Waiver Wire Workout: Week 7

Because league formats vary, one size doesn't fit all when it comes to your waiver wire. That's why I break possible free agent adds into three categories. Follow me on Twitter for the latest on possible additions to your fantasy roster.

Addable In All Leagues

James Starks, RB, GB (owned in 19% of Yahoo leagues). With the Packers on a bye in Week 7, this waiver add won't bear fruit immediately. But Starks operated as Green Bay's feature back on Sunday and that's worth something. Starks had a shovel-pass touchdown early and then a long rumbling TD run late, while Eddie Lacy got stuffed on his lone red-zone carry, fumbled and basically was back-burnered. There's no guarantee that Starks is "the man" when the Pack tackles Denver on Sunday Night Football. But just the possibility means he should be picked up by any Lacy owner who doesn't currently have him.

Stefon Diggs, WR, MIN (7% owned). Coming off a bye in Week 5, Diggs was even better than he was in Week 4, putting both of the Chiefs' starting corners in the torture chamber with a variety of polished routes. I have some concern that Teddy Bridgewater's offense just isn't aggressive enough throwing the ball to continue to sustain any aerial weapons, but Diggs is the only consistent Vikes receiver in 2015. You might not feel great about starting him every week, but if he's bypassed the injured Charles Johnson on the depth chart, Diggs at least deserves some time on your roster while you observe him more.

Christine Michael, RB, DAL (38% owned). Goody! We get to worry about this guy again! Reports coming out of the Cowboys bye are that Michael is taking first-team snaps during the open to the media portion of practice. And while that could be a continuation of the world's greatest "potential running back star" hoax, it does make sense. Joseph Randle hasn't been a bad fantasy RB this year, but he's scored 43 of his 58 fantasy points on 10 of his 84 offensive touches. In other words: he's been inconsistent. So it's believable that Michael—a perennial tease—could get enough work for the Cowboys to learn whether he could be their backfield answer.

Theo Riddick, RB, DET (21% owned). It's a war of attrition in that Lions backfield. Zach Zenner is out for the year with a collapsed lung. Joique Bell seemingly can't get his surgically repaired Achilles' and/or ankle healthy. And Ameer Abdullah just keeps fumbling. So maybe Riddick is the answer. He's definitely been a big factor in the passing game; Riddick ranks first in the NFL among RBs with 33 catches. So he's clearly a must-own in a PPR. But even in standard-scoring leagues, there's some appeal. He's not a burner and he's not powerful, but he's got legit quicks and seems more consistent than Abdullah at this point.

Giants Defense (25% owned). It's a risky week for streamers, as no lightly owned defense has the optimal combination of talent and matchup. I'll cast my lot with the Giants despite a middling Monday night effort; it's obvious that injuries and lack of depth has created attrition across New York's defensive line and they're ripe to be had in any given game. But in Week 7 they take on Matt Cassel and the Cowboys at home. If I can get a piece of the unit facing Cassel, I'll take that chance. I'm also intrigued by San Francisco's D/ST (28%) at home Thursday night against a vulnerable-looking Seahawks offense.

Players listed in previous weeks who are still addable in all leagues: Knile Davis, RB, KC (42%).

Speculative Adds

Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, IND (13% owned). This isn't even all that speculative: if you own Frank Gore, you really should handcuff Bradshaw to him. Bradshaw was able to play 16 snaps Sunday night essentially coming off the street, immediately slotting in as Gore's backup and Indy's third-down back. His workload could expand as he rounds into shape, and if Gore gets injured, he'd be the main man.

Michael Floyd, WR, ARI (32% owned). Crazily enough, Floyd should've had three receiving TDs in Week 6—one was called back on a terrible offensive interference call, and another was ruled out of bounds because he failed to get his feet down in the end zone. John Brown and Larry Fitzgerald are the leading men in the Cardinals receiving corps, but Floyd is healthy and has at least seven targets in two of his past three games. There's a bit of sleeper appeal here.

Devin Funchess, WR, CAR (17% owned). Funchess was charitably credited with only one drop Sunday. He had wooden ducks for hands most of the afternoon, except for his extraordinary late grab down the right sideline. Most importantly, though, you could sense that the Panthers wanted to get him more involved; he only played 21 snaps (which isn't great), but he did get a career-high six targets. Adding him to your bench now is a bet that he figures things out and occupies that Kelvin Benjamin role later in the year.

Charles Sims, RB, TB (24% owned). Listen, neither you nor I particularly want to own the Buccaneers' backup running back. But Sims' sleeper appeal rests in his snap count: he regularly plays 20-plus snaps a game in place of Doug Martin, and he's got 51 touches in five contests. While everyone else is flipping out over the Muscle Hamster, you could take a sniff of the guy who's made a few big plays behind him.

Benjamin Watson, TE, NO (10% owned). Face it: you missed the best game of Ben Watson's life. It happened last Thursday in the Saints' upset win over the Falcons: 10 catches on 12 targets for 127 yards and a score. It was only the third time in 153 career games that Watson exceeded 100 yards receiving, and the second time he had double-digit catches. But remember folks trying to sell you Josh Hill as a possible fantasy weapon? It's not unimaginable that Watson could become the Jimmy Graham replacement Hill isn't. After all, isn't Gary Barnidge ripping up fantasy leagues?

David Cobb, RB, TEN (6% owned). Cobb is eligible to return from injured reserve in Week 9. He'll join the Titans' crowded backfield and probably become lost in Ken Whisenhunt's byzantine RB machinations. But while the likes of Dexter McCluster, Bishop Sankey, Antonio Andrews and Terrance West have middling ability, I think Cobb has a chance to be a Jeremy Hill banger. I don't mind him as an interesting stash right now.

Players listed in previous weeks who are still speculative adds: Jay Cutler, QB, CHI (35%); Blake Bortles, QB, JAC (43%); Darren McFadden, RB, DAL (31%); Buck Allen, RB, BAL (23%); Antonio Andrews, RB, TEN (17%); Matt Jones, RB, WAS (37%); Ty Montgomery, WR, GB (17%); Ted Ginn, WR, CAR (33%); Kamar Aiken, WR, BAL (32%); Tavon Austin, WR, STL (44%); Marvin Jones, WR, CIN (35%); Marquess Wilson, WR, CHI (12%).

Deep-League Adds

Cecil Shorts, WR, HOU (9% owned). Shorts returned from his one-game, shoulder-related absence to come out of the gate quickly in Week 6, with four targets in the first few Texans' series versus Jacksonville. Inevitably, DeAndre Hopkins took over. But Shorts has 43 targets in five games, so if you need a bye-week fill-in and just want to hook into some volume, he could be your guy.

Robert Turbin, RB, CLE (2% owned). Turbin returned from a high-ankle sprain Sunday and joined Duke Johnson and Isaiah Crowell in a crowded Browns backfield that's unlikely to suddenly un-muddy itself any time soon. From his Seattle days, we know Turbin is a fairly average banger who's solid and totally unspectacular. That sounds a lot like Crowell! But Turbin might be a fit if you're in a league where all of his platoon-mates are owned.

Albert Wilson, WR, KC (0% owned). Jeremy Maclin left Sunday's contest with a concussion, and as of this writing, his status for Week 7 is unknown. Wilson got some downfield work in Maclin's absence and even took a short pass to the house late in Week 6, though rookie Chris Conley (0% owned) was actually the starter alongside Maclin. There probably isn't a startable WR in Kansas City if Maclin misses time.

Jeff Janis, WR, GB (0% owned). The Packers have a week to figure out how badly Ty Montgomery's ankle is hurt and whether Davante Adams can return from his ankle sprain. Janis could benefit if both guys are out in Week 8. He's athletic as hell and very fast, but doesn't have a lot of experience. In a replacement role Sunday, he did have 46 and 33 yard receptions.

Mike Davis, RB, SF (0% owned). When Carlos Hyde crumped to the turf Sunday with a non-contact injury, I assumed the worst. Fortunately, Hyde only missed a couple plays and was right back out there. But he does have an ankle issue, and the Niners play Thursday night against Seattle. I don't expect Hyde to miss that contest, but if he does and you're in a very deep league, Davis would at least be a source of some carries.

Players listed in previous weeks who are still addable in deep leagues: Josh McCown, QB, CLE (17%); Khiry Robinson, RB, NO (3%); Chris Thompson, RB, WAS (7%); Jeremy Langford, RB, CHI (1%); Jamison Crowder, WR, WAS (11%); Malcom Floyd, WR, SD (11%); DeVante Parker, WR, MIA (10%); Derek Carrier, TE, WAS (2%).

Christopher Harris (@HarrisFootball) is a six-time Fantasy Sports Writing Association award winner. He hosts the Harris Football Podcast every weekday. Find it on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn and most other podcast apps, as well as at www.HarrisFootball.com.