carolina Panthers – 10% Owned
Since taking over as the starter in Carolina in week 3, Dalton has finished as the QB8, QB12, QB28, and the QB17. Not outstanding, but a viable fantasy option against the right opponents. His two lowest finishes were against the Chicago Bears, who’s defense has been incredible against the pass, and the Atlanta Falcons, who’s defense has been steadily improving over the past few weeks. Week 7 pits Dalton against one of the worst secondaries in the league in the Washington Commanders. Not only does Washington have a suspect defense, but their offense currently sits second in the league in points per game. If the Panthers want to have a sliver of hope in week 7, Dalton will have to be slinging the ball all over the field and try to keep up in what could be a shootout.
Running Backs
There were definitely a lot of fantasy points from the running back position that were wasted on people’s benches in week 6. Sean Tucker finished as the RB1 and is owned in 1% of leagues. Tyrone Tracy unexpectedly had the entire Giants backfield to himself, and had his first career twenty plus point fantasy performance. Tyler Allgeier led the Falcons in rushes and punched in a touchdown, while Ray Davis excelled on Monday night after James Cook was ruled out late.
Some players are worth rostering, while others should only be considered as stashes in deep leagues.
Note – check if your league is a part of the 37% of leagues where Tank Bigsby is available and throw a lot of your FAAB at him if he is available, although D’Ernest Johnson (0% owned) has a chance to take over the passing game work for as long as Etienne is out.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. – New York Giants – 45% Owned
In his two starts as the Giants lead back, Tracy has 35 carries for 179 yards and one touchdown, and eight targets for seven receptions and 58 yards. He’s clearly shown the ability to bring more explosiveness to this offense than Singletary can. Singletary is expected to return to the Giants as soon as this week, but it’s hard to see a world where Tracy isn’t included as a regular contributor to the Giants going forward. The former high school wide receiver should at least continue to be a major part of the passing game while continuing to carve out a role in the team’s rushing attack.
Ty Chandler – Minnesota Vikings – 28% Owned
With the Vikings coming off of their bye week, we likely won’t have any clarity in regards to Aaron Jones’ hip injury until much later in the week. Chandler has been unable to carve out a major role while Jones has been healthy, but as the clear number two for Minnesota, he could potentially have a large role if Jones misses time.
The matchup in week 7 is as daunting as it gets, and the Vikings are facing the third best defense against the run in the Detroit Lions. But Chandler is a versatile back that can be heavily involved in the passing game to help negate the Lions’ defensive strength. Add in the fact that the Lions will be missing their most impactful defender in Aidan Hutchinson for the rest of the season, and Chandler could have a nice game if given the starting job. Beyond week 7, the Vikings face the Rams, Colts and Jaguars. If Jones misses additional time, or the Vikings limit his workload to preserve him for the playoffs, Chandler could excel in some plus matchups.
Ray Davis – Buffalo Bills – 12% Owned
Davis entered the Bills Monday night matchup on fire, racking up six carries for 48 yards on Buffalo’s first drive. By the end of the third drive, he was up to 96 yards and ten total touches. Davis is only 21, but was an accomplished collegiate back, finishing his collegiate career with a 21 touchdown, 1,452 yard season at Kentucky. James Cook has been dominating the backfield touches, but if his toe injury lingers, Davis is clearly the next man up and looks like he is ready ready to take on a larger role.
Isaac Guerendo – San Francisco 49ers – 3% Owned
Guerendo definitely turned plenty of heads at the 2024 combine, but a hamstring injury during the summer tempered expectations entering his rookie season. With Christian McCaffrey sidelined for the foreseeable future, Guerendo took advantage of a shoulder injury to Jordan Mason to rattle off 99 yards rushing on just ten carries on Thursday night against the Seahawks, including a game sealing 75 yard run in the fourth quarter. Mason has performed admirably without McCaffrey, but Guerendo gives the 49ers another explosive element from their backfield that they’re currently lacking. Even if Mason’s shoulder injury isn’t serious, I have a hard time believing that Kyle Shanahan isn’t already working on ways to integrate a new weapon into his offense.
Tyler Allgeier – Atlanta Falcons – 30% Owned
Despite Bijan Robinson owner’s nightly prayer, Allgeier isn’t ceding touches to the young explosive back. Allgeier led the team in rushes with 18 in week six, and is still a major factor in the Falcons red zone offense. He clearly has earned a major role going forward, and while he won’t put up top fantasy numbers every week, he’s a more than capable spot starter in the right matchups. Allgeier doesn’t have much of a role in the passing game (just seven targets this season), but he’s averaging 5.5 yards per carry.
Jaylen Warren – Pittsburgh Steelers – 42% Owned
Last season, Warren was clearly the better running back for the Steelers. Thanks to a lengthy injury, Najee Harris has taken a hold of the lead back again this season in the new offensive scheme. Warren is working his way back to full health, and it’s not hard to see a potential breakout week coming soon. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith tends to not cater to our fantasy needs, but picking up Warren now and waiting for him to take the leading role would be a prudent move going forward.
Sean Tucker – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 1% Owned
Sean Tucker entered the 2023 season as a prospect to watch, but failed to make any impact during his rookie season. While he went undrafted, it was more due to a lingering heart issue as opposed to a lack of skill. Bucky Irving usurped Tucker for the backup role this season, and Tucker was relegated to special teams duties. However, with starter Rachaad White out of the lineup in week 6, Tucker was finally given an opportunity to carry the ball and looked really good doing so.
Tucker finished the game with fourteen carries for 136 yards and a touchdown, chipping in via the passing game with three catches for 56 yards and another touchdown. Keep in mind that Irving was the clear leader in touches in the first half and Tucker did most of his damage with Tampa Bay running away with the game late. Even if he were to return in week 7, White has already been outplayed by Irving so far this season, and the emergence of Tucker could just create a three headed monster that doesn’t help anyone in fantasy. Tucker deserves at least a few more touches a game so Tampa can see what they have in him, but if you pick him up it might be a wait and see situation.
Wide Receivers
A rising tide lifts all boats – with some upgrades in quarterback play throughout the past few weeks, there are a lot of receivers left on the waiver wire who are ready to ascend into fantasy relevance for the rest of the season.
Josh Downs – Indianapolis Colts – 48% Owned
I swear this has to be the last time I talk about Josh Downs. He should be owned in 90% of leagues, but is somehow still under the 50% threshold. Downs is an extremely technical route runner that creates separation and is more than just a short yard slot receiver.
Downs now has had three consecutive weeks of double digit fantasy points since returning from his high ankle sprain and is slowly taking over as the Colts leading target getter. Michael Pittman may be one of the toughest receivers in the league, opting to forgo the injured reserve and play through his back injury, but the odds of him being fully available for every game are fairly low. Pittman made two incredible catches in week 6 to help seal the Colts victory, but he only had three catches for 35 yards and looked hampered at various points in the game. Downs should maintain a lead role in the Colts offense – the only question is whether Anthony Richardson will be able to get him the ball once he returns.
Christian Watson – Green Bay Packers – 42% Owned
Romeo Doubs – Green Bay Packers – 35% Owned
Watson surprisingly returned in week 6 from a week 5 ankle injury, while Doubs made his return from a team mandated suspension. The duo combined for 117 receiving yards and three TDs against Arizona, as Jordan Love continues to be one of the most aggressive passers in the league. Dontayvion Wicks is currently listed as week to week with a shoulder injury, and while the Packers are still rotating in every receiver with cleats, Watson and Doubs are clearly a major part of the team’s gameplan on a weekly basis. Jayden Reed has solidified himself as the most explosive receiving weapon for Green Bay, but if week 6 is any indication, both Watson and Doubs can be considered weekly starters. Doubs might be the safer option as he generally leads the team in offensive snaps and targets, but Watson always has that big play upside and could be the one to see his snap share increase without Wicks on the field.
DeMario Douglas – New England Patriots – 8% Owned
Douglas was the clear lead receiver all throughout the Patriots training camp, but his impact was hampered by the horrible offensive play from Jacoby Brissett and the Pats offensive line through the first quarter of the season. However, Douglas has now seen nine targets in each of his last two games, and three of his last four, and Drake Maye’s promotion has seemed to inspire the offense. Douglas is a sure handed receiver who creates quick separation and can become Maye’s favorite target early. With a plus matchup coming up this weekend against the Jaguars, Douglas can almost be considered a must start wide receiver this week.
JuJu Smith-Schuster – Kansas City Chiefs – 33% Owned
Thanks to the Chiefs having a week 6 bye, Smith-Schuster is still available in over two thirds of yahoo leagues and could have the most consistent upside going forward. Smith-Schuster is in line for a serious bump in usage now that Rashee Rice has officially been placed on IR and is likely done for the season. There’s no one else in the Chiefs receiver room who can be trusted outside of Travis Kelce. Xavier Worthy is an explosive weapon, but he’s a long way away from developing into a true target dominating receiver. Smith-Schuster played a season high 67% of the team’s offensive snaps in week 5, catching seven of his eight targets for 130 yards. While he won’t be able to maintain those numbers on a weekly basis, he should still be the leading target in a Patrick Mahomes offense.
Xavier Legette – Carolina Panthers – 19% Owned
Legette has solidified his role as the Panthers WR2 since week 4. And with Andy Dalton at the helm, his fantasy outlook is on the rise. As discussed earlier, the Panthers will have to open up their offense against a weak Commanders defense if they look to stay in the game, and Legette can be a big benefactor playing opposite of Diontae Johnson. Legette has averaged seven targets, 4.5 receptions and 44.5 receiving yards with a touchdown in his last two games, and finished as the WR30 this past week. He may not be a league winner level pick up, but he can be a solid plug and play starter in the right matchups for the rest of the season.
Bub Means – New Orleans Saints – 0% Owned
This is for the deeper leagues, but Bub Means might be the Saints WR1 in week 7. Chris Olave is currently in concussion protocol after a scary hit in week 6, and Rashid Shaheed is still dealing with a knee injury. In Spencer Rattler’s first start against the Bucs, Means brought in five of eight targets for 45 yards and a touchdown. Per Fantasy Points Data, Means also had a 20% target share and a team leading 26.9% first-read share, making him a solid flex option with that level of volume. He’ll be facing the Broncos defense in week 7, who has allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers, but might be without cornerback Patrick Surtain.
Tight Ends
Tight end remains a brutal position in fantasy. George Kittle is running away as the fantasy leader and is the only tight end who has consistently produced for most weeks. With Cole Kmet and Jake Ferguson on bye, and plenty of droppable options at the position, it looks like another week of throwing darts and seeing who gets lucky.
Colby Parkinson – Los Angeles Rams – 16% Owned
With the Rams coming off of their bye, Parkinson is heavily available and is an intriguing target after receiving thirteen targets in the Rams week 5 loss to the Packers. There’s yet to be an update on the health of Cooper Kupp, and if he returns he’ll definitely be cutting into that high target share. But if Kupp is out again this week, none of the other Ram receivers have been able to step up and take on a major role with the absence of Kupp and Puka Nacua.
Noah Fant – Seattle Seahawks – 27% Owned
Fant hauled in all six of his targets on Thursday night, totaling 63 yards. He’s obviously not near the top of the Seahawks receiving hierarchy as D.K. Metcalfe, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba battling for targets themselves, but Fant does have a solid 70% snap share.
Cade Otton – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 36% Owned
Much like last season, Otton is on the field for almost every snap for the Bucs offense. Unfortunately much like last year, that often does not translate to fantasy success. Otton did find the end zone in week 6, and has had twenty seven targets over his past four games. Add in the fact that no team has allowed more receiving yards to tight ends than the Baltimore Ravens, and you could do worse than picking up the tight end who is tied to the league leader in passing touchdowns.
-Devon Gallant
Twitter: @devgallant
Photo: Cramerwiki. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication