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Fantasy waiver wire: Two rookie wideouts among top 15 targets; RB help available

Six Sundays of fantasy football are in the books. Time for the Week 7 waiver wire.

Some of the names listed below might end up winning leagues. At the very least, several of them could be difference-makers in the immediate future. Do not take the waiver wire for granted -- this is where the rubber meets the road in our imaginary game.

I’ll be here every week from now until fantasy championships. Hope to have you along for the full ride. Let’s win some hardware.

NOTES:

Players must be rostered in less than 60% of ESPN leagues to be eligible for the column. All statistics come courtesy of Next Gen Stats, unless otherwise noted.

TOP 15 OVERALL WAIVER-WIRE TARGETS

Waiver Wire Priority Rankings Next opponent 1) WR Germie Bernard, Steelers vs. Saints 2) RB Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks vs. Chiefs 3) TE Brenton Strange, Jaguars vs. Colts (Week 8) 4) WR Keenan Allen, Colts at Vikings 5) WR Kendrick Bourne, Cardinals vs. Broncos 6) RB Jordan Mason, Vikings vs. Colts 7) Browns D/ST at Titans 8) QB Kyler Murray, Vikings vs. Colts 9) QB C.J. Stroud, Texans vs. Giants 10) WR Ja'Kobi Lane, Ravens vs. Bengals 11) RB Kendre Miller, Saints vs. Steelers 12) TE Hunter Henry, Patriots at Bears 13) QB Aaron Rodgers, Steelers vs. Saints 14) RB Chris Rodriguez Jr., Jaguars vs. Colts (Week 8) 15) Jets D/ST vs. Dolphins

And here are my top waiver-wire targets by position:

QUARTERBACKS

ROSTERED: 49%

Murray has been ramping up into relevance over the past few weeks, hitting a season-high 51 rushing yards and 18.26 fantasy points in his last game (Week 5's win at New Orleans) and now coming off a Week 6 bye. The Colts are a middling matchup for quarterbacks, but it’s also worth noting that Murray gets the Lions and the Bills in the following two weeks. He is (at least) a short-term QB1.

ROSTERED: 44%

Somewhat quietly, Stroud has been excellent over the last few weeks. He’s logged 20-plus fantasy points in three straight games and looked incredible while tagging the Jaguars for three touchdowns on Sunday in London. He’s nearing rest-of-season QB1 territory.

Loading...Watch the best passes from Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud's 3-touchdown game against the Jacksonville Jaguars from Week 6 of the 2026 NFL season.

ROSTERED: 26%

While Rodgers took quite a while to get to a relevant-fantasy output on Sunday, he has now logged 230-plus passing yards and multiple touchdowns in four straight games. Since Week 3, he’s the QB3 in fantasy, behind only Drake Maye and Josh Allen (and with Brock Purdy to play on Monday night).

RUNNING BACKS

ROSTERED: 57%

If you’re lucky enough to play in one of the 43% of leagues where Charbonnet is still available, capitalize NOW. His return window closes this week, so he almost certainly will be activated to the 53-man roster. Then it’s just a question of when he returns to game action (and to the top of Seattle's depth chart). This is your last chance to snag the Seahawks’ RB1 off the wire.

ROSTERED: 51%

Before a fractured thumb sidelined Mason for the past month, he opened the season with 15 carries for 59 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. Aaron Jones Sr. has been decent in his absence, but Mason has the chance to take over the backfield in a possible Week 7 return.

ROSTERED: 33%

The Saints' backfield is crowded in Travis Etienne Jr.’s injury absence, but Miller found a foothold in Week 6, leading the offense with 20 carries for 70 yards. He lost touchdown opportunities to Alvin Kamara and Tyler Shough, but 22-touch volume makes him intriguing amid bye weeks.

ROSTERED: 13%

While Jags RB1 Bhayshul Tuten was excellent as a receiver against Houston, Rodriguez looked better as a rusher -- with 11 carries for 55 yards -- and should be more widely rostered as one of fantasy’s top handcuffs and an occasional FLEX option in favorable situations.

ROSTERED: 56%

If you’re desperate at running back, Pierce was basically the only one available to the Eagles on Sunday. Against the Panthers, he handled all 12 of the team’s RB carries, scored a touchdown and added four catches. He’s a viable FLEX for as long as he remains Philly’s RB1.

ROSTERED: 8%

This is a deep cut, but McLaughlin had 55 yards on 13 touches (including four catches) in Sunday’s upset of the Ravens, with Quinshon Judkins sidelined by an ankle injury. McLaughlin appears to be the primary back in Cleveland for as long as Judkins and Dylan Sampson (knee) remain out.

WIDE RECEIVERS

ROSTERED: 44%

Bernard was a top waiver-wire target last week and showed why against the Bucs, hauling in 11 catches (on 12 targets) for 87 yards and a touchdown. Pittsburgh's air attack ran almost entirely through Bernard and DK Metcalf, and with Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson on IR, that shouldn’t change any time soon. He’s now the top add for the week.

ROSTERED: 39%

Allen racked up eight catches for 82 yards on a whopping 11 targets. Yes, Tyler Warren (groin) was inactive in Week 6, but the production wasn’t an aberration. Allen has logged at least five catches in four of his five games this season -- and he's now received nine-plus targets in three straight outings. He’s arguably the WR1a alongside Josh Downs in Indy and is a highly startable asset in PPR leagues.

ROSTERED: 7%

Bourne has now produced five catches on eight targets in each of Arizona's two games without Marvin Harrison Jr. The upside hasn’t exactly been rousing -- 12.0 and 9.7 fantasy points -- but he’s the clear WR2 in Arizona and will have somewhat-consistent FLEX value, at the least.

Loading...Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Kendrick Bourne catches quarterback Jacoby Brissett's pass for a 15-yard gain.

ROSTERED: 10%

Lane was an exciting fantasy sleeper during the offseason but spent a month on injured reserve after suffering a wrist injury in the season opener. In his return to action on Sunday, the rookie snagged four of his five targets for 40 yards (from backup QB Tyler Huntley), while Rashod Bateman left the game with a shoulder injury. Lane is suddenly a great bet to be Baltimore's No. 2 target, with Lamar Jackson potentially returning to the lineup in Week 7.

ROSTERED: 5%

Lost in the sauce of the Marvin Harrison Jr. acquisition: Noel scored double-digit fantasy points in Weeks 4 and 5 ... and now Week 6, as well. He broke out for 107 yards and a touchdown on just four catches in London. The only reason he’s not higher on this list? The second-year pro has to compete for targets with Nico Collins, MHJ and potentially Tank Dell, who continues to progress in his long recovery from the devastating knee injury he suffered two Decembers ago.

ROSTERED: 32%

Washington scored double-digit fantasy points in three consecutive games before a Week 6 bye and should be more heavily rostered as a high-floor FLEX option.

TIGHT ENDS

ROSTERED: 44%

Strange has sat atop this section of the column for a couple weeks now and simply must be added in more leagues. He’s had 23 targets, 19 catches and 207 yards over the past three weeks and is a staple of Jacksonville's passing game. Even with the priority lowered as the Jaguars spend this week on a bye, Strange is a TE1 until further notice.

ROSTERED: 43%

It’s been under the radar, but since Drake Maye began his resurgence in Week 4, Henry has scored 11.2, 13.4 and 14.8 fantasy points in three games, with 40-plus yards in all three contests and a touchdown in the last two. He’s a strong streamer in a revitalized offense.

ROSTERED: 15%

Mayer is the TE2 in his own offense ... but he also might be the No. 2 target in Las Vegas' entire passing game. He’s had 12-plus fantasy points in three of the last four weeks and just led the team with seven catches (on nine targets) in Week 6. Mayer’s a fringe TE1 if you need depth at the position.