We have six teams on bye in Week 7 and various new injuries to panic about, so you are definitely gonna need to work the wire in the days ahead. Nobody ever promised that your path to a fantasy title would be painless, but we're here to help. Each week, we identify a collection of widely available fantasy options approved for immediate use. Let's get to work ...

Running backs

Jordan Mason and Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers (7% and 28% rostered)

Jordan Mason

RB - SF - #24

2023 - 2024 season

206

Yds

12.1

Y/G

5.2

YPC

3

TD

26

Long

Christian McCaffrey exited with an oblique/rib injury in the second half against Cleveland, which left Mason as the lead runner for one of the NFL's elite teams. He was excellent in relief, carrying five times for 27 yards and a late go-ahead score. Mason is clearly a player to prioritize ahead of Monday night's matchup with the Vikings in Week 7. He's a bruising runner who lacks CMC's sizzle and receiving talent, but he's been extremely efficient on limited touches this season (5.6 YPC).

When Mason gets moving, he's definitely not an easy man to arm-tackle:

Mitchell entered the season as the understudy to McCaffrey, but he carried only two times for -3 yards on Sunday in his first game back from a knee issue. Mason out-snapped Mitchell, 15 to 7, and he was the guy on the field during the potential game-winning drive. Sunday's usage suggests Mason could be the lead back in CMC's absence, although Kyle Shanahan may just have other ideas, because Mitchell has been an effective runner when healthy.

Realistically, we should expect a job-share arrangement for the Niners when and if McCaffrey is unavailable, because his weekly contributions are beyond the abilities of any single teammate. It doesn't sound as if CMC's injury is going to be a long-term issue, so let's not break the bank on the backups.

Recommended FAB, assuming $100 budget: $18 and $16

Kareem Hunt, Cleveland Browns (37%)

Kareem Hunt

RB - KC - #29

Week 6 v. SF

47

Yds

1

TD

3.9

YPC

16

Long

Hunt saw a greater-than-expected workload in Sunday's home win against the Niners, carrying a dozen times for 47 yards and one score, adding three catches for another 24 yards. Jerome Ford got plenty of run as well (19 touches), so no worries there. The Browns clearly intend to lean heavily on their backs for however long Deshaun Watson is sidelined (which seems like a solid plan, because P.J. Walker was a rough watch). Ford and Hunt each have plenty of appeal at Indianapolis in Week 7.

FAB: $12

Zach Evans, Los Angeles Rams (3%)

Evans, a sixth-round rookie from Ole Miss, could get interesting this week while Rams featured runner Kyren Williams is dealing with a mild ankle sprain. The Rams are hosting Pittsburgh (and presumably thousands of Steelers fans) in Week 7, which means a visit from a defense that's allowed 4.8 YPC and 143.8 rushing YPG. Ronnie Rivers is expected to miss multiple weeks with a PCL strain, leaving Evans as the next man up. He was highly efficient at the collegiate level (career 6.9 YPC) and there are definitely some Evans zealots within the fantasy expert community. At the moment, however, he's probably not much more than a single-use rent-a-back in fantasy. He's pretty clearly going to remain behind Williams in LA's backfield hierarchy, so let's not get recklessly aggressive.

The Rams also just brought Darrell Henderson back into the building, and might not be done adding to the backfield, further complicating matters in the short term.

FAB: $12

Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens (42%)

Hill may not be the lead back for Baltimore, but he's plenty fun when he gets the ball in space. He's seen 11 touches in each of the past two weeks, resulting in a few thoroughly juked would-be tacklers:

Hil was out-snapped and out-touched by Gus Edwards in the London win, although both backs saw flex-worthy workloads. The Ravens might very well enhance their backfield ahead of the trade deadline, which could put Hill's playing time at risk. At the moment, however, he's a playable option entering a messy bye week.

FAB: $6

Additional RBs on the wire

• Craig Reynolds delivered the block of the year Sunday afternoon and his rushing services are probably going to be needed at Baltimore in Week 7. David Montgomery is dealing with a rib injury that led to an early exit against the Bucs and Jahmyr Gibbs has missed back-to-back games with hamstring issues.

• Latavius Murray split snaps evenly with James Cook on Sunday night (each played 30) and he saw only two fewer carries. The vet is a full member of Buffalo's backfield committee, and trusted near the goal-line.

• Ezekiel Elliott reached the end zone for his first time as a member of the Patriots on Sunday, continuing to see a healthy workload alongside Rhamondre Stevenson (who also spiked against the Raiders). The team context in New England is, um ... well, it's not great. No need to get too aggressive about investing in this offense. That's why Zeke is buried down here in the bullets.

• Tyjae Spears is headed into his bye, so he can't help you in Week 7, but he produced another promising stat line Sunday in London. Spears gained 63 yards on five touches, most of it on a late reception on which he made pretty much every Ravens defensive player whiff.

• Devin Singletary was curiously busy on Sunday, gaining 62 yards on 13 touches. His team is headed into its bye, however, and Dameon Pierce is still around, so let's not spend foolishly.

• Keaontay Ingram rushed for 40 yards on 10 carries in Sunday's loss to the Rams, but he finished with only two more carries and four more yards than Damien Williams, who is apparently still an active NFL player. Emari Demercado, last week's preferred Arizona add, actually led this nightmarish backfield in snaps and routes-run, but all that playing time amounted to very little in the box score. This is a stay-away situation unless you're truly desperate.

Wide receivers and tight ends

Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs (45%)

This will serve as last call on Rice, a day-two rookie from SMU who's currently second on the Chiefs in total targets this season (28), behind only Travis Kelce. Rice caught all four of his chances against the Broncos on Thursday night, finishing with 72 yards and showcasing his after-the-catch ability:

He played 49% of the offensive snaps in the Week 6 win, the third time in the past four games that he's topped 40%. Rice and Kelce entered the week tied for the team lead in red-zone targets (eight), too.

Basically, everything is trending in the right direction for the rookie, his usage is extremely promising and he's tied to the game's best quarterback. He really shouldn't be available on the wire in any league with 12 or more teams. Rice has been used primarily from the slot in KC, an unexpected development for a player with his athletic profile (6-foot-2, 41-inch vertical). A breakout game is coming soon. He'll see favorable matchups in each of the next three weeks ahead of KC's bye (LAC, at Den, Mia).

FAB: $11

Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts (33%)

We are pleading with you once again to take an interest in Downs, one of the more talented receivers in the 2023 rookie class. He's caught 11 balls for 118 yards and one score on 14 targets over the past two weeks and he's been a near every-snap player since the opener, operating primarily from the slot. Downs made his first NFL house call on Sunday, uncovering quickly on this two-yard score:

He's been a featured member of Indy's receiving corps all season, ranking second on the team in targets through six weeks (41). The Colts are a month away from their bye, so Downs will be plenty useful during a messy stretch on the fantasy calendar.

FAB: $10

Marvin Mims Jr., Denver Broncos (25%)

Mims just played a season-low 12 snaps on Thursday night, failing to draw a target or gain a yard. Under normal circumstances, we wouldn't recommend a player coming off a do-nothing week. But Denver has reportedly been shopping Jerry Jeudy via trade, and, if the team manages to find a taker, Mims is a lock to see additional opportunities. The rookie has been a big-play machine in limited usage so far this season:

Mims has caught 10 of his 12 targets so far this year, which is no small feat for a player with an average depth of target of 20.5. He gained 19.5 yards per reception over his three collegiate seasons at Oklahoma and he's averaging 24.6 per catch as a pro, so his field-flipping ability is fully confirmed. Add him now, ahead of the rush that would ensue following a potential Jeudy deal.

FAB: $7

Other priority WRs and TEs

• Curtis Samuel has hauled in 17 of 19 targets over Washington's past three games, crossing the goal-line three times. He's basically getting all the numbers we'd expected from Jahan Dotson.

• Jameson Williams' fifth career catch in the NFL was also his second TD of 40-plus yards. He's not going to be a volume receiver any time soon, but the big plays will keep him relevant for our purposes.

• Rashid Shaheed is kinda like Williams, but with a bit more volume and not as many truthers competing for his services. He has a series of appealing matchups over the next month, too.

• Wan'Dale Robinson entered Week 6 with an ADOT of 3.0, so it's not as if his opportunities are unusually exciting. But he's been peppered when targets (by Giants standards) and certainly deserves PPR attention.

• It's our duty to tell you that Kendrick Bourne caught 10 balls on 11 targets on Sunday and he's maybe the closest thing the Patriots have to a No. 1 WR. But you'd really have to be down bad to get involved with New England's passing game. Not officially recommended.

• Michael Mayer delivered an unexpected and impressive 5-75 performance against New England on Sunday, which is all it takes to become a buzzy add at his underperforming position.

• The fantasy community was celebrating Kyle Pitts' return to the end zone on Sunday, but he was nearly outscored by teammate Jonnu Smith (4-36-1), a player who's seen at least five targets in five straight games.

Quarterbacks

Sam Howell, Washington Commanders (39%)

Sam Howell

QB - SEA - #6

2023 - 2024 season

3,946

Yds

232.1

Y/G

63.4

Comp Pct

21

TD

78.9

QBRat

As we mention pretty much every week in this space, Howell generally finds a path to fantasy value. He threw three touchdown passes at Atlanta on Sunday, just one week after passing for 388 yards and two scores against Chicago. Howell certainly has his issues — he's on pace to take more sacks than any QB in a single season — but he has a fantasy-friendly profile and he's working with an excellent receiving corps. His upcoming matchup with the Giants definitely shouldn't scare you away.

FAB: $5

Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals (23%)

It's about that time — not time for Murray to return to the field, necessarily, but for fantasy managers to stash him ahead of an eventual comeback. It seems highly unlikely that any other QB currently available on the wire in your league offers a ceiling quite like his. He's only 10 months removed from the ACL injury that ended his 2022 season, so it's not reasonable to think that if he returned at this moment we'd get a fully operational dual-threat version of Murray. If you're adding him now — or if you drafted him and placed him in an IR spot weeks ago — the hope should be that he might emerge as a difference-maker in December, when we reach the can't-lose weeks. Let's not think of Murray as a guy who's going to help us in the short term.

If your fantasy squad is sitting at, say, 2-4, desperately needing a win in Week 7, then this is probably not the pickup for you. December's lineup should not be your priority right now. Murray is more of a luxury stash for teams near the top of the standings.

FAB: $5

Additional approved QBs

• Derek Carr is coming off a (not entirely impressive) 353-yard performance and his upcoming schedule is a gift: Jac, at Ind, Chi, at Min. He might just be able to get you through some future bye, given the matchups.

• Gardner Minshew may just be the rest-of-season quarterback for the Colts, with Anthony Richardson reportedly considering shoulder surgery that would sideline him until 2024. Minshew has a brutal matchup in the week ahead (Cle), but his receiving corps is solid and there are friendlier spots upcoming.

Team defense

Cleveland Browns, D/ST (30%)

Myles Garrett

DE - CLE - #95

2023 - 2024 season

33

Solo

14

Sack

0

Int

4

FF

Myles Garrett and friends are traveling to Indy for a matchup that isn't quite as daunting as the one they just successfully navigated against the Niners. Let's remember that Cleveland entered Week 6 as the NFL's top defense in terms of total yards allowed and No. 3 in scoring. This group is giving up just 121.4 yards per game through the air and 79.0 YPG on the ground. The Browns are obviously something much better than a mere streaming option.

FAB: $3