Waiver Wire Week 7: Elijah Mitchell, Craig Reynolds, Jameson Williams Are Top Pickups
The waiver wire looks unfortunately strong at the moment.
That's because the injury bug reared its ugly head during Week 6 of the 2023 NFL season.
Christian McCaffrey, the best running back in fantasy football, and David Montgomery, a touchdown machine, were both forced off the field by injuries. So, too, was McCaffrey's teammate, Deebo Samuel, a player who can produce major stats as both a pass-catcher and a ball-carrier.
Potential replacements for the two above mentioned running backs lead the priority list on this week's waivers.
Elijah Mitchell, RB, San Francisco 49ers (28 Percent Rostered on Yahoo)
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Elijah Mitchell is this week's biggest risk-reward option on waivers.
The risk revolves around the uncertainty of his role. It isn't clear how much time—if any—McCaffrey stands to lose to the oblique injury that sidelined him Sunday, and even if does sit out, it's possible San Francisco could lean on Jordan Mason instead. Mason handled five carries (27 yards and a score) in relief of McCaffrey on Sunday, while Mitchell saw just two touches (two carries for minus-three yards).
Having said all of that, the possible reward with Mitchell is too great to pass up. He had missed the previous two games with a knee injury, so his lack of usage could've been an attempt to ease him back into the action. If the coaching staff senses he's fully healthy, they could give him a featured role as soon as Week 7.
He has had his share of injury issues, but he's also been productive when he's played. He owns a healthy 4.8 yards-per-carry average for his career and has eight touchdowns (seven rushing, one receiving) in 19 contests.
Craig Reynolds, RB, Detroit Lions (Two Percent Rostered)
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If you're unfamiliar with the name Craig Reynolds, that's fine. He seemingly had zero shot at fantasy relevance this season with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs populating Detroit's backfield.
However, Gibbs has now missed back-to-back games with a hamstring injury, and Montgomery exited early Sunday with a ribs injury.
It's time to familiarize yourself with Reynolds.
The 27-year-old back saw 10 carries and two targets this week, and while he didn't do much with them (43 carries), he flashed plenty of playmaking last week (seven carries for 52 yards and a score). He could be a solid RB2 if Montgomery and Gibbs are out.
Jameson Williams, WR, Detroit Lions (49 Percent Rostered)
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Absences have so far defined the young career of Jameson Williams, who was the No. 12 pick of the 2022 draft.
He has made all of eight appearances since, and he has barely made a blip on the box score. He has just five catches on 15 targets for 96 yards and two touchdowns.
So, why give him a mention here? Because his upside is enormous. While you'd obviously want to see more receptions, his big-play ability speaks for itself considering he squeezed nearly 100 yards and two scores out of only five catches.
In an explosive offense like this, Williams doesn't need a ton of targets to tally useful fantasy stats. The chance he'll become more involved in this offense, though, is what drives up his appeal to the point of putting him squarely on your radar—if not your roster.
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