Last-Minute Waiver Wire Pickups & Injury Replacements (Fantasy Football)

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 to 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. Let’s dive into my six last-minute waiver wire targets for Week 3.

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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.

Sam Darnold (QB – SEA) vs. New Orleans Saints (7.6% Rostered)

Fantasy players won’t love the idea of starting Darnold. However, the former USC star is a solid streaming option or replacement quarterback for fantasy players in deeper leagues. After an awful Week 1 performance, totaling 5.4 fantasy points, the veteran quarterback bounced back last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Darnold completed 66.7% of his 33 pass attempts for 295 yards, two touchdowns, and 15.8 fantasy points despite throwing two interceptions. More importantly, he got production from Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp after the veteran wide receiver struggled in Week 1.

More importantly, Darnold has an appealing matchup on Sunday against the Saints. New Orleans gave up two passing touchdowns and 18.3 fantasy points to Kyler Murray in Week 1. Many expected them to shut down the San Francisco 49ers offense last week with Brock Purdy out of the lineup. However, Mac Jones had one of the better performances of his career. The former Alabama star had 279 passing yards, three touchdowns, and 21.8 fantasy points despite missing George Kittle. Don’t be surprised if Darnold has a three-touchdown performance on Sunday.

Kareem Hunt (RB – KC) vs. New York Giants (30.3% Rostered)

Isiah Pacheco is rostered in 88.9% of ESPN leagues, 58.6% higher than Hunt. Yet, the backup running back has been the better option for fantasy players. Hunt is the RB50, averaging nine PPR fantasy points per game. By comparison, Pacheco is the RB52, averaging 8.7 fantasy points per game despite playing 15.7% more of the snaps. Last week, Hunt was the more efficient running back, averaging more yards per rushing attempt (3.9 vs. 2.2) and a lower stuff rate (25% vs. 60%) than Pacheco against an elite Philadelphia Eagles defense.

Thankfully, the Chiefs face a far weaker defense in Week 3. The Giants have had no answers for opposing running backs. They have surrendered 30.2 fantasy points per game to running backs over the first two weeks, the most in the NFL. New York has given up over 110 rushing yards, at least one touchdown, and 25.4 fantasy points to running backs in both outings. Last week, the Giants gave up a rushing touchdown and 9.9 fantasy points to Miles Sanders despite him playing only 22% of the snaps.

Jeremy McNichols (RB – WAS) vs. Las Vegas Raiders (2.6% Rostered)

Unfortunately, Austin Ekeler tore his Achilles in Week 2, ending his season. The veteran’s injury opened the door for McNichols to have a larger role on offense. He has four rushing attempts for 25 yards and 2.5 PPR fantasy points this year, playing only 20.9% of the offensive snaps. However, the veteran is expected to take over as the passing game running back with Ekeler out for the season. More importantly, McNichols should see meaningful work given the matchup against the Raiders, especially with Jayden Daniels out of the lineup.

The Commanders won’t have their superstar quarterback on Sunday because of a knee injury, meaning Marcus Mariota will take over under center. While that could lead to a more conservative game plan, McNichols sees a bump in fantasy value because of Las Vegas’ poor pass defense, including to running backs. They have held running backs to 3.4 yards per attempt and 13.2 fantasy points per game, the fifth-fewest in the NFL. However, the Raiders have given up the seventh-most receptions to running backs (11) over the first two weeks.

Elic Ayomanor (WR – TEN) vs. Indianapolis Colts (19.1% Rostered)

This will be the last week fantasy players can add Ayomanor off the waiver wire without needing to spend FAAB or a priority waiver claim. The former Stanford star is the WR53 over the first two weeks, averaging 9.5 PPR fantasy points per game. Last week, he was Cam Ward’s more reliable and favorite weapon in the passing game, totaling four receptions on six targets for 56 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 15.6 fantasy points, ending Week 2 as the WR24, ahead of Nico Collins (14.2) and Mike Evans (10.6).

Not only is Ayomanor an excellent last-minute injury replacement, but the rookie is my top beat-the-waiver-wire pick. According to Fantasy Points Data, he leads the Titans in first-read target share this season (26.8%). More importantly, the Colts struggled to slow down the Denver Broncos’ role players last week. Troy Franklin couldn’t be stopped, as the former Oregon star had eight receptions on nine targets for 89 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 24 fantasy points, finishing as the week’s WR7. Ayomanor could have a similar fantasy performance on Sunday against Indianapolis.

Olamide Zaccheaus (WR – CHI) vs. Dallas Cowboys (0.5% Rostered)

While the Bears have a 0-2 record with both losses coming in the division, their offense has had some bright spots. Rome Odunze has been a top-five wide receiver over the first two weeks, while Caleb Williams is the QB10. However, the rest of the wide receiver core has struggled. Yet, that should change on Sunday. The over/under for Chicago’s matchup against Dallas is 50.5 points, the highest on Sunday by five points. Therefore, fantasy players should expect production from both offenses, including the role players, especially at wide receiver.

Zaccheaus is a vastly underrated flex option in Week 3. The veteran has been the Bears’ clear-cut No. 3 wide receiver ahead of Luther Burden III. More importantly, he has run 73.8% of his routes from the slot this season. Last week, the Cowboys surrendered eight receptions on 10 targets for 142 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 28.2 fantasy points to Wan’Dale Robinson, who ran 79.4% of his routes out of the slot. While he won’t finish the week as a top-five wide receiver, Zaccheaus has top-36 upside.

Jake Tonges (TE – SF) vs. Arizona Cardinals (2.5% Rostered)

Unfortunately, George Kittle will miss a few more weeks with a hamstring injury that landed him on injured reserve. Tonges has been a solid replacement option for the 49ers and fantasy players in deeper leagues. He is the TE15 for the year, averaging 8.8 PPR fantasy points per game, a higher average than David Njoku (7.4) and T.J. Hockenson (3.4). Furthermore, Tonges has had either a receiving touchdown or at least five targets in both games this season. More importantly, the veteran has an excellent matchup against the Cardinals.

Arizona hasn’t faced an elite tight end this year, squaring off against starters Juwan Johnson and Ja’Tavion Sanders. Yet, they’ve had no answers for opposing tight ends. The Cardinals have surrendered 17.5 fantasy points per game to tight ends, the fourth-most in the NFL despite not allowing a receiving touchdown. They have given up at least eight receptions for 76 receiving yards and 15.6 fantasy points to tight ends in both outings. Furthermore, the 49ers will likely not have Jauan Jennings on Sunday because of ankle and shoulder injuries.

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