One of last week’s top quarterback waiver wire pick-ups, Kyle Allen finished top ten while fantasy prognosticators darling Gardner Minshew was a complete fantasy football bust. This week’s top pick-ups include several players from the New York Jets and players like Kirk Cousins whose time has come to add them back to rosters. There are several waiver wire adds that could help those fantasy football team owners missing players because of the Week 7 bye. Finding a running back will likely be difficult depending on the size of your league, but you will have options at all other positions, especially in shallower leagues, at tight end and defense.
Don’t add a player to your fantasy football team if you don’t need one.
Teams on the Bye:Browns, Buccaneers, Panthers, Steelers
QUARTERBACKS
1 Kirk Cousins, Vikings
2 Sam Darnold, Jets
3 Kyle Allen, Panthers
4 Gardner Minshew, Jaguars
5 Baker Mayfield, Browns
Cousins, Darnold, and Allen are this week’s top quarterback adds. Cousins seems to have re-discovered he can throw the football to Stephon Diggs and is doing so. Sam Darnold exploded back on the scene after recovering from mono and the Jets looked like a team that could contend for the playoffs. Kyle Allen continues to make a case that Cam Newton shouldn’t rush back with the Panthers winning four straight games. Each should be considered not only a bye week quarterback but starting option, especially Cousins and Darnold.
RUNNING BACKS
1 Adrian Peterson, Redskins
2 Chase Edmonds, Cardinals
3 Jamaal Williams, Packers
4 Benny Snell, Steelers
5 Alexander Mattison, Vikings
6 Latavius Murray, Saints
7 Mark Walton, Dolphins
8 Jay Ajayi, Free Agent
There are still a few options at running back this week. Peterson is tops simply because of his role in an offense expected to run the ball and give him red zone opportunities. Chase Edmonds and Jamaal Williams look like they will become steady parts of their respective team’s offense. They’ve shown explosion over the past two weeks and deserve the playing time. Benny Snell is a handcuff to James Conner who could miss time after the Steelers emerge from their Week 7 bye week. As you move down the list, the noted running backs could develop a bigger role on their teams’ offense, especially Alexander Mattison, as starter Dalvin Cook is on pace for 350-plus touches this season. Ajayi could get signed soon and may play a significant role as injuries take hold of some teams.
Wide Receivers
1 Robby Anderson, Jets
2 Jamison Crowder, Jets
3 Curtis Samuel, Panthers
4 Auden Tate, Bengals
5 Mohamed Sanu, Falcons
6 John Brown, Bills
6 Cole Beasley, Bills
7 Allen Lazard, Packers
With Darnold back as Jets quarterback, both Robby Anderson and Jamison Crowder should be on fantasy teams in all formats. Crowder should get more touches but Anderson looks more explosive. Curtis Samuel showed he remains an important part of the Panthers offense but is still available in many leagues. Don’t expect AJ Green to return soon, so Auden Tate should be added instead. With the Packers wide outs going down like flies under a fly-swatter, Allen Lazard has emerged as a viable WR3 or flex option in this offense and it could stick.
Tight Ends
1 Hunter Henry, Chargers
2 Chris Herndon*, Jets
3 Jason Witten, Cowboys
4 Gerald Everett, Rams
5 Ricky Seals-Jones, Browns
6 Darren Fells, Texans
7 Dallas Goedert, Eagles
It didn’t take long for Hunter Henry to make an impact after returning from injury. He’s also available in many leagues. Chris Herndon could make his return this week and Jason Witten continues to defy father time. Ricky Seals-Jones is on the bye week but both he and Darren Fells have TE2 or bye week / injury appeal as they have been used more and more as red zone targets.
Defenses
1 49ers (v. Redskins)
2 Saints (v. Bears)
3 Bills (v. Dolphins)
4 Jaguars (v Bengals)
5 Packers (v. Raiders)
6 Rams (v. Falcons)
7 Cardinals (v. Giants)
8 Eagles (v. Cowboys)
FOR WEEK 8: Steelers (v. Dolphins)
Both the 49ers and Saints should be added in all formats. Both defenses are for real and should not be ignored any more.
Need a one week filler with the Bears on a bye week? The other defenses referenced above each play teams that have either struggled in one of the first three weeks of the season or are having problems producing offense due to injuries or poor play. Any defense playing the Dolphins is a solid play this season.
WEEK 7 INJURY REPORT
WEEK 6 PLAYER RANKINGS
WEEK 6 DEEP SLEEPERS