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.
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Last-Minute Waiver Wire Pickups & Injury Replacements
All the players in this article are rostered in under 35% of ESPN leagues.
Kenny Pickett (QB – PIT) vs. Arizona Cardinals (19.3% Rostered)
The Steelers fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada after the Week 11 loss to the Browns. Yet, the offense didn’t have a highlight reel performance last week. Pittsburgh scored only 16 points and one touchdown in the win over the Bengals. However, Pickett pushed the ball downfield and had a productive performance despite not having a touchdown. He completed 72.7% of his pass attempts for 278 yards, both season-highs. Furthermore, the second-year quarterback had 11.6 fantasy points, his highest total since Week 7.
Yet, fantasy players that need a bye-week replacement for Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen should consider starting Pickett. The second-year player has an appealing fantasy matchup against an Arizona defense that has surrendered 18.3 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, the seventh-most in the NFL. Last week, Matthew Stafford had 229 passing yards and four touchdowns, scoring 23.6 fantasy points against the Cardinals, setting season-highs in touchdowns and fantasy points. More importantly, the veteran had only nine passing touchdowns before the matchup against Arizona. Pickett won’t have four passing touchdowns, but he should set a season-high in fantasy points.
Jeff Wilson Jr. (RB – MIA) vs. Washington Commanders (23.9% Rostered)
Fantasy players are excited to see De’Von Achane play Sunday after missing last week’s matchup with a knee injury. However, Wilson has potentially meaningful fantasy value even with the rookie playing. Last week, the veteran running back had his best performance of the year, totaling 11 rushing attempts for 56 yards and three receptions for 17 receiving yards, scoring 8.8 half-point PPR fantasy points. Furthermore, he had only nine fewer rushing attempts than Raheem Mostert but three more targets despite running six fewer routes.
Wilson should take advantage of a struggling Washington run defense, especially if the Dolphins limit Achane’s workload coming off the knee injury. The Commanders have surrendered 20.3 fantasy points per game to running backs, the 12th-most in the NFL. Washington has also given up the fifth-most receiving yards (463) and the second-most receiving touchdowns (five) to running backs this season. Since the team traded away Chase Young and Montez Sweat, the Commanders have allowed the second-highest yards after contact per rushing attempt (3.26) in the league (per Fantasy Points Data).
However, fantasy players might worry that Wilson won’t see enough volume with Achane in the lineup. Another option is Cordarrelle Patterson (1.9% rostered) against the New York Jets. Last week, the veteran running back had his second-best performance of the year, averaging 5.4 yards per rushing attempt. Meanwhile, the Jets’ run defense has fallen apart lately. Over the past four weeks, they have surrendered 117.8 rushing yards and 25.5 fantasy points per game to running backs. The Atlanta Falcons will likely lean on their ground against New York, resulting in extra work for Patterson.
Royce Freeman (RB – LAR) vs. Cleveland Browns (19.4% Rostered)
Last week, Freeman was part of my last-minute waiver wire targets despite the return of Kyren Williams. While the former Notre Dame running back had a massive performance, Freeman also played well. He had 13 rushing attempts for 77 yards, a touchdown, and 13.7 half-point PPR fantasy points. The veteran running back set season-highs in rushing yards, yards per attempt (5.9), and fantasy points against the Arizona Cardinals. More importantly, Freeman had only three fewer rushing attempts than Williams despite playing 27% fewer snaps.
While last week’s matchup was outstanding for the veteran running back, he has another fantasy-friendly one on Sunday. The Browns’ run defense has been awful lately. Over the past three weeks, Cleveland has surrendered 117.7 rushing yards, 1.3 touchdowns, and 23.8 fantasy points per game to running backs. Furthermore, they have given up the highest explosive run rate (10.1%) over the past three weeks (per Fantasy Points Data). The Browns have an elite pass defense. Therefore, expect the Rams to lean on their rushing attack for the second consecutive game.
Jonathan Mingo (WR – CAR) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10.5% Rostered)
Carolina’s offense has been one of the worst in the NFL this season, averaging only 1.3 offensive touchdowns per game. While Adam Thielen has been Bryce Young‘s clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver, Mingo has played better lately. The rookie wide receiver has had at least five targets in all but one game since the bye week. Furthermore, he has the second-most targets on the team this year (57), only behind the veteran wide receiver. Last week, Mingo had four receptions for 60 receiving yards and eight half-point PPR fantasy points, totaling twice as many targets as Thielen.
More importantly, the former Ole Miss star has an excellent fantasy matchup against the Buccaneers on Sunday. The NFC South division rivals have surrendered 32.8 fantasy points per game to wide receivers, the fourth-most in the NFL. They have also given up the eighth-most receiving touchdowns to wide receivers entering Week 13. Furthermore, Tampa Bay’s secondary has gotten destroyed over the past five weeks, surrendering 219.6 receiving yards, 1.2 touchdowns, and 37.1 fantasy points per game to wide receivers. Mingo won’t have a massive performance, but he could score his first career NFL touchdown.
Greg Dortch (WR – ARI) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (3.9% Rostered)
Unfortunately, Michael Wilson will miss his third consecutive game on Sunday with a shoulder injury. However, the injury has been good news for Dortch. The veteran wide receiver had only one reception on two targets over the first 10 weeks. However, he has become a significant part of the offense with the rookie out of the lineup. Dortch has nine receptions on 17 targets for 103 receiving yards and one touchdown over the past two weeks, scoring 10.2 or more half-point PPR fantasy points in both contests.
The veteran has gone from playing in the slot to the outside with Wilson injured. According to Fantasy Points Data, Dortch ran only 35.7% of his routes as an outside receiver over the first 10 weeks. By comparison, he ran over 80% of his routes from the outside in the past two games. More importantly, the veteran faces a Pittsburgh defense that has surrendered the 10th-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers this year. With Wilson out and Marquise Brown battling a heel injury, expect Dortch to have his third consecutive game with double-digit fantasy points.
Chigoziem Okonkwo (TE – TEN) vs. Indianapolis Colts (24.3% Rostered)
Many had high hopes for Okonkwo this season after how he finished his rookie year. Unfortunately, the second-year player is only the TE27 for the season, averaging 3.8 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. However, he has been solid with Will Levis under center. Okonkwo has averaged 4.4 targets and 4.2 half-point PPR fantasy points per game in the five contests with the rookie quarterback. Furthermore, he scored at least 4.2 fantasy points in the four games with at least four targets that Levis started.
Meanwhile, the former Maryland star is coming off his best performance of the season, totaling four receptions on five targets for 45 receiving yards and 6.5 fantasy points. Okonkwo should improve on those numbers this week against a Colts’ defense that has surrendered 11 fantasy points per game to tight ends, the seventh-most in the NFL. Furthermore, the second-year tight end had a season-high five receptions for 33 receiving yards and 5.8 fantasy points in the Week 5 matchup against the Colts with Ryan Tannehill under center. Hopefully, he can beat those numbers in the rematch.
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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.