Fantasy Football: Week 7 Watch List Candidates

Scouring the waiver wire can be a daunting and time-consuming task due to the sheer amount of talent that is usually available in a league each and every week. The purpose of this article is to identify players who should be put on watch lists so that fantasy owners can be proactive and aware of potential free agent gems over the course of the 2018 regular season. Keep in mind that the names listed below are owned in a small percentage of leagues, but nonetheless offer statistical upside and therefore warrant our attention. Week 6 consisted of names like Josh Reynolds and Josh Adams. Now, let’s look ahead to Week 7 and players to watch for.

WR Tre’Quan Smith, Saints (16% Owned)

Outside of his Week 5 outburst with 3 receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns, Tre’Quan Smith has endured a rather quiet rookie campaign. He has only been targeted on 7 occasions over the Saints first five games, which makes him a difficult player to rely on for consistent production in fantasy. The third-round draft pick figures to become more involved on offense after Tedd Ginn was placed on IR, and will be a popular waiver wire add this week. Place Smith on watch lists or benches until New Orleans demonstrates that he will be used regularly alongside Michael Thomas and Cameron Meredith in 2018.

WR Jermaine Kearse, Jets (10% Owned)

After he was targeted 10 times this past week, Jermaine Kearse is firmly on the fantasy radar. An effort of 9 catches for 94 yards proved that Jermaine will be able to occupy the slot for as long as Quincy Enunwa is sidelined with an ankle injury. Kearse posted a 65-810-5 receiving line on 102 targets with the Jets in 2017, so his output in Week 6 was no fluke. Deploy him as a WR3 with upside until further notice, and monitor his stats to see if he deserves to be included in weekly lineups on a routine basis.

RB Raheem Mostert, 49ers (10% Owned)

Seemingly out of nowhere, Raheem Mostert catapulted ahead of Alfred Morris on San Francisco’s depth chart against the Green Bay Packers, as he turned 12 carries into 87 yards. Kyle Shanahan will not commit to Mostert or Morris complementing Matt Breida moving forward, making the 49ers backfield a situation to avoid if at all possible. Prior to his Week 6 breakout, Mostert had 7 rushing attempts in his four-year NFL career. At this point, he is merely a watch list candidate.

RB Jalen Richard, Raiders (17% Owned)

On top of being one of the worst teams in all of football, the Oakland Raiders recently lost Marshawn Lynch for at least a month with a groin injury. Reports indicate that he could also be a candidate for IR, which would essentially end his season. In his absence, Doug Martin and Jalen Richard are expected to emerge in some capacity. Richard is the preferable add, as his role on passing downs provides fantasy owners with a safer floor of output. Jalen only has 11 carries so far this season but has excelled as a receiver with 31 catches across six weeks of action. The Raiders are on bye in Week 7, so the 25-year-old is worth adding to watch lists in hopes that his role expands for the second half of the 2018 campaign.

QB Brock Osweiler, Dolphins (3% Owned)

It’s hard to imagine Brock Osweiler being relevant in fantasy football, but he actually has value in deep formats entering Week 7 of the 2018 regular season. In fact, Brock is coming off of a 380-yard passing performance with three touchdowns against a stout Chicago Bears defense. With word being released that Ryan Tannehill could be forced to miss Week 8 or beyond, Osweiler suddenly finds himself on the streaming radar. The quarterback’s track record makes him nearly impossible to trust, but Brock appears ready to rock under center on the Dolphins for the foreseeable future.