Waiver Wire Watch: Week 7

Oct 13, 2014

Editor’s Note: We’re happy that 4for4 Contributor Pat Fitzmaurice (formerly of Pro Football Weekly) is back on the Waiver Wire Watch this year. He will continue to work in conjunction with Senior Editor John Paulsen to compile this list of the top pickups each week.

Here is a look at the top waiver wire pickups for Week 7. To be eligible for discussion, the player must be owned in 50% or fewer Yahoo leagues, though we’ll stretch the rules a bit for the RB position, which is usually very thin. We’ll also include suggested bid prices (with a $100 budget) for those leagues that use Free Agent Acquisition Budgets. Of course, player value depends on league characteristics and team needs. Players are listed by position in order of importance. For extremely shallow or extremely deep leagues, be sure to review our Rest-of-Season Rankings (updated every Tuesday) to get an idea of how to value players not on this list.

* Players with an asterisk next to their name were mentioned in last week’s Waiver Wire Watch.

Cardinals QB Carson Palmer ($8)

With a great many fantasy owners spooked by the nerve issues in Palmer’s throwing arm, the veteran QB’s ownership rate fell to 30% in Yahoo leagues last week. But Palmer returned to action in Week 6 and played reasonably well in Arizona’s 30-20 win over Washington, completing 28-of-44 passes for 250 yards and two TDs. Palmer also helped jump-start Larry Fitzgerald, who put up a 6-98-1 line in Palmer’s return. Palmer and the Cardinals have entered a soft stretch of schedule that delivers a tasty matchup against the Raiders this week and another against the Eagles in Week 8. With Palmer’s health problems apparently behind him, this is a good place for QB-needy owners to make a significant waiver-wire investment this week.

Next up: Raiders, Eagles, Cowboys

Ravens QB Joe Flacco* ($8)

After a 235-yard, zero-TD dud of a game in Week 5, Flacco went berserk in Week 6, throwing for 306 yards and five TDs – numbers that could have been even better if Joe’s victims, the Buccaneers, had been able to make a game of it and had forced Flacco to attempt more than 29 passes. Flacco now draws a succulent matchup with the Falcons. If you need a QB this week, Palmer and Flacco should be your primary targets.

Next up: Falcons, Bengals, Steelers

Chiefs QB Alex Smith* ($4)

Smith has thrown seven TD passes in his last three starts, but he’s been a low-volume passer over that span, averaging 27 attempts and 197.3 passing yards per game due to game scripts that didn’t require him to air it out (easy wins over the Dolphins and Patriots, and a ball-control battle vs. the 49ers). Coming off a Week 6 bye, Smith and the Chiefs could find themselves in a shootout against Philip Rivers and the Chargers. In his lone start against San Diego last season, Smith put it up 38 times and threw for 294 yards and three TDs. After the Chargers, attractive matchups against the Rams and Jets follow.

Next up: Chargers, Rams, Jets