The injuries keep piling up in the NFL, and Week 7 unfortunately followed that same pattern. Your fantasy football roster needs as many warm bodies as it possibly can, which is what makes our Week 7 waiver wire pickups extremely important.
Players like Chuba Hubbard, Kendrick Bourne, Rashid Shaheed, and Dalton Schultz, who all had big Week 7 performances, likely were on your waiver wire in your leagues. Each of these players likely will finish in the top 12 at their respective positions – that’s why scrounging your league’s waiver wire is that important.
As always, the following list includes players that are rostered on fewer than 50 percent of all ESPN rosters, making the chances you can pick them up pretty high. You can never have too much talent on your fantasy football roster, which makes your Week 7 waiver wire pickups that more important.
10. Latavius Murray, Buffalo Bills – RB
6.6% Rostered
Much to the surprise of pretty much everyone, it was Latavius Murray that took the starting rep at running back for the Buffalo Bills, not James Cook. While Murray ultimately ended up with fewer touches than Cook, it showed that maybe Cook’s role isn’t as locked into cement as once thought.
As Damien Harris recovers from his scary head/neck injury, look for Murray to continue to receive a healthy workload, which does include the valuable goal-line snaps. Keep your eyes open for a potential Leonard Fournette signing here too, which could muddy things a bit.
9. Zach Evans, Los Angeles Rams – RB
0.2% Rostered
Both Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers suffered injuries for the Rams in their Week 6 win over the Cardinals. While specifics are unknown for both, it did open up an opportunity for Ole Miss rookie Zach Evans to earn his first touches in the NFL.
Williams looks to be dealing with an ankle injury and Rivers reportedly has a sprained PCL, injuries that would open the door for Evans and journeyman Royce Freeman to being the next men up for Sean McVay.
8. Craig Reynolds, Detroit Lions – RB
6.5% Rostered
David Montgomery entered Sunday’s game over the Buccaneers as the healthy starting back in line for a ton of touches. By the time Detroit’s win ended, it was Craig Reynolds who had earned the lion's share of work.
With Montgomery looking like he will miss ‘a little bit of time’ according to Dan Campbell, and with rookie Jahmyr Gibbs still nursing his hamstring injury, it could be Reynolds in either a starting role or as the change-of-pace option.
7. Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders – TE
1.4% Rostered
On the surface, it may be a tough pill to swallow that this list is advocating to add a member of the Las Vegas Raiders offense. But in the case of rookie tight end Michael Mayer, he looks to be ascending into the starter’s workload.
Even with Jimmy Garoppolo getting knocked out of the game with a back injury, Mayer still hauled in five receptions for 75 yards, showing that outside of both Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers, he is the third target.
6. Elijah Mitchell & Jordan Mason, San Francisco 49ers – RB
26.4% & 1.4% Rostered
Christian McCaffrey, just like Deebo Samuel, was unable to finish Sunday’s contest against the Browns due to injury. With his checkered injury history, it is no guarantee that McCaffrey suits up in Week 7, opening the door for both Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason to bigger roles.
The issue is that Kyle Shanahan is a walking masterclass when it comes to coach speak, so there likely won’t be any hints given during the week about which back is higher in the pecking order if it comes down to it. Mitchell has typically been the second man up in the rotation, but it was Mason who earned the backup work with Mitchell still nursing an injury.
5. Devin Singletary, Houston Texans – RB
3.1% Rostered
For our discussion on the best fantasy football breakout and sleeper candidates, listen below:
After Week 5’s goose egg in the running game, it was Devin Singletary that led the running backs for the Houston Texans in their strong win over the Saints. The former Buffalo running back landed with Houston this offseason to give Dameon Pierce some competition, and so far his stat lines this year have been hard to trust.
But if Sunday is any sort of trend of things to come, it shows that this coaching staff is not fully sold on Pierce. Plus, Singletary has shown enough in the receiving game to have some dual-threat abilities too.
4. Ezekiel Elliott, New England Patriots – RB
40.1% Rostered
If you have a roster with Rhamondre Stevenson on it, it probably have been quite concerning seeing how much work Ezekiel Elliott has been earning this year. On top of that, Stevenson suffered an ankle injury in the fourth quarter of New England’s loss to the Raiders, which he did return from.
For Elliott, it was his first double-digit fantasy performance this season, which certainly doesn’t instill much faith. But the fact that the coaching staff has been regularly getting him work, combined with a bit of uncertainty for Stevenson, opens up the potential for more work for Elliott.
3. Wan’Dale Robinson, New York Giants – WR
5.2% Rostered
There are not many pieces of the New York Giants’ offense you want on your fantasy football rosters, but it is looking like Wan’Dale Robinson is joining that list. The former Kentucky Wildcat has earned five-plus targets in every game this year, including six, six, and eight over his past three games.
With Tyrod Taylor starting at QB on Sunday, Robinson corralled all eight of his targets for 62 yards, coming up seven yards short of leading the team. Outside of Saquon Barkley and Darren Waller, Robinson profiles as the only other piece you want from this offense, albeit one with a riskier ceiling, for your waiver wire pickups.
2. Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs – WR
30.4% Rostered
Five-plus targets in four of six games starts to classify you as one of your QB’s favorite targets, which is exactly the territory that Rashee Rice is entering with the Kansas City Chiefs. While Travis Kelce is the clear-cut WR1 on this team, it looks like Rice has quickly gained the trust of Patrick Mahomes.
72 yards was Rice’s career best so far, and the Southern Methodist rookie has already scored two touchdowns this season, a total that should continue to climb with his current target share. Rice is your top wide receiver target for your waiver wire pickups this week.
1. Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers – RB
46.0% Rostered
The top waiver wire pickup on our Week 7 list goes to Chuba Hubbard, who turned in a line of 19 carries for 88 yards and a TD, while hauling in his lone target. Any Miles Sanders truthers have got to be sick right now, because they haven’t seen any sort of efficiency like that at all this year.
Sanders has been seemingly banged up for a good chunk of the season so far, and even when Sanders has been in the lineup, Hubbard has still earned his fair share of work, at times even looking better. When healthy, Sanders will still earn a good amount of RB touches, but Hubbard likely has played his way into a more substantial role upon Sanders’ return.
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