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Chip Bayless FEATURED Football Latest 

Top Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 7

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By Chip Bayless (click Howie for more Chip)

 

 

 

1) Kayshon Boutte

Waiver wire pickings are pretty slim this week as no teams had any major running back injuries and most of the more consistent names are already on rosters in most leagues.

Although, if you are in need of a receiver or have a roster spot available, Boutte likely has the highest ceiling of any player available.

His size combined with his explosiveness (24th among WRs in yards per touch) is incredible, and he has a real chance to develop into the Patriots WR1 despite Diggs currently clearly possessing that title.

While Boutte’s route-running is improving but unpolished, his ability to battle for 50/50 balls, his deep speed, and his elite strength advantage over defensive backs are undeniable skillsets that help him immensely.

Furthermore, his advanced analytics are off the charts for someone who’s available in 93% of leagues.

Among 2025 WRs, Boutte currently ranks:

Additionally, Boutte also ranks tied for 13th in catches for 20+ yards, as incredibly a third of his catches so far (6/18) have gone for at least 20 yards.

At the very least, even if Boutte ends the season as only the Patriots’ WR2 or WR3, he will still have significant fantasy value due to Drake Maye ranking among the top-five quarterbacks in passing yards and most other volume-based passing stats that translate into valuable fantasy WR play.

Maye has also proved he can hit any throw in the playbook, and his arm talent and ability to keep the play alive with mind-bending scrambles raises the fantasy floor of the entire New England receiving core.

His volume might be trending up too, as while he has just 23 targets he has accounted for 27% of all of the Patriots’ intended air yards in 2025, per Next Gen Stats.

In Week 7, Boutte projects a risky WR3/flex with high-end WR2 upside due to the Patriots’ high-volume passing attack with plenty of downfield passes.

 

 

2) AJ Barner

Much like the top name on this week’s list, Barner benefits from the fact that he plays in an offense that ranks top five in passing yards and touchdowns, so he should have at least TE2 value as long as he retains the TE1 role in Seattle while Sam Darnold is healthy.

However, Barner makes the list because this season he’s been playing like a TE1, especially given the rampant inconsistencies and injuries the position has to offer.

Through the first six weeks of the season, Barner’s TE rankings are:

Some of his advanced analytics are absolutely outrageous too as he leads the league, not just tight ends, in receiving success rate (per Pro Football Reference).

Barner currently ranks sixth among TEs in passer rating when targeted and 20th among all positions with an astounding average passer rating of 129.3 on passes that sail his way.

Moreover, Barner’s vision and strength make him one of the better after the catch TEs in the league. According to Next Gen Stats, today Barner ranks third in terms of 2025 TEs in average YAC above expectation.

The Seahawks pass-catcher has put up at least 10 fantasy points for three straight weeks, making him a virtual god when it comes to fantasy TEs.

Over that span, Barner has gone for 150 receiving yards, three touchdowns, and has caught all of his 13 targets.

Barner has strong, natural hands and is adept at using his hulking frame to box out defenders and run through tacklers for extra yardage.

Those skills make him a legitimate red zone weapon, and Seattle has been utilizing him as such as thus far 29% of all of the Seahawks’ targets in the red zone have gone to Barner.

That red zone target share ranks sixth among TEs thus far, so even if you feel he’s TD dependent he should have more opportunities for scores than the average waiver-wire TE considering the offense he plays in and the quarterback he shares the field with.

At the moment, Barner profiles as a high-end TE2 with TE1 upside, and if he puts together a fourth straight double digit fantasy week in his seventh game then he will be an undisputed fantasy TE1 going forward, barring any significant personell changes (such as a Darnold injury or a trade for a WR or TE etc.).

 

 

3) Aaron Rodgers

Considering the likes of Sam Darnold and even Jaxon Dart are likely already owned in your league, Rodgers is probably the most proven and consistent option with the safest floor that you can find available on waivers at this point in the season.

Rodgers looks like he’s back to his old self, and he has a true dominant number one receiver on the outside in DK Metcalf to feed the rock too.

While his stats haven’t been eye-popping, they’ve been consistent as the aging ayahuasca addict has scored double-digit fantasy game in every single one of his games so far this season.

Currently, Rodgers ranks:

Whether its been Warren or Gainwell, the Steelers running game has looked stellar this season too which helps balance the entire offense and opens things up for an Aaron Rodgers that has looked more comfortable in a Steelers uniform every week.

As evidenced by Rodgers averaging the second quickest time to throw in the NFL, he feels comfortable in this Steelers offense and is clearly making quick, productive decisions almost always.

Despite his arguably elite play, the Steelers strategy is a relatively low octane one when it comes to passing and their offense in general, so while Rodgers has a phenomenal floor he also has an underwhelming ceiling.

In Week 7, Rodgers should be considered a solid QB2 with a trustworthy floor, with mid QB1 upside as long as DK Metcalf is healthy.

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