Mike Fanelli | Sat, Dec 27th 2025, 8:26am EST

6 Last-Minute Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 17)

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 17.

Last-Minute Waiver Wire Pickups & Injury Replacements

All the players in this article are rostered in under 35% of ESPN leagues.

Tyler Shough (QB – NO) vs. Tennessee Titans (19.3% Rostered)

I feel like I’m beating a dead horse at this point. Shough has been a consistent member of my deep league waiver wire article, appearing for the fourth consecutive week and the fifth time since the Saints’ Week 11 bye. The rookie hasn’t been a superstar, scoring over 21 fantasy points only once this season. Yet, the former Louisville star has been a top-10 quarterback lately, averaging 240.8 passing yards, a touchdown, and 18.5 fantasy points per game over the past four weeks, totaling 17 or more in every contest.

Last week, Shough completed 65.3% of his career-high 49 pass attempts for 308 yards, a touchdown, and 17.1 fantasy points despite Taysom Hill stealing a 38-yard touchdown pass. Thankfully, he has another excellent fantasy matchup on Sunday against the Titans. Tennessee “held” Gardner Minshew and Chris Oladokun to 6.5 fantasy points last week. However, they had surrendered 283 passing yards, 2.5 touchdowns, and 24.7 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks over the previous four contests, allowed at least 395 yards, three touchdowns, and 26.2 fantasy points in back-to-back weeks.

Blake Corum (RB – LAR) vs. Atlanta Falcons (34.9% Rostered)

While Kyren Williams remains Los Angeles’ No. 1 running back, Corum’s role on offense has grown lately. The former Michigan star had three games with double-digit rushing attempts over the first 13 weeks. However, he has had at least 11 rushing attempts in three consecutive games. More importantly, Corum has been outstanding with the workload despite facing multiple elite run defenses, averaging 12.3 rushing attempts for 82.3 yards, 1.3 touchdowns, and 17.4 PPR fantasy points per contest. Furthermore, he posted a 6.7 yards per rushing attempt average during that stretch.

Not only has Corum found the end zone at least once in each of his past three games, but he has scored over 13 fantasy points in every outing. Meanwhile, the Falcons have surrendered 22.3 fantasy points per game to running backs. Furthermore, they’ve given up 112.8 rushing yards and 25.5 fantasy points per game to running backs over the past 10 weeks despite facing several below-average rushing attacks. Last week, Atlanta allowed the Arizona Cardinals’ backfield to have 127 rushing yards despite missing their top three running backs.

Isaiah Davis (RB – NYJ) vs. New England Patriots (3.2% Rostered)

Fantasy players have become frustrated with Breece Hall. The former Iowa State star has scored 8.3 or fewer PPR fantasy points in every game Brady Cook has played. Meanwhile, Davis has played well in Cook’s two starts despite a limited workload. He has averaged 8.5 touches for 62.5 scrimmage yards, 0.5 touchdowns, and 11.8 fantasy points per game over the past two weeks, scoring double-digit fantasy points in both contests. Furthermore, Davis has hit that fantasy total despite having 10 or fewer touches in both games against talented run defenses.

New England has had one of the top run defenses in the NFL this season. They’ve surrendered only 19.2 fantasy points per game to running backs, the third-fewest in the league. However, the Patriots have struggled to stop the run lately. New England has given up 119.3 rushing yards per game over their past four contests, allowing at least 104 in every outing. Furthermore, they’ve allowed running backs to average 130.5 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and 32.8 fantasy points per game over their two matchups since the Week 14 bye.

Luther Burden III (WR – CHI) vs. San Francisco 49ers (21.9% Rostered)

Unfortunately, the Bears won’t have Rome Odunze for the fourth consecutive game because of a foot injury. Thankfully, Burden will return to the lineup after an ankle injury kept him from playing last week against the Green Bay Packers. The rookie had played well with Odunze on the sidelines, averaging five receptions on 6.5 targets for 75.5 receiving yards and 12.7 PPR fantasy points per game, totaling 11 or more in both contests. More importantly, Burden led Chicago in targets (seven) the last time he stepped foot on the field.

Meanwhile, the Bears face the 49ers in one of the highest projected games of Week 17. San Francisco’s defense has played well despite losing multiple players to season-ending injuries. Yet, they’ve surrendered 163.9 receiving yards, 1.1 touchdowns, and 35.9 fantasy points per game to wide receivers over the past 12 weeks, allowing 39.4 or more in 54.6% of the contests. Furthermore, the 49ers gave up 13 receptions for 183 receiving yards, two touchdowns, and 43.6 fantasy points to the Indianapolis Colts’ wide receivers in Philip Rivers’ second start since 2020.

Parker Washington (WR – JAC) vs. Indianapolis Colts (20.9% Rostered)

Many were shocked to see Jacksonville’s passing attack mostly have their way with the Denver Broncos defense. While Jakobi Meyers and Brian Thomas Jr. combined for 12.4 PPR fantasy points against the elite defense, Washington stepped up for Trevor Lawrence. He had six receptions on 10 targets for 145 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 26.5 fantasy points. Furthermore, Washington has scored 17 or more fantasy points in every game with more than three targets since the team’s Week 8 bye. He could have another impressive performance on Sunday against Indianapolis.

The Colts will get back Sauce Gardner on Sunday after the superstar has missed the past four games with a calf injury. Yet, their defense has been one of the most fantasy-friendly to opposing wide receivers. Indianapolis has surrendered 36.8 fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season, the third-most in the NFL. Furthermore, the Colts have given up 200.2 receiving yards and 39.9 fantasy points per game to wide receivers since their Week 11 bye, allowing at least 144 yards and 37.4 fantasy points in every outing.

Darren Waller (TE – MIA) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (28.6% Rostered)

Waller has missed seven games this year because of injury. However, he has played well when healthy, averaging 12.5 PPR fantasy points per game. Furthermore, Waller been outstanding when seeing four or more targets, averaging 52.8 receiving yards and 17.3 fantasy points per game in those four contests. He was spectacular two weeks ago against the Pittsburgh Steelers, totaling seven receptions on eight targets for 66 receiving yards, two touchdowns, and 25.6 PPR fantasy points. Meanwhile, his five targets last week finished second on the team behind Jaylen Waddle (nine).

More importantly, Waller has an excellent matchup to wrap up the fantasy football season, facing the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay has one of the most fantasy-friendly pass defenses in the league. They have surrendered 15.6 fantasy points per game to tight ends this year, the seventh-most in the NFL. Furthermore, the Buccaneers have had no answer for tight ends lately. They have given up 87.8 receiving yards, 1.2 touchdowns, and 24.2 fantasy points per game to tight ends over the past five weeks, including 45.6 to Kyle Pitts two weeks ago.

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

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