Mid-Week Fantasy Basketball Category Streamers for Week 5

Max Kulish looks at some mid-week waiver wire options for fantasy basketball leagues. These players may be free agents to target on waivers in Week 5.

If you're one of those fantasy basketball players that sets a lineup at the beginning of the week, checks out, and then comes back seven days later to see how things shook out, this post is not for you.

This is for those who are grinding through each day and keeping track of categories as the days tick off. Maybe you need a handful of assists to get you over and win the week, or maybe a key injury is forcing you to rethink a category you previously considered stable. The goal is here to is target specific players who are rostered in less than half of Yahoo! leagues who will help you get you into the winner's circle. Mostly we're looking at players who might be available in 12-team leagues, but there will be some deeper options too when available.

As is always the case when streaming, it's possible that some of these recommended options are worthy of a longer-term add. But in order to hold long term, you first have to make the pickup. Regardless of where you're deficient, here are some names to consider to help you make up ground in the short term.

Points - Streaming Options

Desmond Bane - SG - Memphis Grizzlies (49% rostered)

Just barely squeaking into contention; Bane has shown to be a reliable depth scoring option this season. With Dillon Brooks returning back to the Grizzlies starting line-up in recent weeks, that has naturally caused the ripple effect of people to drop Bane. Available in just over half of leagues; I think that if he's available in your league, you should seriously consider picking him up. We've seen the ceiling should Brooks (or another member of Memphis' backcourt rotation) get injured and more minutes present themself. Memphis is #1 in FGA, and #4 in FGM on the season, so even if he is a rotation piece for the Grizzlies, they have shown that there are plenty of shots to go around for everyone.

Other streamers: 

• Anfernee Simons - PG/SG - Portland Trail Blazers (21% rostered)
• Furkan Korkmaz - SG/SF - Philadelphia 76ers (23% rostered)
• Luke Kennard - SG/SF - Los Angeles Clippers (23% rostered)
• Cedi Osman - SF/PF - Cleveland Cavaliers (10% rostered)

Assists - Streaming Options

Patrick Beverly - PG/SG - Minnesota Timberwolves (14% rostered)

I'm sure most people would expect to find Pat Bev under one of our defensive categories (hint: you still might), but on a middling Timberwolves team he finds himself averaging 4.5 assists per game, playing 26+ minutes per game on average. Beverly isn't known for his scoring ability by any means but possesses a rare built-in defensive floor to fall back on and in some cases, those stats can be worth their weight in gold.

Other streamers: 

• George Hill - PG/SG - Milwaukee Bucks (5% rostered) 
• Monte Morris - PG/SG - Denver Nuggets (36% rostered) 
• Shake Milton - PG/SG - Philadelphia 76ers (30% rostered)
• Thaddeus Young - PF/C - San Antonio Spurs (46% rostered)

Rebounds - Streaming Options

JaVale McGee - C - Phoenix Suns (21% rostered)

With Deandre Ayton still out for the Suns, McGee has raised his rebounds per game average up to a very solid 7.0 RPG. Throw in 1.2 blocks per game, and the fact that McGee plays on one of the league's better teams, if your league prioritizes rebounds, or if it doesn't and you just need to help to fill up that stat, McGee is a sneaky good option floating around in most leagues. 

Other streamers: 

• Darius Bazley - SF/PF - Oklahoma City Thunder (37% rostered)
• Precious Achiuwa - SF/PF - Toronto Raptors (28% rostered) 
• Josh Hart - SG/SF - New Orleans Pelicans (44% rostered) 
• Terance Mann - SF - Los Angeles Clippers (42% rostered) 
• Jared Vanderbilt - C - Minnesota Timberwolves (6% rostered)

Blocks - Streaming Options

Drew Eubanks - PF/C - San Antonio Spurs (16% rostered)

Featuring Eubanks here for the second week in a row, because quite frankly not enough people have caught on yet. In fairness, Eubanks has been cold on the blocks front with 1 block in his last 4 games. However, he is still averaging a clean 1.0 blocks per game through the early part of the season; even with this cold streak. Some positive regression could lead Eubanks to big numbers on defense in the upcoming weeks, with Jakob Poetl still out.

Other streamers: 

• Hassan Whiteside - C - Utah Jazz (34% rostered)
• Derrick Jones Jr. - SG/SF - Chicago Bulls (4% rostered)
• Matisse Thybulle - SG/SF - Philadelphia 76ers (47% rostered)
• Thaddeus Young - PF/C - San Antonio Spurs (48% rostered)

Steals - Streaming Options

Royce O'Neale - SF/PF - Utah Jazz (41% rostered)

O'Neale continues to play meaningful minutes (31.6 per game) for the Jazz. With minutes comes opportunity, and in his last 6 games, O'Neale has 9 steals. O'Neale's strength isn't necessarily scoring, but he has a knack to fill the stat sheet in most other areas. O'Neale has a very high floor due to the fact he's on the court almost 2/3 of every game, and he figures to be an important piece of their rotation throughout the season.

Other streamers: 

• Dorian Finney-Smith - SF/PF - Dallas Mavericks (19% rostered) 
• Danny Green - SG/SF - Philadelphia 76ers (19% rostered)
• Gary Payton II - PG/SG - Golden State Warriors (17% rostered)

Threes - Streaming Options

Pat Connaughton - SG/SF - Milwaukee Bucks (27% rostered)

In the absence of Kris Middleton, Connaughton has seen his already respectable role grow into just about 30 minutes per game. Opportunity is once again the name of the game, and taking a shooter that gets to play with Giannis Antetounkoumpo is bound to get good looks. Connaughton averages 2.5 3s made per game, and as long as Middleton remains out, that number should remain steady.

Other streamers: 

• Malik Beasley - PG/SG - Minnesota Timberwolves (24% rostered) 
• Anfernee Simons - PG/SG - Portland Trail Blazers (33% rostered)
• Furkan Korkmaz - SG/SF - Philadelphia 76ers (40% rostered) 
• Luke Kennard - SG - Los Angeles Clippers (28% rostered)

Field Goal Percentage - Streaming Options

Gary Payton II - PG/SG - Golden State Warriors (17% rostered)

The Glove's son has carved out an established role on a veteran and well-oiled Warriors team. His FG% currently sits at 66% after playing 15+ minutes in n8 straight games. His high FG% can be attributed to being aggressive in getting looks around the basket on offense, and he is averaging 1.4 steals per game which also leads to quality, high % looks in transition.

Other streamers: 

• Josh Hart - SG/SF - New Orleans Pelicans (48% rostered) 
• Daniel Theis - PF/C - Houston Rockets (25% rostered)
• Frank Kaminsky - C - Phoenix Suns (14% rostered)
• JaVale McGee - C - Phoenix Suns (21% rostered)

Free Throw Percentage - Streaming Options

Derrick Jones Jr. SG/SF - Chicago Bulls (4% rostered)

For the record; I don't think Derrick Jones is a great fantasy asset, but if you need to put an emphasis on free throw %, you could do worse. The UNLV alum is known for attacking the rim, and currently averages 1.8 makes out of every 2 free throws attempted. Those aren't crazy numbers by any means, but we're getting thin here at FT%, and at such a low ownership, he's mostly a target for those in deeper leagues.

Other streamers:

• Eric Bledsoe - PG/SG - Los Angeles Clippers (30% rostered)
• Terrence Ross - SG/SF - Orlando Magic (17% rostered)
• Shake Milton - PG/SG - Philadelphia 76ers (38% rostered)

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