It took a third of the season, but a youth movement has finally arrived at the fantasy waiver wire. That’s right: I’m going rookie-heavy in this week’s installment, including at the quarterback position, where I'm exclusively spotlighting 2024 NFL Draft picks. Yes, I know these players can take two steps back just as quickly as they take a step forward, but so far, I’m seeing a lot of evidence that we should be excited about this year’s crop of newbies. Not in a few years -- I’m talking about RIGHT NOW. Embrace the youngsters, folks. You’ll be glad you did!
On that note, let’s get wired.
The only rule here: Players must be rostered in less than 60 percent of NFL.com leagues to be eligible for the list.
QUARTERBACKS
ROSTERED: 56%
The Bears are on bye this week. However, if you don’t act now to pick up Williams, you might not have another chance to get him on your roster this season. The first overall pick of the 2024 draft has posted 23-plus fantasy points in each of his last two games, completing 74 percent of his passes for 530 yards and six touchdowns (against one interception) in that span. He’s been showing off the ability to make plays with his legs more in recent weeks, too. On Sunday, he became the first rookie to have four or more pass TDs and 50-plus rushing yards in a game since Deshaun Watson in 2017. After the bye, the Bears have an enticing matchup against the Commanders, who took a step back defensively in Week 6. Progress for rookies isn’t always linear, but the arrow is clearly pointing up for Williams entering the week off.
ROSTERED: 1%
It feels like a huge roll of the dice to ride with a quarterback making just his second career start for a struggling offense -- with the game on the international stage, no less -- but if you’re willing to wake up feeling dangerous in Week 7, consider Maye. He had a highly respectable fantasy day in his first career start, scoring 19.52 points against the Texans, even though he turned the ball over three times. In fact, he’s the first QB since at least 1950 to throw three or more TD passes and lead his team in rushing in his first career NFL start, per NFL Research. New England has a much more favorable matchup on tap against the cratering Jaguars, who have been sliced and diced to the tune of 27.4 fantasy points per game by opposing quarterbacks over the last four weeks. Maye has a great opportunity to build on his first start and provide strong returns for managers willing to stream him against Jacksonville.
RUNNING BACKS
ROSTERED: 13%
The impending return of Devin Singletary looms large for Tracy’s usage, but the rookie has stated his case loud and clear for a significant role even when the veteran starter is back from his groin injury. Tracy is averaging 18-plus fantasy points as the feature back during Singletary’s absence in the last two weeks, making plays as a rusher and receiver (his former position). He ran 17 times for 50 yards and a TD against the Bengals on Sunday night, and he caught all six of his targets for 57 yards. He’s a starting option in fantasy leagues when we know he’s going to get his touches, making him a player worth rostering in case his breakout continues when the Giants are fully healthy at RB.
ROSTERED: 5%
Allgeier is not the sexiest pick here as the backup to Bijan Robinson, but he’s now produced double-digit fantasy points in two of the last three games, including a season-high 19.8 against the lowly Panthers on Sunday. He moved to the back seat after Atlanta drafted Robinson in the first round in 2023, but let’s not forget Allgeier was a 1,000-yard rusher as a rookie in 2022. So, it’s not a huge surprise he’s been the team’s leading rusher in three of the last four games. He doesn’t offer much as a receiver, so the fantasy ceiling is limited, but with another advantageous matchup in Week 7 versus the Seahawks’ porous run defense, Allgeier is certainly in play as a Flex option in deep leagues.
ROSTERED: 5%
Chandler’s fantasy potential in Week 7 hinges on Aaron Jones’ status. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said Jones is "week to week" with the hip injury he suffered prior to the team’s Week 6 bye. If Jones can’t go, then Chandler will be a potential Flex play, at worst. Chandler saw 16 touches after Jones exited with his injury against the Jets, and while Chandler didn’t turn those opportunities into much production, he did have 82 yards on 10 carries back in a Week 2 win over the 49ers. He should see starting-caliber volume in one of the league’s better offenses if Jones remains sidelined, which would make him a high priority on the waiver wire.
ROSTERED: 0.4%
With Christian McCaffrey still at least weeks away from making his 2024 debut and Jordan Mason, the NFC’s leading rusher, dealing with a shoulder sprain, Guerendo is at the top of the waiver-wire radar now. The speedy rookie ran 10 times for 99 yards on Thursday night, including a 76-yard jaunt that essentially sealed the win over Seattle. He'll be in line to handle the bulk of the carries if Mason is unable to go against the Chiefs in Week 7. Even if Mason does play, Guerendo is still a smart stash until McCaffrey resumes his role as the feature back.
ROSTERED: 0%
The Bucs might have just found their best rushing duo, and it didn’t include usual starter Rachaad White, who missed Sunday’s game with a foot injury. With Bucky Irving -- a waiver-wire Hall of Famer this season -- and Tucker splitting the carries against the Saints, Tampa Bay had multiple players with 70-plus rush yards in a game for the first time in eight years. Tucker was the star, breaking loose for 136 yards and a TD on 14 totes and making three catches for 56 yards and a score. He’s the fantasy RB1 this week heading into Monday Night Football, with 34.2 points. Irving was no slouch, racking up 105 yards from scrimmage and a TD on 16 touches. It’s worth noting Irving played 64 percent of the snaps (to Tucker’s 38 percent) and ran more than twice as many routes as Tucker. Irving should be picked up regardless of White’s status for next Monday's game against Baltimore if he's available in your league, but Tucker is now at least a stash candidate in deeper leagues and could potentially offer much more value than that if the coaching staff decides to upgrade his role.
Keep an eye on: Chargers rookie Kimani Vidal. The sixth-round pick out of Troy made his NFL debut on Sunday and didn’t waste any time introducing himself to the league, taking his first career touch for a 38-yard score. He’s dangerous in the open field, and he should be seeing more of those chances with Gus Edwards on injured reserve for at least the next three games. Vidal is the handcuff for J.K. Dobbins -- no stranger to injuries himself -- until Edwards returns. ... Monitor the Browns' backfield situation this week. With Jerome Ford injuring his hamstring on Sunday and Nick Chubb's return date still unclear (although seemingly getting closer), D'Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong could split carries against a poor Bengals run defense in Week 7. ... Tank Bigsby and the Jaguars' offense went back into their shell against the Bears, but with Travis Etienne now dealing with a hamstring injury that has him designated as week to week, Bigsby might get a chance to cement himself as Jacksonville's top rusher.
WIDE RECEIVERS
ROSTERED: 33%
OK, this will be the last time I’m featuring Downs here for a while because he’s appearing for the third straight week now. I’ll say it a little louder this time for the people in the back: PICK UP DOWNS! He’s tied for the most catches (24) and fourth-most targets (30) of any player over the past three weeks. The only real concern here is the potential return of Anthony Richardson from a hip injury, because Downs’ production has spiked with Joe Flacco starting in Richardson’s place. The second-year pass catcher missed the first two games of the season with an injury of his own, but he’s averaging 19.2 FPPG in the last three contests, with Flacco starting two of those and playing the bulk of the other. Richardson’s spotty (at best) accuracy has the potential to diminish Downs’ returns, but if he can maintain a similar pace, he could be in must-start territory.
ROSTERED: 33%
ROSTERED: 24%
Both players had their best game of the season in Week 6, positive signs for two receivers who needed some good news. Watson looked healthy after missing a game with an ankle injury, scoring 15.8 fantasy points against the Cardinals. As for Doubs, he seemed to be fully embraced in his return from a suspension for conduct detrimental to the team, making three catches for 49 and two TDs (19.9 points). Packers WR Dontayvion Wicks exited Sunday’s contest with a shoulder injury and described his status as “day to day” after the game. Green Bay would hate to lose him, given the way he came on in Week 4, but any further time missed for Wicks could mean increased opportunities for the other pass catchers complementing Jayden Reed in the Packers’ receiving corps.
ROSTERED: 0.8%
I know members of the Patriots offense have largely been avoided like the plague this season, but it’s a new day with Drake Maye at quarterback, and Douglas was actually heating up before the team made the change at QB. The second-year receiver was the Patriots’ leader in targets (9), receptions (6) and receiving yards (92) in Drake’s first start. He’s recorded 11-plus fantasy points in three of the past four games, which is a heck of an achievement, given the struggles New England's had on that side of the ball. Douglas has earned his way into the Flex conversation with a juicy matchup against the Jaguars’ defense in London up next.
Keep an eye on: Bub Means. Spencer Rattler wasn’t the only Saints rookie stepping into the spotlight on Sunday. Means, a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, made the first catch of his NFL career and kept going, finishing with five grabs for 45 yards and a TD on a team-high eight targets. With Chris Olave leaving the game with a concussion and the Saints playing on Thursday night this week, Means could be the beneficiary if Olave is not cleared to play. ... Arizona's Michael Wilson has now put up double-digit fantasy points in three of the past four games. The second-year pro should be in play as a Flex option in deeper leagues if Marvin Harrison Jr. is not cleared from concussion protocol in time for the Cardinals’ game against the Chargers next Monday night. ... I included JuJu Smith-Schuster in this space last week, but with the Chiefs on bye in Week 6, here's a friendly reminder that he was first up as Patrick Mahomes' go-to receiver in Kansas City's first full game without Rashee Rice.
TIGHT ENDS
ROSTERED: 27%
The ceiling appears to be limited here, but with Jake Ferguson and Cole Kmet on bye this week, you might have a screaming need for help at the tight end position. I present Ertz for your consideration. He has a great matchup against a Panthers defense that isn’t stopping much of anyone right now. Not to mention, the 12th-year veteran has hit double-digit fantasy points twice this season, including on Sunday, when he reached a season-high 10.8.
ROSTERED: 19%
Otton scored his first TD of the season in the Bucs’ 51-point explosion against the Saints on Sunday. He’s averaging 6.75 targets and 9.45 FPPG in his last four contests, which is nothing to sneeze at in the drought-like fantasy TE climate. He’s a starting option versus the Ravens this week.
ROSTERED: 16%
Henry has now scored fewer than six fantasy points in four games this season and 13-plus points twice, but we might be seeing more of the latter now that Drake Maye has taken the QB1 reins for the Patriots. Henry made three catches for 41 yards and a TD in Maye’s first career start on Sunday. This would be the week to pick up and play Henry, with the Jaguars’ horrible defense awaiting him in London.
DEFENSES
ROSTERED: 47%
It might be a surprise to see a defense that has routinely been gutted making its way onto this list, but consider the matchup here. The Bengals have a date with the Browns’ punchless offense, which has still yet to crack 20 points in a game this season. Cincinnati’s D did score eight fantasy points against the Giants on Sunday night. This feels like the unit to stream in Week 7.
ROSTERED: 47%
There are only six defenses averaging more FPPG than the Chargers' unit (9.0), which shut down the Broncos for three quarters on Sunday. Now the Bolts have a Monday night matchup against a Cardinals team that has been held to 14 points or fewer in three of the last four games. It can be a little scary to start a defense against Kyler Murray, but keep an eye on the status of his top receiving weapon, Marvin Harrison Jr., who left Sunday’s game with a concussion. If the rookie wideout can’t go in Week 7, that would make Los Angeles' D an even more attractive streaming option.
ROSTERED: 16%
The Colts have had their share of issues on defense this season, but the Dolphins will be starting Tyler Huntley at quarterback for at least one more week, which puts Indianapolis in play. The defenses that faced Miami in Huntley’s two previous starts averaged nine FPPG in those contests. It’s a risk to start a defense that has scored three fantasy points over its last two games combined, but it’s a move desperate fantasy managers might have to think about this week.