NFL Waiver Wire: Week 7 Pickups

This column is geared toward "standard" 12-team leagues and based upon a $100 free-agent budget. Please, please adjust for your league based on both the number of teams (I'm in a 24-team league, for example) and budget. This column will run every Tuesday to, hopefully, accommodate the various waiver schedules. I'll update it in the comments section during the week; please keep in mind a lot can change from Tuesday to Sunday.

Players discussed last week: Kevin Hogan (barf), Aaron Jones, Wayne Gallman, Orleans Darkwa, Elijah McGuire, Jalen Richard, Roger Lewis and Ricardo Louis.

QUARTERBACK

Secondary Targets

Brett Hundley, GB – Hundley should start the rest of the season after Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone (the most commonly broken bone in the body) and should miss most, if not all, of the season. Hundley is interesting in that he's been the backup for a while and has rushing ability in his skill set (though he only rushed once for three yards Sunday). The group of receivers at his disposal are above league average, and the defense likely won't put the team in a lot of blowouts. FAAB: $4-$8 – go 5x-8x in two-quarterback leagues

C.J. Beathard, SF – It appears the 49ers are ready to turn the page on the Brian Hoyer era and given the 22-year-old rookie from Iowa a shot to start the rest of the season. Beathard moved the offense much better than Hoyer Sunday, finishing with a decent 6.8 YPA, and is mobile – he rushed for eight touchdowns in his final two collegiate seasons. San Francisco likely will be playing from behind a lot this season, meaning Beathard should be throwing plenty in the second half of most of games. FAAB: $3-$6 – go 5x-8x in two-quarterback leagues

Hail Mary

Ryan Fitzpatrick, TB – Be honest, did you actually know Fitzpatrick was on the Buccaneers roster before Sunday? He came in relief of Jameis Winston and did his usual backup routine, playing from behind against a prevent defense that was without Patrick Peterson. He has a ton of weapons – he hit DeSean Jackson, Cameron Brate and Mike Evans for touchdowns. In a cryptic tweet, Winston said he'll "be back soon," so this doesn't sound like a significant injury, hence why FitzMagic is this low. FAAB: $1-$2 – go 3x-6x in two-quarterback leagues

RUNNING BACK

Secondary Targets

Samaje Perine, WAS – Perine's role likely will be greatly reduced when Rob Kelley returns from an ankle injury, but it is unknown when that will be. Until then, Perine gets a big boost in fantasy production. He was called upon to handle 12 touches for 49 yards and a score against San Francisco on Sunday. Chris Thompson was heavily utilized (20 touches), but Perine will still get double-digit touches in this offense and likely get the goal-line work as well. Just realize the backfield situation will get murkier once Kelley returns. FAAB: $4-$8

Matt Forte, NYJ – The Jets are going to lean on Forte with Bilal Powell sidelined, and the veteran accounted for 17 touches and 81 yards against the Patriots over the weekend. He hauled in all eight of his targets and forced Elijah McGuire into a backup role with only 10 carries for 22 yards. There's no timetable for Powell's return, though it's worth noting that calf issues usually take a few weeks to heal. In the meantime, Forte will be the lead running back and handle the passing downs, making him a tad more valuable in any PPR format. FAAB: $4-$8

Alfred Morris, Darren McFadden, DAL – The Ezekiel Elliot drama isn't going away any time soon, and it appears there's a better possibility that another Dallas running back will get his chance to shine. The preferred pick is Morris, who is a couple of years younger, though both have similar mileage. Don't go too nuts with bidding this week as the Dallas offensive line isn't playing as well as last season; the Cowboys might end up letting Dak Prescott air it out, and there's still no certainty that Elliott serves his suspension this season. FAAB: Morris, $4-$8; McFadden, $3-$6

Hail Mary

Chris Ivory, Jax – The ankle injury to Leonard Fournette is not believed to be serious and therefore Ivory lands all the way to a "Hail Mary" this week. However, it likely would behoove the Jaguars to spell Fournette a bit more in the wake of this injury to keep him fresh for the rest of the season. Ivory is a capable NFL running back who is only two seasons removed from rushing for more than 1,000 yards. Watch reports this week for the the status of Fournette's ankle injury. FAAB: $2-$4

WIDE RECEIVER

Secondary Targets

Kenny Golladay, DET – The Lions have a bye this week, but that gives Golladay another week to heal after missing the last three games with a hamstring injury. If he plays Week 8, he likely will have a bigger role as Golden Tate is expected to miss multiple weeks with a shoulder injury. That would put Golladay into a starting role immediately. He showed upside Week 1 in his NFL debut, catching four of seven targets for 69 yards and two touchdowns. Matthew Stafford can still sling it and looked for Golladay as a deep threat in the Lions' first three games. FAAB: $3-$6

Hail Mary

Mike Williams, LAC – Williams finally made his debut Sunday but only caught the one ball thrown his way for 15 yards. There are a lot of mouths to feed in the Chargers' offense, and, including the tight ends, Williams might be the fifth receiving option. Still, he was a first-round pick for a reason and the Chargers must have thought he was a great value considering wide receiver wasn't a need. Just be wary of his consistency provided the receivers in front of him stay healthy. FAAB: $2-$4

Corey Davis, TEN – Davis didn't suit up Monday night but is expected back shortly, so now is the time to acquire him cheaply. Marcus Mariota back under center is a good sign, and Davis should provide the deep threat the team needs. Davis was the MAC offensive player of the year with more than 5,000 receiving yards at Western Michigan. Look for him to make an immediate impact if he returns the next few weeks. FAAB: $2-$4

TIGHT ERND

Primary Targets

George Kittle, SF – Kittle had 129 receiving yards and a touchdown in his last two games and likely will benefit from the 49ers' quarterback change as a nice safety blanket for C.J. Beathard. The two played together at Iowa, so there's a good rapport between them already. Kittle had 17 targets the last two weeks, which bodes well, and the 49ers' receiving tree is narrow. FAAB: $5-$10