RADIO
The waiver wire is filled with guards getting opportunities because of someone getting injured. Injuries are the number one way fantasy seasons are won and lost. The most recent major injury comes in the form of Jarrett Jack going down for the season with a torn ACL. There is a chance no one steps up in his place because the Nets just aren't a good team, but if someone does take up the mantle for Jack then that player is a fantasy must have. Check out Jack's potenireplacement and other potential waiver wire stars below.
Position Eligibility & Ownership Rate Based on Yahoo! Fantasy Basketball Player List
NBA Guards: Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups & Sleepers
Trey Burke (UTA, PG) - 49% Owned
Burke has scored double-digit points in 14 out of his last 16 games. In back-to-back nights he had 23 points and 27 points, then followed up those performances with nine points on 3-13 shooting. He still isn't the most consistent player, but he has gotten better. After averaging 10.6 points and 1.8 assists in November Burke raised those totals to 14.2 points and 3.5 assists in December. His most recent trend of big scoring is part of an overall upwards trend he's been on since the season started. With fellow guard Alec Burks out with a fractured fibula, Burke and Rodney Hood are two young Utah players being given a big opportunity who are playing better than they ever have. They should be both be owned in all leagues for end of the bench scoring.
Evan Turner (BOS, SG/SF) - 24% Owned
Avery Bradley is dealing with a hip injury and will miss some time this week. Evan Turner will take his spot in the starting rotation. That alone would make Turner worth taking for at least the next two weeks. Besides the injury factor, Turner is worth considering because he has two decent months of play. Between November and December he's averaging around 10 points, four rebounds, and four assists per game. Turner's shooting and defense have always been a problem because it tends to limit his playing time. This will always be a concern, but while Bradley and Marcus Smart are dealing with injuries, Turner is one of the few playmakers on the team.
Jeff Green (MEM, SG/SF) - 39% Owned
Jeff Green is spectacular at performing at a high level for awhile and making you think he's finally putting it all together and then just when you've finally added him to your fantasy team, pulling the rug out from under you and vanishing. The same cycle seems to be occurring in Memphis again, so I would proceed with caution when dealing with Green. He has gotten consistent minutes this year as a Grizzlies wing player and has put up consistent stats. His 11 points 4 rebounds and 2 assists are some of the lowest stats of his career but he feels a bit more guaranteed to do at least this. These numbers are Green's basement for the season not his ceiling. He should get around the same or more minutes moving forward and he should put up the same or better stats as well. With no expectations of great numbers, these are fine for replacing an injured player or bumping someone who is under-performing.
Allen Crabbe (POR, SG) - 18% Owned
Crabbe has been on fire over the last few weeks. He's scored 15 or more points in five of his last seven games. Damian Lillard has been missing games due to plantar fasciitis during that time and it has allowed Crabbed to get more run more in the offense. However, the hot streak began even before Lillard started missing time as Crabbe began to take playing time from Al-Farouq Aminu, so Lillard's return won't wipe out all of Crabbe's value -- he should continue to be a scoring option for the Blazers. As long as Crabbe is on this hot streak he is a must add.
Shane Larkin (BKN, PG) - 27% Owned
Jarrett Jack is out for the season with an ACL injury. Shane Larkin and Donald Sloan will both benefit from Jack's injury with an increase in playing time. The Nets have very few options at the guard spot in their rotation. Larkin will see a bump in both his point and assist totals. The team should look to add another body as Larkin and Sloan aren't good enough to play heavy minutes running a team, but it's not like there's going to be an elite point guard coming in off the street (Gilbert Arenas comeback anyone?), so one of these guys should end up averaging close to 30 minutes and getting some decent fantasy numbers.
