Welcome back to another edition of Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups. We’re heading into Week 7 of the 2023 NFL season. This is the first true complication for us fantasy managers as seven teams are on bye.  For your fantasy football teams, adding the right players off the waiver wire is absolutely crucial to your fantasy football success. Follow along with us all season long and we’ll help you make your way into the fantasy football playoffs.

For the first time this season, both the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles were served their first losses of the season. Furthermore, we had some injuries where Christian McCaffrey exited with an oblique injury, and his status for Week 7 is unknown. Not to mention, David Montgomery was forced out of Sunday’s game with a rib injury. Seeing two of the top five running backs in fantasy right now has us panicking. Now, we don’t know how much time either running back will miss, if any, but we have to be ahead of the game at all times.

Although, running backs weren’t the only ones that took a hit. Justin Fields was knocked out of the game with a dislocated thumb. His status for Week 7 is unknown. As for Trevor Lawrence, his status for the upcoming week is also in question.

With the above in mind, no matter our record, there are always areas to improve. Regardless of your situation, here are players you should look to add for Week 7 based on CBS Fantasy Sports roster percentages. These players are listed in order of priority. Let’s get right into it with the top waiver wire pickups for your fantasy football teams as we head into Week 7!

For this waiver wire column, we are only looking at players rostered in less than 60% of leagues according to CBS Fantasy as of 10/15/23. 

Quarterback Waiver Wire Pickups

Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (58% Rostered)

For the third week in a row, I am going back to the well on Baker Mayfield. With so many quarterbacks on bye, he is worth adding in all leagues where available. Now, his Week 6 performance wasn’t one that we loved as Mayfield completed 19-of-37 passes for 206 yards and an interception. Mayfield should bounce back in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons. He’s worth adding for up to 5% of your remaining FAAB.

Derek Carr, QB, New Orleans Saints (41% Rostered)

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Fantasy managers may be scared to ass Carr, but with the Week 7 bye he’s my favorite quarterback to add this week. With a Week 11 bye, Carr faces the Jaguars, Colts, Bears and Vikings. All these teams are great matchups for Carr as they rank near the bottom against quarterbacks. He’s worth adding for up to 5% of your remaining FAAB.

Gardner Minshew, QB, Indianapolis Colts (19% Rostered)

Unlike his performance in Week 5, Minshew’s performance in Week 6 is one that he would like to forget. One thing to like is that he threw the ball 55 times for 329 yards. Although he was mostly trying to play catchup it is now his second game over 200 passing yards. With his gun-slinger mentality, expect Minshew to play more of the same style as rookie Anthony Richardson may be out for the remainder of the season. Minshew is worth adding for up to 3% of your remaining FAAB.

See if available: Sam Howell (66%): If Howell is available, he’s my top add if you need a quarterback. In week 6 he was saved by three touchdowns with only throwing for 151 yards. Howell gets the Giants in Week 7 who have struggled against most.

Running Back Waiver Wire Pickups

Kareem Hunt, RB, Cleveland Browns (59% Rostered)

If you read my tweet on players to stash, Kareem Hunt was on the list. If you added him before Sunday’s kickoff, congratulations to you. Prior to the bye, Hunt was getting more established with the Browns. Coming out of the bye, he made the most of it. Hunt rushed the ball 12 times for 47 yards and a touchdown while catching all three of his targets for 24 yards. Let’s not forget Jerome Ford had quite the game too. Hunt could have FLEX appeal going forward and is worth adding up to 10% of your remaining FAAB.

Jordan Mason, RB, San Francisco 49ers (9% Rostered)

Just like Kareem Hunt, I also mentioned stashing Mason in case anything happened to Christian McCaffrey. Well, McCaffrey got hurt and it was Mason who made the most of it over Elijah Mitchell (two carries, -3 yards). Mason was able to punch in a go-ahead touchdown late in the game. However, the Browns punched in two field goals that ruined the 49ers’ perfect season. This could be something to keep an eye on right now, but for now, look to spend up to 25% of your remaining FAAB.

Craig Reynolds, RB, Detroit Lions (6% Rostered)

Reynolds could be in line as the leadback for the Lions in Week 7. Although, Jahmyr Gibbs could return so keep an eye on his status. He’s missed the last two games with a hamstring injury. As for Reynolds, he struggled to rush the ball as he carried it 10 times for 15 yards and added two catches for 28 yards. Next for the Lions is the Baltimore Ravens who gave up over 100 combined rushing yards to Derrick Henry and Tyjae Spears. Reynolds is worth up to 8% of your remaining FAAB.

Devin Singletary, RB, Houston Texans (24% Rostered)

Dameon Pierce plodded for 34 yards on 13 carries. But it was Singletary who made the most of his opportunities on Sunday as he rushed for 58 yards and caught one of his two targets for four yards. Looking at this, Pierce is looking like a bust, while Singletary is pushing for a 50/50 split.   Now, the Texans are on bye in week 7, but he could be a sneaky stash. Coming out of the bye we could see Singletary push for even more of the touches. He’s worth up to 5% of your remaining FAAB.

See if available: Roschon Johnson (76%),  Jeff Wilson (75%), D’Onta Foreman (74%), Justice Hill (64%), With so many teams on bye, fantasy managers could be out scrambling to find replacement running backs. If these guys are available in your league they are worth adding for as much as 20% of your remaining

Zach Evans, RB, Los Angeles Rams (4% Rostered)

Both Kyren Williams (ankle) and Ronnie Rivers (sprained PCL) are expected to miss at least Week 7. Sixth-round pick Evans could be looking at an increased workload this week and serve as the RB1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Evans has only played six offensive snaps where he turned four carries into 10 yards. However, the Steelers give up the eighth-most fantasy points to the running back position. Let’s also not forget that Royce Freeman is also on the practice squad and could be called up. With a tough bye week to fill, Evans is worth 5-25% of your remaining FAAB, depending on your need.

Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Pickups

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks (56% Rostered)

In the hope that Smith-Njigba would take the next step in week 6 didn’t come to fruition. However, Smith-Njigba did have his highest output of the season with four catches for 48 yards. He’ll continue to work behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. It was nice to see him get some more action, and hope it continues on. He’s worth 1-3% of your remaining FAAB.

Curtis Samuel, WR, Washington Commanders (51% Rostered)

After seeing at least seven targets over the last two games, Samuel caught all four of his targets for 42 yards and a touchdown. It was a low output for him, but it is now four out of six games with at least 10 PPR points. His next three matchups look good as he gets the Giants, Eagles, and New England. He has WR3 upside going forward and is worth 5% of your remaining FAAB.

Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts (43% Rostered)

It was a tough game for Downs in Week 6 as he finished with 21 yards and a touchdown. However, he did see eight targets and did turn that into five catches. With Gardner Minshew penciled in as the starter for the remainder of the season, look for him to target Downs no less than six times a game. Downs is getting close to being a WR3 in fantasy if he can keep this up. He’s worth adding for up to 5% of your remaining FAAB.

See if available: Jameson Williams (82%), Diontae Johnson (72%), Rashee Rice (61%): If these wide receivers are available in your leagues, I would prioritize them as Johnson, Williams, Rice. Johnson hasn’t seen less than 144  targets over the last three years. He could be a WR2 if the Steelers can turn it around. Williams is getting his feet back under him and had a nice 45-yard touchdown reception. He’s a boom/bust flex at the moment. Finally, for Rice, I like him as the Chiefs WR1. It’s not saying much as Patrick Mahomes spreads the ball around to everyone else outside of Travis Kelce. He’s a nice stash candidate.

Tight End Waiver Wire Pickups

Pat Freiermuth, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers(57% Rostered)

Many fantasy managers have been fed up with the Steelers’ offense. I was fooled into it based on how it looked during the preseason just to basically bench any of them I had. Going into the bye, many managers have dropped Freiermuth not just because he’s not performing, but also because he’s out with a hamstring injury. Coming off the bye, he should be close to 100%. I hope this offense does something or else this addition is bad. For the love of God, just fire Matt Canada. Freiermuth is worth adding for up to 5% of your remaining FAAB.

Michael Mayer, TE, Las Vegas Raiders (8% Rostered)

Despite not scoring a touchdown, Mayer has made an impact over the last couple of weeks. Nothing more stood out than Sunday’s leading performance against the New England Patriots. Mayer led the Raiders with 75 receiving yards on five catches (six targets). Now, this could be because of Davante Adams and his shoulder injury.

Yet, it’s something to get excited over as the tight-end position this season has been disastrous. If this continues, he could be a TE1 for the remainder of the season. Mayer is worth adding for up to 5% of your remaining FAAB.

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