Which fantasy football waiver-wire additions should you make ahead of Week 7?
Here are some of the best pickups you can make for your squads this week. (I'll stick to players rostered on no more than 60% of Yahoo teams and also list some other viable pickups who may be available in shallower leagues or relevant only in deeper leagues.)
Quarterbacks
Marcus Mariota, Falcons
Roster Percentage: 14%
It's not a good week for streaming options, but Marcus Mariota makes some sense.
Mariota just had a great fantasy day in Week 6 in a matchup against a San Francisco 49ers defense that had given up the fewest fantasy points per game to signal-callers coming into the week. Despite throwing only 14 passes, Mariota totaled 25.58 fantasy points thanks to a big day on the ground (50 rushing yards and a score) and some touchdown luck as a passer (two tuds).
In Week 7, the Atlanta Falcons are on the road to face the Cincinnati Bengals in a game in which the Falcons are 6.5-point 'dogs and should have to air it out more than 14 times. The added passing volume boosts Mariota's ceiling, and his legs give him a decent floor. He's a fine streaming pick and a quality QB2 in two-quarterback formats.
Others to Consider:
Jimmy Garoppolo (39%; vs. Chiefs), Daniel Jones (30%; at Jaguars), Jameis Winston (28%; at Cardinals), Ryan Tannehill (17%; vs.Colts), Mac Jones (17%; vs. Bears)
Running Backs
Kenyan Drake, Ravens
Roster Percentage: 4%
We don't have a must-grab running back this week. Kenyan Drake is the closest thing to it.
J.K. Dobbins dealt with some knee issues mid-game. Drake took over and took advantage, turning 10 carries into 119 yards and a touchdown. He added one catch for eight yards and played nearly every snap in the second half.
If we get news prior to waivers running that Dobbins is mostly fine, then Drake isn't someone I'd drop much FAB on. But if it seems like Dobbins may miss time, Drake needs to be scooped up, and you can make a case for adding both Mike Davis (2%) and Gus Edwards (14%) in deeper formats.
Mike Boone and Latavius Murray, Broncos
Roster Percentage: 40% and 14%
I'm lumping these two together.
Melvin Gordon just hasn't been that good this year. In Week 5, in the first game sans Javonte Williams, Gordon mustered only 54 rushing yards on 15 attempts. We could see Boone and Murray, the latter of whom is expected to be active on Monday for his Denver Broncos debut, mix in more the rest of the way.
I think there's a chance one of Boone or Murray -- maybe both -- see decent volume in Denver's Week 6 Monday night affair. Boone served as a third-down back in Week 5, and I give him the nod over Murray. But Murray is a solid pickup, too.
Depending on your league rules, you might be able to add Murray or Boone before the Monday game kicks off.
Deon Jackson, Colts
Roster Percentage: 43%
Deon Jackson had himself a day on Sunday in place of Jonathan Taylor. Jackson amassed 42 rushing yards and a score on 12 carries, and he totaled 10 catches (on 10 targets) for 79 yards through the air. He was a real difference-maker for an Indianapolis Colts offense that desperately needed one.
There are, however, two reasons Jackson isn't a huge priority for me -- he exited early in Week 6 with a quad injury and didn't return, and Taylor -- and Nyheim Hines -- might be back in Week 7. If Taylor is out next week but Hines returns, Jackson likely did enough to earn at least a share of the work in the short term -- assuming Jackson is OK. But once Taylor comes back, Jackson won't get many touches.
Check the early-week news on Taylor. If it looks like the Colts' star back is trending in the wrong direction for Week 7, Jackson is a good add.
Kyren Williams, Rams
Roster Percentage: 8%
It sounds like Cam Akers won't play again for the Los Angeles Rams, per reports. That opens up some volume in the Rams' backfield. Darrell Henderson and Malcom Brown handled most of the work in Week 6, but I'm not sure either is the answer for the rest of the season.
I'm not sure rookie Kyren Williams is either, but he's IR-eligible right now and is worth a speculative add.
Williams was a three-down stud at Notre Dame last season and was a fifth-round pick this spring. He hasn't yet played due to a high-ankle sprain, but the original timeline on Williams' injury puts him on track to return soon.
If your league doesn't have IR spots, I'd take a wait-and-see approach with Williams, but if you can stash him on IR, he's a great flier.
Others to Consider:
Brian Robinson (65%), Gus Edwards (14%), Caleb Huntley (7%), Damien Williams (4%), D'Onta Foreman (5%)
Wide Receivers
Wan'Dale Robinson, Giants
Roster Percentage: 8%
The New York Giants have been hurting for playmakers at receiver. Enter Wan'Dale Robinson.
The rookie -- who was a second-round pick -- made his pseudo debut in Week 6 after exiting very early in Week 1. Big Blue kept the kiddie wheels on and played Robinson only 15 snaps, but they looked to him when he was out there. Robinson recorded three grabs for 37 yards and a tuddie on four targets.
With pretty much nothing in front of him on the depth chart right now, Robinson could quickly carve out a meaningful role for the Giants. He's my favorite add this week.
Alec Pierce, Colts
Roster Percentage: 38%
The Colts might have something in rookie Alec Pierce.
Pierce looked like Indy's best offensive piece in the Week 5 Thursday night game at Denver, and he stepped up once again in Week 6, catching a game-winning 32-yard touchdown with under a minute to play. Pierce has been targeted at least five times in four consecutive games, and he's seen 16 looks over the past two weeks.
He's emerging as a solid one-two punch with Michael Pittman Jr., and although Pierce has yet to surpass Parris Campbell in snaps, that may happen in the near future.
Of course, the big negative here is Matt Ryan, who -- aside from a good showing in Week 6 -- has looked completely washed. But maybe Ryan's big Week 6 game is a sign that the Colts' passing attack will be somewhat respectable the rest of the way. Emphasis on maybe.
While I wouldn't get carried away, the arrow is pointing up on Pierce.
Others to Consider:
Romeo Doubs (64%), Rondale Moore (46%), Treylon Burks (21%), Robbie Anderson (11%), Van Jefferson (5%), Tyquan Thornton (1%)
Tight Ends
Hunter Henry, Patriots
Roster Percentage: 36%
After getting just five total targets across the first three weeks, Hunter Henry has been targeted 16 times across the last three games. He's really done work in the past two outings, going for 54 yards in Week 5 before racking up 61 yards and a touchdown in Week 6.
The New England Patriots offense has scored at least 24 points in four straight games, including 29 and 38 in the past two weeks. They have a nice Week 7 matchup with the Chicago Bears, too.
Tight end stinks, and there just isn't much out there on the wire. Henry is a fine bye-week fill-in if you're in a pinch, and there might be more upside in this offense than we first assumed.
Others to Consider:
Hayden Hurst (64%), Robert Tonyan (42%), Evan Engram (37%), Greg Dulcich (1%)
Defenses
Miami Dolphins D/ST
Roster Percentage: 16%
The Miami Dolphins host the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7, so the Miami D/ST will take on either Mitchell Trubisky or Kenny Pickett. Sign me up.
Pittsburgh came into Week 6 giving up the eighth-most fantasy points per game to defenses. The Steelers rallied the troops and played well against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past Sunday, but I'll always be interested in a decent defense that's at home versus a bad quarterback.
Others to Consider:
Denver D/ST (66%; vs. Jets), New England D/ST (63%; vs. Bears), Tennessee D/ST (8%; vs. Colts), Las Vegas D/ST (3%; vs. Texans)