Week 7 Fantasy Waiver Wire: Target Germie Bernard, C.J. Stroud

As Vince Lombardi once said, “What the hell's going on out here?”

The Week 6 slate was drunk, both in real and fantasy football. The Browns beat the Ravens and are in first place in the AFC North (that's not a misprint). The supposedly high-powered Rams offense was held to just 16 points … by the Cardinals! And Puka Nacua was held to just 80 yards. 

Oh, and the Cardinals won the game, leaving the Rams at 2-4!

In fantasy, Patrick Mahomes was a dud against the winless Chargers. Bijan Robinson was held to just 7.3 points in a loss to the Bears. That’s his lowest point total as a pro in a game where he saw more than 13 touches. Bam Knight and Jawhar Jordan scored more points at running back than Jaylen Warren. Oh, and A.J. Brown had butterfingers, finishing with just 5.7 points in his return to action. 

It wasn’t all bad, however, as several players did enough to warrant being added in most fantasy leagues ahead of Week 7. One of those players, however, is not Travis Hunter. While he did have four catches for 59 yards and a touchdown against the Texans, the talented cornerback played just nine snaps on offense... and the Jaguars also have a bye next on the schedule. 

With that, here are the players you should be targeting for Week 7. 

Note: Ownership percentages are from Sleeper. Players rostered in more than 60 percent of seasonal leagues aren’t included. Players are listed in order of percentage owned. 

Fantasy Waiver Wire Targets For Week 7

Quarterbacks

C.J. Stroud, Texans (61%): Stroud has been on absolute fire in the stat sheets, scoring 20-plus fantasy points in three straight games. He has completed 71.6% of his passes in that time, too, and has committed just one giveaway. The Texans have no ground game to speak of to this point, so Stroud is throwing often and finding success. He’ll face the Giants next on the schedule.

Kyler Murray, Vikings (39%): Murray is a free agent in more than half of Sleeper leagues as he returns from his bye week. He had his best fantasy game before the break, scoring 18.3 points in a win over the Saints. What’s more, he looked like the old Kyler with 51 rushing yards. He has some great matchups coming up, facing the Colts, Lions and Bills over the next three weeks.

Other notable QBs

• Aaron Rodgers, Steelers (57%): Rodgers has scored 17-plus fantasy points in four straight games, including three with more than 20 points. He faces the Saints next. 
• Michael Penix Jr., Falcons (23%): Penix scored 21.3 fantasy points Sunday. A lot of it was in garbage time, but it still counts, and he’s worth a look where needed. He gets the Niners in Week 7.
• Tanner McKee, Eagles (9%): With Jalen Hurts on injured reserve, McKee will start at least three more games. He has a plus matchup against the Cowboys in Week 7.
• J.J. McCarthy, Giants (4%): McCarthy replaced a benched Jameis Winston in Week 6 and scored 16.3 fantasy points. If he starts in Week 7, McCarthy would face the Texans.

Running Backs

Dameon Pierce, Eagles (68%): Pierce is over my percentage threshold on Sleeper, but he’s owned in only 55% of ESPN leagues, so I’ll give him a quick mention. He played the majority of the Eagles' backfield touches Sunday and saw a team-high 16 touches, and that volume got him into the end zone. If Saquon Barkley is out again in Week 7, Pierce would face a bad Cowboys defense.

Kendre Miller, Saints (47%): Miller hasn’t been great in the stat sheets the past two weeks, scoring just 18 combined fantasy points. However, he did see a team-high 22 touches in a win over the Giants, and he now has seen a combined 35.5% of the touch share since Week 5. While Alvin Kamara is still involved and producing better than Miller, the latter is still worth adding this week.

Tyrone Tracy Jr., Giants (10%): The Giants went away from Cam Skattebo in Week 6—he didn’t have a touch—instead using a rotation of Najee Harris, Devin Singletary and Tracy. It was the latter who made the most noise, playing 26 snaps and scoring two touchdowns. No one knows what the future holds in this backfield, but Tracy is the best speculative fantasy add.

Roshon Johnson, Bears (15%): Johnson posted a nice line in a win over the Falcons, scoring a touchdown and 14.5 fantasy points. He saw 15 touches in the contest, and has seen 25 in the past two weeks with Kyle Monangai on the shelf. As long as Monangai is out of action, Johnson could hold some standalone flex value at a thin position, especially during the bye weeks. 

Other notable RBs

• Dylan Sampson, Browns (14%): Jaleel McLaughlin (25%) saw the most snaps and touches for the Browns in Quinshon Judkins' absence, but Sampson is nearing a return to action. If Judkins were out in Week 7, it could be Sampson leading the committee. 
• Corey Kiner, Patriots (2%): Believe it or not, Kiner had 11 touches in Week 6—two more than TreVeyon Henderson. He’s worth a speculative, deep-league dart throw.

Wide Receivers

Germie Bernard, Steelers (58%): The Steelers have placed Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson on injured reserve, and Bernard has thrived in the absences. Over the past two weeks, he has been targeted 21 times for 17 catches, 167 yards and one touchdown. The rookie has become a popular option for Aaron Rodgers, and now deserves to be owned everywhere.

Keenan Allen, Colts (45%): With tight end Tyler Warren out and injuries decimating the Colts offense, Allen stepped up with eight catches on 11 targets and scored 16.2 fantasy points. Despite his advanced age (34), Allen has at times been a better fantasy option than Josh Downs. If Warren is out again in Week 7, Allen would have flex start value for his managers against the Vikings.

Omar Cooper Jr., Jets (13%): Cooper returned to action with a vengeance, posting six catches for 103 yards, a touchdown and 22.3 fantasy points. The Jets' first-round pick showed why he was so highly touted in the NFL draft, and he’s now worth a look in fantasy while Adonai Mitchell (finger) is out of action. The rookie faces a winless Dolphins team up next. 

Jaylin Noel, Texans (8%): Noel went off against the Jaguars, posting four catches, 107 yards, one touchdown and 20.7 fantasy points. He has now scored at least 11.9 points in each of his last three games, during which time he has averaged nearly 16 fantasy points. The bad news is that the Texans acquired Marvin Harrison Jr. and have a Week 7 bye, but Noel is still worth an add.

Other notable WRs

• Tre Tucker, Raiders (51%): Tucker is much better in a best-ball league because he’s so inconsistent, but he has scored 24-plus fantasy points in two of his last five games. 
• Ja’Kobi Lane, Ravens (26%): A preseason fantasy darling, Lane returned to action in Week 6 and caught four passes on five targets. He’ll be added in many larger leagues.
• DeMario Douglas, Patriots (6%): Douglas has scored three touchdowns in his last two games and posted 19.6 points in Week 6 despite A.J. Brown being back in action. 

Tight Ends

Hunter Henry, Patriots (53%): Drake Maye has come alive over the past three weeks, and Henry’s stats have improved as a result. In that time, the veteran has seen 14 targets and has scored a combined 39.4 fantasy points. With the tight end position as thin as it has been, Henry should not only be owned in more leagues, but also be in more starting lineups while he’s hot.

Michael Mayer, Raiders (16%): Mayer might play alongside one of fantasy’s best tight ends in Brock Bowers, but he’s still pretty darn productive regardless. He posted a team-high seven catches for 95 yards against the Bills, and he now has posted 12-plus fantasy points in three of his last four games. Mayer gets a matchup with the shockingly mediocre Rams next on the slate.

More notable TEs

• T.J. Hockenson, Vikings (42%): Hockenson suffered a concussion and missed most of the Week 5 game against the Saints, but he should be good to go after the bye week.
• Colby Parkinson, Rams (4%): While the fantasy world was touting Tyler Higbee, it was Parkinson who scored a touchdown against the Cardinals. He faces the Raiders next. 

Defenses

• Panthers defense (30%): The Panthers get a home game against the Buccaneers, who are a target in fantasy matchups as long as they have rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels under center. 
• Browns defense (17%): The Browns defense has a plus matchup against Cam Ward and what is a very fantasy-friendly Titans offense (or lack thereof) next on the schedule. 
• Jets defense (8%): The Men in Green have a solid home matchup against Malik Willis and the Dolphins, who have one of the weakest offenses in the league. 

Kickers

• Will Reichard, Vikings (59%): Reichard got cut in many leagues because the Vikings were on a bye, but he’s one of fantasy’s top kickers and needs to be owned everywhere. 
• Jake Bates, Lions (38%): Like Reichard, Bates was cut in many leagues because of the Lions’ bye week. He’s a viable No. 1 fantasy kicker against the Packers in Week 7.
• Evan McPherson, Bengals (34%): McPherson was also cut in many leagues due to the Bengals’ bye week, but he has been one of the top kickers in fantasy football this season.