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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Ryan Tannehill (QB – TEN) vs. Washington Commanders (15.7% Rostered)

While the Titans have a 2-2 record this season, Tannehill has played well for fantasy players. The veteran quarterback is averaging 13.3 fantasy points per game this season, his lowest average since 2018. However, he scored only 0.9 fantasy points in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills and got pulled as the game was a blowout. Yet, Tannehill is averaging 1.7 passing touchdowns and 17.5 fantasy points per game in the other three contests this season. While he won’t have Treylon Burks this week, the veteran quarterback has an excellent matchup against the Commanders.

Washington has given up the seventh-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season, surrendering 21.2 fantasy points per game to the position. Furthermore, the Commanders’ defense hasn’t been able to stop a nosebleed, let alone an NFL passing attack the past three weeks. They have surrendered 273 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and 23.8 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, giving up 26 or more fantasy points to the position twice during that span. Tannehill won’t end the week as a top-five quarterback, but he has a clear pathway to a low-end QB1 finish.

Rex Burkhead (RB – HOU) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (27.3% Rostered)

Earlier this week, I wrote an article on nine potential waiver wire and trade targets fantasy players should explore. One of my favorite players in that article is Burkhead. While he has played only 36.9% of the snaps over the past three weeks, the veteran running back remains a critical part of Houston’s offense. Burkhead is averaging four receptions per game this season, catching four or more passes in all but one contest. Furthermore, he was third on the team in targets last week with five.

Unfortunately, the veteran running back has limited upside because of the rookie Dameon Pierce. Yet, Burkhead is a flex option in half-point PPR and PPR scoring leagues this week. The Jaguars have given up 22 half-point PPR fantasy points per game to running backs this season, the eighth-most in the NFL. However, where they have struggled most is in the passing game. Jacksonville has surrendered 221 receiving yards to running backs this season, the second-most in the NFL. Given the lack of proven pass catchers on the team, Burkhead should have his third straight game with at least four receptions on Sunday.

Rachaad White (RB – TB) vs. Atlanta Falcons (22.5% Rostered)

Leonard Fournette leads the Tampa Bay backfield, playing 78.7% of the snaps this season. However, fantasy players have been holding onto White, hoping the rookie can make an impact sooner than later. Over the first three games of the year, White played only 16.5% of the snaps and earned 10 touches. Then, the rookie had eight touches for 56 scrimmage yards and a touchdown while playing 37.5% of the snaps, scoring 12.1 half-point PPR fantasy points last week. More importantly, he ran a route on 66.7% of his snaps played in Week 4.

While the veteran Fournette should earn most of the snaps again this week, fantasy players should be encouraged by White’s performance last week. Meanwhile, the Falcons have gotten crushed by running backs the past few weeks, giving up an average of five yards per rushing attempt and 123.7 rushing yards per game to the position since Week 1. Furthermore, the Buccaneers are 10-point favorites, according to DraftKings. Thus, that suggests Tampa Bay will be in a positive game script in the second half, leading to garbage time rushing attempts and fantasy points for White.

Isaiah McKenzie (WR – BUF) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (25.4% Rostered)

Few players received the same amount of sleeper hype as McKenzie in the preseason. More importantly, the veteran receiver hasn’t disappointed. He the WR33 for the season, averaging 10.4 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. He scored a touchdown in back-to-back games and three contests this season. Furthermore, McKenzie is second on the team in targets with 21 and will see an increase of looks this week with Jamison Crowder, Jake Kumerow, and Dawson Knox unable to play. However, McKenzie is dealing with a concussion and could end up missing the game.

If the veteran can’t play, the rookie Khalil Shakir (0.6% rostered) is a solid backup option. He played 25% of the snaps last week and caught both his targets for 23 receiving yards. More importantly, the Steelers have struggled to stop opposing wide receivers this season. Pittsburgh has surrendered an average of 33.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game to the position, the fifth-most in the NFL. Furthermore, they have given up at least one receiving touchdown to wide receivers in every game this season. With the Pittsburgh defense focused on slowing down Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis, McKenzie or Shakir should have a solid fantasy performance.

Devin Duvernay (WR – BAL) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (21.6% Rostered)

When the Ravens traded Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals in the offseason, everyone questioned who would step up at wide receiver for the Ravens. Rashod Bateman started the year strong, averaging 15.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game over the first two weeks. Unfortunately, the second-year receiver has been dealing with a foot injury lately and won’t play Sunday night. Meanwhile, Duvernay is the WR20 for the year, averaging 11.8 fantasy points per game. The former Texas Longhorn has three receiving touchdowns this season on only 13 targets. With Bateman out of the lineup, Duvernay will take over as the No. 1 wide receiver for an explosive Baltimore passing attack.

Meanwhile, the Bengals have struggled against opposing passing attacks this season. They are giving up only 24.9 fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers, roughly 2.5 fantasy points fewer than the league average. However, Cincinnati has faced some lackluster passing attacks. In their two matchups against the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys, opposing No. 1 wide receivers have averaged 16.3 fantasy points per game. While he isn’t an elite player like CeeDee Lamb or Tyreek Hill, Duvernay has a solid matchup this week and will see the bump in targets needed to earn a spot in fantasy starting lineups.

Logan Thomas (TE – WAS) vs. Tennessee Titans (27.3% Rostered)

Unfortunately, Kyle Pitts won’t play this week because of a hamstring injury, forcing fantasy players to look for a last-minute replacement. Despite coming off a torn ACL that ended his 2021 season, Thomas is the TE16 for the year, averaging 5.8 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. However, the veteran tight end is averaging five targets per game, seeing at least five in all but one game this season. Furthermore, the Commanders won’t have star rookie receiver Jahan Dotson on Sunday, while Curtis Samuel has dealt with an illness in practice this week. More importantly, Thomas’ matchup is appealing.

The Titans have been awful at defending tight ends this season, giving up 14.7 fantasy points per game to the position, the sixth-most in the NFL. They have also surrendered at least five receptions and 47 receiving yards to tight ends in three straight games. Furthermore, Tennessee has given up four receiving touchdowns to the position this season, the second-most in the NFL. However, Thomas was a late add to the injury report on Friday with a calf injury. If the veteran can’t play, John Bates (0.1% rostered) had six targets last week, second-most on the team, and is a solid backup option.

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