Fantasy football: Tua Tagovailoa, D'Ernest Johnson among best Week 7 adds

MIAMI, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- Fantasy football team owners will be scrambling to replace star players, as a season-high six NFL teams serve Week 7 byes. Tua Tagovailoa and D'Ernest Johnson are among my favorite players to target on the waiver wire.

Players from the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Chargers should be removed from your starting lineup as their teams are off in Week 7.

Keep an eye on your opponent's roster for your matchup. You could snag a player that they might need, giving yourself an advantage.

The Week 7 waiver wire pool is not as deep as it was in Week 6, but still features several useful streaming plays. Some players and defenses from teams who served Week 6 byes also should be available in your league.

Waiver wire additions should be players either who can contribute to your roster immediately or players you can put on your bench in hopes they will provide value down the road.

I have added some of my favorite players to target on this week's waiver wire and separated them by priority and position. The players I have listed ahead of Wednesday's waiver period have low ownership percentages in standard-size leagues.

Here are my top players to add to top players to drop for Week 7:

ALL-ADD TEAM

HONORABLE MENTIONS

TOP DROPS

QUARTERBACK

Tua Tagovailoa returned from a three-game injury hiatus last week and threw for 329 yards and two scores in the Miami Dolphins' Week 6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

He makes a great quarterback streaming option in Week 7, especially if you roster Josh Allen, Dak Prescott or Justin Herbert.

The Dolphins host the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Falcons are better at defending the pass this season than in 2020, but I expect the Dolphins to throw a lot in this matchup.

Look for at least 300 yards and two scores from Tagovailoa for the second consecutive week.

RUNNING BACK

I don't see a lot of breakout running back talent on this week's waiver wire, but injuries clear a path for opportunity for several players. Cleveland Browns running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are both injured and expected to miss Week 7.

The Browns will likely turn to backups D'Ernest Johnson and Demetric Felton when they face the Denver Broncos on Thursday in Cleveland.

The Broncos allowed touchdowns to running backs in each of their last three games. I expect Johnson to get early-down work on Thursday, with Felton playing a third-down role.

Johnson should get a few chances to score and be on your RB2/flex streaming radar if you are in a league with at least 14 teams and need a fill-in starter.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski did not rule Chubb out yet this week, so continue to monitor his status before putting Johnson in your lineup.

Michael Carter of the New York Jets and Devonta Freeman of the Baltimore Ravens are among the other running backs who should be on your radar for Week 7, but are risky starts.

WIDE RECEIVER

Donovan Peoples-Jones, Rashod Bateman and T.Y. Hilton are among my top wide receiver additions for Week 7. People-Jones went off for four catches for 101 yards and two scores in the Cleveland Browns Week 6 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

He will be on my WR3 streaming radar this week as the Browns host the Denver Broncos. The Browns also are dealing with injuries at quarterback and wide receiver, in addition to the running back slot. Peoples-Jones is good to go in Week 7 and is a useful bye week replacement.

Bateman caught four passes for 29 yards in his NFL debut in the Baltimore Ravens' Week 6 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. He should continue to see more looks in the Ravens offense as he builds a rapport with quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Bateman is a risky bye week replacement, but could provide value later in the season as a WR3 streamer in good matchups. Add him to your roster if you need depth at wide receiver.

Hilton is another player who should be added to your roster if you are desperate at wide receiver. The Indianapolis Colts veteran pulled in four catches for 80 yards in his season debut in Week 6.

Hilton will be a boom-or-bust WR3 play for me this week against the San Francisco 49ers.

TIGHT END

Mo-Alie Cox of the Indianapolis Colts and Juwan Johnson of the New Orleans Saints are among my top tight end targets for Week 7.

Alie-Cox scored for the third time in three games in the Colts' Week 6 win over the Houston Texans. He saw at least three targets in each of those games. I expect Alie-Cox to score again in Week 7, when the Colts face the San Francisco 49ers.

Johnson might be a free agent in your league due to the Saints' Week 6 bye. Add him to your roster if you are in a league with at least 14 teams that requires starting a tight end.

Johnson did not make a catch in Week 5, but scored twice in the Saints' first four games this season. He is a touchdown-or-bust play in Week 7, when the Saints face the Seattle Seahawks.

The Seahawks allowed either 40 yards or a touchdown to a tight end in five of their first six games this season.