It looked like the top Week 7 fantasy waiver wire pickups and free agent adds were going to be another mediocre bunch, then Jamaal Williams and Allen Lazard took over Monday Night Football…making it slightly less mediocre. The former is much more of a priority pickup than the latter, but both could have value next week when the Packers play the Raiders. Either way, they added a little life to an otherwise uninspiring group of guys such as Auden Tate, Chase Edmonds, and Benny Snell Jr. It’s unclear if any will actually be claimed or if they will all be available on the free agent wire after waivers clear at around 4-5 a.m. ET on Wednesday in ESPN and Yahoo leagues, but all are worth owning.
Again, our full free agent list doesn’t inspire many quick-fixes for those in need of immediate help. There are plenty of decent Week 7 streamers, including some QBs (Daniel Jones), WRs (Dante Pettis), TEs (Darren Fells), and D/STs (Giants), as well as some stashes who could pay off down the road (Mark Walton, Duke Williams). The D/ST streamers for Week 7 are at the end of the list. If you’re in the market for a new kicker or just want to waste even more time before going back to work, check out our Week 7 kicker rankings.
WEEK 7: Full waiver wire list | Snap counts
Williams is probably the only player worth a waiver claim, but if you have a top-five spot in the waiver order, it will be tough to pull the trigger. However, if you like to save your claims for starting RBs, this is as close as you’re going to get without a big injury. Snell would also be a consideration if Pittsburgh didn’t have a bye next week. As it stands, this will likely be a much busier free agency period than waiver period. If you are going to waiver someone, you might as well use more than one claim since you’re going to be at the back of the line anyway. Grab a couple players before your leaguemates get a chance.
WEEK 7 NON-PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Top fantasy football waiver wire pickups and free agent adds for Week 7
Unless otherwise noted, only players owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues considered.
Jamaal Williams, RB, Packers. Remember this guy? He was in the process of derailing Aaron Jones’s fantasy value before a scary hit to the head on the first play of Week 4 knocked him out for the next two games. He returned in Week 6 and…derailed Jones’s value. To be fair, Jones did that himself with a bad drop on a sure touchdown and a lost fumble, but Williams also outplayed him, rushing 14 times for 104 yards compared to Jones’s 11-47 mark. Williams added four catches, 32 yards, and a score. Packers coach Matt LaFleur talked about wanting to play Williams more prior to his injury, and clearly this will continue to be a committee. That gives Williams FLEX value virtually every game, especially next week against the Raiders.
WEEK 7: Waiver pickups | Snap counts
Allen Lazard, WR, Packers. With Davante Adams (toe) and Geronimo Allison (concussion, chest) out and drops plaguing other Green Bay receivers, Lazard stepped up on Monday night. He led all Packers wideouts in catches (4) and yards (65) and scored the first touchdown of his career. The 6-5, 227-pound rookie wins the Auden Tate award for “looking the part” on the field, showing good hands and a physical run-after-the-catch ability. Lazard could fade back into obscurity quickly if even one of Adams or Allison returns in Week 7, but if both are out, the undrafted receiver from Iowa State would be a WR3 candidate against the Raiders. — Matt Lutovsky
WEEK 7 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Josh Allen, QB, Bills. Allen is available in roughly half of Yahoo leagues, but he’s produced at a steady level in every game except for Week 4 against New England. The dual-threat QB is coming off a bye and facing the Dolphins, who allow the fourth-most fantasy points per game to QBs. Allen is not only a good stream, but he’s someone worth investing in over the next month and change. His next five games are Miami, Washington, Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Miami again.
Dante Pettis, WR, 49ers. You definitely won’t need a waiver claim for Pettis, as his numbers leave a lot to be desired. But if you look at San Francisco’s snap counts and target share, there are strong indications he’s becoming the No. 1 wide receiver. Against Washington this week, that could mean big things, and a future schedule that includes Arizona twice and Atlanta and New Orleans in the fantasy playoffs also looks mostly favorable. Now is the time to grab him.
Check our full Week 7 waiver list for more waiver and free agent ideas, including potential WR3s like Auden Tate and Jamison Crowder, RB stashes like Mark Walton, breakout TEs like Darren Fells, and several D/ST streamers.