Fantasy Football Early Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups
It's never too early to look toward your next matchup and a chance to bolster your fantasy football lineups. Here are some options to consider claiming on waivers ahead of Week 7, which is when six teams will be on bye.
Jordan Mason (4% rostered) / Elijah Mitchell (28%), RBs, San Francisco 49ers
Christian McCaffrey was enjoying yet another dominant day in Week 6, scoring a touchdown for the 15th straight game. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, CMC would then suffer an oblique injury. He returned to the game, inspiring hope, only to leave for good after a trip to the locker room.
Incumbent backup RB Elijah Mitchell had been activated prior to the game after dealing with a knee injury, but he just had two rush attempts for minus-3 yards in the contest. Instead, Jordan Mason carried the load after McCaffrey departed, carrying the ball five times for 27 yards and scoring a touchdown.
While it has looked like Mason has owned the backup role the past two weeks, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is no stranger to having multiple backs work in his offenses. With CMC (and dual-threat Deebo Samuel) nursing an injury, expect both Mason and Mitchell to get work if the star running back has to miss time. Mason appears to be the waiver priority, but Mitchell is also add-worthy for Week 7, depending on McCaffrey's status.
Sam Howell, QB, Washington Commanders (38% rostered)
Howell only scored 18.34 fantasy points in the Commanders' 24-16 victory over the Falcons, but Atlanta's offense just completely stalled out in the fourth quarter which allowed the Commanders to burn clock and play it safe on their ensuing drives. Nonetheless, Howell threw three touchdowns in the game, his highest total of the season.
Howell has some plus matchups coming up, at the New York Giants and vs. the Philadelphia Eagles' injury-riddled pass defense — the same Eagles he almost beat in Week 4. Howell's last three games have been better than some consensus top-10-ranked fantasy QBs. He's fully on the streaming radar — and maybe even more.
Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs (45% rostered)
Travis Kelce is the unquestioned No. 1 target for the Kansas City Chiefs. There's never been an argument there. But fantasy managers have been yearning for one of the seemingly endless (and nameless) wide receivers to step up and become a factor ever since Tyreek Hill was traded.
Perhaps rookie receiver Rashee Rice will be that long-awaited wideout.
Rice has eight catches in his last two games, and while that might not sound like a lot, it is for a Chiefs wide receiver these days. And ahead of arguably the best matchup for wide receivers (the Chargers defense), Rice should be added in more leagues.