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In our weekly look at the waiver wire in fantasy basketball, RotoBaller Brad Leibfried gives us some in-depth NBA analysis about which forwards and centers to target off the waiver wire, and which forwards and centers to continue scouting. Fantasy owners would do well to check out Brad's Week 10 Guards Pickups, as well. RotoBaller covers the best fantasy basketball waiver wire pickups each week, so stay tuned!
Waiver Wire Pickups at the Forward and Center Positions
Waiver Wire Must-Add Forwards and Centers
Andray Blatche: Likely the biggest fantasy winner from the Brook Lopez injury is Blatche. The Nets backup big man has a ton of talent, but with Lopez on the team, he couldn't find consistent minutes. He can also be one of the most maddening players to own, as he is prone to games like the one he had on Christmas where he went 1-11 from the floor with just 5 rebounds. Nevertheless, he does have four games of over 20 points scored this month, and has averaged 6.1 rebounds a game in December. Blatche is currently averaging 23 minutes a game on the season, and you can expect that to increase to around 33 per game. Although he did not start last time out, he should still see the most minutes per game up front for the Nets; consider him a must-add.
Nenê: Even though he has been battling through an Achilles injury, Nenê has quietly put some of the best numbers of his career this season. He is currently averaging 14.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks a game this year. Those numbers are not going to blow anyone away, but if he is sitting on your waiver wire, he could bring an immediate bump while not hurting you in any category. Nenê would be especially useful in daily leagues, as he has missed five of his past 10 games, but he's been productive in the five games he has played. If you have an open roster spot and are in need of a big man, Nenê should be a top priority.
Khris Middleton: With all of the inconsistent play in Milwaukee, Middleton has been perhaps the steadiest player on the roster. The Bucks forward has six straight games scoring in double figures while tossing in games of 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in that time. It seemed likely that with the return of Caron Butler that Middleton would lose minutes, however in the two games since Butler’s return, Middleton has scored a combined 46 points. Even though it is nearly impossible to tell who will get the front-court minutes in Milwaukee when the team is 100% healthy, Middleton looks like the best bet, and has proven he can provide a good mix of stats to help your fantasy team.
Waiver Wire Forwards and Centers to Keep an Eye On
Danny Granger: Remember when Granger averaged 25.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.5 three pointers game? Well, that was six years ago. Still, Granger is now back from a two-year injury hiatus and reports are that he is ready to play solid minutes. With a ton of other options, the Pacers likely will not push Granger to huge minutes, but the talent is there and if he can prove he is healthy, Granger could still provide some fantasy value.
Mirza Teletovic: The other beneficiary of the Brook Lopez injury is Teletovic. The Russian big man started on Christmas and is likely to be used as a stretch four for Brooklyn. In that game, he put up 17 points on 7-11 shooting. His last six games have seen him score 17, 11, 0, 18, 8 and 17. He is not yet a great source of consistency, however if he is forced into action because of injuries, he could become a useful fantasy option.
Check out Brad's Week 10 Guards Pickups, and be sure to come back next week as RotoBaller will continue to look at the best fantasy basketball waiver wire pickups for you to own and scout.
