The fantasy football season continues in Week 7 of the 2025 NFL season. As lineups begin to lock, late-week injuries become a thorn in the side of fantasy football managers and affect the wide receiver position more than any other.
In Week 7, Puka Nacua and Garrett Wilson were the two most notable late-week injury additions. They join Ricky Pearsall and Terry McLaurin on the mend. All four players have been go-to options for managers thus far, forcing owners to scramble.
On the flip side, CeeDee Lamb will make his return after a three-game absence, with Mike Evans also appearing to be nearing his return. Deep league managers might also benefit from the potential returns of Jalen Coker and KaVontae Turpin.
The wide receiver pool is typically the most difficult field to navigate on the waiver wire, simply due to the sheer volume of options available. As injuries continue to pile up ahead of NFL Week 7, target these five players who are available in the majority of fantasy football leagues.
Jordan Whittington, Los Angeles Rams
With Nacua out of the lineup, expect a heavy dosage of Jordan Whittington in the Los Angeles Rams' offense. Whittington has been the guy in waiting of Sean McVay's offense for two years, and Week 7 will be his first significant opportunity to make an impact in fantasy football in 2025.
Despite emerging as a starter, Whittington has yet to truly break out in a meaningful way. However, his usage has skyrocketed. Whittington has played over 80 percent of the Rams' offensive snaps in two of his last three games, including an elite 92.5 percent snap share in Week 6.
Nacua's absence leaves his massive 31 percent target share up for grabs, which undoubtedly elevates Whittington's floor. Davante Adams is clearly the biggest beneficiary of the injury, but Whittington should be one of the hottest waiver wire pickups of the week.
Tez Johnson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers appear to be getting Mike Evans back, but their receiving room is still thinning out. Chris Godwin remains on the shelf with a concerning fibula injury, while Emeka Egbuka also missed Friday's practice and is trending in the wrong direction.
Even if Evans returns, expect the Buccaneers to be cautious with their 32-year-old captain. That sets up Sterling Shepard to be Baker Mayfield's top target, but rookie Tez Johnson emerged as a dynamic weapon in Week 6.
With Evans, Godwin and Egbuka getting banged up, Johnson has garnered seven targets, five catches, 104 receiving yards and one touchdown over the last two weeks. His snap share subsequently rose to 71.7 percent in Week 6.
The Buccaneers are running out of receivers, but Mayfield has managed to still get it done regardless of who joins him on the field. Nothing should change in Week 7 against a Detroit Lions defense that could potentially be without Brian Branch, Terrion Arnold, Kerby Joseph and Avonte Maddox.
Jaylin Lane, Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders are another team struggling to stay healthy, with Terry McLaurin already ruled out for Week 7 and Deebo Samuel visibly battling multiple issues. Samuel has been carrying the load with McLaurin sidelined, but the supporting cast finally showed up in Week 6.
Luke McCaffrey has been the big-play threat, and he remains a decent boom-or-bust option for desperate fantasy football managers. Rookie Jaylin Lane is the better play, however, with Dan Quinn leaning more to his side.
Lane, who has played over 40 percent of the offensive snaps in three of the team's first six games, had his best game of the season in Week 6. Two catches for 37 receiving yards will not win any matchups, but he is clearly becoming a bigger part of the offensive game plan each week.
If he gets another opportunity, Lane could be in store for the biggest game of his professional career. The Commanders take on the Dallas Cowboys' league-worst pass defense that is dealing with injuries to Trevon Diggs, Donovan Wilson, Malik Hooker and Juanyeh Thomas. Dallas has particularly been beaten deep, which is where Lane has done most of his damage.
Elic Ayomanor, Tennessee Titans
The 2025 season has been a roller coaster for Elic Ayomanor. He began the season demonstrating a promising rapport with Cam Ward, but has been virtually invisible since Week 3.
Ayomanor has an excellent chance to resurface in Week 7, assuming the Tennessee Titans' offense and Cam Ward can generate any momentum. The Titans will be without leading receiver Calvin Ridley against the New England Patriots, allowing Ayomanor to become Ward's No. 1 target, at least for a week.
The Patriots enter the matchup allowing 235 passing yards per game, the eighth-most in the league. If the Titans can give Ward a relatively clean pocket, Ayomanor should receive most of his targets. The rookie is still owned in fewer than 25 percent of fantasy football leagues, likely making him one of the top receivers on most free agency lists.
Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos' passing game has a lucrative opportunity in front of them in Week 7 against the New York Giants, who currently allow the seventh-most passing yards per game. Fans will quickly turn to Courtland Sutton in this situation, but Troy Franklin might end up being the team's MVP of the week.
The Giants utilize man coverage at the third-highest rate, according to Pro Football Focus, which plays directly into Franklin's strengths. The Oregon alum leads the team with a 29 percent target share against man coverage on the year.
With the Giants' offense discovering new life in recent weeks, the game should be close enough to convince the Broncos to throw the ball more in Week 7. Franklin, who should also benefit from avoiding New York's top cornerback, Paulson Adebo, has an excellent chance of ending the week as a top-10 wide receiver in fantasy football.
