Fantasy Football Week 7 Rankings: Waiver-Wire Targets for Players on Injury List

As the halfway point of the NFL season approaches, there's plenty of room for improvement on your fantasy football rosters. 

Ahead of Week 7, some of the best options available on the waiver wire are veterans who have been reliable players in past seasons. 

There's also a handful of young and under-the-radar players who are good pickups for Sunday's games and for the coming weeks. 

The players below will become more valuable moving into Sunday and beyond with injuries racking up across the NFL.

Quarterback

1. Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City; vs. Cincinnati) 

2. Jared Goff (Los Angeles Rams; at San Francisco) 

3. Matt Ryan (Atlanta; vs. New York Giants)

4. Cam Newton (Carolina; at Philadelphia) 

5. Kirk Cousins (Minnesota; at New York Jets) 

6. Tom Brady (New England; at Chicago) 

7. Andy Dalton (Cincinnati; at Kansas City) 

8. Jameis Winston (Tampa Bay; vs. Cleveland) 

9. Philip Rivers (Los Angeles Chargers; vs. Tennessee)

10. Carson Wentz (Philadelphia; vs. Carolina)

Injury Report

For the second consecutive week, Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill is out with a right shoulder injury, but he isn't the only AFC East signal caller on the shelf for Week 8.

Buffalo's Josh Allen is set to miss the trip to Indianapolis with a right elbow injury, and Derek Anderson will start over Nathan Peterman. 

Tannehill and Allen weren't great fantasy options, but they might have played a role on some teams with more bye weeks coming into effect.

Brock Osweiler and Anderson should only be considered as fantasy options if there are no other starting quarterbacks available on the waiver wire. 

Waiver-Wire Pickup: Baker Mayfield, Cleveland (Owned in 41 percent of Yahoo leagues) 

Picking up Baker Mayfield for Cleveland's Week 7 matchup with Tampa Bay is a move for the immediate and long-term future.

David Richard/Associated Press

Mayfield's thrown for at least 200 yards and one touchdown in each of his four starts, and those numbers should improve against a Tampa Bay defense that's given up the most passing touchdowns in the NFL while intercepting only one pass.

In the coming weeks, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft will go up against Pittsburgh and Atlanta, who are in the top four of passing touchdowns allowed. 

If you're able to pick up Mayfield before the start of Sunday's game, consider keeping him around for a few weeks as a solid backup option in case your starter goes down. 

Running Back 

1. Todd Gurley (Los Angeles Rams; at San Francisco) 

2. Saquon Barkley (New York Giants; at Atlanta) 

3. Melvin Gordon (Los Angeles Chargers; vs. Tennessee) 

4. Ezekiel Elliott (Dallas; at Washington) 

5. Joe Mixon (Cincinnati; at Kansas City) 

6. Kareem Hunt (Kansas City; vs. Cincinnati) 

7. Alvin Kamara (New Orleans; at Baltimore) 

8. Christian McCaffrey (Carolina; at Philadelphia) 

9. Sony Michel (New England; at Chicago) 

10. James White (New England; at Chicago) 

11. Tevin Coleman (Atlanta; vs. New York Giants) 

12. Adrian Peterson (Washington; vs. Dallas) 

13. Matt Breida (San Francisco; vs. Los Angeles Rams) 

14. Nick Chubb (Cleveland; at Tampa Bay) 

15. LeSean McCoy (Buffalo; at Indianapolis) 

16. Tarik Cohen (Chicago; vs. New England)

17. Mark Ingram (New Orleans; at Baltimore) 

18. Kerryon Johnson (Detroit; at Miami) 

19. Jordan Howard (Chicago; vs. New England)

20. Latavius Murray (Minnesota; at New York Jets) 

Injury Report

Jacksonville's Leonard Fournette and Minnesota's Dalvin Cook have been fantasy busts this season because of their respective injuries, and both players will sit out Week 7. 

Detroit's Theo Riddick will miss the road trip to Miami with a knee injury, which should open up more action for rookie Kerryon Johnson.

Lamar Miller was a full participant in practice Friday for Houston, but since the Texans are playing on the road in Jacksonville, he's worth another sit in fantasy as he completes his path to full strength.

Waiver-Wire Pickup: Frank Gore, Miami (Owned in 26 percent of Yahoo leagues) 

Rarely does a 35-year-old make an impact on an NFL roster, let alone be deemed a viable fantasy option because of his production. 

Brad Penner/Associated Press

Frank Gore bombarded his way back to fantasy relevancy with a 101-yard performance on the ground in Miami's Week 6 win over Chicago. 

With Osweiler back under center, look for Miami head coach Adam Gase to rely on Gore to bring balance and a steady hand to the offense. 

Even with Tannehill at quarterback, Gase called on his veteran running back more, as he's carried the ball more than 10 times in each of the last three weeks. 

Wide Receiver 

1. Adam Thielen (Minnesota; at New York Jets) 

2. A.J. Green (Cincinnati; at Kansas City) 

3. Tyreek Hill (Kansas City; vs. Cincinnati) 

4. Julio Jones (Atlanta; vs. New York Giants) 

5. Odell Beckham Jr. (New York Giants; at Atlanta) 

6. DeAndre Hopkins (Houston; at Jacksonville)

7. Mike Evans (Tampa Bay; vs. Cleveland) 

8. Robert Woods (Los Angeles Rams; at San Francisco) 

9. Stefon Diggs (Minnesota; at New York Jets) 

10. Keenan Allen (Los Angeles Chargers; vs. Tennessee) 

11. Michael Thomas (New Orleans; at Baltimore) 

12. Jarvis Landry (Cleveland; at Tampa Bay) 

13. Tyler Boyd (Cincinnati; at Kansas City) 

14. Brandin Cooks (Los Angeles Rams; at San Francisco) 

15. Alshon Jeffery (Philadelphia; vs. Carolina) 

16. Golden Tate (Detroit; at Miami) 

17. Kenny Golladay (Detroit; at Miami)

18. Josh Gordon (New England; at Chicago) 

19. Sterling Shepard (New York Giants; at Atlanta)

20. Julian Edelman (New England; at Chicago) 

Injury Report

Owners of T.Y. Hilton no longer have to worry about the status of the Indianapolis wide receiver, as he's been a full participant in practice and is set to start Sunday's game against the Bills. 

On the other end of the injury spectrum, New Orleans placed Ted Ginn on injured reserve, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, which hands Cameron Meredith and TreQuan Smith increased workloads behind Michael Thomas on the Saints depth chart. 

One of the more concerning names to pop up on the injury report this week was Chicago's Allen Robinson, who is listed as questionable with a groin injury. Even with Robinson at 100 percent, the Bears were going to have a tough time keeping up with the New England Patriots.

Waiver-Wire Pickup: Robby Anderson, New York Jets (Owned in 49 percent of Yahoo leagues) 

If you're trying to pick up one of Week 6's top receivers, like Albert Wilson or Marquise Goodwin, it's too late to do so in some leagues. 

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Even though he didn't thrive alongside Sam Darnold a week ago, New York Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson is worth a look ahead of his team's home game with the Minnesota Vikings. 

Anderson's been targeted at least four times in his last five games, and we know Darnold has trust in him from the 123 yards and two touchdowns Anderson produced in Week 5. 

The Vikings aren't an ideal opponent for the Jets to play, but they have impressed at home in the last two weeks, and that's worth taking into account when looking at Anderson.

Tight End

1. Travis Kelce (Kansas City; vs. Cincinnati) 

2. Rob Gronkowski (New England; at Chicago) 

3. Zach Ertz (Philadelphia; vs. Carolina) 

4. David Njoku (Cleveland; at Tampa Bay) 

5. George Kittle (San Francisco; vs. Los Angeles Rams) 

6. Eric Ebron (Indianapolis; vs. Buffalo)

7. Trey Burton (Chicago; vs. New England) 

8. O.J. Howard (Tampa Bay; vs. Cleveland) 

9. Austin Hooper (Atlanta; vs. New York Giants) 

10. Kyle Rudolph (Minnesota; at New York 

Injury Report

Patience from Greg Olsen owners could be rewarded in Week 7, as the Carolina tight end was once again a full participant in practice Friday. 

Since the tight end waiver-wire market hasn't produced many gems, Olsen's return to the gridiron and an increased role in the Carolina offense is welcomed by many. 

Owners of Evan Engram will be in the same boat as those with Olsen, as the New York Giants tight end is expected to be back for the Monday night clash with Atlanta. 

Waiver-Wire Pickup: Vernon Davis, Washington (Owned in 4 percent of Yahoo leagues) 

If you're not lucky enough to have a tight end returning from injury, might we suggest a blast from the past. 

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Washington's Vernon Davis is worth a look, even if he isn't the No. 1 tight end on the team's depth chart. 

Davis caught three balls for 48 yards and a touchdown in the Week 6 win over Carolina, and it would be wise of the Redskins to open up Dallas' defense with Davis and Jordan Reed running routes across the middle.

Picking up Davis comes with the fear of Reed getting hot and receiving all the tight end targets, but there's trust growing between the 34-year-old and quarterback Alex Smith that could turn into another respectable showing in Week 7. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference