NBA Waiver Wire: Four-Game Fantasy Basketball Sleepers (12/1 – 12/7)

This weekly column is geared toward anyone playing in a head-to-head format, and especially those of you in weekly lineup leagues.

It is a great idea to keep up with which players are scheduled to play four games during the upcoming week, as fantasy basketball managers can use this information to gain an advantage in games played over an opponent. Simply put, the more games played, the more potential there is for production.

Based on their respective four-game schedules, the following four players should be viewed as “sleepers” for next week. Advising fantasy owners to play the likes of LeBron James or Anthony Davisis a waste of time and effort; hopefully it is common knowledge that studs of that nature should be in lineups regardless of how many games they are slated to play.

Position Eligibility & Ownership Rate Based On Yahoo! Fantasy Basketball Leagues

 

Top Four-Game Sleepers (12/1 - 12/7)

Mo Williams (MIN, PG/SG) - 38% Owned

The injury to Ricky Rubio has opened the door for other guys to take advantage of extra playing time. The first man up was rookie Zach LaVine, who received the nod as the starting point guard for the Timberwolves. That experiment did not last long, as LaVine was mostly terrible during his time as a starter. He is a great talent, but still very young and looks overmatched right now. Enter Mo Williams.

Williams has really taken off since taking over the starting gig. He is a veteran player that can still get it done. In his last five games, he is averaging 15.6 points, 9.6 assists, and 2.2 three-pointers per game. Those are fantastic totals for any player. He has been hovering right around 30 minutes a game, and Rubio is not coming back anytime soon, so Williams should have no trouble sustaining this type of production.

Minnesota's upcoming schedule shows games at LA Clippers, Philadelphia, Houston, and at San Antonio. Williams is a terrific asset in points, threes, and assists. He should be universally owned right now, and is a must-start player until Rubio makes his return to the court.

 

K.J. McDaniels (PHI, SG/SF) - 26% Owned 

Similar to LaVine, McDaniels is a rookie, and it is probably going to be a roller coaster ride as he gets accustomed to playing at the NBA level. The difference here is McDaniels plays for the hapless 76ers, who know they are not going to win this year and need to get their young guys some experience. The Philadelphia roster is also severely lacking in talent, so there is not much competition for his playing time.

McDaniels does come off the bench, but usually still plays starter’s minutes. He has been especially hot lately, averaging 14.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.0 blocks, and 1.4 three-pointers over his last five games. This includes his 21 point, 13 rebound explosion on Saturday against the Mavericks, both career-highs.

The schedule next week for McDaniels features San Antonio, at Minnesota, Oklahoma City, and at Detroit. He should be a solid play this week, and with his playing time secure he has a chance to be one of the most productive rookies in the NBA this season. There will be some ups and downs because the 76ers get blown out a lot, but his ability to contribute in every category makes him worth owning in standard leagues.

 

Timofey Mozgov (DEN, C) - 59% Owned

Mozgov is about as solid yet unspectacular as they come in fantasy hoops. He averages 10.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks on the year. He also provides excellent percentages, shooting a cool 54.3 percent from the field, and a surprising 73.3 percent from the line.

Stop me if you have heard this before; JaVale McGee is injured. Shocking, I know. In his absence, Mozgov should pick up some of his minutes. More time on the court usually means more production, so Mozgov’s arrow is pointing up. There is not really anyone else to challenge him for playing time right now.

Although three of his four games this week are on the road, the schedule is still a favorable one. Mozgov will play at Utah, Portland, at Washington, and at Atlanta. He provides steady production in the big man stats, and will not hurt you in any category. If you are in the market for a center, give Mozgov a long look.

 

J.R. Smith (NYK, SG/SF) - 63% Owned

This pick is not recommended for those with a weak stomach. Now that we have the disclaimer out of the way, Smith has an excellent opportunity at short-term value due to the injury to Carmelo Anthony. He has started at small forward the last two games, with mixed results.

The book is out on Smith; he is a streaky player who relies exclusively on his jump shot. He is generally either red hot or ice cold, and it is nearly impossible to predict which extreme he will be on a given night. However, without Melo, the Knicks really do not have a pure scorer, so they need Smith to step up and fill that role. His percentages are likely going to be hideous, but he should be an asset in points, threes, assists, and steals.

The upcoming schedule for the Knicks includes matchups with Brooklyn, Cleveland, at Charlotte, and Portland. Melo is dealing with back spasms, and it is unclear how much longer he will be out. It remains to be seen what Smith will do, but the opportunity is there for him right now and he has shown the ability to put up big numbers in the past. If you feel like rolling the dice, gamble on Smith this week.