Fantasy Football: Early waiver wire pickups for Week 7
It's never too early to look toward your next matchup and a chance to bolster your fantasy football lineups. Here are three options to consider on the waiver wire ahead of Week 7.
Marcus Mariota, QB, Atlanta Falcons (14 percent rostered)
The Atlanta Falcons put together a pretty big upset against the San Francisco 49ers, and it's hard to ignore that Marcus Mariota was the engine behind that win. Mariota totaled three total touchdowns — two passing (one to Kyle Pitts!!!) and one rushing — en route to the victory. Showing off his dual-threat ability to continue fueling drives, Mariota also rushed for 50 yards on just six carries.
Now, we know that Mariota's floor is a bit unstable — he's just as likely to score 5 fantasy points as he did last week as he is to score 25 — but we also know that his rushing ability provides a path to points that not many signal-callers can provide. He has some plus matchups on the horizon, so if you need some upside at the quarterback position during the bye weeks, Mariota is available in most leagues.
Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, New York Giants (8% rostered)
Robinson entered his rookie season with a bit of hype, but injury kept him off the field in the early goings of the season. He finally returned in Week 6 after suffering a Week 1 knee injury and made the most of his work against the Ravens, turning four targets into three catches for 37 yards and a touchdown. He was tied for second on the team in targets behind tight end Daniel Bellinger.
The Giants passing game is still a work in progress and the offense is fueled by the legs of Saquon Barkley, but we cannot ignore that Robinson represents one of the only sources of youthful talent left in the receiver corps. In fact, few WR corps in the NFL are as depleted as New York's, so Robinson has a chance to produce on volume alone.
Kenyan Drake, RB, Baltimore Ravens (4%)
No one really wants to suggest Kenyan Drake as a pickup in the year 2022, but we also can't ignore a running back receiving valuable touches on one of the better running offenses in the NFL. Such is the case of Drake, who took over for J.K. Dobbins after the talented young runner's knee tightened up, which limited him to just seven touches. And we definitely can't ignore Drake after his performance in Week 6.
Drake rushed the ball 10 times for a whopping 119 yards and a touchdown, with another 8 yards through the air.
If Dobbins is limited in any way by his knee or is forced to miss time, it would seem Drake is the next man up for Baltimore.
