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Max Kulish looks at some mid-week waiver wire options for fantasy basketball leagues. These players may be free agents to target on waivers in Week 18.
If you're one of those fantasy basketball players that sets a lineup at the beginning of the week, checks out, and then comes back seven days later to see how things shook out, this post is not for you.
This is for those who are grinding through each day and keeping track of categories as the days tick off. Maybe you need a handful of assists to get you over and win the week, or maybe a key injury is forcing you to rethink a category you previously considered stable. The goal is here is to target specific players who are rostered in less than half of Yahoo! leagues who will help you get you into the winner's circle. Mostly, we're looking at players who might be available in 12-team leagues, but there will be some deeper options too when available.
As is always the case when streaming, it's possible that some of these recommended options are worthy of a longer-term add. In order to hold long term, you first have to make the pickup. Regardless of where you're deficient, here are some names to consider to help you make up ground in the short term. Be sure to check out my Twitter (@Maxadelphia) for my nightly NBA plays as well. Let's get into it!
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Points - Streaming Options
Oshae Brissett - SG/SF - Indiana Pacers (48% rostered)
The Pacers went through a major roster shake-up at the trade deadline and Brissett seems to have come out the winner from a fantasy perspective. Brissett has scored 15+ points in two of the three games Indiana has played since the deadline and even has a pair of double-doubles to boot. Brissett should be your #1 priority this week if he's still available.
Other streamers:
- LaMarcus Aldridge - C - Brooklyn Nets (48% rostered)
- Kevin Huerter - SG/SF - Atlanta Hawks (40% rostered)
- Bones Hyland - PG/SG - Denver Nuggets (18% rostered)
Assists - Streaming Options
Raul Neto - PG - Washington Wizards (5% rostered)
Speaking of roster shake-up; the Wizards announced that Bradley Beal will miss the remainder of the season with his wrist injury, and on top of that, the team was active at the deadline. Neto has been the clear #1 option at point guard in the last week, and should mesh well with Kristaps Porzingis (whenever he returns).
- De'Anthony Melton - PG/SG - Memphis Grizzlies (43% rostered)
- Patrick Beverley - PG/SG - Minnesota Timberwolves (35% rostered)
Rebounds - Streaming Options
Justise Winslow - PF - Portland Trailblazers (38% rostered)
Winslow has had a bit of a resurgence since being traded to Portland, posting 30 total rebounds in the four games since the trade deadline. Winslow has started all four games and has posted double-digit scoring efforts in all four games as well. The Blazers are quickly falling out of contention, and with their current depth chart, Winslow should see consistent playing time the rest of the year.
Other streamers:
- Precious Achiuwa - PF/C - Toronto Raptors (11% rostered)
- Onyeka Okongwu - PF/C - Atlanta Hawks (26% rostered)
Blocks - Streaming Options
Matisse Thybulle - SG/SF - Philadelphia 76ers (40% rostered)
Thybulle continues to be an exceptional defender for the Sixers, and although he more specializes in steals, blocks are pretty thin this week, so this is where he gets his shine. Thybulle is averaging 1.1 blocks per game on the season, which is better than most big men can brag. Thybulle still figures to play regularly once James Harden suits up for Philly, but for the time being, he's featuring a bit more on offense due to circumstance.
Other streamers:
- Kevon Looney - PF/C - Golden State Warriors (35% rostered)
- Alperen Sengun - C - Houston Rockets (30% rostered)
Steals - Streaming Options
Dorian Finney-Smith - SF/PF - Dallas Mavericks (39% rostered)
DFS is the purest definition of a "stream" play this week. He and Reggie Bullock were the only two healthy wing players and it appears Bullock will miss the Mavs' last two games leading into the All-Star break, leaving Finney-Smith in a minutes-heavy situation (for now).
Other streamers:
- Gary Payton II - PG/SG - Golden State Warriors (10% rostered)
- Chuma Okeke - PF - Orlando Magic (36% rostered)
- Raul Neto - PG - Washington Wizards (5% rostered)
Threes - Streaming Options
Garrison Mathews - SG/SF - Houston Rockets (15% rostered)
If you're reading this article, chances are you already know the Rockets play at one of the fastest paces in the NBA, and that they're also one of the worst defenses in the league. What you might not know is that Mathews leads all Rockets in 3s attempted (6.7) and made (2.5) on a per-game basis. Sure, Mathews will have a stinker every now and then, but when it comes to sheer volume, he has more to offer than most players in the whole league in this stat.
Week 2: As much as I wanted to put another Wizard here, four would have been overkill, so Mathews' sheer volume keeps him at the top.
Other streamers:
- Luke Kennard - SG/SF - LA Clippers (25% rostered)
- Corey Kispert - SG/SF - Washington Wizards (13% rostered)
- Kevin Huerter - SG/SF - Atlanta Hawks (31% rostered)
Field Goal Percentage - Streaming Options
Thomas Bryant - C - Indiana Pacers (24% rostered)
If you haven't guessed by now, the theme this week is the Washington Wizards. Not only is Kristaps Porzingis injured, but so is Daniel Gafford, meaning that Bryant is the next man up for the Wiz. Bryant is shooting 49% overall this year, is a solid offensive rebounder, and doesn't take many 3s, AKA he's exactly what we're looking for when playing percentages.
Other streamers:
- Nicolas Batum - SF/PF - LA Clippers (16% rostered)
- Matisse Thybulle - SG/SF - Philadelphia 76ers (40% rostered)
- Kevon Looney - PF/C - Golden State Warriors (35% rostered)
Free Throw Percentage - Streaming Options
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - SG/SF- Washington Wizards (25% rostered)
I'll be honest, it's a pretty thin week for FT%, the majority of the best plays are big men this week. However, with Bradley Beal out for the season, that leaves a lot of offense in the air, and KCP is surprisingly an 87.7% FT shooter. He doesn't rack up a ton of attempts, but if he gets to the line, he's quite reliable for makes.
Week 2: With the announcement that Bradley Beal will undergo season-ending surgery, that makes the Wizards as a whole a hotspot for fantasy streaming. KCP is now the Wizards' #1 FT shooter by % and is a great candidate for boosting FT% on your squad.
Week 3: Maybe this is me being too dedicated to the bit, but the stars aligned perfectly for KCP to retain his crown in FT%. Caldwell-Pope hasn't missed an FT attempt since I first featured him as top choice two weeks ago, and since then, he's raised his FT% on the year to 89.4%.
Other streamers:
- Tyus Jones - PG - Memphis Grizzlies (20% rostered)
- Corey Kispert - SG/SF - Washington Wizards (13% rostered)
- Bones Hyland - PG/SG - Denver Nuggets (18% rostered)
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