We are six full weeks into the 2025 NFL season, and with that, you are six weeks into your fantasy football season. Injuries have ravaged the fantasy football landscape so far, but you can catch back up to your leaguemates – or stay ahead of them – with these Week 7 waiver wire pickups.
With Puka Nacua picking up an ankle injury and Marvin Harrison Jr. leaving Week 6 with a concussion, your wide receiver room is losing even more of its depth, depth that it didn’t have to begin with entering the week. This is the part of the season where you can make the minor improvements on your roster that can help get you through a few rough patches before your star players return.
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. Heading into Week 7, try your best to button up the edges of your roster as you look to start the season strong.
Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups
1. RB Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers
27.1% Rostered
After Hassan Haskins earned the starter’s role in Week 6, the Los Angeles Chargers flipped the script and handed that role over to Kimani Vidal in Week 7. Vidal earned 21 total touches (18 carries) in LAC’s win over the Miami Dolphins, and he certainly made the most of his workload.
Vidal rushed for 124 yards and caught a receiving touchdown, easily outpacing Haskins. While a one-two punch is expected moving forward for the Chargers, Vidal certainly did enough to earn another look as the team’s starter moving into Week 7.
2. QB Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
35.4% Rostered
The lights weren’t too bright for rookie QB Jaxson Dart, as he was impressive against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday Night Football. Showing his skills both through the air and on the ground, Dart put together an impressive game from the jump, and he was able to make things work even without both Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton.
The quarterback group in free agency isn’t likely going to impress you, so if Dart is available for you, do what you can to add him to your roster, as his dual-threat upside is real.
3. WR Kendrick Bourne, San Francisco 49ers
37.7% Rostered
Kendrick Bourne and Mac Jones are doing their best to carry the San Francisco 49ers through their injuries on offense, as Bourne put together another 100-yard outing as Jones’ favorite target. It was another 142-yard effort for Bourne, his second consecutive, as he was able to do that much damage on only five receptions.
With Jauan Jennings nursing five broken ribs and numerous ankle injuries, and Ricky Pearsall still not cleared to return, Bourne should reprise his role in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons.
4. WR Tez Johnson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
0.7% Rostered
Injuries to Emeka Egbuka, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin force rookie Tez Johnson into the WR spotlight for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and his highlight-reel catch certainly puts him on your fantasy football radar.
TEZ JOHNSON TD! WHAT A CATCH AND WHAT A FLIP
SFvsTB on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/UtKZZW6YXw
— NFL (@NFL) October 12, 2025
If you are looking for a high-ceiling option to add to your Week 7 waiver wire pickups, look to add Johnson, who only had one catch in Week 6 but took that 45 yards for a score. As the Buccaneers await their receiver group to get healthy again, look for Johnson to have a solid role catching passes from Baker Mayfield moving forward.
5. WR Sterling Shepard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
14.8% Rostered
In the same breadth as Johnson, Sterling Shepard offers WR3 value in the Buccaneers offense with all of the injuries. Shepard has had more of a consistent role all season, earning at least three targets in every game, but his ceiling is a bit lower than that of Johnson’s.
Shepard is the veteran option that Mayfield will likely look to in need-to-have-it situations, which does give him more value in a PPR league. But if your roster is dealing with plugging the hole left by Egbuka, Nacua, or another receiver, Shepard would be a good target for your Week 7 waiver wire pickups.
6. RB Bam Knight, Arizona Cardinals
5.6% Rostered
As was the case for the Chargers, the Arizona Cardinals swapped backup running backs this week, as Michael Carter took a backseat to Bam Knight in Week 6. Knight earned the starter’s workload and did find the end zone on the ground, but he wasn’t overly efficient (3.1 yards per carry) on the ground.
Expect Carter and Knight to continue to switch off earning the RB1 role for the Cardinals, as each has shown what they are capable of to this point. If Knight is already picked up, Carter was only two carries behind Knight, so he is an option to target as well.
7. QB Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
23.1% Rostered
The final QB of the Week 7 waiver wire pickups is Sam Darnold, who has enjoyed a strong start to his 2025 season. His connection with Jaxon Smith-Njigba has helped elevate Darnold to the QB11 so far this season, as he is coming off another zero-turnover game.
The Seattle Seahawks do have a Week 8 bye, but they do face the Houston Texans in Week 7, giving Darnold another shot at a strong performance before he gets a week off.
8. TE Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns
29.0% Rostered
An injury to David Njoku opens the tight end battle back up for Harold Fannin Jr. on the Cleveland Browns, as he gets a chance to operate as the TE1 for Dillon Gabriel. Fannin has had a really strong start to his NFL career, as he is currently the TE12 on the season, helped out by earning at least four targets in every game.
Fannin was especially strong inWeek 6 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, catching seven passes for 81 yards, his highest receiving yardage total of the season. If Njoku is forced to miss any time, Fannin absolutely holds TE1 value on a weekly basis for an offense that doesn’t have much else to rely on in fantasy football.
9. WR Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots
7.0% Rostered
Adding Kayshon Boutte to the Week 7 waiver wire pickups list is more so an indictment of Drake Maye and less about Boutte’s impact so far this year. Maye has absolutely taken that next step forward for the New England Patriots, and behind Stefon Diggs, there needs to be a trustworthy target for this offense.
Boutte has been inconsistent but just put up a two-touchdown game in Week 6 against the New Orleans Saints, showing what kind of impact he can have. If Boutte can become more of a regular contributor, then he can offer you FLEX value on a weekly basis, a big development for the Patriots offense.
10. TE Oronde Gadsden II, Los Angeles Chargers
0.7% Rostered
The 2025 NFL season has also been the season of mid-round rookie tight ends looking solid, as both Theo Johnson and Oronde Gadsden II have jumped into the TE1 roles for their respective teams. While Johnson has become Dart’s favorite target, it felt like Week 6 was the first time that Gadsden jumped into the starter’s workload for the Chargers.
With Tyler Conklin and Will Dissly earning more early-season looks than Gadsden, the LAC rookie saw his biggest contribution of the season so far, catching seven-of-eight targets for 68 yards. While it still might be a bit of a slow go for Gadsden as the receiver group for the Chargers earns the majority of targets from Justin Herbert, his role as a safety valve for Justin Herbert can make him relevant for your fantasy football rosters.
