Fantasy Football Week 7: Analyzing Top Plug-and-Play Sleepers

Scouring the waiver wire for a player to fill a lineup void isn't ideal for any fantasy football owner. Alas, it's often a necessity over the course of a season, perhaps to fill an injury void, like the one left by Victor Cruz, or to cover a bye-week absence if there isn't a reliable option on the bench.

The biggest problem is the lack of consistency. Many of the top options available on the free-agent market will have had a couple of nice games during the first six weeks. The question, however, is which ones can replicate those performances this time to fill that key lineup opening.

With that in mind, let's check out some players available in a majority of leagues who make for strong plug-and-play options in Week 7. All stats are based on standard scoring formats.

QB: Austin Davis, St. Louis Rams

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Davis came back to Earth with an 11-point outing against the San Francisco 49ers last week. It was a reminder that he isn't on the level off a weekly fantasy starter quite yet, but it's also worth noting the 49ers rank second in the league against the pass.

In the two weeks prior, the breakout quarterback had racked up 47 points. Now he gets to face a Seattle Seahawks defense that hasn't been nearly as stout as it was during the team's run to the Super Bowl last season. The unit is giving up more than 250 yards per game through the air, ranking 19th.

Furthermore, Seattle has given up at least 16 points in every game. Add in the fact the Rams have struggled to get the running game on track, leading to more passes for the Southern Miss product, and he has plenty of upside even in a matchup that may not sound great on the surface.

RB: Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers

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The Panthers backfield has been a mess for most of the season so far. Between injuries and a lack of production, it's tough to trust any of the team's back for the long haul, but Stewart warrants strong consideration against the Green Bay Packers, owners of the league's worst rush defense.

He's set to return from a knee injury that forced him to miss the last four games. And with nobody stepping up in his absence, the door is open for him to take control of the backfield. The team passed along comments from head coach Ron Rivera, who's been pleased with the progress he's seen:

There's risk with any player coming back from an injury. That said, as long as Stewart doesn't suffer any setbacks, he should be in line for upward of 20 touches. It's enough work against a struggling defensive front to consider him a solid No. 2 running back this week.

WR: Andre Holmes, Oakland Raiders

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Holmes won't be available on the waiver wire much longer if he continues to build off his recent performances. After being lightly involved over the first three games, he's scored three touchdowns over the last two en route to 37 points.

At least a portion of that success is due to the fact the Raiders are often playing from behind. Of course, fantasy owners don't care how the stats are accumulated, and Oakland is once again an underdog ahead of a clash with the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals are 4-1, with their only loss coming on the road against the reigning AFC champion Denver Broncos, but they also rank 32nd against the pass. Those factors point to the Raiders playing catch-up most of the afternoon, which should lead Holmes to another strong outing.

TE: Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis Colts

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The tight end position is a completely different animal; Allen is a good example of that maxim: He ranks inside the top 10 despite averaging less than eight points per week. In turn, expectations must remain a little lower when searching for a plug-and-play alternative.

Allen has been playing well of late, though. He's scored a touchdown in three of the past four games, using his size to emerge as a reliable red-zone target. Kevin Bowen of the Colts' official site also notes an uptick in playing time:

He has a golden opportunity to keep the hot streak alive against the Cincinnati Bengals. They rank 22nd against the pass and allowed Greg Olsen to put up six catches, 62 yards and a touchdown last week. Allen should post similar numbers.