Week 6 is officially in the books, and it was another exciting week in the NFL World. It’s crazy that the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams share the same 2-4 record after Week 6, and we also saw the Tennessee Titans upset the Indianapolis Colts for their first win of the season. Unfortunately, the NFL has been ravaged by injuries left and right, and Jalen Hurts has been ruled out for the rest of the season with more blood clots in his lungs. The Los Angeles Rams have been hit with the injury bug, as Davante Adams substanined a hamstring injury in the Rams loss to the Arizona Cardinals as he will miss 6-10 week. With the rise of injuries, it opens up the door of opportunities for players who to make a name for themselves and showcase their skills.
For fantasy managers looking to fill roster spots left by injured players, the waiver wire is the perfect place to find players to help their teams for the rest of the year. When De’Von Achane was ruled out for the season, Miami Dolphins backup Ollie Gordon became a hot waiver-wire pickup for fantasy managers. With that being said, let’s take a look to see who are the top waiver wire pickups heading into Week 7 of the NFL season.
Aaron Rodgers, QB (PIT)
Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 26-19 OT thriller. Although Rodgers struggled to get the ball rolling in the first three quarters, he showed flashes of his vintage Rodgers in the 4th quarter, as he led the Steelers offense to four scoring drives. He then drove down the field, completing a 12-play, 70-yard TD drive with a 7-yard TD pass to Germie Bernard. His performance against the Buccaneers shows he is still fantasy-relevant in his 22nd season in the NFL and that Father Time hasn’t hit him yet.
Rodgers has shown he can lead the offense efficiently and keep the Steelers competitive. For fantasy managers, his recent performances show he can still produce at a high level. In his last four games, he’s thrown for more than 230 yards and thrown multiple touchdown passes. Even with injuries to wide receivers Roman Wilson and Michael Pittman Jr., Rodgers still produced, with DK Metcalf and Germie Bernard leading the receiver room. Pat Freiermuth is another reliable pass-catcher, and Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle at running back give Rodgers great options throughout the offense. The Steelers head into Week 7 with a favorable matchup against the struggling New Orleans Saints defense, making it a perfect matchup for Rodgers. According to the Saints Wire, the Saints have allowed a high 70.6% completion rate to opposing quarterbacks and have only 1 interception this season.
Rodgers should be a top waiver wire target heading into Week 7, he’s only rostered in 42% of leagues per Fantasy Pros.
C.J. Stroud, QB (HOU)
The Houston Texans and C.J. Stroud haven’t had the best ideal season so far, as they’re recovering from a 0-4 start. Luckily, they’ve improved: they got their first win last week against the Tennessee Titans, then their second in London on a game-winning field goal against the Jacksonville Jaguars, showing they’re building momentum. While the Texans are finding their groove, C.J. Stroud has done his part as he’s had become fantasy relivant and should be worth considering picking up on the waiver wire heading into Week 7
Stroud has posted 20+ fantasy points in three straight games, and his Week 6 performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars was dominant: 312 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and zero sacks in the 34-31 win. It’s worth noting that Stroud is surrounded by talent all around the offense, which just added Marvin Harrison Jr. to the offense. Stroud and Harrison Jr. go back to their Ohio State days, when the former Buckeyes played together for two seasons from 2021 to 2022. Harrison Jr. is looking to revive his career and is poised to do so with a former college teammate. In the wide receiver room, when healthy, Nico Collins gives Stroud a reliable WR1, and the offense has seen production from rookie receiver Jaylin Noel, who is making a name for himself. Tank Dell is also set to return to the offense and is known as a dynamic receiver for the Texans, looking to make a comeback after being out since December of 2024.
The Texans face the New York Giants in Week 7, and the Giants rank among the NFL’s bottom defenses in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. According to The Fantasy Football Database, the Giants have allowed 21.6 points per game to opposing quarterbacks. With Trevor Lawrence, Josh Allen, and Jayden Daniels on a bye, Stroud is worth a look as a waiver-wire add. Stroud is only rostered in 48% of leagues, per Fantasy Pros.
Keandre Miller, RB (NO)
Kendre Miller is an intriguing waiver-wire option, as he’s shown he can handle a heavy workload, logging 20 carries for 70 rushing yards against the New York Giants.
Even with Alvin Kamara still active in the New Orleans Saints’ offense, Miller’s 20 carries shouldn’t go unnoticed as he finds a rhythm in the Saints’ attack. While Travis Etienne Jr. is sidelined on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, Miller seems to be making the most of his opportunity by stepping into a primary back role, leading the backfield with 32 snaps. As we head into the heart of the NFL bye-week stretch, a running back that is seeing 20-plus touches is worth picking up, as Miller provides immediate flex or plug-and-play value. Veteran back Alvin Kamara is still involved in the Saints’ offense, which hurts Miller’s receiving upside, and his 3.1 yards per carry aren’t eye-popping, meaning he’ll need to score on his red-zone opportunities. But the potential is there, as Miller is still seeing more snaps each week. Miller is only rostered in 24% of leagues according to Fantasy Pros
Germie Bernard, WR (PIT)
With Roman Wilson and Michael Pittman Jr. out with injuries, the next man up in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receiver room is Germie Bernard, who put his name out there with a stellar performance in the Steelers’ OT win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Bernard caught 11 of his 12 targets for 87 yards and the game-winning touchdown in OT, showing he’s earning Aaron Rodgers’ trust in the offense. Christopher Barbre of Steelernation.com noted that he is the team’s best route runner and has no trouble creating separation at the point of attack, which is critical for Rodgers, who will look to turn him into a hot read option when pressured. According to Yahoo Sports, Bernard’s 11 receptions on Sunday are the most for a Steelers rookie wide receiver in a single game in franchise history, surpassing JuJu Smith-Schuster’s nine receptions against the Cleveland Browns in Week 17 of 2017. Because of his high target share, he’s a priority pickup, especially in PPR leagues. Sunday’s game showed Bernard can be the Steelers’ WR2 behind DK Metcalf and is a must-add from the waiver wire. Bernard is only rostered in 36% of leagues, per Fantasy Pros.
Omar Cooper Jr., WR (NYJ)
Omar Cooper Jr. made a name for himself at Indiana as Fernando Mendoza’s WR1, leading to his being drafted 30th overall by the New York Jets in this past April’s draft. Cooper Jr. played in only 4 snaps to start the season before being placed on the IR with a high ankle sprain. After finally returning to the Jets offense, he put together a showcase performance against the New England Patriots. He caught 6 of his 7 targets for 103 yards and caught a 48-yard TD, showing that he can become a major part of the Jets passing attack.
This comes at a perfect time, as the Jets offense has suffered numerous injuries. Adonai Mitchell has been sidelined with a finger injury, which has put Cooper Jr. at the WR2 spot opposite Garrett Wilson. Even if Mitchell returns, if Cooper Jr. keeps producing at a high level, the Jets could find ways to get him more involved. According to Alex Cupps of Fantasylife.com, Cooper Jr. had 85% route participation, second only to Garrett Wilson. Brad Berreman of Yahoo Sports notes that the Jets’ upcoming schedule is pretty favorable in terms of high-volume or soft pass defenses. That includes the Miami Dolphins, Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Los Angeles Chargers, which will not only benefit the Jets passing offense, but benefit Omar Cooper Jr.
Cooper Jr. should not be slept on as his potential is sky-high and is worth a fantasy waiver wire pickup. He’s only rostered in 14% of leagues, per Fantasy Pros.
Hunter Henry, TE (NE)
Hunter Henry has been in the league for 11 seasons and has consistently been a productive TE. Over the past couple of weeks, he’s become a hot waiver-wire target after scoring a touchdown in each of his last two games and building chemistry with New England Patriots QB Drake Maye. He’s found the end zone in back-to-back games, which included a 4-catch, 48-yard touchdown performance against the New York Jets in Week 6. What’s interesting is that he leads the Patriots in red-zone targets, making him a valuable option in a volatile tight-end landscape. Week 7 has a ton of teams on a bye, making Henry a great waiver wire pickup considering his recent target share and goal-line involvement.
The Bears face a tough Week 7 matchup against the Chicago Bears, a defense that ranks among the NFL’s best at limiting fantasy production to tight ends. Thomas Carelli of Sports Illustrated explains that his average of 3.7 targets, 3.2 receptions, and 38 yards per game is low volume, making him touchdown-independent. But, giving the success that Henry has had lately, he’s worth a waiver wire pickup if you need a bye filler or looking to stash on the bench.
Henery is only rostered in 54% of leagues, per Fantasy Pros.
