Start A.J. Brown or Jaylen Waddle? Week 7

Our Week 7 call

Start A.J. Brown over Jaylen Waddle in Week 7.

Market-based projections have A.J. Brown at 15.3 points and Jaylen Waddle at 11.9, a gap of 3.4. No player market is posted for Jaylen Waddle this week yet, so his 11.9 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 4, 5 and 6 (12.5, 12.4 and 10.8); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. Drafters take A.J. Brown at ADP 17 and Jaylen Waddle at 43.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 15.3 fantasy points for A.J. Brown, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market-based projection for A.J. Brown is 69 receiving yards, 5-6 receptions and 0-1 touchdowns (12, 9 and 12 market sources).

No Week 7 player market is posted for Jaylen Waddle yet. His market-based projections were 12.5, 12.4 and 10.8 points in Weeks 4, 5 and 6, an average of 11.9, which stands in until his Week 7 market posts.

The market-based projection for Jaylen Waddle is 0-1 touchdowns (7 market sources).

That puts A.J. Brown 3.4 points ahead of Jaylen Waddle on these projections.

Week 7 matchups

A.J. Brown and NE visit CHI on Thursday at 8:15 PM ET.

CHI allowed 31.5 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 6 games, the 15th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 160 yards and a touchdown a game against CHI.

Jaylen Waddle and DEN visit ARI on Sunday at 4:05 PM ET.

ARI allowed 34.9 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 6 games, the 10th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 153 yards and 1.7 touchdowns a game against ARI.

By points allowed to the position, Jaylen Waddle has the softer matchup.

Injury status

A.J. Brown is listed as questionable with a ankle injury.

Jaylen Waddle is listed as questionable with a shoulder injury.

Usage before Week 7

Through Week 6, A.J. Brown played 60 percent of NE snaps, drew 23 percent of the targets, earned 24 percent of the air yards and had 19 percent of the red zone chances.

A.J. Brown, Week 1 against SEA: 31 of 71 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 26 yards.

A.J. Brown, Week 6 against NYJ: 52 of 68 snaps, 10 targets and 3 catches for 27 yards.

Through Week 6, Jaylen Waddle played 68 percent of DEN snaps, drew 22 percent of the targets, earned 38 percent of the air yards and had 7 percent of the red zone chances.

Jaylen Waddle, Week 3 against LAR: 49 of 67 snaps, 1 carry for 14 yards, 7 targets and 2 catches for 10 yards.

Jaylen Waddle, Week 4 against SF: 45 of 65 snaps, 6 targets and 5 catches for 35 yards, 1 touchdown.

Jaylen Waddle, Week 5 against LAC: 40 of 62 snaps, 1 carry for 9 yards, 5 targets and 2 catches for 19 yards.

Jaylen Waddle, Week 6 against SEA: 39 of 60 snaps, 7 targets and 4 catches for 24 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, A.J. Brown played 15 games for PHI and scored 220.3 PPR points, 14.7 a game, finishing WR11.

He caught 78 of 121 targets for 1003 yards and 7 touchdowns, with 12 red zone targets and 735 air yards.

He was on the field for 91 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

A.J. Brown, Week 17 of 2025 against BUF: 48 of 54 snaps, 7 targets and 5 catches for 68 yards, 11.8 PPR points.

In 2025, Jaylen Waddle played 16 games for MIA and scored 194.1 PPR points, 12.1 a game, finishing WR24.

He caught 64 of 100 targets for 910 yards and 6 touchdowns, with 11 red zone targets and 682 air yards.

He was on the field for 78 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 7 calls

• Start A.J. Brown over Carnell Tate.
• Start CeeDee Lamb over A.J. Brown.
• Start A.J. Brown over Chris Olave.
• Start Jaylen Waddle over Carnell Tate.
• Start Christian Watson over Jaylen Waddle.
• Start Jaylen Waddle over Denzel Boston.