With another wild football Sunday in the rearview mirror, it's time to assess the state of our fantasy teams and add (or cut) accordingly.
The good news is that Week 6 was relatively light for injuries. The bad news is we have four teams with numerous fantasy-relevant players on bye.
The Bills, Rams, Vikings and Eagles each have Week 7 byes, meaning you will need to find one-week replacements for stars such as Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Tyler Higbee, Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, Dalvin Cook, Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert and Miles Sanders.
Whether you need a player to replace dead weight on your roster, or just need a Week 7 streamer, make sure to check out Action Network's top targets at each position — all of which are available in at least 50% of Yahoo! leagues — that you should prioritize come Tuesday night.
Note: Yahoo! roster percentages are reflected in parenthesis as of Monday and fantasy rankings are exclusive of the Monday Night Football game.
Fantasy Waiver Wire Pickups
Fantasy Waiver QBs to Target
Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers (39% rostered)
Garoppolo had his best week for fantasy thus far in the 49ers' disappointing 28-14 loss to the Falcons. He completed 29-of-41 attempts for 296 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions and is the QB9 heading into Monday Night Football.
I talked about Garoppolo as a one- or two-week streaming option last week. The Chiefs are now up and they have allowed the third most fantasy points to quarterbacks this year. Garoppolo is a high-floor streaming option for Allen, Hurts, Stafford or Cousins managers.
Next three games: vs. Chiefs, at Rams, BYE
Matt Ryan, Colts (28%)
The Colts offense finally showed signs of life in a 34-27 win over the Jaguars.
The run game looked solid, the offensive line held its own and Ryan was near-perfect in his best game of the season. He completed 42-of-58 attempts for 389 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions and is currently the QB2.
Ryan spread the ball around to Michael Pittman Jr., Deon Jackson, Parris Campbell, Alec Pierce, Kylen Granson and Jelani Woods. The veteran QB also connected on numerous long passes.
He will be a popular streaming option in Week 7 on the road against the Titans, who have allowed the second most fantasy points to quarterbacks this year.
Next three games: at Titans, vs. Commanders, at Patriots
Daniel Jones, Giants (30%)
Jones was solid in the Giants' 24-20 upset victory over the Ravens to help New York improve to 5-1. He completed 19-of-27 attempts for 173 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions and rushed six times for six yards.
The QB16 with one game left to play, Jones should be considered a high-end QB2 or streaming option next week against the Jaguars and could sneak into the low-end QB1 tier against the Seahawks in Week 8.
Next three games: at Jaguars, at Seahawks, BYE
Marcus Mariota, Falcons (14%)
Mariota was nearly perfect in what was a brutal matchup on paper against the stout 49ers defense.
He completed 13-of-14 attempts for 129 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions and rushed six times for 50 yards and a touchdown. Coming off of his best fantasy game of the season, Mariota is currently Week 6's QB5.
He was a complete dud in Week 4 against the Browns, but has been impressive in the Falcons' last two games. Mariota has finished top 10 at the position in both weeks, tallying four touchdowns and no interceptions while rushing for 111 yards.
In Week 7, Atlanta takes on the Bengals, whose defense has allowed the fourth fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks. Nevertheless, Mariota's rushing gives him a high floor and enough upside to vault into the streaming conversation.
Next three games: at Bengals, vs. Panthers, vs. Chargers
Justin Fields, Bears (38%)
The positive takeaways from Thursday night's snoozefest between the Commanders and Bears were few and far between. Both signal-callers struggled and just 19 total points were scored.
Fields had a nice day for fantasy purposes, though I doubt many people started him in one-quarterback leagues. He struggled through the air, completing 14-of-27 attempts for 190 yards, one touchdown and one interception, but he managed to salvage the day with 12 rushing attempts for 88 yards. It was Fields' best fantasy performance of the season and he will finish at least top 10 at the position for Week 6.
Fields' rushing prowess has always been part of his fantasy allure. He ranks third among quarterbacks in rushing attempts and rushing yards behind only Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson. He's also fourth in yards per attempt.
Ball security has been a pain point, however, as he has recorded the second-most fumbles behind Matt Ryan. I like Fields as a high-end QB2 and potential streaming option in New England this week.
Next three games: at Patriots, at Cowboys, vs. Dolphins
Other quarterbacks to consider: Bailey Zappe, Patriots (2%), Teddy Bridgewater, Dolphins (4%)
Fantasy Waiver RBs to Target
Kenyan Drake, Ravens (5%)
Drake had a fantastic day in the Ravens' loss to the Giants. He had 10 carries for 119 yards and one touchdown and he added a reception for eight yards. This was his first 100-yard rushing game since Week 10 in 2020 against the Bills and he is currently the RB4 in half-PPR scoring with one game left to play.
Drake's role was augmented after star running back J.K. Dobbins was held out of the second half due to knee discomfort related to the turf at MetLife Stadium, per ESPN. This situation warrants concern, as Dobbins missed the entirety of the 2021 season after suffering a torn ACL in training camp. Drake would immediately vault into the RB2 tier if Dobbins misses any time.
The Ravens face the Browns in Week 7 in what could be a consequential AFC North matchup. Cleveland's defense has allowed the third most fantasy points to running backs this year as its been torched by Rhamondre Stevenson, Austin Ekeler/Joshua Kelley, Caleb Huntley/Tyler Allgeier, Najee Harris, Breece Hall and Christian McCaffrey.
Next three games: vs. Browns, at Buccaneers, at Saints
Deon Jackson, Colts (43%)
Jackson was brilliant with both Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines sidelined due to injuries. He rushed 12 times for 42 yards and a touchdown and caught all 10 of his targets for 79 yards. Phillip Lindsay, who was barely involved, saw six touches for 12 scrimmage yards.
Jackson is the RB2 in half PPR behind only Rhamondre Stevenson heading into Monday night. His role will undoubtedly shrink once Taylor returns, though his usage in the passing game was impressive and he could be used as a complementary, change-of-pace back moving forward.
At a minimum, Jackson is a valuable insurance policy for Taylor managers and should be considered a high-end RB2 if Taylor misses further time in the future.
Next three games: at Titans, vs. Commanders, at Patriots
Caleb Huntley, Falcons (7%)
The Falcons have been leaning on a three-man running back committee comprised of Huntley, Tyler Allgeier and sprinklings of Avery Williams ever since Cordarrelle Patterson went down with a knee injury in Week 4.
Allgeier led the backfield in Week 5 with 13 carries for 45 yards while Huntley saw eight carries for 34 yards. In Week 6, Huntley (16 carries for 59 yards) edged out Allgeier (15 caries for 51 yards) on the ground.
Huntley is the RB29 in half PPR with one game left to play. His usage is impressive and he may be on his way to passing Allgeier on the Falcons depth chart. This situation is developing and Huntley may be a worthwhile add in deeper leagues even if Patterson returns in a few weeks.
Patterson is primarily used in the passing game and, as such, Atlanta has lacked a true, early down rusher. Either Huntley or Allgeier could emerge from this as a workhorse back.
Next three games: at Bengals, vs. Panthers, vs. Chargers
D'Onta Foreman, Panthers (5%)
Foreman is coming off his best game of the season, which is a testament to how uninvolved he has been. He rushed five times for 19 yards in the Panthers' 24-10 loss to the Rams and is currently the RB50.
I am only mentioning Foreman in light of the increasing possibility that star running back Christian McCaffrey could be traded amid the growing dumpster fire in Carolina. The Panthers have already fired their head coach and defensive coordinator; their fourth-string quarterback, Jacob Eason, got snaps in relief of XFL hero P.J. Walker; one of their players, Robbie Anderson, was ejected mid-game by his own coaching staff.
This has all the makings of a potential fire sale, and McCaffrey would fetch a handsome price (likely multiple first-round picks) on the trade market. Foreman and Chuba Hubbard are next up on the depth chart (preference for Foreman over Hubbard) and could be worth a speculative add if you think McCaffrey could be shipped off to greener pastures.
Next three games: vs. Buccaneers, at Falcons, at Bengals
Jaylen Warren, Steelers (11%)
Of course Najee Harris scores in the week I officially started panicking. Harris was solid in the Steelers' 20-18 upset win over the Buccaneers and tallied 16 touches for 49 all-purpose yards and one touchdown. Warren was a non-factor and saw just two carries for two yards.
I still think he may be worth rostering in deeper leagues in light of Harris' injury history and head coach Mike Tomlin mentioning that he wants to get Warren more involved.
Next three games: at Dolphins, at Eagles, BYE
Other running backs to consider: Mark Ingram II, Saints (23%), JaMycal Hasty, Jaguars (0%), Phillip Lindsay, Colts (12%), Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs (11%)
Fantasy Waiver WRs to Target
Rondale Moore, Cardinals (46%)
Moore has been a target hog over the past two games. In Week 5 against the Eagles, he reeled in 7-of-8 targets for 68 yards and was the WR31 in half PPR. In Week 6 against the Seahawks, he tied Zach Ertz for a team-high 10 targets and caught six passes for 49 yards.
Moore is currently the WR38 and could be worth hanging on to — even with DeAndre Hopkins set to return from suspension Thursday and Robbie Anderson joining the team. Star wideout Marquise Brown also suffered a potentially season-ending foot injury; Moore holds a ton of value in PPR formats.
Next three games: vs. Saints, at Vikings, vs. Seahawks
Tyquan Thornton, Patriots (1%)
Thornton turned heads in the second game of his NFL career. The rookie hauled in 4-of-5 targets for 37 yards and a touchdown and tacked on three carries for 16 yards and a rushing touchdown in the Patriots' dominant victory over the Browns.
Thornton missed the first four games of the year due to a fractured clavicle he suffered in the preseason. The Baylor product, who stands at 6-foot-2 and 182 pounds, was selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He nearly set a combine record with an unofficial 4.21-second 40-yard dash, which was later officially ruled 4.28 seconds.
The speed demon could be worth stashing on benches for now, especially with the Patriots playing shockingly well with third-string quarterback Bailey Zappe under center.
Next three games: vs. Bears, at Jets, vs. Colts
Alec Pierce and Parris Campbell, Colts (38% and 2%)
Pierce and Campbell both benefitted from Matt Ryan's breakout game.
Pierce caught 3-of-7 targets for 49 yards and a touchdown while Campbell caught 7-of-11 targets for 57 yards and a touchdown. Both were eclipsed by Michael Pittman Jr. and Deon Jackson, however.
Pierce is currently the WR24 in half PPR for the week while Campbell is the WR11. Pierce would be my preferred add of the two, as this is the rookie's fourth straight game with eight or more fantasy points. He has seen a healthy number of targets in that span and should be more reliable than Campbell, who has been lackluster all year.
The Colts face the Titans in Week 7 and Commanders in Week 8, whose defenses both rank bottom four in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers. Pierce could easily put up WR3/flex numbers in those soft matchups.
Next three games: at Titans, vs. Commanders, at Patriots
Chase Claypool, Steelers (41%)
Claypool was phenomenal in what should have been a tough matchup against the Buccaneers. He caught all seven of his targets for 96 yards and a touchdown and tacked on a rush for eight yards as the Steelers picked up their second win of the year.
This was by far Claypool's best game of the season and he is the WR5 in half-PPR scoring heading into Monday night. He tied Diontae Johnson with seven targets and outshined both Johnson and George Pickens from a yardage standpoint.
I would be wary of going all-in on Claypool based off this one game given his boom-or-bust tendencies and the struggles of the Steelers offense this season. That said, he does have a juicy matchup up next against the Dolphins, whose defense has allowed the seventh most fantasy points to wide receivers.
He could be a viable, risk/reward flex play in deeper leagues with four teams on bye.
Next three games: at Dolphins, at Eagles, BYE
Wan'Dale Robinson, Giants (8%)
Robinson was solid in his first game back from injury. The rookie hauled in 3-of-4 targets for 37 yards and a touchdown and is currently the WR27 in half PPR.
To be completely frank, Robinson did not wow me as a prospect out of Kentucky. He is athletic but undersized, and felt like a reach for the Giants in the second round. I also had concerns about Robinson joining a crowded WR corps that already had slot receivers.
Those concerns have been vanquished, however, as no one on the wide receiver depth chart can stay healthy. Kadarius Toney keeps suffering setbacks to his hamstring injury, Sterling Shepard is out for the year with a torn ACL he suffered in Week 3 and Kenny Golladay remains out with a knee injury.
Robinson could end up being a valuable fantasy asset if Toney continues to miss time — especially with the Giants (5-1) playing as well as they have been. The Giants have two attractive matchups on deck before their Week 9 bye, which could be enough to vault Robinson into the streaming conversation.
Next three games: at Jaguars, at Seahawks, BYE
Donovan Peoples-Jones, Browns (15%)
Peoples-Jones had a nice fantasy day against the Patriots as he caught four passes on five targets for a team-high 74 yards — he is currently the WR32 in half PPR.
The Browns have a tasty matchup in Week 7 against the Ravens, whose defense has allowed the third most fantasy points to receivers. Peoples-Jones could be a low-end streaming option and bench stash with Deshaun Watson's return looming.
Next three games: at Ravens, vs. Bengals, BYE
Other wide receivers to consider: Dante Pettis, Bears (0%), Ben Skowronek, Rams (2%), Tre'Quan Smith, Saints (0%), Mecole Hardman, Chiefs (21%), Zay Jones, Jaguars (20%), Corey Davis, Jets (40%)
Fantasy Waiver TEs to Target
Robert Tonyan, Packers (42%)
In spite of everything that is wrong with the Packers, who have now lost back-to-back games to the Giants and Jets, Tonyan has actually been pretty solid.
Tonyan and Allen Lazard were the only players to capitalize on a good matchup against the Jets. The tight end did not find the end zone, but he still managed to haul in a whopping 10-of-12 targets for 90 yards.
Tonyan is currently the TE5 in half-PPR scoring and is a trusted target for Aaron Rodgers, whose list of weapons is dwindling with longtime Packer Randall Cobb suffering a high-ankle sprain in Sunday's game.
If available, Tonyan is likely the best you can do off the waiver wire. He has a good matchup this week against the Commanders' exploitable pass defense and should be a fringe TE1.
Next three games: at Commanders, at Bills, at Lions
Hunter Henry, Patriots (36%)
Henry was one of my sleeper targets coming off a banner, nine-touchdown season in 2021. He struggled through the first four weeks, but has shown some positive signs in the last two games.
In Week 5, Henry caught 4-of-5 targets for 54 yards and was the TE12 against the Lions. In Week 6, he caught 4-of-7 targets for 61 yards and a touchdown against the Browns and is currently the TE4 in half-PPR scoring.
Henry vaults back into the high-end TE2 tier with the Patriots playing shockingly well with Bailey Zappe under center and he could be a potential streamer for managers who will be without Goedert, Higbee or Knox.
Next three games: vs. Bears, at Jets, vs. Colts
Noah Fant, Seahawks (11%)
Will Dissly was the hot hand at the beginning of the season, logging three touchdowns in Seattle's first four games. However, it now appears that Fant is quietly passing Dissly on the depth chart.
Fant caught 3-of-5 targets for 49 yards in Week 5 against the Saints and caught 6-of-7 targets for 45 yards in Week 6 against the Cardinals. Meanwhile, Dissly was held to one catch for 12 yards against Arizona.
Fant is currently the TE14 in half PPR for Week 6, which is quite good considering no one expected much out of him — or anyone on the Seahawks offense, for that matter — this year. With Geno Smith playing significantly better than anticipated, he could end up offering fringe TE1 value in the right matchups if this trend continues.
Next three games: at Chargers, vs. Giants, at Cardinals
Mike Gesicki, Dolphins (24%)
Gesicki exploded in the Dolphins' 24-16 loss to the Vikings. He caught 6-of-7 targets for 69 yards and two touchdowns (all season highs), edging out both Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce for TE1 honors this week.
The eventual return of Tua Tagovailoa will be a boost for all Miami pass-catchers and I anticipate the team will end up in its fair share of shootouts with the defense struggling as much as it has.
The Dolphins have a sweet two-game stretch with the Steelers and Lions on deck, both of which are extremely exploitable against the pass.
Next three games: vs. Steelers, at Lions, at Bears
Other tight ends to consider: Evan Engram, Jaguars (37%), Cade Otton, Buccaneers (6%), Daniel Bellinger, Giants (2%), Jake Ferguson, Cowboys (1%), Jelani Woods, Colts (0%), Jonnu Smith, Patriots (1%), Juwan Johnson, Saints (1%)
