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.
Derek Carr (QB – NO) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (25.3% Rostered)
When he faced the Buccaneers in Week 4, Carr scored only 3.2 fantasy points, a season-low. However, the veteran played a week after leaving the Week 3 matchup with an AC joint sprain. While Carr has had some up-and-down moments on the field, he has been outstanding for fantasy players lately. Over the past two weeks, the veteran has averaged 268.5 passing yards, three touchdowns, and 22.6 fantasy points per game, totaling 20 or more in both contests. Furthermore, he has only one turnover over the past two weeks.
Tampa Bay has struggled to slow down opposing passing attacks this season. They have given up 18.3 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, one of the highest averages in the NFL. Last week, the NFC South division leaders gave up over 300 passing yards and 17.7 fantasy points to the Jacksonville Jaguars’ quarterbacks despite Trevor Lawrence leaving the game with a shoulder injury. The Buccaneers have allowed quarterbacks to score 17.5 or more fantasy points in three consecutive games. Expect Carr to push that streak to four games in a row.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB – KC) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (31.5% Rostered)
Unfortunately, the Chiefs backfield has been a headache for fantasy players the past few weeks. However, we should have clarity for the Week 17 matchup. Jerick McKinnon was placed on injured reserve on Sunday because of a groin injury. Meanwhile, Isiah Pacheco suffered a concussion in the loss to the Las Vegas Raiders after missing the previous two games because of a shoulder injury, putting his status for this week’s game up in the air. Yet, Edwards-Helaire is an appealing last-minute replacement option even if Pacheco plays on Sunday.
Last week, the former first-round pick took over as the passing-catching running back with McKinnon out of the lineup. He had three receptions for 42 receiving yards. While his role on the ground disappeared, Edwards-Helaire still scored a respectable 6.3 half-point PPR fantasy points. Meanwhile, the Bengals’ run defense has vanished since losing defensive lineman DJ Reader. Over the past two weeks, running backs have averaged 117.5 rushing yards, one touchdown, and 22.5 fantasy points per game against Cincinnati. If Pacheco is out, Edwards-Hellfire has top-15 upside.
Zamir White (RB – LV) vs. Indianapolis Colts (15.9% Rostered)
The Raiders have been without Josh Jacobs for the past two weeks because of a quad injury. On Friday, interim head coach Antonio Pierce noted that the star running back would be a game-time decision for Sunday’s matchup against the Colts. Fantasy players should add White off the waiver wire and prepare to start the second-year running back. While he barely saw the field when Jacobs was healthy, White has been outstanding the past two weeks, averaging 19.5 rushing attempts for 107 yards, 0.5 touchdowns, and 15.3 half-point PPR fantasy points per game.
Furthermore, the second-year player was a top-15 running back in both weeks without Jacobs, scoring at least 14.5 fantasy points in each contest. Meanwhile, the Colts have struggled to slow down opposing running backs, giving up 24.2 fantasy points per game, the third-most in the NFL. They have surrendered over 100 rushing yards to running backs in five of the past six games. Furthermore, running backs have scored 35 or more fantasy points against Indianapolis in three of the past four matchups. White has top-10 upside if Jacobs misses his third consecutive contest.
Rashid Shaheed (WR – NO) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (29.2% Rostered)
New Orleans has been without Michael Thomas since the Week 10 matchup because of a knee injury. Unfortunately, the veteran wide receiver likely won’t return for Sunday’s matchup against the NFC South division leaders. Meanwhile, Shaheed has missed time lately because of a thigh injury. Yet, he was outstanding last week against the Los Angeles Rams, totaling five receptions on nine targets for 70 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 15.9 half-point PPR fantasy points. The explosive receiver also posted a team-high 35.5% air-yards share and 88.4% route participation rate (per Fantasy Points Data).
Meanwhile, the Buccaneers have surrendered 32.3 fantasy points per game to wide receivers, the fourth-most in the NFL. Over the past two weeks, they have allowed wide receivers to average 203 receiving yards, 1.5 touchdowns, and 37.2 fantasy points per game. More importantly, Tampa Bay has given up the second-most receiving touchdowns (11) on passes that traveled 20 or more air yards this season (per Fantasy Points Data). Shaheed is one of the top big-play wide receivers in the NFL and should have a repeat performance from last week.
DJ Chark Jr. (WR – CAR) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (25.7% Rostered)
Chark was the WR4 in Week 16, scoring 24.8 half-point PPR fantasy points in the loss to the Green Bay Packers. He led the team in receptions (six), targets (eight), receiving yards (98), touchdowns (two), air yards share (40.6%), yards per route run (3.16), and target per route run rate (26%) per Fantasy Points Data. More importantly, the veteran had eight targets last week, his highest total this year with Bryce Young under center. By comparison, Chark had only 10 targets over the previous three games, seeing four or fewer in every matchup.
Fantasy players might be nervous about starting a Carolina wide receiver during the fantasy championship game. However, the matchup is fantasy-friendly for Chark. The Jaguars have surrendered 30.4 fantasy points per game to wide receivers, the eighth-most in the NFL. Lately, they have had no answers for opposing wide receivers. Jacksonville has allowed wide receivers to score 38.9 or more fantasy points in three of their past five matchups, including last week. Don’t be surprised if Chark has another massive fantasy performance in a revenge game against his former team.
Gerald Everett (TE – LAC) vs. Denver Broncos (29.7% Rostered)
The Chargers were in the playoff mix until Justin Herbert suffered a season-ending finger injury in Week 14. Furthermore, Keenan Allen has missed the past two games with a heel injury. Given the team’s current situation, fantasy players shouldn’t expect the superstar wide receiver to return this year. Meanwhile, Everett has been Easton Stick‘s go-to target over the past two weeks. The tight end leads Los Angeles in target share (24.6%), target per route run rate (33%), and first-read target share (24.4%) during Stick’s two starts (per Fantasy Points Data).
More importantly, the Broncos have surrendered 13.5 half-point PPR fantasy points per game to tight ends, the most in the NFL. They have also given up the most receiving touchdowns to tight ends (10). Denver has allowed tight ends to score 18.4 or more fantasy points in 33.3% of the games this season. Furthermore, the Broncos had had no answer for opposing tight ends lately, giving up 14.8 fantasy points per game over the past six weeks. Fantasy players who need a replacement option for T.J. Hockenson should check their waiver wire for Everett.
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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.