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

NBA Waiver Wire: Four-Game Fantasy Basketball Sleepers (12/29 – 1/4)

By joshuak8 (Flickr: NBA: Indiana Pacers at Charlotte Bobcats) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia CommonsThis weekly column is geared toward anyone playing in a head-to-head format, and especially those of you in weekly lineup leagues. It is a great idea to keep up with which players are scheduled to play four games during the upcoming week (12/29 - 1/4), as fantasy basketball managers can use this information to gain an advantage in games played over an opponent. Simply put, the more games played, the more potential there is for production.

Based on their respective four-game schedules, the following four players should be viewed as “sleepers” for next week. Advising fantasy owners to play the likes of LeBron James or Anthony Davis is a waste of time and effort; hopefully it is common knowledge that studs of that nature should be in lineups regardless of how many games they are slated to play.

Position Eligibility & Ownership Rate Based On Yahoo! Fantasy Basketball Leagues.

 

Top Four-Game Sleepers (12/29 – 1/4)

Tristan Thompson (CLE, PF/C) - 49% Owned

Thompson has been a starter in years past for the Cavaliers, but the additions of LeBron James and Kevin Love have pushed him to the bench this season. That is, until Anderson Varejao got hurt...again. Varejao suffered a torn Achilles tendon, and had surgery to repair it on Friday. He will be out for the rest of the season.

As a result, Thompson’s stock is soaring. He has entered the starting lineup in place of Varejao at center. He played 40 minutes in Cleveland’s last game, which is notable but probably will not be the norm. However, he should continue to see 30+ minutes a game easily as he really has no competition for playing time in the Cavaliers rotation right now.

Tristan’s game at times leaves a lot to be desired. He has career averages of 10.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game, while shooting 47.8 percent from the field and 63.1 percent from the line. As you can see, Thompson can score a little with a good shooting percentage and is a pretty good rebounder, but he does not offer much upside in any other category outside of the occasional steal or block. His free throw shooting is terrible, and his passing is non-existent. He has a little more appeal in 9-cat leagues due to his low turnover rate.

With Cleveland’s Big Three around, there will not be many plays run for Thompson. He will need to be active on the offensive glass to put up some numbers, but that is something he can do well. The Cavs frontcourt defense is pretty awful now without Varejao, so they really need Thompson to be more active on that side of the ball.

Next week the Cavs will have matchups at Atlanta, Milwaukee, at Charlotte, and Dallas. Despite his shortcomings, Thompson is still a recommended add for this week and beyond. Varejao is not coming back, so unless the Cavs make a trade, Thompson will get a lot of playing time. He is a nightly double-double threat, and should chip in a few defensive stats along the way. If you are in the market for big man stats, Thompson should be a solid addition to your fake basketball team.

 

Alex Len (PHO, C) - 17% Owned

Len has really started to come on lately. He went off for 10 points, 11 rebounds, and a whopping five blocked shots in his last game. The most impressive thing is that Len did all this damage in just 23 minutes!

His outstanding play has earned him more time on the court, at the expense of Miles Plumlee. Len was a lottery pick (#5 overall) of the Suns just two years ago, and is the superior talent. He suffered through an injury plagued rookie season, but is healthy now and beginning to play at a high level.

Len has recently overtaken Plumlee in the starting lineup for Phoenix. This has provided a nice boost for his production, as he has had at least seven rebounds in each of his last four games. Even though Plumlee’s minutes are trending downward, he will still have a spot in the rotation.

Foul trouble has been another issue that Len has struggled with. This is to be expected of a young player who is still adjusting the NBA game. However, until he can get it under control, Len is unlikely to play more than the 20-25 minutes a game he has been receiving. Fortunately, he has proven capable of putting up numbers in limited action.

The upcoming schedule for the Suns features games at New Orleans, at Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, and Toronto. Len is only scratching the surface of his upside, and should continue to get better as the season progresses. He makes for an excellent add not only this week, but for the remainder of the season as well.

 

George Hill (IND, PG/SG) - 76% Owned

Hill finally made his season debut at home against New Orleans on December 23rd. He had been sidelined with a series of knee and quad injuries dating back to the preseason. Fantasy owners should be salivating now that he is back.

Indiana has eased Hill back into action so far, slowly increasing his minutes with each game. Even in limited action, the results have been pretty good. Through his first two games, Hill is averaging 14.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.5 steals, and 2.5 three-pointers. He is shooting 50.0 percent from the field (including 45.5 percent from downtown) and 75.0 percent from the line.

Those are solid totals for anybody, but Hill has done this in limited action and coming off the bench with the second unit. On Saturday, he made his return to the starting lineup and responded with 12 points, six rebounds, five assists, and two three-pointers on 5-9 shooting. He is going to destroy his career averages.

The Pacers are a hot mess right now. Their biggest problem is staying healthy, but they also are having trouble finding consistent scoring. Hill is a veteran presence and the offense will run through him. He has posted a high 24.1 usage rate so far, and this number could rise even further as he gets more minutes. This means that more production is on the way.

Next week Hill squares off against Chicago, Miami, at Milwaukee, and at LA Lakers. He is an outstanding play from this point forward. If he is still floating around on your waiver wire, stop what you are doing and go pick him up. Otherwise, send a trade offer to the owner that has him before he really blows up.

 

Jarrett Jack (BKN, PG/SG) - 29% Owned

Jack has been on fire ever since Deron Williams went down with a calf injury. In his last three games prior to Saturday, he has averaged 19.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and 2.0 steals on an amazing 53.7 percent shooting. He seems to do this everytime he gets an opportunity.

What is even more impressive is the fact that Williams made his return on Friday at Boston, although he was eased back into action. You would think that his return would be bad news for Jack, but in fact the opposite has been true. Jack has remained in the starting lineup, with Williams coming off the bench. His minutes have not taken a hit at all, remaining in the mid to high 30s range.

There have been numerous trade rumors surrounding Williams, so there is a good chance that Jack remains a useful commodity for the rest of the season. Even if Williams sticks around, Jack has surely carved out more playing time with his strong showing. On Saturday, Jack played the most minutes, took the most shots, and was the highest scorer on the team.

The Nets have a favorable schedule next week, including matchups with Sacramento, at Chicago, at Orlando, and at Miami. None of these teams are particularly adept at defending opposing point guards. Jack makes for a fine play next week as there are not many teams with a four-game schedule. Owners would be wise to hang on to him for the time being to see how the situation plays out.

 

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
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Nolan Arenado

Ready for Second Half
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Back in Action to Begin Second Half
Yordan Alvarez

Resumes Swinging -- Return Imminent?
Jake Burger

to Miss an Additional 2-3 Weeks
TreVeyon Henderson

Signs Rookie Contract
Christian Watson

Goes on PUP List
Austin Riley

Hopes to be Activated Next Week
Ketel Marte

Lands on Restricted List After Burglary
Ricky Pearsall

Heads to PUP List
Brandon Aiyuk

Placed on PUP List
Luther Burden III

Signs Rookie Deal
Washington Nationals

Eli Willits Expected to Sign Contract on Saturday
Grayson Rodriguez

Being Shut Down Again - Will We See Him Again This Year?
Ezequiel Tovar

Activated and Back in Lineup on Friday
Max Fried

"Hopeful" to Pitch Next Week - Looks Like He'll Avoid IL Stint
Steven Kwan

Receives Injection in Wrist, Considered Day-to-Day
CJ Abrams

Back to Start Second Half
Alec Bohm

Back From Rib Injury on Friday
Trey Hendrickson

Holdout to Spill into Regular Season?
Jalen McMillan

Bucs Offensive Coordinator Not Forgetting About Jalen McMillan
Levi Onwuzurike

to Miss at Least Four Games
Nick Emmanwori

Seahawks, Nick Emmanwori Reach Agreement on Rookie Deal
Max Holloway

Set For Main Event
Brandon Lowe

Back From 10-Day Injured List
Dustin Poirier

Set For His Final UFC Fight
Roman Kopylov

Set For Co-Main Event
Paulo Costa

Returns At UFC 318
Luis L. Ortiz

to Remain on Leave for Another Month - Will he Pitch Again?
Daniel Rodriguez

Looks For Third Win In A Row
Kevin Holland

Set For His Fourth Fight This Year
Dan Ige

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Patricio Freire Set For His Second UFC Fight
Daniel Zellhuber

Set To Open Up UFC 318 Main Card
Michael Johnson

Looks For Third Consecutive Win
Elijah Arroyo

Signs Rookie Deal
Jaydon Blue

Described as "Borderline Lazy"
T.J. Sanders

Bills Sign T.J. Sanders to Rookie Deal
Christian Wilkins

Raiders Put Christian Wilkins on PUP List
Jabari Small

Lions Add Jabari Small to Backfield
Quinshon Judkins

Remains Unsigned, Won't Report With Rest of Rookies
Mason Taylor

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Jets
Hendon Hooker

Leading Lions QB2 Battle Entering Training Camp
Ozzy Trapilo

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Bears
Tate Ratledge

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Lions
Jack Bech

Signs Rookie Contract with Raiders
Yegor Chinakhov

Requests Trade
Dakota Joshua

Maple Leafs Acquire Dakota Joshua
Lukas Dostal

Signs Five-Year Extension with Ducks
Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Damian Lillard

Returning to Portland
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma