RADIO
Wishing everyone a happy holidays! This season has been entertaining with many different story lines, and we're excited for what the rest of the season has to offer. This is a reminder that fantasy basketball is a marathon, not a sprint. We are just about halfway into the fantasy season, where managers should have a sense of what they need to do for the remainder of the season to stay competitive. If you're holding onto the more than a couple of handful of players with an IR spot, it may be time to cut bait. Players like Norman Powell (shoulder), Marc Gasol (groin), Otto Porter (foot) all comes to mind.
It's mindful to take all factors into consideration. Players may be off to slow starts, and it may take a week or two to see consistency. Also be mindful players who are off to flaming hot starts may eventually cool off, or eventually fade out. As a reminder for most leagues, it's crucial to plan ahead. Waiver wire adds, scheduling and player injuries are all things to consider. Make an effort to improve your team by maximizing your weekly adds and utilizing streamer spots via the waiver wire. In some cases, preach some patience in the early part of the season if a player isn't busting out of the gates. Be wary of weekly streaming options and stay ahead of your opponents. 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!
In this weekly piece, I'll go over some specialists in the peripheral areas where you can target on the waiver wire. These guys are not be must-own players by all means, but these are "specialists" in which you should target if you want a boost in assisting to win your statistical head-to-head match ups for example. Let's take a look at some of the guys in Week 11 that are likely on your waiver wire.
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Week 11 Standard Leagues - Waiver Wire Specialists
*Securing your categorical needs at this point is important, especially if you're playing in head-to-head leagues*
I write my columns based on H2H 9-category standard size leagues.
Points
Kyle Kuzma, SF/PF - Los Angeles Lakers
Kyle Kuzma has been red-hot since returning from his ankle injury that has plagued him since Team USA during the summer, and it's definitely a welcoming sign for the Lakers. He's averaged 21.6 points over the last three contests, having hit a combined eight 3-pointers during that span as well. He won't provide much else besides scoring and points, but it sounds like LeBron James could be in for some load management in 2020, making Kuzma a nice hold given how well he's played.
Terrence Ross, SG/SF - Orlando Magic
Ross will benefit from the injury to Aaron Gordon (Achilles) in which he's expected to miss multiple games. Ross is a true definition of a specialist, where his 3-pointers and points could swing the momentum in a weekly league if he's hot. However, he offers very little else other than points and 3-pointers, with the occasional steals. Do not drop anyone of significant value for him, as he's also a liability in regards to percentages.
Darius Garland, PG/SG - Cleveland Cavaliers
The Jordan Clarkson trade is a sign that the Cavaliers is already moving towards the youth movement, and it could mean Kevin Love is next. Garland is an intriguing rookie who could get better as the season goes by. Be wary of his percentages, but he's worth a look if you're in a deeper league seeking for a points and assists guy with a hint of upside.
Tim Hardaway Jr., SG/SF - Dallas Mavericks
Like Ross, THJ won't do much other than points and 3-pointers. He is literally the same player as Terrence Ross, with an even streakier stroke.
Damion Lee, SG/SF - Golden State Warriors
Lee has played out of his mind lately for the Warriors, having played a key part in the Warriors recent 4-game streak. He's had a great stretch of games, including having reached double-digit scoring in five straight contests and seven of the last nine. He's a two-way guy for the Warriors and it'll be interesting to see what the Warriors do with his contract once it expires, but he's clearly played well enough to be owned in standard leagues. Lee has been a top-20 guy in the last week and a top-45 guy in 9-category leagues over the last two weeks. Keep rolling him out there.
Steals
Delon Wright, PG/SG - Dallas Mavericks
Wright has been outstanding recently, even in limited minutes. The return of Luka Doncic doesn't mean great things for Wright, especially given how random the rotations are with Coach Rick Carlisle. Wright's ability to rack up steals, to provide assists and 3-pointers without hurting your percentages still has him inside the top-100 for the season and top-50 within the last month, so he's worth a close look. The Mavericks also play four times in Week 11.
Gary Payton II, PG/SG - Washington Wizards
The son of Gary Payton has filled up the box score since having signed with the Washington Wizards earlier last week. In three games, he's averaging 11.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 4.3 (!) steals per game. Needless to say, that's likely not going to be the norm but it's certainly enough to be grabbed in most leagues while he's playing like this.
More Fantasy Basketball Analysis
By popular demand, RotoBaller has aggregated all of our fantasy basketball NBA waiver wire pickups into a running list of NBA waiver options, so bookmark the page and check back often for updates.
