Playing fantasy football this time of year isn't for the faint of heart.
Injuries are mounting and the bye weeks are wreaking havoc on everyone's starting lineup.
Perhaps the only remedy is to fill those holes the best way possible and hope for a pleasant surprise or two. As a few of this week's top waiver targets show, that's occasionally possible.
But if you need a tight end, good luck. Of the 11 highest-scoring tight ends in Week 6 (full PPR, excluding Monday night's game), seven of them had roster rates below 10% in Yahoo leagues. Sometimes, it's just a total crapshoot, folks.
WEEK 7 BYES: Buffalo, Jacksonville, L.A. Chargers, Washington
Fantasy football players to add for Week 7
Due to the wide variance in types of leagues and individual team needs, the players listed here include their
availability in Yahoo leagues, which may or may not match roster rates on other platforms. Suggested bid values based on $100 free agent acquisition budget (FAAB) for the season.
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WR Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders (45% rostered)
If you haven't jumped on the Tucker bandwagon yet, there may still be time. Taking advantage of the Bills' league-worst pass defense, Tucker hauled in a pair of touchdown passes and totaled 97 yards on his five catches. His breakout has been fueled by a couple big games, but he's currently the WR17 on the season. (Recommended FAAB bid: $10)
WR Jaylin Noel, Houston Texans (7% rostered)
Even with Marvin Harrison Jr. joining the Texans, Noel scored for a second consecutive week. He caught all four targets for a career-high 107 yards. QB C.J. Stroud has been quite productive after his slow start, and adding another capable receiver into the mix may only help Noel rather than hurt him. (FAAB bid: $8)
WR Omar Cooper Jr., New York Jets (5% rostered)
Back from a stint on injured reserve due to an ankle sprain, the rookie from Indiana led the Jets with six catches for 103 yards and scored his first NFL touchdown. Although Geno Smith isn't quite the quarterback Stroud is, adding another solid receiver helps the passing game here, too. (FAAB bid: $6)
QB Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons (16% rostered)
Recommending quarterbacks is an inexact science at best. Roster depth and league formats differ so much that it's hard to single out any QB in particular. But Penix put up excellent numbers yet again in a comeback effort vs. Chicago, throwing for 225 yards and three TDs. If available, he's likely the best one on your waiver wire. (FAAB bid: $6)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants (4% rostered)
Who knows what's going on with Cam Skattebo. Is he in the dog house? Is his baffling non-usage just a one-week thing? Other than coach John Harbaugh, no one really knows. But if Skattebo has been demoted on the depth chart, Tracy (45 total yards, two TDs) is a much better pickup than supposed "starter" Najee Harris. (FAAB bid: $6)
RB Bam Knight, Arizona Cardinals (0% rostered)
Rookie RB Jeremiyah Love may need another week for his ankle to heal. If that's the case, Knight looks like the next man up in Arizona. He got fewer carries than Tyler Allgeier (15 to 18) but produced more yardage (80 to 38). That came after he saw only three carries total through the first five weeks. (FAAB bid: $3)
RB Jawhar Jordan, Houston Texans (0% rostered)
Jordan was chilling on the practice squad until David Montgomery's groin started acting up. Promoted to back up Woody Marks, he ripped off a 25-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to cap a six-carry, 43-yard effort. If Monty isn't able to play in Week 7, Jordan could see even more action. (FAAB bid: $3)
TE Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders (1% rostered)
Here comes the tight end parade. Mayer is probably the best of the bunch going forward, but check your local league listings to see who else might be available. With the Bills concentrating on stopping Brock Bowers, Mayer and Tre Tucker flourished. He caught seven passes for a career-best 95 yards. (FAAB bid: $3)
TE Tommy Tremble, Carolina Panthers (0% rostered)
Tremble isn't the pass-catcher teammate Darren Waller is, but he ran more pass routes on Sunday than Waller did. And QB Bryce Young was comfortable throwing to him in the red zone as two of his four catches were for touchdowns. Don't expect a TD every week, but you could speculate on worse tight ends if you're in a bind. (FAAB bid: $1)
TE Foster Moreau, Houston Texans (0% rostered)
Moreau also caught a pair of TD passes on Sunday − he now has three on the season − but wasn't targeted otherwise. Don't chase the points here. (FAAB bid: $0)
WR/DB Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Jaguars (7% rostered)
Here's a wild card to keep in mind for next week or stash while he's on bye this week. Hunter was the star of Jacksonville's comeback attempt in London, catching a season-high four passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. (He also had an interception on defense.) His big-play ability may convince the Jags to give Hunter a greater role on offense going forward, especially in the red zone. (FAAB bid: $1)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fantasy football waiver wire: 11 players to add for NFL Week 7
