X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Fantasy Basketball Mid-Week Pickups for Week 8

Daniel Lubofsky looks at some mid-week waiver wire options for fantasy basketball leagues. These players may be free agents to pick up off waivers in Week 8.

Fantasy football playoffs may have begun, but the NBA's fantasy season is in full gear with no signs of slowing down. The Bucks and Lakers are dominating the league as the only two teams to cross the 20-win threshold, starting a conversation about the possibility of a 70-win campaign.

Elsewhere in recent days, we've seen game-winning buzzer-beaters fall through the net and incredible stat-stuffing performances from several of the league's breakout players.

Things should only intensify as the trade window for recently signed players opens on Sunday and teams begin to plan out potential trades. Where that leaves your fantasy roster is anyone's guess, but here are five players who can help mitigate the potential chaos. Here are five mid-week waiver wire pickups for week 8.

Upgrade To VIP: Win more with our NBA and DFS Premium Pass, get expert tools and advice from proven winners! Jamie Calandro and Dan Palyo lead the RotoBaller team in 2024-25 with exclusive DFS picks, Prop picks and more. Gain VIP access to our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, DFS Cheat Sheets and VIP Chat Rooms. Go Premium, Win More!

 

Week 8 Mid-Week Waiver Wire Pickups

Kevin Huerter - SG - Atlanta Hawks - 43% owned

Kevin Huerter was absent for an 11-game stretch for Atlanta on account of a shoulder injury, halting his ability to make any progress after an All-Rookie Second Team showing a year ago.

Having finally returned on Dec. 4, Huerter has been brought along slowly by head coach Lloyd Pierce which has capped the sophomore's production while he reacclimates himself to the NBA game.

He's played only three games and scored a total of 18 points, but it's the latter two with some interesting tidbits that are worth noting.

Huerter canned three shots from beyond the arc in each of those two outings while dishing out a combined 13 assists highlighted with zero turnovers.

The Hawks have been looking for someone to assist their star point guard at the offensive end for a few weeks now. Huerter was dubbed as potentially one of those guys before getting hurt. Now that he's back, a sizeable role should be available for him that should help him return to the projection he was on before his injury.

Mikal Bridges - SG/SF - Phoenix Suns - 42% owned

It's been an up and down second season for Mikal Bridges, who's seen his playing time cut with only a handful of encouraging performances on the year. A recent stretch of games, however, has attracted some attention, raising the question of whether it is here today.

A recent nine-point outing aside, Bridges had averaged 12.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game over a five-game stretch in which he also shot 54.5 percent on 2.2 three-point attempts per game.

Even amid Bridge's first single-digit scoring performance in nearly two weeks, he still managed to contribute elsewhere, grabbing eight boards while cobbling together four assists, three steals, and two blocks.

The Suns are a recipe for fantasy production for 3-and-D types like Bridges, ranking eighth in pace and ninth in three-point attempts.

Given his inconsistent nature, Bridges could just as easily fall back into a state of struggle as easily as he climbed out of it. Until then, consider giving him a look until the hot streak fizzles out.

De'Andre Hunter - SF - Atlanta Hawks - 30% owned

De'Andre Hunter has gotten off to a much faster NBA start than most had expected on draft night thanks in part to the absences that have sprinkled across the Hawks roster.

The rookie is averaging 12.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while chipping in 1.8 three-point makes a night at a 36.5 percent clip.

He's coming off the best game of his young career in which he put up 28 points, five three-pointers, four rebounds, and three assists down in Miami.

Kevin Huerter has returned to Atlanta's lineup but John Collins is still set to miss the next six games to finish off his 25-game suspension. Even upon return, Hunter will still see a prominent role with a Hawks team on the outside of the playoff picture in hopes of developing him as quickly as possible to further that goal.

Aron Baynes - C - Phoenix Suns - 42% owned

Aron Baynes was having himself a phenomenal stretch of production before going down for nine of 10 games with a calf injury. Baynes returned to the lineup last Monday to put up 12 points, four rebounds, and two three-pointers, all in just 15 minutes of action, signaling a return to form from the hulking big man.

He's currently averaging 14.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while also contributing an unexpected 1.9 three-point makes per game as well.

Deandre Ayton is expected back from a 25-game suspension on Dec. 17 against the Clippers and will likely return to the starting lineup as well, but Baynes has been too integral to Phoenix's surprising 11-12 start to fade out of relevance.

The Suns need him and will almost certainly do their best to find space for him in the rotation, even if it means scaling back some of Ayton's minutes. We may have witnessed the peak production of Baynes, but that doesn't mean he's completely absent of contributions, especially if you find yourself thin at center.

Kent Bazemore - SG/SF - Portland Trail Blazers - 33% owned

Kent Bazemore had started just two games all season before Portland hosted the Lakers on Friday night, stuck behind Rodney Hood in the depth chart.

Against LA, however, Hood, unfortunately, tore his left Achilles tendon, likely placing him out for the remainder of the 2019-20 season and creating a hole in the Blazers' starting lineup.

Bazemore has assumed that position in each of the last two games but hasn't done much outside of draining three three-pointers against Oklahoma City, but he did see 36 minutes of action against the Thunder -- he saw just 21 in a blowout win over New York.

Per 36-minutes, Bazemore is averaging 12.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.9 three-pointers per game. Who knows if he'll get those minutes or replicate those stats, but the opportunity will certainly be there for a Blazers team looking to steady a rocky ship and return to the playoff picture out west.

More Fantasy Basketball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jalen Thompson

Heading into Last Year With Cardinals?
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Najee Harris

Suffers Eye Injury in Fireworks Mishap
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Alex Bregman

Will Return to Red Sox This Weekend
Chris Sale

Braves Won't Consider Trading Chris Sale
Clarke Schmidt

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery on Friday
Nick Nash

Unlikely to Make Falcons Active Roster
Lane Johnson

in No Rush To Retire
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Blake Corum

has "Gotten His Speed Back"
Jarquez Hunter

Picking Up Rams Offense Quickly
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Kirk Cousins

Feels Misled by Falcons
Bijan Robinson

Says Falcons Have "Outlandish Goals" for the Running Game
Luther Burden III

Bears Expect Luther Burden III to be Ready for Training Camp
Cole Kmet

an Unlikely Trade Piece
Tony Pollard

Titans Hope to Balance Rushing Attack With Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Quentin Johnston

Not Assured of Starting Role
Cordarrelle Patterson

on the Roster Bubble in Pittsburgh?
Shedeur Sanders

Not Assured of Roster Spot in Cleveland?
Wan'Dale Robinson

Hoping For More Downfield Opportunities
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome on the Trade Block?
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Zach Tom

An Extension Candidate in Green Bay
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Kyren Williams

Rams Not Willing to Pay Kyren Williams Top-Market Money?
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Christian Kirk

the No. 2 WR in Houston?
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Expected to Return on Friday
Jerome Ford

the Likely Starter for Cleveland to Begin 2025
Chig Okonkwo

"Poised" for Best Season of Career
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Chet Holmgren

Agrees to Rookie Max Extension
Alex Bregman

Not Returning Wednesday
Jhoan Duran

Unavailable Due to Illness
Shane McClanahan

Tosses Clean Frame in First Rehab Appearance
Jacob Wilson

Day-to-Day After HBP
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. to be Reassessed Wednesday
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Malaki Branham

Traded to Washington
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Blake Wesley

Moves to Washington
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Kelly Olynyk

on the Move Again
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Jacob Wilson

Exits Early On Tuesday With Left Hand Contusion
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF