So far this season I am at least two games over .500 in all six of my fantasy leagues, including my team the P&G-sponsored Blogger Fantasy Football League* (where the winner goes to the Super Bowl!). One of the main reasons I have been able to be so consistent this year that I don’t procrastinate each week when it comes to improving my team.
It’s imperative that you’re ready with waiver claims before the weekly deadline, or that you pounce on guys immediately after the waiver period has ended. And obviously you want to grab the right guys. That’s why each week we run down players at every position who can help you out for that week and beyond.
Here are our waiver wire sleeper targets for Week 7.
Fantasy Football Week 7 Waiver Wire Sleeper Targets
Note: the Lions, Texans, Colts, and Jets are on bye in Week 7.
Remember, the rules for this post are that a player must be owned in less than 50% of Yahoo leagues to be included. And I focus on guys who are playing in Week 7, although I’ll recommend players on bye if they especially stand out as valuable long-term acquisitions.
Fantasy Football Week 7 Waiver Wire Sleeper Targets: QB
Sam Bradford, St Louis (42%, at Tampa Bay)
Bradford remains owned in less than 50% of leagues, so he is eligible for this list.
In Week 6, against a decent San Diego defense and without his top target (Mark Clayton), Bradford threw for 198 yards and a score. That isn’t great production, but it’s solid enough if you own Peyton Manning or Matt Schaub and need a bye week fill-in. Tampa Bay has been giving up a lot of fantasy points to opposing QBs recently.
Kevin Kolb, Philadelphia (48%, at Tennessee)
Will he play? That’s the question. If he does, there is a good chance that he will put up good numbers. Kolb threw 3 TDs in Week 6, which was his second straight productive week, and the Titans can be had through the air.
I wouldn’t use a high waiver priority on him because of the presence of Vick, but if you’re in a pinch in Week 7 Kolb could be a nice one-week stopgap if he ends up playing.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo (9%, at Baltimore)
There is a good chance that Baltimore will go up big early against Buffalo. If that’s the case, then Fitzpatrick will be throwing a lot, and Baltimore is not perfect in the secondary. Consider this: Fitzpatrick has thrown 7 TDs and 2 INTs the last three weeks. That’s pretty good. Hey, garbage time TDs and yards count just as much.
Fantasy Football Week 7 Waiver Wire Sleeper Targets: RB
Danny Woodhead, New England (16%, at San Diego)
With the departure of Randy Moss, the Patriots become much less of a vertical offense and will do much more with the backs as part of the passing game. Woodhead took advantage of this in Week 6, hauling in five passes for 52 yards. He also carried the ball 11 times (to lead the team) with 63 yards (which also led the team).
Woodhead is still a Patriots RB, so keep that in mind – touches will fluctuate from week to week – but it’s clear that he is valuable enough to be owned in all leagues right now.
Chris Ivory, New Orleans (9%, vs Cleveland)
Wow, where did that come from, New Orleans running game?
After weeks of doing, well, not a whole hell of a lot, Chris Ivory led a resurgent rushing attack for the Saints. He carried the ball 15 times for a whopping 158 yards. In Week 7, he has a pretty good matchup against the Browns.
The question here is: will Pierre Thomas be back? That we don’t know, but I wouldn’t bet on it. If Ivory gets the carries all to himself, he’s proven he can do something with them.
I know I usually pick a third RB, but there really weren’t any other guys that warranted a mention. Pickings are starting to get slim, as you’d expect this time of year.
Fantasy Football Week 7 Waiver Wire Sleeper Targets: WR
Robert Meachem, New Orleans (41%, vs Cleveland)
First off, Cleveland’s defense is giving up huge fantasy days to QBs and WRs every week. Secondly, Meachem and Brees seem to have recaptured the magic they had together last year, when their combo resulted in the highest QB rating of any QB-WR combo in the NFL.
In Week 5, Meachem had 4 catches, 57 yards, and a TD. In Week 6, Meachem had 4 catches, 71, yards, and a TD. I’m going to predict 4 catches, 64 yards, and a TD in Week 7. If he gets that, he’s worth a WR #2/#3 slot and he certainly has value moving forward.
Deion Branch, New England (29%, at San Diego)
Look, don’t overreact here. Brach had a nice first game back in New England (9 catches, 98 yards, 1 TD) but he is not going to do that every week. This is still the same Deion Branch who has never caught more than 78 balls in a season, never had a 1,000 yard season, and who has never had more than 5 TDs in a season.
So while Brand will be a solid cog in the Patriots passing game, and is worth a WR #3 slot or a flex position depending on the matchup, I wouldn’t use a top waiver spot on him. But he does need to be owned, there is no question about that.
Patrick Crayton, San Diego (3%, vs New England)
Wow, where did that come from Patrick Crayton? I wouldn’t go overboard thinking that Crayton will go for 6 catches and 117 yards every game, especially since he had more opportunities because of injuries to Antonio Gates and Malcom Floyd, but it just shows you that someone will always put yards as a receiver for Philip Rivers.
Crayton has experience and has been a productive fantasy WR before. He’s not a bad guy to stash if you have room.
Update: Right now, it’s looking like Malcom Floyd won’t play in Week 7 (although it’s still up in the air). If he doesn’t play, Patrick Crayton becomes a terrific starting option against a New England defense that can be thrown on.
Other WRs you need to be paying attention to: Davone Bess, Miami; Devery Henderson, New Orleans (great matchup v Cleveland); Nate Burleson, DET; Steve Johnson, BUF.
Fantasy Football Week 7 Waiver Wire Sleeper Targets: TE
Owen Daniels, Houston (48%, Bye)
Daniels obviously isn’t a good choice for Week 7, but his best game of the season (5 catches, 79 yards) in Week 6 may signal his rebirth in 2010. Daniels was one of the best TE options last year before a knee injury took him down. When he plays next, he’ll be two weeks healthier and perhaps ready to reclaim his spot as a top 10 TE.
Ben Watson and Evan Moore, Cleveland (12%, 1%, v New Orleans)
Yes, I like both Cleveland tight ends, especially if rookie Colt McCoy ends up starting next week. In Week 6, these two combined for 12 catches and 172 yards and a TD. Considering the fact that the Browns have no consistent WRs, there is a good chance they will continue to be the top receivers, along with RB Peyton Hillis.
New Orleans gave up 7 catches to Kellen Winslow in Week 6, so clearly they’ll allow receptions to opposing TEs. Take advantage if you’re in a pinch.
Fantasy Football Week 7 Waiver Wire Sleeper Targets: D/ST
Seattle Seahawks (30%, vs Arizona)
You know I’m not high on the Seahawks went they aren’t at home. Well, they’re at home in Week 7 against a undrafted rookie QB. I like those odds, and I like Seattle’s D to have a solid week.
Kansas City Chiefs (16%, vs Jacksonville)
The Chiefs gave up a lot to Houston last week, but it was against a desperate Houston team in their home, and the Texans were finally healthy enough on offense to play well. I still like the Chiefs D – yes, this is the same D that contained Peyton Manning in Indy – and Jacksonville tends to not play very well on the road.
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* – The P&G Blogger Fantasy League (BFL) is a group of 12 digital sports influencers competing on the NFL.com fantasy platform for the chance to win P&G product, a donation to a local charity, and a trip to Super Bowl XLV, all furnished by P&G. The NFL Entities have not offered or sponsored the sweepstakes in anyway.
