Fantasy Football Week 7 QB Waivers: Should You Pick Up J.J. McCarthy?

Between injuries, surprise team debuts, and positive matchups, we have a decent set of quarterbacks to consider in waiver-land right now. It's generally easier to find QB streamers who can put up top-10 fantasy numbers in any given week than it is at any other position, but that doesn't often turn into weekly starters. That means fantasy owners need to stay vigilant each week in finding the best player to put into their starting lineup.

Let's look at five of the top quarterback names on the waiver wire heading into Week 7 of the NFL season. Most stats are from NFL.com, and fantasy points and rankings are from FantasyPros.

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Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

You know what Mayfield can do, but he has been out the past three weeks because of a dislocated thumb. That leaves him available in plenty of fantasy leagues, and he might be back in Week 7 against the Panthers.

The next few weeks don't bring great matchups (Carolina, Atlanta), but that's followed by games against the Bears and Lions in mid-November (with a bye in between) and two still to come against the Saints. He's probably a guy you play more with the matchups, but Mayfield has plenty of fantasy value on the right weeks and is available right now in many leagues if you need help at QB.

J.J. McCarthy, New York Giants

At the beginning of the season, what kind of odds do you think you could have gotten that McCarthy would start the most games for the Giants this year? That looks like where we could be headed after Jameis Winston had another rough game, and McCarthy took over for him in the fourth quarter and nearly brought the Giants all the way back.

It hasn't been confirmed that McCarthy will start next week, but that would seem to be the way the Giants would be headed after he threw for 243 yards on 11.6 per attempt, again, all in the fourth quarter. New York plays Houston next week followed by their bye, so it could be that McCarthy takes over after that if Winston plays again against the Texans and again struggles, but McCarthy is likely to get another shot at some point.

Does that make him worth adding? McCarthy has mostly struggled in his short time, but he was a first-round pick just a few years ago and showed flashes. Winston is at the end of his career, so a Giants team that isn't going to the Super Bowl (sorry Giants fans) is more likely to see what they have in a young player.

Don't pick up McCarthy thinking he will be your weekly starter. This came against a Saints defense that has struggled all season and was ahead by 24 points when McCarthy stepped onto the field. The young quarterback is likely to put up lesser numbers moving forward, and I wouldn't run out to grab him unless you're in a super-deep league or desperate at QB.

Tanner McKee, Philadelphia Eagles

McKee was forced into the starting lineup in Week 6 when Jalen Hurts was found to have a blood clot. Hurts will now miss the rest of the season after blood clots were found in his lungs, so McKee will start for the foreseeable future.

The problem is that McKee has played very little and been average at best in that time, and he is coming off a rough outing against Carolina. McKee had 215 passing yards on just 4.8 per attempt on Sunday, and he has a serious lack of weapons around him, with DeVonta Smith the only above-average player among his receivers (and Saquon Barkley helping when he returns, which could be this coming week).

McKee does have two very good matchups coming up, facing Dallas next Monday night and the Commanders the following Sunday night. That's enough to make him a low-level streamer in Weeks 7 and 8. Carolina has been a top-10 team in terms of yards per pass attempt allowed, so the outlook will be much better the next few games.

That doesn't make him a must-add player, but if you're in a deep league or in need of a streamer this week, McKee is a guy to consider. While I'm not expecting big things, there is a chance to put him in your lineup in the short term. Joe Milton might be a name to watch, as he has more upside (especially as a runner) but also a lower floor. If Philadelphia falls out of the payoff race, Milton could get a look.

Geno Smith, New York Jets

Smith had a decent game in a tough matchup against the Patriots, throwing for 252 yards on 8.4 per attempt with a touchdown and an interception. He has been at least average from an efficiency standpoint in four of the six games, and this week's INT was the first he has thrown all season (to go with seven touchdowns).

While he's not a high-ceiling fantasy player, Smith is a fine passer to consider when the matchup is right. Week 7 against the Dolphins brings a great matchup, making Smith a player worth adding this week if you have Josh Allen, Jayden Daniels, or Trevor Lawrence on bye. The following week is an average-or-better matchup with the Raiders, so Smith has a little value in the next two games.

The matchups are mixed the rest of the season, with games against the Chiefs, Broncos, and Vikings sprinkled among those against the Dolphins, Cardinals, and Bills (twice). Smith might be a guy worth grabbing as part of a rotation in a super-deep league, otherwise you can keep an eye on him and pick him up for select weeks as the season progresses.

C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

We've seen Stroud's ceiling, including Sunday in London when he threw for 312 yards on 9.2 per attempt with three touchdowns and an interception against the Jaguars. That's three straight weeks with above-average efficiency, and Stroud threw for six touchdowns with just one pick in that stretch. It's important to pay attention to the matchups, though.

Those three games came against weak pass defenses in Dallas, Tennessee, and Jacksonville, all of whom are among the 10 worst in yards per pass attempt allowed. Stroud is another guy who is dependent on the matchups for fantasy value, even though he has a higher ceiling (and bigger name) than most of the others listed here.

Houston's next three games bring middling-or-worse matchups for the QB against the Giants, Chargers, and Browns (with the bye after the Giants game). While that doesn't automatically disqualify him from fantasy consideration, I won't be recommending Stroud in our start/sit column over the next month. A nice matchup against the Colts comes the Thursday before Thanksgiving, but until then, Stroud won't be anything more than a middling option.