Top 13 waiver-wire pickups for Week 7 of fantasy football
- Six weeks into the NFL season, bye weeks are beginning to wreak havoc on fans of fantasy football.
- On Sunday, a few players emerged as potential replacements for any fantasy player facing a particularly daunting bye week soon.
- Here are 13 waiver-wire targets for fantasy players looking to fill in any gaps in their rosters.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Fantasy football is in full swing.
With six weeks of NFL action in the books, fantasy players were scrambling on Monday morning to work the waiver wire and fill in any gaps in their rosters.
Below, we've collected 13 waiver-wire targets for fantasy players looking to add some depth to their rosters early in the season, going position by position to give you the best chance of earning your way to a first-round bye in the fantasy playoffs.
All ownership percentages come from ESPN, and scoring is based on a standard ESPN points-per-reception format.
Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings
ESPN fantasy ownership: 26.6%
Week 6 stats: 333 passing yards, four touchdowns — 27.3 fantasy points
One thing to know: After a tumultuous start to the season, Kirk Cousins has rattled off back-to-back brilliant games for the Vikings. With matchups against the Chiefs and Redskins in two of the next three weeks, he's a solid option for fantasy players disappointed with their quarterback play thus far.
Sam Darnold, QB, New York Jets
ESPN fantasy ownership: 7.8%
Week 6 stats: 338 passing yards, two touchdowns — 19.6 fantasy points
One thing to know: Sam Darnold is back from his extended absence due to mononucleosis, and his return brought an immediate spark to the Jets offense. The Jets have some challenging games in the coming weeks, but if Darnold can weather the storm, he'll get to face a friendly stretch of defenses starting in Week 9 against the Dolphins.
Carlos Hyde, RB, Houston Texans
ESPN fantasy ownership: 64.3%
Week 6 stats: 116 rushing yards, one reception, 14 receiving yards, one touchdown — 18 fantasy points
One thing to know: The Houston Texans have shown they are committed to Carlos Hyde as their lead back, giving him 47 carries over the past two weeks. If he's available in your league, there's likely no other running back that can give you the potential touches that he should provide.
Chase Edmonds, RB, Arizona Cardinals
ESPN fantasy ownership: 17.7%
Week 6 stats: 34 rushing yards, two receptions, 33 receiving yards, one touchdown — 14.7 fantasy points
One thing to know: With David Johnson looking healthy, Chase Edmonds' value takes a hit, as he'll have fewer opportunities with the ball in his hands. However, the Cardinals have shown that they want to run the ball, especially in close games. If Arizona can keep their games competitive, Edmonds can still have value moving forward.
Adrian Peterson, RB, Washington Redskins
ESPN fantasy ownership: 50.7%
Week 6 stats: 118 rushing yards, two receptions, 18 receiving yards — 15.6 fantasy points
One thing to know: Even at 34 years old, Adrian Peterson can still be an offensive force when he gets the chance. On Sunday, Peterson was a top-12 fantasy running back even though he failed to score a touchdown. If he finds the end zone next game, have it be while he's in your starting lineup.
Robby Anderson, WR, New York Jets
ESPN fantasy ownership: 58.6%
Week 6 stats: Five receptions, 125 receiving yards, one touchdown — 23.5 fantasy points
One thing to know: No player in the Jets offense stands to benefit more from the return of Sam Darnold than wide receiver Robby Anderson. On Sunday, Anderson took advantage of his eight targets to get his first 100-yard game of the season, including one huge touchdown for the Jets. If Anderson is unavailable in your league, teammate Jamison Crowder is another potential add this week.
Golden Tate, WR, New York Giants
ESPN fantasy ownership: 63.2%
Week 6 stats: Six receptions, 102 receiving yards, one touchdown — 22.2 fantasy points
One thing to know: If you had any concerns about Golden Tate getting off to a slow start after returning from his suspension, they were put to rest on Thursday night. Tate was the Giants' most dangerous offensive weapon against the Patriots. As the team's other stars return from injury, it should only open up the field further for Tate.
Jaron Brown, WR, Seattle Seahawks
ESPN fantasy ownership: 0.2%
Week 6 stats: Three receptions, 29 receiving yards, two touchdowns — 17.9 fantasy points
One thing to know: Jaron Brown scored two touchdowns on Sunday — a performance he's unlikely to repeat on a weekly basis. But after losing tight end Will Dissly to injury, there's a chance that Brown gets more opportunities to be a regular feature of the Seahawks' three-receiver sets, especially in the red zone.
Auden Tate, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
ESPN fantasy ownership: 18.8%
Week 6 stats: Five receptions, 91 receiving yards — 14.1 fantasy points
One thing to know: Auden Tate has emerged as a reliable target in the Bengals offense, averaging 12 fantasy points per game over the past four weeks. If you're in need to get through a bye week with some production, he's as good a bet as anyone you'll find on the waiver wire to get you some points.
Hunter Henry, TE, Los Angeles Chargers
ESPN fantasy ownership: 48.7%
Week 6 stats: Eight receptions, 100 receiving yards, two touchdowns — 30 fantasy points
One thing to know: In his first game back since Week 1, Hunter Henry was the top target of the Chargers offense and the top tight end in fantasy football. If his owner in your league needed to drop him while he was out, he should be your first waiver claim this week.
Ricky Seals-Jones, TE, Cleveland Browns
ESPN fantasy ownership: 2.1%
Week 6 stats: Three receptions, 47 receiving yards, one touchdown — 13.7 fantasy points
One thing to know: David Njoku was supposed to be the breakout tight end of the Browns offense. But after losing him to injury, it has been Ricky Seals-Jones that has stepped up for Cleveland. The Browns are heading into a bye week, but Seals-Jones is undoubtedly a player to target if you need a tight end at some point during the second half of the season.
Darren Fells, TE, Houston Texans
ESPN fantasy ownership: 1.7%
Week 6 stats: Six receptions, 69 receiving yards — 12.9 fantasy points
One thing to know: Darren Fells made it into our fantasy waivers column last week after he scored two touchdowns in Week 5. This Sunday, he proved that he's more than just a red zone threat, taking six receptions for 69 yards to finish as a top-six tight end despite not scoring a touchdown. If he can maintain both aspects of his game, and the Texans keep scoring points, he's a threat to become a great fantasy player this season.
San Francisco 49ers
ESPN fantasy ownership: 53.1%
Week 6 stats: One fumble recovery, four sacks, seven points against — 12 fantasy points
One thing to know: The San Francisco 49ers held the Los Angeles Rams to seven points on Sunday. This week, they play a Washington team that only managed 17 points against the paltry Dolphins. Add them if you can.
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