Week six of the 2023 NFL season is over and this is where the futility of it all really starts to set in. Maybe you listened to us when we screamed that David Montgomery would be a league winner. Maybe you weren’t scared off by Christian McCaffrey’s injury concerns and have been riding him to victory. Maybe you were smart enough to grab Kyren Williams off the waiver wire early and just lock in your running backs. And in just a week, your running back room is decimated. Your fantasy football season now hangs in the balance and there is only one place left to turn – the waiver wire. I’m going to provide you with the best options available. If I don’t mention someone whom you think I should be talking about, just know there are many reasons why I overlooked them. Maybe they are owned in most leagues. Maybe they are so bad I don’t even consider them. Maybe it’s because your opinions cannot be trusted. After all, you are here. So let us examine our best week seven waiver wire players for our championship runs…
Week Seven Waiver Wire QBs
Sam Howell, Washington Commanders (24% rostered)
If you were a Justin Fields owner, things have taken a turn for the worst and you are going to need a quarterback. My guy is the same guy as last week – Sam Howell. In week six, Howell had 151 passing yards and 3 touchdowns, finishing as the QB8. Howell is also surprisingly the QB11 on the season. He has weapons, a decent OC, and a ton of garbage time production. If you are desperate for QB production, grab Sam Howell.
Week Seven Waiver Wire RBs
Jeff Wilson Jr., Miami Dolphins (55% rostered)
This is above my usual 50% threshold for waivers, but it is close enough that I think Jeff Wilson Jr. bears mentioning. It is pretty simple. The Miami Dolphins are the number one rushing offense in football. They are the number one scoring offense in football. The Miami Dolphins are on a record-shattering offensive pace. And Devon Achane is on injured reserve, while Jeff Wilson Jr. is returning from it. Mostert and Achane were both RB1s at the same time. There is no reason that Jeff Wilson Jr. can’t be one if they decide to use him.
Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears (36% rostered)
The absolute number one waiver wire pickup for Week 7 is Roschon Johnson. I understand that Elijah Mitchell and Zach Evans are great additions and I agree with this, but their long-term value is limited. Right now, it doesn’t look like Christian McCaffrey and Kyren Williams are going to miss extended periods of time. We know that Khalil Herbert will. Roschon should be the lead back against the Raiders next week. We also know that Justin Fields will likely not play, so with a backup quarterback, the Bears are probably going to lean on the run. Roschon should have a very high floor for a few weeks minimum and possibly the rest of the season. Get Roschon Johnson. If Christian McCaffrey or Kyren Williams looks like they will miss multiple weeks, bump the appropriate handcuff up your waiver priority.
Zach Evans, Los Angeles Rams (1% rostered)
With both Kyren Williams and Christian McCaffrey hurt you gotta make some hard choices. If you are a Kyren owner, I retract my above statement to make Roschon your number one priority. A stable backfield for your roster is more important. If Williams misses a couple of games and Evans looks good, he could see an increased role just to protect Kyren Williams long-term. For that reason, I have Evans slightly above Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason in my waiver priority. If you feel Mitchell or Mason is stronger, I don’t blame you.
Elijah Mitchell/Jordan Mason, San Francisco 49ers (26/3% rostered)
As I said with Zach Evans, If you are the CMC owner, either Elijah Mitchell or Jordan Mason has to be your number one waiver addition to protect your team Mitchell is the most likely player on the waiver wire to cover McCaffrey’s points on your team, as he will be used the same way. However, Mason was the guy who got the looks last week while they worked Mitchell back to health. The problem is that you have to figure out which guy is the one to own. You absolutely want to be rostering one or both if McCaffrey misses time.
Week Seven Waiver Wire WRs
Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts (30% rostered)
In week six, Josh Downs had 8 targets, 5 catches, 21 yards, and 1 touchdown. Downs ran the second most routes for the Colts in week six. He was also second in targets. Perhaps most telling of all, Downs is 29th in targets among all wide receivers on the season. Downs is getting usage, which gives him a solid floor. I told you to grab him last week and he followed up with another double-digit fantasy performance. Josh Downs needs to be rostered in all formats.
Rashee Rice, Kansas City Cheifs (29% rostered)
Last week, I said that the problem with Rashee Rice was that he wasn’t on the field enough to be fantasy-viable. In week six, Rice had 4 catches for 72 yards, but more importantly, he saw an increase in usage. In week six, Rice ran 18 routes and saw a snap count of 49%. Rashee Rice is a second-round talent who is seeing an uptick in usage. If you think he has a chance to establish himself as the number two target in a Patrick Mahomes offense, now is the time to grab him. Another week and you might have to fight to get him.
Josh Reynolds, Detroit Lions (38% rostered)
Honestly, sometimes I wonder why I even bother. I have told you multiple times that Josh Reynolds needs to be owned in all formats. In week six, Reynolds had 3 catches for 50 yards and the best block of the 2023 season. Reynolds got that dawg in him and more importantly, is running a route on 70.8% of team dropbacks. Jared Goff loves the man and he is the WR28 on the year. What more does the man have to do to be rostered?
Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions (43% rostered)
Now if you still want shares of the Lions offense, but want to try something with a little more flavor, Jameson Williams goes down real smooth. The 2022 first-round pick had 3 targets, 2 catches, 53 yards, and 1 touchdown in week six. If you just want shares of the number four scoring offense in football, the ceiling play is the guy the Lions traded up to get.
Week Seven Waiver Wire TEs
Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans (51% rostered)
I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention, but Dalton Schultz is the TE6 on the season. In week six, Schultz had 7 targets, 4 catches, 61 yards, and 1 touchdown. Over his last three games, Schultz has 20 targets, 14 catches, 168 yards, and 3 touchdowns. In week six, he ran a route on 66.7% of the team’s dropbacks, tying for second most on the team. On the season, Schultz has run the third most routes for the Texans. If you need tight end help, which you most assuredly do, you might want to burn a waiver to grab him.
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