The studs are slumping. Your first-round pick is out with injury. The sleepers you carefully researched and selected are still sleeping deeply. All the preparation and research that you did over the summer is out of the window. However, there is still hope! There are a surprising number of targets available on the waiver wire this week and for the right amount of free agent acquisition budget (FAAB) you can beef up your squad.
A mid-season slump can have your fantasy football team teetering like a boxer who just took one on the chin from Tyson. Before you consider tapping out and throwing in the towel, look to the waiver wire. Whether you need a one-week fill-in or a longer-term solution, there is a player available for you! Your week 7 FAAB waiver wire guide is here.
FAAB Waiver Wire Week 7
Mid-Tier Targets (20-40%)
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Last week Alexander Mattison had some short-term value but fell flat. This week Boston Scott sits atop the Week 7 FAAB targets. Miles Sanders is about to sit out a few weeks and Scott appears poised to dominate the touches in the Eagles backfield. In Week 1 when Sanders missed time Scott led the way for the Eagles’ backs. Coming up the next three weeks the Eagles have the softest schedule imaginable. They play the Giants, Cowboys, and Giants again. There is a decent chance that Scott finishes the next three weeks as a fringe RB1. Go drop around 25% of your FAAB on Scott and be willing to go higher if you have Sanders on your roster as well.
Steady Contributors (10-20%)
The injury bug keeps rearing its ugly head, this time in Baltimore. With Mark Ingram banged up, the Ravens’ backfield may finally be fantasy relevant. Gus Edwards may finally be ready to roll. The Gus Bus touched the ball 15 times on Sunday and has been consistently seeing about ten touches per week. With Ingram going down, Edwards may finally re-establish some of his past fantasy relevancy. Looking at the schedule, Edwards has a tough schedule with games against the Colts and Steelers. That being said, he is in line to see an increased role in the run-heavy Baltimore backfield and may see more than 50% of their running back touches. Be prepared to drop around 12% of your FAAB on Gus.
Similarly to Edwards, JaMycal Hasty has some short term value moving forward. Raheem Mostert is banged up and will miss time. While Mostert will miss time, Hasty will have value and flashed some of his talents last week with nine touches in half a game. The rookie out of Baylor has pass-catching chops that have yet to be flexed. Consider dropping 11% of your FAAB on Hasty as this may be his chance to take the next step.
There are a few guarantees this fantasy football season. One of the most reliable seems to be that Keelan Cole will go for 10-13 points and then I will chastise y’all for not picking him up yet. The WR21 on the season is only rostered in 14.3% of ESPN leagues. For reference, Allen Lazard and Courtland Sutton who will not play again this season are on more rosters. Y’all get your teams in order and add the Owensboro Flash ASAP. Drop around 11% of your FAAB on him as he appears locked in as a WR3 each week.
Reliable Bargains (<10%)
There are some quarterback-needy fantasy teams and Derek Carr appears to be a low-budget value for those teams. Carr has been steadily producing over the last four weeks with three of those weeks the Raiders offense has taken on a new look with the addition of Henry Ruggs and Carr is the beneficiary of that. Carr has an 11:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and is averaging nearly 300 yards per game. He will be a top-15 quarterback down the stretch and is a startable option each week. Drop around 8% of your FAAB on him as a reliable quarterback option for the rest of the season.
Young receivers seem to pop up each week and the week 7 FAAB guide is no exception. Brandon Aiyuk has been seeing steady usage and the 49ers are attempting to get him more involved as well. He has seen work in the ground game and will be keyed in on less by defenses with the return of Deebo Samuel. Aiyuk has a bright future in the NFL and last year Deebo proved to be a reliable option down the stretch. Look for Aiyuk to continue that pattern and be willing to drop around 6% of your FAAB on him.
If you have not added Tim Patrick, what are you waiting on? Similarly to Cole, Patrick has steadily and consistently gotten targets and production each week. With Courtland Sutton getting injured, Patrick is now seeing an even more expanded role as well. Sure, he may not have the sexiness or pedigree of other options. However, Patrick is a reliable option who is an every week Flex option or spot WR3 option as well. Patrick is worth around 7% of your FAAB this week.
Trey Burton TE – 8%
Adam Humphries WR – 5%
Speculative Fliers (<10%)
The Colts’ offense has been sneakily effective and Zach Pascal has quietly lead the team in snaps and is second in targets. Last year Pascal ended the year with 72 targets and is on pace for even more this year as he develops a rapport with Philip Rivers. Anytime you can scoop up a team’s snap leader at a position you have to go get it. Pascal has flashed ability through the first few weeks and he certainly has the opportunity. Put down 7% of your FAAB and consider Pascal for your Flex rotation for now.
La’Mical Perine has been getting increasing buzz since the Jets released Le’Veon Bell. Perine has flashed some of the game-breaking ability he showcased in college but has yet to get involved in the passing game like he was in college. Go figure, Adam Gase is underutilizing a player. However, without Bell, Perine and Gore will dominate the running back touches and Perine has the youth to start taking over that backfield. Perine has some risk, but he has league-winning upside so be willing to drop 8% of your FAAB.
No Bid/Free Agency Targets
Darren Fells has shown up on past FAAB guides so the Week 7 FAAB guide would not be complete without him making an appearance. He was heavily involved Sunday and with upcoming shootouts against Green Bay, Jacksonville, and Cleveland, Fells will continue to be involved.
Marcus Johnson has seen an increase in his snap count each week since he made his season debut in Week 3. Johnson had a coming-out party on Sunday with five catches for 108 yards on eight targets. With an increasing snap count and growing involvement in the offense, Johnson could take over the WR2 role in Indy.
With the injury to Miles Sanders, Boston Scott is most likely the lead back in Philadelphia. There may also be a role for Corey Clement while Scott is out. Clement has flashed relevancy before and may see a larger role with Sanders out.
In keeping with our company policy to make a mention of the Eagles as often as possible, you should stream the Philadelphia DST this week. The Eagles are about to face a pitiful New Jersey Giants squad and should make mincemeat out of their pathetic offense. One boss will be happy, the other has resigned himself to futility. If you scoop the Eagles D, you will win and profit.
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