Last-Minute Waiver Wire Dart Throws & Replacements: Week 6 (2022)

Fantasy football can be an extremely fun game to play. It can also be highly frustrating at times. Nothing is more annoying than needing to make a last-minute waiver wire move because someone in your starting lineup is out for the week.

Sadly, there isn’t much you can do about it. However, I’m going to try and help.

Every week I will have six players you can grab off the waiver wire at the last minute and throw into your lineup. Some will succeed, while others will fail. Unfortunately, that’s how the game of fantasy football is played.

All the players in this article are rostered in under 35% of ESPN leagues.

Check out all of our Week 6 fantasy football content

Kenny Pickett (QB – PIT) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9.6% Rostered)

With four teams on a bye this week, finding a last-minute option on the waiver wire is difficult. However, the rookie is a solid option. Last week, Pickett completed 65.4% of his passes for 327 yards and scored 12.1 fantasy points. While he failed to score a touchdown, the former Pittsburgh Panther played well against an elite Buffalo Bills defense. Furthermore, Pickett has scored at least 12 fantasy points in both games this season. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers are an elite defense on paper, but they have struggled to slow down quarterbacks lately.

Over the past three weeks, Tampa Bay has surrendered 19.2 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Furthermore, they gave up 18 fantasy points to Marcus Mariota last week. More importantly, Pickett’s fantasy numbers are better than they appear. While he has scored only 24.4 fantasy points this season, the rookie has done it in six quarters of action. Therefore, Pickett has averaged 16.3 adjusted fantasy points per game this season in his six quarters on the field. With the Steelers likely chasing points most of the game, the rookie will have plenty of opportunities to rack up garbage time fantasy points.

Mike Boone (RB – DEN) vs. Los Angeles Chargers (33.1% Rostered)

After Javonte Williams suffered a torn ACL in Week 4, the Broncos turned to a two-headed attack against the Indianapolis Colts last week. Melvin Gordon led the way with 18 touches for 103 scrimmage yards and scored 11.8 half-point PPR fantasy points. However, Boone had 10 touches for 85 scrimmage yards and scored 10 fantasy points despite playing 22 fewer snaps than Gordon. Furthermore, the veteran running back touched the ball on 43.9% of his snaps, while Boone got the ball on 52.6% of his snaps.

While the backfield is a two-headed attack, Boone could see an uptick in work on Monday night. Gordon is questionable to play as he is dealing with neck and rib injuries. No reports have suggested Gordon won’t play this week. But if that changes, Boone will have a featured role. More importantly, the Denver running backs couldn’t ask for a better matchup this week. The Chargers have surrendered 28.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game to running backs this season, the most in the NFL. Los Angeles has surrendered 130 or more rushing yards to the position in three straight contests. Whether Gordon plays or not, Boone is a worthy flex option.

Joshua Kelley (RB – LAC) vs. Denver Broncos (4.9% Rostered)

During the past two weeks, Austin Ekeler has been unstoppable, averaging 32.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. The veteran running back has scored six more fantasy points than any other running back during that span. However, Kelley has earned a role in the Los Angeles backfield. The third-year running back has played at least 20% of the snaps in every game this season. Furthermore, he had 12 touches for 82 scrimmage yards and a touchdown while scoring 15.2 fantasy points last week against the Cleveland Browns. Kelley touched the ball on 66.7% of his snaps and averaged 1.3 fantasy points per touch.

On paper, the Broncos have a talented defense. However, Denver has struggled to slow down running backs the past few games. Over the past two weeks, they have surrendered 136.5 rushing yards and 27.1 fantasy points per game to running backs, giving up five yards per rushing attempt in those contests. Furthermore, Deon Jackson and Phillip Lindsay combined for 102 rushing yards and 18 fantasy points last week, filling in for Jonathan Taylor. Ekeler will remain the featured back for the Chargers. However, Kelly played well last week and should earn a similar role on Monday night.

Devin Duvernay (WR – BAL) vs. New York Giants (31.4% Rostered)

Somehow, Duvernay is still available in 68.6% of ESPN leagues despite being the WR22 for the year, averaging 11.5 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Furthermore, the former Longhorn star has been consistent for fantasy players. He has scored at least 10 fantasy points in 60% of the games this season, never scoring fewer than 7.1 fantasy points. Duvernay has played well with Rashod Bateman missing time, averaging 4.5 receptions on six targets for 52.5 receiving yards over the past two games.

Unfortunately, Bateman will miss Sunday’s matchup against the Giants with a foot injury, making Duvernay the No. 1 wide receiver for Lamar Jackson. While New York has held wide receivers to only 21 fantasy points per game this season, the third-fewest in the NFL, that number is misleading. They have faced several awful passing attacks, including the Carolina Panthers in Week 2 and the Chicago Bears in Week 4. However, they gave up 11.5 fantasy points to Allen Lazard and 13.4 to Randall Cobb last week in London. While he won’t win fantasy players their matchup, Duvernay is a safe floor WR3 this week.

Alec Pierce (WR – IND) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (22.7% Rostered)

All offseason long, Michael Pittman Jr. was labeled a third-year breakout star. While he has played well this year, the former USC receiver has struggled the past two weeks. Pittman has averaged four receptions on seven targets for 4.5 receiving yards and only 6.5 half-point PPR fantasy points per game during that span. Furthermore, he has failed to find the end zone since Week 1. Stepping up for the Colts has been Pierce. The second-round rookie is averaging six receptions on 7.5 targets for 80.5 receiving yards and 11.1 fantasy points per game over the past weeks. More importantly, he has led the team in targets over the past two games.

Meanwhile, the Jaguars have held wide receivers to 24.3 fantasy points per game this season, around the league average. Yet, they have faced a few limited passing attacks this year, making that average somewhat misleading. In the Week 2 matchup between these two clubs, Pittman and Pierce didn’t play because of injuries. However, in the Week 1 and Week 3 matchups against the Washington Commanders and Chargers, the Jaguars surrendered 12.5 receptions for 181 receiving yards, 2.5 touchdowns, and 38.5 fantasy points per game to wide receivers. Despite Matt Ryan‘s struggles last week, Piece ended Week 5 as the WR19 in half-point PPR scoring.

Evan Engram (TE – JAC) vs. Indianapolis Colts (26.7% Rostered)

The tight end position has been a painful guessing game this year unless you drafted Travis Kelce or Mark Andrews. With four teams on a bye and several injured players, finding a solid streaming option this week is challenging. However, Engram is a safe option. The veteran tight end is averaging only 5.7 half-point PPR fantasy points per game this season but has played well when given enough targets. Engram is averaging nine fantasy points per game in the two games with more than four targets this season, despite not scoring a touchdown.

Furthermore, the offseason addition led the Jaguars in targets in the Week 2 matchup between these two teams with eight. He caught seven of his targets for 46 receiving yards and scored 8.1 fantasy points. Meanwhile, the Colts have given up 13.5 fantasy points per game to tight ends this season, the fifth-most in the NFL. They have also surrendered four receiving touchdowns to the position, the third-most in the NFL this season. More importantly, tight ends have scored at least 7.1 fantasy points in every game against the Colts this year. Engram won’t end the week as a top-five guy but has a clear pathway to a low-end TE1 finish.

If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.

Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.