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.
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Jacoby Brissett (QB – CLE) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (15.2% Rostered)
In Week 11, Brissett had an awful matchup on paper. Yet, he scored 25.9 fantasy points last week against the Buffalo Bills. Before their matchup against the Browns, Buffalo had held quarterbacks to only 11.8 fantasy points per game this season, the third-fewest in the NFL. Furthermore, they kept all quarterbacks not named Patrick Mahomes to 15.5 or fewer points in every game. Meanwhile, Brissett had his best performance of the year in Week 11, throwing for 324 yards and three touchdowns. The career backup is averaging 20.9 fantasy points per game over the past three games, scoring 20 or more fantasy points twice.
Unlike last week, the veteran quarterback’s matchup this week is fantasy-friendly. The Buccaneers have surrendered 15.7 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season, exactly the league average. However, Tampa Bay has given up 16 passing touchdowns to quarterbacks this year. They have given up two or more passing touchdowns in seven of their past eight games, including two to Geno Smith in their last game. Meanwhile, Brissett has five passing touchdowns over the past three weeks. The veteran is making his final start of the year this weekend, as Deshaun Watson will start in Week 13. Brissett should have no trouble throwing at least two touchdowns against the Buccaneers.
Samaje Perine (RB – CIN) vs. Tennessee Titans (24.7% Rostered)
While he is rostered in only 24.7% of ESPN leagues at the time of writing, Perine’s ownership should jump 10-20% before kickoff on Sunday. The Bengals ruled Joe Mixon out on Friday after he suffered a concussion last week. Perine will get the start for the Bengals on Sunday with Mixon sidelined. Last week the veteran running back scored 28.2 half-point PPR fantasy points in the win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had a season-high three receiving touchdowns on only four receptions, and 15 touches for 82 scrimmage yards.
This Week 12 matchup isn’t ideal for Perine. The Titans have held running backs to only 16.2 half-point PPR fantasy points per game this season, the fourth-fewest in the NFL. However, volume is the most critical stat in fantasy football. Perine had 15 touches last week, scoring a touchdown once per five touches. While the Titans have held running backs to under 16.5 fantasy points per game this season, they have faced several sub-par rushing attacks. Perine won’t score 28 fantasy points again this week. Yet, his expected workload makes him a decent low-end RB2.
Kyren Williams (RB – LAR) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (17.7% Rostered)
The Los Angeles backfield has been a disaster all season. A few weeks ago, Cam Akers appeared to be on his way out of town. Instead, the Rams waived Darrell Henderson Jr. earlier this week. The Los Angeles backfield is now a two-headed attack of Akers and Williams. Last week, Henderson played only 4% of the snaps. Meanwhile, Akers played 39%, while Williams led the team with 55%. More importantly, the rookie running back scored only 1.2 fewer half-point PPR fantasy points than Akers despite earning six fewer touches.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs have surrendered 21.5 half-point PPR fantasy points per game to running backs this season, the 11th-most in the NFL. They have given up 95 or more rushing yards and at least one rushing touchdown to running backs in two of their past three contests, including last week. Furthermore, Kansas City has given up the most receptions and the third-most receiving yards to running backs this season. Williams has an excellent passing game skill set. With Matthew Stafford out this week, the Rams will need to rely on their running backs if they are going to have any chance of defeating the Chiefs.
Zay Jones (WR – JAC) vs. Baltimore Ravens (30.4% Rostered)
While Christian Kirk has been the star of Jacksonville’s receiving core, Jones has been very productive. The offseason addition is the WR48 for the year, averaging 8.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Jones is having his best fantasy season since his second year in the NFL. Furthermore, the veteran has 47 receptions this year, already matching his career high with seven games to go. More importantly, Jones had 10 targets in the Jaguars’ last game, the second-most on the team. Meanwhile, the former second-round pick has an appealing matchup this week.
Baltimore has historically had an impressive defense. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case this season. The Ravens have surrendered 29.8 fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season, the seventh-most in the NFL. They have given up 215 or more receiving yards to wide receivers in 40% of the games this season. While Kirk leads the team in targets, receptions, and receiving yards, Jones is second in every category. Fantasy players in need of a last-minute replacement for Mike Williams or potentially Ja’Marr Chase should consider Jones.
Demarcus Robinson (WR – BAL) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (12.9% Rostered)
With Rashod Bateman out for the year with a foot injury, the Ravens have struggled to find a consistent replacement as the No. 1 wide receiver. While Devin Duvernay had a couple of impressive performances this season, he has scored only 23.7 half-point PPR fantasy points over the past five games (4.7 points per game). Meanwhile, Robinson has played well recently. Over the past three games, the veteran receiver is averaging 5.3 receptions on seven targets, 68 receiving yards, and 9.5 fantasy points per game. Furthermore, he was the WR8 last week, scoring 17.3 fantasy points.
More importantly, Robinson has an excellent matchup this week. The Jaguars have surrendered 29.4 fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season, the eighth-most in the NFL. Furthermore, they have given up 13 receiving touchdowns to the position this year, the third-most in the league. Moreover, Jacksonville has given up 30.8% of those touchdowns (four) over the past two weeks. Robinson missed practice on Thursday with a hip injury, but he practiced on Friday. Assuming he is active, the veteran is a top-40 wide receiver this week against the Jaguars.
Foster Moreau (TE – LV) vs. Seattle Seahawks (33.6% Rostered)
Unfortunately, the Raiders have failed to live up to expectations this season. However, Derek Carr has played only 43 snaps all year, with Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller on the field. With Waller on injured reserve, Moreau has taken over as the starting tight end. The former LSU tight end has averaged 5.2 targets per game since Waller suffered a hamstring injury. While he has averaged only 5.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game in those contests, Moreau has an excellent matchup on Sunday.
The Seahawks have surrendered 15.9 fantasy points per game to tight ends this season, the second-most in the NFL. They have also given up five touchdowns to the position, the seventh-most in the league. Furthermore, Seattle has surrendered at least 8.8 fantasy points to tight ends in all but one game since Week 1. The tight end position is extremely thin right now. However, fantasy players can trust Moreau as a last-minute replacement this week.
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
