NFL Waiver Wire Picks: Week 7
Teams on BYE: Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans
QB: Sam Howell – Washington Commanders
-19.1% rostered
-18.34 points against the Atlanta Falcons
-14/23 for 151 yards and 3 TDs
Sam Howell has quietly had a very good fantasy season. He currently sits as the 12th overall fantasy QB. If you take the horrible game he had against the Buffalo Bills out of the equation, he averages 19.96 points per game. He has been great as of late throwing 5 TDs to 1 INT over the last 3 games. Not only can he throw to his receivers and tight ends well, but he can also throw to his RBs. Both Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson had TD receptions last game. Howell is a very well rounded QB who gets to take on the New York Giants in week 7 who have been absolutely horrible this year.
RB: Kareem Hunt – Cleveland Browns
-26.8% rostered
-16.1 points against the San Francisco 49ers
-12 rushes for 47 yards and TD. Added 3 receptions for 24 yards.
Kareem Hunt is making his case to be the lead back in Cleveland in Nick Chubb’s absence. He is competing with Jerome Ford, but Hunt is the more explosive, big play back. He also knows the system better even though he has only been with the team since week 3 (Remember he was a Brown since 2019). Coming out of last week’s BYE, it seems like HC Kevin Stefanski has bigger plans for Hunt moving forward. It would not surprise me to see him take the lead back role sooner rather than later. Get him while you can. Up next, the Browns take on the Indianapolis Colts. This same Colts team allow an average of 21 points to RBs.
WR: Rashee Rice – Kansas City Chiefs
-30.4% rostered
-11.2 points against the Denver Broncos
-4 receptions on 4 targets for 72 yards
Rashee Rice has been consistently targeted by Patrick Mahomes this season. He had a low target share of 2 in week 2 and a high target share of 7 in week 3. He averages 5 targets per game. It’s no secret that the Chiefs’ offense looks off but it’s only a matter of time before Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes figure it out and have this offense firing on all cylinders again. Whenever that happens (and it will happen) this early work and great relationship that Rice and Mahomes have will pay major dividends. Mahomes has talked highly of Rice all season and it’s about time the Chiefs have a number 1 WR again. Rice came into this league as a field stretcher and a speed threat and has already expanded his route tree in just 6 weeks. You know who else came into the league as a field stretcher and a speed threat and played for the Chiefs? Tyreek Hill. The similarities between Rice and Hill are uncanny. This could potentially turn into the steal of waiver wires this season.
TE: Jonnu Smith – Atlanta Falcons
-14.8% rostered
-13.6 points against Washington Commanders
-4 receptions on 5 targets for 36 yards and a TD
Is Atlanta turning into TE U? It certainly seems like it with Kyle Pitts finally coming alive. Enough about Pitts, we’re here to talk about Jonnu Smith. He has been the most consistent pass catcher for the Falcons all season. Outside of week 1, he has never been targeted less than 5 times in a game. On the season, he has been targeted 32 times and has 282 yards and a TD. Again, for a TE, those numbers are incredible. He finally got his first TD this last week and now the flood gates open. It’s almost impossible (unless you’re Diontae Johsnon) to be targeted this many times in the endzone and not get more TDs. Even though Kyle Pitts had his little mini breakout game, Smith is still the main pass catching TE moving forward because of his great rapport with Desmond Ridder.