Week 7 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups: Boston Scott, Gus Edwards Headline Murky RB Situations

Pay close attention to the NFL schedule.

The Week 7 waiver wire is full of opportunities for players coming off their bye week. There are several players who notched big Week 5 stat lines who are still available in many leagues.

Which players have most of your league mates forgotten about?

Here are my top waiver wire choices for Week 7.

Note: We've limited their recommendations to players owned in less than 50% of Yahoo leagues. All data as of Monday.

Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups

Running Backs

Nyheim Hines, Colts

Ownership: 46%

Colts rookie running back Jonathan Taylor is getting the majority of touches for Indy, which is clouding Nyheim Hines' fantasy value. Some owners might start moving on from him.

Hines converted six targets into five receptions and 27 yards. He is the clear third-down and two-minute drill running back, but his upside is capped with Taylor dominating touches.

Hines is only a desperation RB 4/5 play in deeper leagues.

Justin Jackson, Chargers

Ownership: 45%

Justin Jackson is somehow still under 50% owned in Yahoo leagues, despite looking like his team's best all-around running back in Week 4 against New Orleans.

If Jackson is available, he presents a great opportunity with Austin Ekeler out for several more weeks.

The Chargers host Jacksonville and Las Vegas over the next three weeks, ranking eighth and second respectively in fantasy points allowed to running backs.

Justin Jackson is the best Week 7 running back waiver pickup.

Frank Gore, Jets

Ownership: 31%

The 37-year old Gore continues to defy time. He is the clear lead running back, albeit on a terrible Jets offense.

On a positive note, Gore averaged 4.2 yards per carry with four receptions in the Jets' Week 6 loss.

If you are desperate at running back, Gore can serve as a dart throw Flex play against Buffalo next week.

La'Michel Perine, Jets

Ownership: 18%

If you don't believe in Gore, the other Jets option is rookie La'Michel Perine.  The Florida-product had seven rushes for 27 yards and two receptions.

Perine is a backup on a winless Jets team — not a desirable fantasy position. He should be left on the waiver wire unless Gore gets hurt or his touches increase.

Boston Scott, Eagles

Ownership: 13%

Monday will bring a very important MRI for Philadelphia running back Miles Sanders. It is rumored the Eagles are very concerned about the status of their leading rusher.

If Sanders is out for any length of time, Boston Scott would step into a very fantasy-friendly role.

Scott was very productive when given the opportunity last season, producing both the overall RB5 and RB2 games in Weeks 14 and 17 respectively.

With upcoming home games against the Giants and Cowboys, Scott would automatically enter the RB2 conversation if Sanders misses time.

J.D. McKissic, Washington

Ownership: 11%

McKissic saw a surprising increase in touches against the Giants. He led Washington with 41 rushing yards and added six receptions for 43 receiving yards. McKissic outpaced rookie Antonio Gibson in both categories.

He is worth consideration as a Week 7 RB4/5 play when Washington hosts a Dallas team allowing the fourth-most rushing yards to opposing backs.

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Jeff Wilson Jr., 49ers

Ownership: 7%

With news that Raheem Mostert is likely headed to the injured reserve, Jeff Wilson again becomes a speculative add for fantasy players.

Wilson shined with the overall RB10 performance in Week 3 with Mostert sidelined. He shared time with teammate Jerick McKinnon, but Wilson is the goal line option for San Francisco.

He missed Week 6 with a calf injury, but would be worth a look as a RB3/RB4 in a tough Week 7 matchup at New England.

Giovani Bernard, Bengals

Ownership: 6%

Bernard vultured a first-quarter touchdown from Joe Mixon, and then looked to have an even bigger role when Mixon left with an ankle injury.

Mixon did return, however, leaving Bernard with an otherwise pedestrian three receptions and 28 total yards.

If Mixon misses any significant time, Bernard is a low-end RB2 start in PPR leagues. Without an injury, he is simply not worth rostering.

Gus Edwards, Ravens

Ownership: 3%

This is a precautionary wavier recommendation, as Baltimore lead running back Mark Ingram left Week 6 in the first half with an ankle injury.

Edwards was the clear rusher in Ingram's absence, getting 14 attempts and a touchdown.

With Baltimore on their bye in Week 7, Edwards should probably be ignored. But if Ingram's injury is long term, he is an automatic pickup on the run-heavy Ravens.

Wide Receivers

Chase Claypool, Steelers

Ownership: 49%

Somehow, Claypool again qualifies for this column at only 49% ownership in Yahoo leagues.

The second-round Notre Dame product followed up his overall WR1 Week 5 performance with four receptions, 74 yards, and one rushing score.

Claypool has great upcoming matchups at Tennessee in Week 7 and at Dallas in Week 9.

He is the top wide receiver waiver pickup if somehow still available in your leagues.

Henry Ruggs, Raiders

Ownership: 47%

I love making waiver claims for players coming off a bye week.

Ruggs was one of our top waiver pickups last week heading into Las Vegas' Week 6 bye. If you missed out, you may have one more chance.

In last week's 40-32 upset win at Kansas City, Ruggs turned just two receptions into 118 yards and a touchdown.

Las Vegas has a very wide receiver-friendly schedule remaining. Here are their upcoming opponents with schedule adjusted-PPR points allowed to wide receivers per 4for4:

• Week 7:  Tampa Bay (11th most)
• Week 8:  at Cleveland (3rd most)
• Week 9:  Denver (6th-most)

Ruggs' still low ownership in Yahoo leagues puts him atop the waiver column for the last time this season (hopefully).

Laviska Shenault, Jaguars

Ownership: 46%

The explosive rookie from Colorado took a step backward in Week 6.

Shenault saw seven targets but only produced three receptions and 11 total yards.

The Jaguars travel to Los Angeles to face the Chargers before their Week 8 bye.

Shenault is not worth a claim this week, but should be watched as a late-season WR3 addition.

Mike Williams, Chargers

Ownership: 45%

The athletic wideout should be completely healthy coming off the Chargers bye week. In Week 5, Williams had a fantastic performance at New Orleans with five receptions, 109 yards, and two touchdowns. He ranked as the overall WR5.

With rookie Justin Herbert winning the starting quarterback job, Williams upside will continue to grow. The Chargers have five fantastic upcoming matchups for fantasy wideouts:

• Week 7:  Jacksonville (8th in WR PPR aFPA per 4for4)
• Week 8:  at Denver (7th in WR PPR aFPA)
• Week 9: Las Vegas (11th-most Receiving Yards Allowed)
• Week 10:  at Miami (6th-most Receiving Yards Allowed)
• Week 11:  Jets (5th-most Receiving Yards Allowed)

Besides Claypool, there is a strong case to be made for Williams as the top wide receiver waiver pickup.

[Get Real-Time Week 7 Fantasy Rankings Until Kickoff]

Travis Fulgham, Eagles

Ownership: 31%

Fulgham solidified his overall WR2 Week 5 performance with six receptions, 75 yards, and a touchdown against Baltimore's top-rated pass defense.

He has solidified his role even with the imminent return of veteran wideouts DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery, as well as first-round pick Jalen Reagor.

He has two fantastic upcoming home matchups against the Giants and Cowboys.

Even if the Eagles starting wideouts return, Fulgham is at least a WR3 play over the next two weeks.

Keelan Cole, Jaguars 

Ownership: 29%

Cole enjoyed his best performance of the season with six receptions and 143 receiving yards on nine targets. It was a shocking performance given the return of lead wide receiver D.J. Chark, who drew a team-high 14 targets.

The Jaguars travel to Los Angeles to face a strong Chargers' secondary, followed by a bye week.

I can't justify a waiver claim on Cole with the presence of a healthy Chark along with explosive rookie Laviska Shenault.

Tim Patrick, Broncos

Ownership: 18%

Patrick posted his second-consecutive 100-yard receiving performance in Denver's surprising 18-12 win at New England.

While those performances have benefitted from the absence of star tight end Noah Fant, there are few waiver wideouts with his 2020 resume.

Denver hosts Kansas City and the Chargers before friendly road games at Atlanta and Las Vegas.

Patrick is an under the radar waiver option with legitimate WR3 opportunities over the next month.

James Washington, Steelers

Ownership: 10%

Washington has been the forgotten receiver in the Pittsburgh offense, but he finally found the end zone again in Week 6.

The third-year wideout converted a team-high seven targets into four receptions, 68 yards, and a touchdown.

His weekly range is challenging, with the likely return of Diontae Johnson in Week 7. However, Pittsburgh has great upcoming matchups at Tennessee, at Dallas, home to Cincinnati, and at Jacksonville.

Washington is a speculative WR4 add with weekly WR3 upside in the explosive Pittsburgh offense.

Darnell Mooney, Bears

Ownership: 2%

I simply won't give up on Chicago wideout Darnell Mooney.

The fifth-round pick from Tulane saw five targets in the Bears 23-16 win at Carolina. Mooney has totaled 24 targets over the past four games.

He remains strictly a feast or famine wideout, but has big-play opportunities against the Rams, Saints, Titans, and Vikings before Chicago's Week 11 bye.

Tight Ends

Trey Burton, Colts

Ownership: 20%

Burton had a fantastic performance in the Colts 31-27 comeback win over the Bengals.  He totaled four receptions, 58 receiving yards, and two total touchdowns en route to the overall TE1 stat line.

It's possible that league mates ignore Burton, given the Colts Week 7 bye. However, at the ultra-thin fantasy tight end position, he should be a priority bench stash for the remainder of the season.

Irv Smith, Vikings

Ownership: 9%

Similar to Burton, Smith heads into his bye week coming of a season-best performance. Smith saw five targets for the second consecutive week, and tallied four receptions, 55 yards, and a two-point conversion.

Smith remains a third receiving option on the run-heavy Vikings. He is a great addition in two TE leagues, but not a priority add in traditional one TE formats.

Darren Fells, Texans

Ownership: 5%

With starting tight end Jordan Akins still unavailable, Fells shined again in Week 6.

Fells produced the overall TE4 game with six receptions, 85 yards, and one touchdown.

If Akins is somehow ruled out again in Week 7, Fells would be an automatic start at home against Green Bay. It is just too hard to trust Fells once Akins returns.

Andrew Firkser, Titans

Titans, <1%

A third-quarter injury to starting tight end Jonnu Smith opened the door for Firkser's career-best performance. He caught eight receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown in Tennessee's 42-36 overtime win over Houston.

Monitor Smith's injury, and if he is out, Firkser would be worth considering as a Week 7 start even in a tough matchup with the undefeated Steelers.