Fantasy football Week 7: Add and drop

Each week I’ll list the best widely available free agents for fantasy football — I define “widely available” as being owned in around half of all ESPN or Yahoo leagues — and some guys who are probably better off in the free-agent pool than collecting dust on your roster.

Follow me on X (formerly known as Twitter) @UTEddieBrown if you have questions throughout the week.

Here’s my NFL Week 7 waiver wire cheat sheet for all league sizes and formats, with players you need to add, drop and stream in your fantasy football league:

ADD

— WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, Chiefs (ESPN: 18%; Yahoo: 33%): The champs leaned on Smith-Schuster and Travis Kelce in a Monday night victory over the Saints in Week 5. Rashee Rice has been placed on injured reserve and is likely done for the season. Smith-Schuster had a 20.5% target share with seven receptions and a team-high 130 yards against New Orleans. Patrick Mahomes trusts him and the only reason his roster percentage remains low is because Kansas City was off last week.

— RB Ty Chandler, Vikings (ESPN: 33%; Yahoo: 28%): Aaron Jones suffered a hip injury against the Jets in London. Minnesota had its bye last week so maybe Jones won’t miss time, but Chandler needs to be rostered just in case the injury is worse than it seems (especially if you already have Jones).

— QB Sam Darnold, Vikings (ESPN: 45%; Yahoo: 56%): Darnold was the overall QB10 before Minnesota’s bye week, and that included a stinker across the pond against a formidable Jets defense. The Vikings face the Lions in an NFC North showdown that should feature plenty of scoring this week. Plus, Darnold won’t have to worry about Aidan Hutchinson (broken leg) harassing him all day.

— WR Romeo Doubs, Packers (ESPN: 30%; Yahoo: 35%): After serving a one-game suspension for skipping practices, Doubs returned with 49 yards and two touchdowns against the Cardinals. Dontayvion Wicks suffered a shoulder injury on the second drive against Arizona, and over the rest of the game, Doubs and Christian Watson (ESPN: 45%; Yahoo: 41%) were the primary outside receivers while Jayden Reed played in the slot. Watson produced 68 yards, including a 44-yard TD. All the principals in this offense need to be rostered with Jordan Love healthy. Doubs has been Green Bay’s clear top wide receiver in offensive snaps and routes run when active.

— TE Cole Kmet, Bears (ESPN: 54%; Yahoo: 67%): George Kittle is the only tight end who has more fantasy points in standard formats than Kmet this season — Kmet is the overall TE3 in PPR — and he may be dropped in some leagues with Chicago on a bye this week. Pounce if he’s available in your league.

— BONUS: QB Matthew Stafford, Rams (ESPN: 21%; Yahoo: 37%): Cooper Kupp could return this week against the Raiders, who are allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season.

— BONUS: WR Josh Downs, Colts (ESPN: 49%; Yahoo: 48%): Downs is the overall WR20 in standard formats (WR11 in PPR) since he returned from injury in Week 3. In competitive games, or any game where Indy is expected to play from behind, Downs should see enough targets to maintain WR3/flex upside on a weekly basis (regardless of who is at QB).

— BONUS: RB Tyrone Tracy Jr., Giants (ESPN: 45%; Yahoo: 45%): Devin Singletary (groin) could be back this week against the Eagles, but Tracy looks more than capable of handling higher usage even after Singletary returns. The rookie has produced 237 total yards and a TD, while averaging 5.11 yards per carry the last two games.

— BONUS: WR DeMario Douglas, Patriots (ESPN: 21%; Yahoo: 7%): Drake Maye showed promise in his first career start and he clearly has chemistry with Douglas, who had six receptions for 92 yards and a TD. Douglas is the overall WR29 in standard formats (WR24 in PPR) since Week 3 with at least six receptions and nine targets in three of the last four games.

— BONUS: TE Cade Otton, Buccaneers (ESPN: 24%; Yahoo: 36%): Otton is the overall TE11 in standard formats (TE9 in PPR) since Week 3. The position has been a dumpster fire this season with only one tight end averaging double-digit points in standard formats (George Kittle). There’s only five tight ends averaging at least 10 points in PPR. Otton practically never leaves the field, and runs more routes than almost anyone else at the position. That’s usually half the battle in fantasy.

— BONUS: RB Isaac Guerendo, 49ers (ESPN: 1%; Yahoo: 4%): Guerendo had 10 carries for 99 yards at Seattle with Jordan Mason (shoulder) sidelined for most of the second half. Most of the rookie’s yards came on an impressive 76-yard run that he could have easily scored on, but he slid right before reaching paydirt to help San Francisco ice the Thursday night victory. Guerendo reminded me of Raheem Mostert coming out of college, so it wasn’t a surprise when the 49ers drafted him. He needs to be rostered just in case Mason isn’t ready to return against the Chiefs.

— BONUS: WR Michael Wilson, Cardinals (ESPN: 14%; Yahoo: 16%): Marvin Harrison Jr. suffered a concussion at Green Bay. Wilson has at least five receptions, 64 yards or a TD in three of the last four games, and should see more targets if Harrison can’t make it through the NFL’s concussion protocol in time to suit up against the Chargers on Monday night.

— BONUS: RB Kimani Vidal, Chargers (ESPN: 2%; Yahoo: 11%): With Gus Edwards on IR, Vidal is the next man up, and with J.K. Dobbins’ checkered injury history, an important insurance policy. Vidal’s first NFL touch was a 38-yard TD reception and he finished with 51 total yards on only six touches.

— BONUS: TE Hunter Henry, Patriots (ESPN: 18%; Yahoo: 26%): Henry had a solid rapport with Maye as well, catching three balls for 41 yards and a TD against the Texans. The veteran faces a reeling Jaguars defense in London this week. The Jags have allowed four TD receptions to tight ends in the last four games.

— BONUS: RB Sean Tucker, Buccaneers (ESPN: 1%; Yahoo: 1%): Now that was the running back I was so impressed with coming out of Syracuse in 2023. Tucker went off for 192 total yards and two TDs in a 51-27 shellacking of the Saints. Rachaad White was inactive due to a foot injury, Bucky Irving was the main running back in most situations at New Orleans, but Tucker rotated in throughout. Irving remains my primary target of the trio — he had 105 total yards and a TD against the Saints — but Tucker certainly deserves our attention going forward.

— BONUS: QB Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins (ESPN: 27%; Yahoo: 44%): Tagovailoa is eligible to return from IR in Week 8, so stashing him makes sense if you’re struggling at QB. Miami is one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL when Tua is healthy.

— BONUS: RB Ray Davis, Bills (ESPN: 10%; Yahoo: 13%): Davis led Buffalo in rushing (97 yards) and receiving (55 yards) against the Jets on Monday night with James Cook (toe) out. Cook came pretty close to playing, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he returns this week against the Titans, but if you roster him, it would be prudent to acquire his handcuff.

— BONUS: D/ST Bills (ESPN: 37%; Yahoo: 79%): Buffalo is the ninth-highest scoring defense in fantasy through six weeks and face the Titans at home on Sunday. Tennessee has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing defenses this season.

— BONUS: D/ST Saints (ESPN: 49%; Yahoo: 34%): A good defense at home on a short week against a rookie QB after allowing 51 points in a loss to a division rival sounds like a good recipe for streaming success if you’re in need.

— BONUS: D/ST Colts (ESPN: 27%; Yahoo: 26%): Indy is at home against the Dolphins, who have only scored 30 points in three games without Tua.

DROP

— RB Jerome Ford, Browns: Ford is week-to-week after suffering a hamstring injury against the Eagles and it just so happens Nick Chubb plans on returning on Sunday at home against the Bengals.

— RB Cam Akers, Texans: Akers has no value with Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce healthy.

— WR Mike Williams, Jets: Aaron Rodgers clearly trusts Allen Lazard more, and after Williams had a big drop and ran the wrong route on a game-sealing interception against the Bills, I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

— RB Trey Sermon, Colts: Sermon only had 29 yards on 18 carries against the Titans, while Tyler Goodson produced 65 yards on 12 touches, including four receptions with Jonathan Taylor sidelined. Taylor may return this week against the Dolphins, but even if he doesn’t, it’s hard to trust Sermon after that performance.

— RB Gus Edwards, Chargers: Edwards (ankle) was placed on IR Saturday and had seen a diminishing workload in his previous two games.