Fantasy Football Week 7 Waiver Wire: D'Ernest Johnson Has Major Potential

Bye weeks are in full swing as Week 7 of the NFL season approaches. A season-high six teams will be on break this week, leaving the cupboard bare for many fantasy football managers.

If you are set to be impacted by absences from Bills, Cowboys, Jaguars, Chargers, Vikings and Steelers players, it's time to hit the waiver wire and make sure you are best positioned to get through this stretch with a victory.

Several notable talents are available in most leagues, many of whom can spot-start as a bye-week replacement and also offer valuable depth for the remainder of the season. Constantly turning over the bottom of your roster by replacing ineffective players with stronger contributors will position you for a playoff berth and subsequent championship run.

Here are the top waiver-wire pickups for Week 7. All suggestions are rostered in 50 percent or less of Yahoo leagues.

QB Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins (17 Percent Rostered)

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DK DFS Value: $5,500

Tua Tagovailoa came back from a three-game stint on injured reserve to start for the Dolphins in London on Sunday. While the quarterback's return didn't produce a victory, it did result in his best statistical performance of the campaign.

Tagovailoa threw 47 times against the Jaguars, completing 33 of those passes for 329 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The 23-year-old didn't show any ill effects from the broken ribs that kept him out for the last month while rushing three times for 22 yards.

The Alabama product has established strong chemistry with former collegiate teammate Jaylen Waddle, the rookie wideout who reeled in both of Tagovailoa's touchdown passes in Week 6. As long as they're both healthy, they should continue to put up impressive stats.

For fantasy purposes, Tagovailoa remains a bye-week replacement in single-quarterback formats. He must show consistency and an ability to produce against tougher defenses but can be deployed as a matchup-based streaming option until then.

Managers can confidently start Tagovailoa in Week 7 thanks to a soft matchup with the Falcons. Atlanta's defense has allowed opposing quarterbacks to throw 11 touchdowns, recording a single interception and nine sacks.

If you've been relying on Josh Allen, Dak Prescott or Justin Herbert, take a flier on Tagovailoa to get through this week.

RB J.D. McKissic, Washington Football Team (42 Percent Rostered)

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DK DFS Value: $5,000

Washington's starting running back, Antonio Gibson, was banged up Sunday, opening the door for backup J.D. McKissic to take on a larger role. The third-down back racked up 110 yards on 16 touches versus the Chiefs.

Gibson spent much of the contest sidelined with a shin injury, seeing a season-low 23 snaps. McKissic picked up the slack and was on the field for 36 plays, making the most of his expanded workload.

Washington may need to shut Gibson down to get healthy. The back went into Week 6 with a questionable designation and reaggravated the shin injury while rushing 10 times for 44 yards.

Head coach Ron Rivera said he pulled Gibson because of the shin issues and noted the team will evaluate the back's status this week.

"We'll see how he is," Rivera told reporters. "We did take him out at the end of the game because he was struggling with it a little, so we have to be careful and see how he responds. I don't know much more than that. We'll see how he is [Monday] morning."

If Gibson can't give it a go against the Packers, McKissic will see plenty more work.

PPR managers will want to make McKissic a priority pickup regardless of Gibson's status. The pass-catching back is carving out a significant role in Washington's offense and is up to 315 yards and two touchdowns on 46 touches.

Those in deeper formats will also want to get McKissic. He's one of the league's more valuable handcuffs and could be a lead back if Gibson misses time.

RB D'Ernest Johnson, Cleveland Browns (3 Percent Rostered)

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DK DFS Value: $4,000

The Browns went from an enviable running back platoon to concerningly thin in a week.

Starter Nick Chubb missed Sunday's game with a calf injury, and change-of-pace backup Kareem Hunt got carted off in the fourth quarter against the Cardinals, so the team may have to rely on third-stringer D'Ernest Johnson in Week 7.

Dealing with wrist and knee injuries that limited him in practice, Hunt suffered a seemingly serious calf injury versus Arizona. The back was running a route and went down without contact. He couldn't put weight on his right leg after and needed help getting to the sidelines.

Considering the Browns are slated for a Thursday Night Football appearance, it's possible neither of their top backs is ready to face the Broncos.

Johnson will likely get the starting nod if that is the case. He's been effective in limited action, rushing 33 times for 166 yards in 2020. The 25-year-old is also a solid pass-catcher, hauling in 10 of 12 targets for 92 yards across three pro seasons.

Fantasy managers should follow the Browns' backfield situation closely. If Chubb can give it a go against Denver, he'll take on a major workload. If not, Johnson will be a volume-based RB2 for the matchup and any future games Chubb and Hunt both miss.

WR Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens (27 Percent Rostered)

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DK DFS Value: $3,400

Fantasy managers had to wait five weeks for Rashod Bateman to make his NFL debut, but that patience was rewarded with a strong performance.

After dealing with a groin injury, the rookie Ravens wideout saw his first professional action Sunday, reeling in four catches—all for first downs—for 29 yards in a blowout victory over the Chargers.

Although things got off to a rocky start—quarterback Lamar Jackson threw an interception targeting Bateman for the first time—the Minnesota product settled into a rhythm.

Head coach John Harbaugh was pleased with Bateman's outing, telling reporters: "He made some key first-down catches. I liked that he caught it, put it away and got straight upfield. It's a simple thing, but in the NFL, it's not an easy thing to learn, and he did a great job of that."

While Baltimore's receiving corps hasn't been a hotbed for fantasy football production in recent years, Bateman could be a bye-week fill-in with upside. Although the Ravens will remain a run-first team, Bateman should find a role with a floor of four or five catches each week.

Not many wideouts of Bateman's caliber are available in free agency. The rookie has extra value in PPR formats thanks to his role as a possession receiver in line for easy receptions working across from deep threat Marquise Brown.

WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, Cleveland Browns (2 Percent Rostered)

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DK DFS Value: $3,400

Odell Beckham Jr. was the player his fantasy managers hoped would benefit most from Jarvis Landry's monthlong stint on IR. Unfortunately, OBJ hasn't done much as Cleveland's top pass-catcher.

Donovan Peoples-Jones has instead emerged as the Browns' big-play weapon while Landry has been sidelined.

The second-year wideout had his best performance in Week 6 with four receptions on five targets for 101 yards and two touchdowns, matching his total rookie-year scores.

Peoples-Jones' top highlight came on a Hail Mary pass at the end of the first half. The 6'2", 204-pound wideout played it perfectly and came down with the jump ball in the end zone.

It was the second strong showing in a row for Peoples-Jones, who caught five of six targets for 70 yards in Week 5.

While Landry was eligible to come off IR against the Cardinals, the Browns opted not to activate the veteran wideout. With a matchup against Denver coming Thursday, Landry's knee may not recover in time for him to suit up.

Given the state of Cleveland's backfield—both Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are dealing with calf injuries—the offense may need to air it out against the Broncos.

Even if Landry can give it a go, Peoples-Jones projects as an excellent flex play for a Week 7 game that should see plenty of passing attempts for Cleveland.

TE Ricky Seals-Jones, Washington Football Team (29 Percent Rostered)

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DK DFS Value: $3,700

After teasing managers with his potential, Ricky Seals-Jones is having another intriguing stretch of fantasy relevance.

The fifth-year tight end has put together a pair of quality games while filling in for the injured Logan Thomas.

Seals-Jones saw a whopping nine targets in Week 5, catching five of them for 41 yards. He followed that Sunday with a four-catch, 58-yard, one-touchdown outing.

With Thomas likely out at least two more weeks—he isn't expected to return until after the team's Week 9 bye—the window remains open for Seals-Jones to put up decent fantasy numbers.

Considering the dearth of options at tight end, those who lack a top-end TE1 or are scheduled to lose theirs to a bye in the next couple of weeks could do worse than placing a waiver claim for Seals-Jones.

He may not be a long-term solution for TE-needy managers, but the 6'5", 243-pounder is establishing a rapport with quarterback Taylor Heinicke and is a threat to find the end zone each week he starts.

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