Cody Zeller (CHA, C) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

February 25, 2019

Cody Zeller is a worthy consideration as a fantasy basketball waiver wire pickup if he's still available as a free agent in your league, heading into Week 20 of the NBA season. Daniel Benjamin recommends Zellers due to his recent solid play, scoring and rebounding ability.

BALLER MOVE: Add in 10-team leagues

OWNED IN: 28%

ANALYSIS: Cody Zeller has been on a vengeance since returning from hand surgery that caused him to miss 16 games. The 7-footer's scoring has been inconsistent, but he really has hit the boards hard and become a more consistent rim-protector.

Zeller notched his third double-double in the last seven outings on Saturday as he compiled 13 points, 11 boards, and one blocked shot in a loss to the Nets. The 26-year-old was just three of nine from the field, although he did convert seven of eight attempts from the charity stripe. He has now scored in double figures in five straight games and grabbed seven or more rebounds in each of the past seven games, reaching double-digits on three occasions. Zeller, who was on the court against the Nets for only 26 minutes before fouling out, saw his six consecutive game streak with at least one assist snapped.

The sixth-year pro has compiled 11.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, two assists, and one block while shooting 47 percent from the field in the month of February. A big part of the former first-round pick's recent success has been his offensive rebounding. Zeller has plucked 27 caroms off the offensive boards during this stretch. As a result of this work, he has averaged 2.3 second-chance points and drawn 4.6 fouls which have led to him to attempt seven free throws a game.

Zeller is an excellent option for fantasy owners who need scoring and rebounding as well as some rim-protection and some assists from their big man. With the Hornets in the middle of the playoff race, and the team's other centers not producing much, Zeller is expected to get as much run as he wants going forward.