Week 7 Waiver Wire: Breakout Fantasy Stars Owners Can't Afford to Miss

Another week of the 2013 NFL regular season is in the books, and fantasy owners are already making plans for how to play the Week 7 waiver wire and determining which players are bound to be stars.

All of the following breakout stars are worth a look this week if fantasy owners are dealing with bye weeks, injuries or porous play overall.

Based on standard-scoring leagues.

Nick Foles, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles may have a quarterback controversy on their hands as backup Nick Foles threw for 296 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions while starter Michael Vick was forced to sit on the bench with a hamstring injury.

Vick practiced during the week and was listed as questionable coming into last Sunday’s game, according to ESPN, and there is a chance he could be healthy enough to return in Week 7. That will undoubtedly create some controversy as Foles outplayed Vick in his one start.

Fantasy owners will have to wait until the team makes a decision on which player will get the nod as the team's starter, but Foles should be owned in all leagues if he is named the team’s No. 1 QB.

Brandon Jacobs, RB, New York Giants

After starting the season sitting at home, recently signed running back Brandon Jacobs shined for the New York Giants in a loss Thursday to the Chicago Bears. Jacobs amassed 22 carries for 106 yards and two touchdowns.

Jacobs was an afterthought for most NFL teams and hasn’t been on fantasy radars for two seasons. After mounting one of the best games of his career, the veteran is the clear No. 1 back in New York and a viable fantasy option.

Add in the news that David Wilson’s neck injury could be season-ending, per Dan Graziano of ESPN.com, and Jacobs is not only a smart short-term fix, but also an efficient long-term move for the fantasy playoffs.

Joseph Fauria, TE, Detroit Lions

For the fantasy owners that were still not sold on Detroit Lions tight end Joseph Fauria after he scored a touchdown in each of his first two games of his rookie season, his performance against the Cleveland Browns will have everyone hopping on the hype train.

Fauria is a dominate force with his unique mixture of size, speed and athleticism—not the best dancer in the NFL—and with three catches for 34 yards and three touchdowns Sunday, it’s clear that he is a serious red-zone target.

If you have a hole to fill at tight end with injuries or underperformance, adding the Lions' rookie now will be smart move as Detroit starts getting involved in late-season divisional battles.

Riley Cooper, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles are constantly evolving as a team, and the emergence of backup Nick Foles as a possible star should have fantasy owners taking a long look at wide receiver Riley Cooper.

With Foles building a rapport with Cooper Sunday (four catches for 120 yards and a touchdown), he will be worth a pickup if the Eagles backup is named the starter for Week 7.

This is the ultimate risk-reward pickup, though. While Cooper had an explosive game this week, he had eight catches for 93 yards and one touchdown all season before the matchup with Tampa Bay.

Follow @Donald_Wood