Top streaming options in fantasy football for Week 7

When it comes to fantasy football in Week 7—aka the bye-pocalypse—every manager is a streamer. With so many fantasy assets on bye weeks, everyone is looking for plug-and-play options this week.

For those wondering what streaming is, this is a method used by fantasy football managers in which they are constantly playing different quarterbacks, tight ends and defenses each week depending on the matchup.

Streaming is not for the faint of heart. Some managers do it intentionally at the quarterback and tight end positions. Using this strategy typically leads to more depth at more important positions—like running back and wide receiver—during one’s fantasy draft. The downfall leads to less of a week-winning advantage at those positions.

Others use the streaming method out of necessity either due to injuries or poor play. It’s Week 7, we are all likely streaming in one way or the other.

In order to qualify as a streamer, a player cannot be rostered in more than 60% of ESPN leagues. For each position, I’ll give a “stream of the week” indicating the priority streamer along with an additional two options.

So after taking a look at the waiver wire targets in Week 7, we’re here to guide you on how to stream your way through the bye-pocalypse.

Stream of the Week: QB Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

AP Photo/Brynn Anderson

Rostered: 55.2%
Week 7: at Miami Dolphins

Coming off the bye week, Ryan seems to be heading in the right direction. He finds himself in a fantastic situation as a streamer in Week 7. Ryan started slow but has finished as the QB3 and QB12 in his last two games, respectively. Now, he gets a Dolphins defense that has allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to the quarterback position (23.8). That span includes allowing two QB1 (top-12) finishes. Ryan should be getting Calvin Ridley back while rookie Kyle Pitts continues to find his groove. If you have a quarterback on a bye and Ryan is available, he’s a fantastic play.

QB Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Rostered: 24.3%
Week 7: at Seattle Seahawks

There is always risk involved when it comes to throwing Winston into your starting lineup, but sometimes playing bold can pay off. Jameis has been his typical inconsistent self this season with two finishes of QB25 and one QB26 week sandwiched between a QB4 finish to start the season and a QB5 finish in Week 5 just before the bye. With a bye week to get issues corrected, Winston gets a Seahawks defense that has allowed 20.9 fantasy points per game to the quarterback position over the last four weeks. Jameis is always good for a dud, but he’s also capable of a week-winning performance.

QB Sam Darnold, Carolina Panthers

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Rostered: 43.5%
Week 7: at New York Giants

Darnold has struggled without Christian McCaffrey in the backfield, but he should turn things around this week. We’ve seen Darnold give us week-winning performances this year even in his QB1 finish in Week 4 without McCaffrey. Darnold has been bad lately, finishing as QB29 and QB15 in the last two weeks, respectively. But now he gets to visit a Giants defense that has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks over the last three weeks (25.9). The Giants defense is full of holes without much of a pass rush to speak of. Let’s just hope those ghosts don’t reemerge when Darnold returns to MetLife Stadium.

Stream of the Week: TE Ricky Seals-Jones, Washington Football Team

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Rostered: 36.4%
Week 7: at Green Bay Packers

It still remains to be seen whether Taylor Heinicke or Ryan Fitzpatrick will be the quarterback this week. Regardless, we’re rolling with Seals-Jones for another week. The production and peripheral numbers support another solid outing. He’s finished as TE18 and TE6 over the last two weeks, respectively, while seeing 14 targets in that stretch. The Packers are likely going to be leading this game in a big way, which means more passing volume for Washington. He’s dealing with a quad injury so be sure to monitor that throughout the week, but he’s a strong play with so many tight ends on a bye.

TE Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Rostered: 12.0%
Week 7: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I really feel he shouldn’t be on this list because his weekly finishes don’t instill much confidence. Kmet hasn’t finished better than TE20 in any single week, but his peripheral numbers suggest a breakout could be coming. Only once this season has Kmet seen a single-game target share below 18% and he’s been at 20% in each of the last two games. The Bucs defense is solid, but they are susceptible through the air—at least fantasy points wise. On the year, they are allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to the position and 14.4 fantasy points per game over the last three weeks. It’s risky and more of a deep-dive play, but the cupboard is bare at tight end.

TE Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Ron Schwane

Rostered: 61.2%
Week 7: at Houston Texans

Trusting a tight end to give a relevant performance just a week after he was traded is risky. But at this point of the season, we just might need to play Ertz. Now in Arizona following the Week 6 trade, Ertz gets an upgrade all around. He’s with a better quarterback, in a better offense and has better weapons around him. The downside is that he won’t be the top target on the offense like he was in Philly. Part of the reason Ertz is a solid play this week is the matchup. The Texans are the best matchup for the position, allowing 16.8 fantasy points per game. Ertz is going to be learning the offense for a while but he’s worth a shot in Week 7 given that offense and the matchup.

Stream of the Week: Packers D/ST

Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK

Rostered: 45.8%
Week 7: vs. Washington Football Team

Ricky Seals-Jones may be one of the top streaming options but the Packers defense is still a strong play this week. If Taylor Heinicke is playing, he’s proven to be volatile and turnover-worthy in the better part of the last month. If it’s Ryan Fitzpatrick, it will be his first game since suffering a hip subluxation. The Washington offense just allowed the Chiefs to finish as the ninth-best defense in Week 6. The Packers are a solid play this week off the waiver wire.

Raiders D/ST

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Rostered: 23.6%
Week 7: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

The Raiders defense hasn’t been all that great in recent weeks, but they’ve gotten the job done in spurts. The Eagles offense is dysfunctional right now, relying on Jalen Hurts while abandoning the run game for the majority of contests. Hurts can be turnover-prone with four interceptions and four fumbles (though he hasn’t lost one yet). The Eagles offense has allowed opposing defenses to finish inside the top-10 three times in the last five weeks.

Browns D/ST

Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Rostered: 56.2%
Week 7: vs. Denver Broncos

We’ve gotten some pretty lively Thursday night games this season. Don’t expect that to be the case in Week 7. This should be a defensive matchup in prime-time. Both teams are banged up and coming off of a short week. There’s a chance that Teddy Bridgewater doesn’t play. Over the last three weeks, the Broncos offense has allowed opposing defenses to finish inside the top-four two times (Weeks 4 and 6). Get ready for a snooze fest, but that means both defenses are strong plays.

1

1