Week 7 Waiver Wire: Projecting Top Fantasy Football Adds and Drops
The sixth week of the 2016 NFL season is over. The week culminated with a 28-3 blowout of the New York Jets by the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night.
It was a wild week of football action, and it was also an unexpected week in fantasy. Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, for example, finished with just four receptions and 39 yards. Miami Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi—as exactly no one expected—gashed the Steelers for 204 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
Unfortunately, Week 6 also saw some injuries that could impact your fantasy team. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suffered a torn meniscus, while Cleveland Browns receiver Terrelle Pryor came down with a hamstring issue.
Whether you're dealing with injuries, the upcoming bye-week blues (both the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys are off this week) or just are not happy with your current roster, now is the time to do something about it. That's right—it's time to attack the waiver wire looking for that player or players who can help you on your path to the championship.
We'll examine some of the top waiver-wire pickups and drops heading into Week 7, based on recent activity. We will be looking at add/drop activity from both ESPN.com and Yahoo Sports, and we will examine some of the best adds and drops from the bunch.
| Player | No. of Monday Adds |
| Kenny Britt, WR, LA | 18,969 |
| Jay Ajayi, RB, MIA | 14,341 |
| Hunter Henry, TE, SD | 11,417 |
| Cameron Meredith, WR, CHI | 9,088 |
| Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, TB | 8,243 |
| Marcus Mariota, QB, TEN | 6,810 |
| Spencer Ware, RB, KC | 6,479 |
| Ty Montgomery, WR, GB | 5,523 |
| Cincinnati Bengals DEF | 5,167 |
| Player | % Change Last 7 Days |
| Tennessee Titans DEF | +44.8 |
| Jeremy Kerley, WR, SF | +39.1 |
| Sammie Coates, WR, PIT | +34.5 |
| Cameron Meredith, WR, CHI | +30.7 |
| Jesse James, TE, PIT | +29.1 |
| Chicago Bears DEF | +26.7 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers DEF | +19 |
| Steven Hauschka, K, SEA | +16.6 |
| Caleb Sturgis, K, PIT | +16.3 |
| Justin Forsett, RB, DET | +14.7 |
| Player | No. of Monday Drops |
| Tennessee Titans DEF | 11,971 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers DEF | 9,280 |
| Jesse James, TE, PIT | 7,465 |
| Sammie Coates, WR, PIT | 7,356 |
| Carolina Panthers DEF | 7,232 |
| Graham Gano K, CAR | 6,555 |
| Carson Wentz, QB, PHI | 6,508 |
| Jeremy Kerley, WR, SF | 5,996 |
| Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, CAR | 5,871 |
| Eric Decker, WR, NYJ | 4,862 |
| Player | % Change Last 7 Days |
| Eric Decker, WR, NYJ | -44 |
| Charles Sims, RB, TB | -35.4 |
| Blair Walsh, K, MIN | -30.4 |
| Cameron Brate, TE, TB | -18.6 |
| Cincinnati Bengals DEF | -15.4 |
| Joe Flacco, QB, BAL | -12.3 |
| Los Angeles Rams DEF | -11.3 |
| Jacob Tamme, TE, ATL | -11.1 |
| Dontrelle Inman, WR, SD | -10.9 |
| DeAndre Washington, RB, OAK | -10.8 |
Consider Adding
Kenny Britt, WR, Los Angeles Rams
If you're looking to add a solid WR2 or flex starter, look no further than Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Kenny Britt.
Britt is coming off an impressive game against the Detroit Lions. On Sunday, he racked up seven receptions, 136 yards receiving and two touchdowns. However, the decision to add Britt shouldn't be of the knee-jerk variety.
Britt has actually been fairly solid all season, especially in points-per-reception formats. Though he didn't find the end zone until Week 6, Britt has hauled in at least four receptions in every game and has only failed to top the 50-yard mark once. The lack of touchdowns is probably why Britt has flown low on the fantasy radar, despite being on pace for a 1,300-yard season, per ESPN's Matthew Berry:
Rams quarterback Case Keenum could have enough time to find Britt on some lengthy completions this week. The Rams face the New York Giants in London, and the Giants are rated a mere 24th in pass rushing by Pro Football Focus. Just keep in mind that Britt and the Rams will be on bye the following week.
Britt is currently owned in just 13.1 percent of ESPN leagues.
Hunter Henry, TE, San Diego Chargers
If you've waited until now to hop on the Hunter Henry bandwagon, stop waiting and come aboard. The rookie out of Arkansas has been sensational for the San Diego Chargers thus far, racking up 310 yards and three touchdowns on 19 receptions.
More importantly, Henry has seen his role increase of late. All of his scores and 13 of his receptions have come in the last three weeks. This suggests Henry has firmly established himself as a major piece of the Chargers' passing attack.
Henry's most recent outing was a six-catch, 83-yard affair against the Denver Broncos. The Denver defense didn't seem to have much of an answer for the young pass-catcher, and it's unlikely that a lot of future defenses are going to, either.
It definitely helps that Henry has a guy like Antonio Gates to learn from and to draw away attention when both tight ends are on the field.
"It's awesome to have that kind of guy on your side," Henry said, per Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com. "He's arguably the best ever playing this position, so being among his presence is an honor. And I'm happy to call him a good friend."
Henry is a guy worth keeping through the year and beyond—in keeper leagues, of course. As Brad Evans of Yahoo Sports pointed out, Henry is on track for one heck of an inaugural campaign:
Henry is currently available in a little more than half of ESPN leagues.
Cameron Meredith, WR, Chicago Bears
If you didn't pounce on Chicago Bears receiver Cameron Meredith after his nine-catch, 130-yard performance against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5, now is the time to try snagging him. The young Illinois State product proved this past weekend that his game against Indianapolis was no fluke.
Against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Meredith caught 11 passes for 113 yards. This gives him 20 catches for 243 yards and a touchdown over the past two weeks.
It's clear that Meredith has emerged as a favorite target of Bears quarterback Brian Hoyer. According to Pro Football Focus, Meredith leads all Bears receivers with 35 targets over the past month.
Meredith and the Bears' passing attack could be in store for another huge game this Thursday, as the team faces the Green Bay Packers. Pro Football Focus rates the Packers a paltry 29th in pass defense for the season so far.
While owners probably cannot count on Meredith having 100-yard games on a weekly basis, he is an obvious must-have in PPR leagues.
Meredith is currently owned in just 32.2 percent of ESPN leagues.
Go Ahead and Drop
Carolina Panthers Defense/Special Teams
If you're thinking of holding on to the Carolina Panthers D/ST unit through this week's bye just to see if the team can rebound, don't bother.
The Carolina defense is playing some horrible football right now, especially against the pass. Pro Football Focus rates the Panthers 24th in pass coverage, and the team is giving up an average of 282 yards per game through the air. More importantly, the Panthers are surrendering an average of 29.3 points per contest—third-most in the NFL.
Even if this group does improve after the bye, the Panthers are not a defense worth keeping. There are better units playing in divisions with less potent offenses worth a roster spot.
The Panthers are still owned in 87.7 percent of ESPN leagues, so some of you out there still have faith in the defending NFC champions. It's time to stop and drop.
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