Fantasy Basketball 9-Cat Waiver Wire Pickups - Week 1

October 20, 2021

Week 1 fantasy basketball waiver wire pickups, adds, and sleepers for the 2021-2022 NBA season. Justin Carter recommends guards, forwards and centers to target through waivers or free agency in 9-cat fantasy leagues.

The NBA season starts on Tuesday, y'all, and we're back here at RotoBaller with some waiver wire add -- or, I guess, some last-minute targets before the season starts, since you probably aren't technically doing waivers yet.

These recommendations are for 9-cat leagues, but if you play in another format, there's a good chance that the information here can still help you. We'll be looking at centers, forwards, and guards whose low rostership and upside make them ideal players to get onto your fantasy team.

Our staff at RotoBaller has great insight and daily columns on how to improve your squad and tips to make your team successful, so be sure to check them out! Now, let's get prepared for Week 1. All players in this article are rostered at around 50 percent or less.

9-Category Leagues Waiver Wire

Columns are written based on H2H 9-category standard size leagues:

Scottie Barnes, SF - Toronto Raptors

59% rostered

I think we all knew Barnes would be a good addition in points leagues, but after the preseason, I'm now considering him in 9-cat as well. He averaged 9.8 points, 5.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks in the preseason.

And look, I'm definitely cautious about those numbers. Barnes had 11 total blocks last year in 24 games at Florida State, so he's not going to average 2.4 stocks per game. No way. Won't do it.

But he will get a lot of minutes this season, especially early on with Pascal Siakam and Chris Boucher out. He can help you in the short term, though once his minutes fade when Toronto is back to full strength, I won't like him as much.

Chuma Okeke, PF - Orlando Magic

40% rostered 

It was fun to see Okeke get on the floor last year after he missed the 19-20 season with a torn ACL.

It looks like Okeke will start at the four in Orlando. In games he started last year, the former Auburn Tiger averaged 11.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, as well as 1.5 steals per game. I love getting that kind of steal numbers from a power forward. I also love that Okeke shot 42.9 percent from three in home games, even if his overall three-point numbers weren't the greatest.

Tyrese Maxey, PG/SG - Philadelphia 76ers

39% rostered 

What'll happen with Ben Simmons? Will he play, consider he reported to the team? Will he pull a 2020-21 Houston James Harden and tank his value when he's on the floor, leading to him barely being on the floor? Will he be "injured" this season, with an emphasis on the scare quotes?

IDK!

But if Simmons isn't on the floor much/at all, Maxey will likely start at point guard. He only started eight games last year, but averaged 18.6 points on 50 percent shooting in those eight games, plus added 4.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.

Maxey as a starter can be a lethal player and can really bolster your fantasy lineup, providing scoring, rebounds, and efficiency, and I trust the assist numbers would go up considering he averaged five per game in the six games where he played between 30 and 39 minutes.

Daniel Theis, PF/C - Houston Rockets

32% rostered

At some point this season, the Rockets are going to be way, way down in the standings, and the team will get more minutes for Alperen Sengun and Usman Garuba.

But for the first month or so at least, Daniel Theis will be getting a lot of minutes. Remember when Houston grabbed Kelly Olynyk last year and gave him a huge role at the end of the year, playing him 31.1 minutes per game as he averaged 19.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.8 threes per game?

I don't expect Theis to get those numbers, but what I do expect is for Theis basically be like the store brand version of what Olynyk did. Take some minutes off, some points off, etc., but you'll still get something solid. Dr. Thunder tastes fine. Eventually, you'll get tired of it and want some Dr. Pepper, but if you have to drink some Dr. Thunder for a month while you wait for the Dr. Pepper factory to replenish its stock, you can handle that.

(I mixed up some metaphors there. Whatever. Theis is going to be solid until the Rockets get comfortable moving Christian Wood to the four and starting Sengun.)

Davion Mitchell, SG - Sacramento Kings

24% rostered

Another rookie!

Will be interesting to see how the Kings use Mitchell, but the Summer League co-MVP continued to play well in the preseason, averaging 11.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 2.5 threes per game.

Mitchell's defense is going to get him on the court this season. It's a crowded Kings backcourt, but Buddy Hield is perpetually in trade rumors. Mitchell will get minutes and his steals and threes will be huge helps for fantasy managers who need help in those two ways.

Luke Kennard, SG/SF - Los Angeles Clippers

6% rostered 

Looking for threes in a deep league?

Luke Kennard has you, possibly.

In the preseason, Kennard was getting a ton of volume from deep. He made four threes against Minnesota. Five against Dallas. Ty Lue has made comments about designing plays to get the ball to Kennard for some scoring chances.

Kennard is going to be that bench sparkplug for the Clippers this year. If you need scoring and shooting, pick him up.

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