The injury bug has been biting hard lately and owners are scrambling for fantasy fill-ins. The waiver wire articles are a good place to look, but sometimes you have to go deeper. For leagues with a very thin waiver wire and/or very savvy managers here are the sleeper picks for week 7.
Quarterback
Landry Jones PIT 1.8% owned
When he came off the bench for Roethlisberger last season, Landry Jones did not set the world on fire. There are some experts that will also say that Jones means death to the value of Antonio Brown, but I disagree. The one game where Jones had a full week of practice and game planning last year, Brown was able to go over 100 yards. On the whole, Jones was mediocre at best, but he still has a couple of elite playmakers to work with. Despite the Patriots being masters of matchups, Jones is the most tempting option when it comes to players that are likely to be available in every league.
Running Back
Mike Gillislee BUF 5.1% owned
This may not be a sleeper pick for anyone that has been paying attention to the injury report, but the ownership is still low. Gillislee has shown nice ability to fill in for McCoy in the past. He has even put up good numbers in games that McCoy started. For example, last week Gillislee put up 61 rush yards and a touchdown on six carries. Facing a relatively weak Dolphins defense, Gillislee is a top 10-15 back this week. The upside may be toned down if McCoy suits up on Sunday, but either way there is no way that Shady handles a full workload.
Check out the waiver wire picks for the week.
Mike Davis SF 2.4% owned
The 49ers are going to be without starting running back Carlos Hyde this week. The matchup leaves something to be desired as Tampa Bay has shown the ability to stop opposing running backs. There should be a decent amount of volume though and that has some value. Davis is probably going to be ceding some carries to Shaun Draughn and maybe DuJuan Harris, but Davis should see the most work. In an emergency situation, owners that lost a running back or two to injury should be able to eke out some points with Davis.
Wide Receiver
Andrew Hawkins CLE 0.3% owned
In week 7 the Browns could be woefully shorthanded at wide receiver. They are already without Corey Coleman and there is a chance that Terrelle Pryor will not suit up either. Even if Pryor plays, he is not likely to be his normal dynamic self. With both starting wideouts missing or hobbled, Hawkins should finally be able to garner a decent number of targets. In PPR leagues, Hawkins could be a serious player in week 7. Standard league players will probably find him useful but not quite AS useful.
Chester Rogers IND 0.2% owned
This pick is derived from a similar situation to the one described above. The Colts are incredibly depleted on offense and Rogers is going to have a big opportunity. There will be no Dwayne Allen, Donte Moncrief or Phillip Dorsett in week 7 and Rogers should be operating as the number 2 receiver. This will likely end up meaning that the Colts are going to get thrashed, but Luck should be throwing a lot. Even if Rogers does all of his damage with the game out of reach, the points still count for fantasy owners.
Tight End
Vernon Davis WAS 26.8% owned
Concussions are once again keeping Jordan Reed on the sideline and that means that Vernon Davis will be starting. The veteran tight end does not possess the freakish athleticism that he once did, but he is still a serious receiving threat. The Redskins face a beatable Detroit defense in week 7 and that should mean decent numbers for Davis. Once Reed returns to the field Davis is almost worthless to fantasy owners, but he is startable this week.
