👉 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
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
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

NBA Waiver Wire (Week 9): H2H Defensive Category Streamers

This week's streamers will be a little different.  Since nearly all NBA teams play on Friday, you'll have no trouble filling your lineup with existing rostered players.  Meanwhile, there are no games on Christmas Eve Saturday.  That means 100% of the streaming value comes from who's playing in a good Christmas Day matchup.  So that's all I'll be looking at!

Below are my Week Nine defensive category streamers for fantasy basketball - rebounds, steals, and blocks for Christmas Day! All position eligibility and ownership percentages are based on Yahoo! fantasy leagues.  Merry Christmas, RotoBallers.

Editor's Note: New users that sign up on FantasyAces, make a $20 deposit, and enter any game will receive our full season NBA (or NFL) Premium Pass for free (includes DFS Cheat Sheets). Just email [email protected] with your new FantasyAces username - and boom, that's it! We will email you with your Premium Pass.

Featured Promo: New Novig users get a $25 purchase match (50% discount up to $25) on your first Novig deposit, and 6 free months of RotoBaller's "Big-4" Premium Pass (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL) which includes exclusive tools for Betting, Props, DFS and more! CLAIM IT NOW

 

Rebounds Streamers

Marreese Speights, PF/C, LAC, Sun @ LAL (owned in 25% of Yahoo leagues)

With all the actual good NBA teams playing on Christmas Day, we gravitate toward the Lakers as the ideal opponent for streaming, with Speights filling in for Blake Griffin as the ideal streaming candidate. Speights is averaging 11.8 rebounds per 36 minutes on the season, so if he can play in the min-20s against the Lakers, he should get a shot to go for a double-double -- because you know the points will be there. He is averaging over 20 points per 36 for the third straight year, and has in fact been more efficient scoring this year by cutting his two point attempts in half and moving most of those shots across the arc. He is in fact scoring more points per 36 despite fewer field goal attempts per 36 than notable stars including Marc Gasol, Kristaps Porzingis, Devin Booker, and Dennis Schroder. Mo Buckets is an ideal rebounds streamer if you don't want to sacrifice scoring or treys, and don't particularly care about FG%.

Other options: Larry Nance Jr., PF, LAL (23% owned); Joakim Noah, PF/C, NYK (40% owned)

 

Steals Streamers

Andre Roberson, SG/SF, OKC, Sun vs. MIN (owned in 12% of Yahoo leagues)

Roberson is the only elite steals specialists active on Christmas, and has a nice matchup against the Wolves. There's not much to say about that. I'd also plug Austin Rivers here. He'll have a nice matchup in all respects against the Lakers, for both playing time and scoring opportunities. Meanwhile the Lakers young roster turns over the ball a ton, giving even a guy not known for steals like Rivers the chance to luck into a few. He makes for a nice add for Sunday in a lot of ways.

Other options: Austin Rivers, PG/SG, LAL (2% owned); Justin Holiday, SG/SF, NYK (1% owned)

 

Blocks Streamers

Kyle O'Quinn, PF/C, NYK, Sun vs. BOS (owned in 12% of Yahoo leagues)

Boston's opponents are averaging 5.4 blocks per game. Only eight teams get more of their shots blocked than that on a nightly basis, and none of those teams are allowed to play on Christmas Day (the only team with a winning record to see more opposing blocks is Memphis). This makes it as good a day as any to fire up O'Quinn as a blocks streamer. The other usual suspects either aren't playing (Hibbert) or have tough matchups for blocks and playing time (Dewayne Dedmon). If you're looking to stream only partially for blocks and partially for other stats, you're probably better off grabbing a wing who blocks shots here and there like Roberson or a big who isn't known for blocks like Speights and hoping for the best.

Other options: Dewayne Dedmon, C, SAS (2% owned); Andre Roberson, SG/SF, OKC (12% owned)


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.



POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Anze Kopitar

Becomes All-Time Leading Scorer for Kings
Linus Ullmark

Posts Shutout Against Ducks
Travis Hunter

Is Travis Hunter Now an IDP-Only Asset?
Blake Corum

Does Blake Corum Have Standalone Flex Value?
Mo Alie-Cox

Re-Signing with Colts
Jaxson Dart

to Benefit from Improved Weaponry in Year 2
Darnell Mooney

Signing with Giants on One-Year Deal
Zach Neto

is Removed After Suffering Hand Injury
TB

Nicholas Paul Rejoins Lightning Lineup
Cole Caufield

Cleared to Play Saturday
Alex Tuch

Set to Return Saturday
Bobby Brink

Remains Out Saturday
J.T. Miller

Returns to Action Saturday
Joe Ryan

Won't Pitch in the World Baseball Classic
Courtland Sutton

Will Courtland Sutton Lose Targets to Younger Teammates?
Rashee Rice

Looking to Return to Rookie Form?
Omarion Hampton

Has High Upside with New Offensive Coordinator
Trey Lance

Returns to the Chargers on a One-Year Deal
A.J. Brown

Rams Out on A.J. Brown, Trade to Patriots Likely?
Calvin Ridley

Restructures Deal with Titans
Jonathan Taylor

Is Jonathan Taylor Being Undervalued in Dynasty?
Tony Pollard

Can Tony Pollard Keep the RB1 Spot for Titans?
David Montgomery

Has Contract Updated by Texans
Zack Wheeler

Throws First Live BP Session on Saturday
Chris Godwin Jr.

Can Chris Godwin Jr. be the Buccaneers' WR1?
LeQuint Allen Jr.

Can LeQuint Allen Jr. Emerge as the Primary Receiving Back in Jacksonville?
Isaiah Davis

Appears Buried on the Jets Running Back Depth Chart
Merrill Kelly

Expected to Open Season on the Injured List
Christian Kirk

Dynasty Value is Fading Heading into 2026
Anthony Richardson Sr.

Packers Interested in Acquiring Anthony Richardson Sr.?
Kevin Gausman

Named Toronto's Opening Day Starter
Oronde Gadsden

Has High-End Dynasty Upside After Promising Rookie Year
Kyle Stowers

Back in Grapefruit League Lineup
Jerome Ford

Commanders Agree With Jerome Ford on One-Year Deal
Kevin Porter Jr.

Questionable Against Hawks
Devin Carter

Out Saturday Against Clippers
Russell Westbrook

Set to Return Against Clippers
Derrick White

Expected to Play Saturday Against Wizards
Michael Porter Jr.

Likely to Miss Second Straight Game
Nicolas Claxton

to Rest Saturday Against Philadelphia
Ace Bailey

Leaves Friday's Game Early with Concussion
Radko Gudas

Handed a Five-Game Suspension
Auston Matthews

to Miss Rest of Season
Emil Heineman

Scores Twice Against the Kings
Joel Hofer

Shuts Down the Oilers
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Could Miss Saturday's Game Vs. Hawks
Keegan Murray

to Be Re-Evaluated in Two Weeks
Aaron Gordon

Expected Back Saturday Vs. Lakers
Jamal Murray

Expected to Suit Up Saturday
Collin Sexton

to Miss Third Straight Game
Jalen Smith

is Ruled Out for Friday's Game
Robert Williams III

is Unavailable for Friday's Contest
Draymond Green

is Downgraded to Out on Friday
De'Anthony Melton

to Play on Friday
Ayo Dosunmu

is Cleared for Friday's Game
Anthony Edwards

is Available on Friday
Norman Powell

is Tagged as Questionable for Saturday
Victor Wembanyama

Questionable Saturday Vs. Hornets
Andrew Wiggins

to Miss Fifth Straight Game
Francisco Lindor

Takes Full Batting Practice on Friday
Brandon Woodruff

Still TBD for Opening Day
Trevor Rogers

to Start on Opening Day for Orioles
Kevin Vallejos

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Josh Emmett

In Dire Need Of Victory
Gillian Robertson

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 114
Amanda Lemos

Set For Co-Main Event
Oumar Sy

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Ion Cutelaba

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Nathan MacKinnon

Racks Up Four Points in Victory Over Kraken
Alexis Lafrenière

Alexis Lafreniere Stays Hot in Winnipeg
Semyon Varlamov

Won't Return This Season
Alexander Romanov

Could Return for Playoffs
Declan Carlile

Hurt on Thursday Night
Wyatt Kaiser

Sustains Upper-Body Injury Thursday
Erik Gudbranson

Could Be an Option Saturday
Auston Matthews

Exits Game With Injury
Jimmy Snuggerud

Scores Twice Versus Carolina
Michael Misa

Delivers Multi-Point Performance on Thursday
Blake Snell

Around Six Weeks From Being Fully Built Up
Zack Wheeler

to Face Hitters in Live Batting Practice on Saturday
Gerrit Cole

Could Pitch in a Spring Game Next Week
Matthew Boyd

Named the Cubs' Opening Day Starter
Francisco Lindor

Remains on Schedule for Opening Day
Bryce Miller

Shuts Down Bullpen Due to More Oblique Discomfort
Zac Gallen

Named Arizona's Opening Day Starter
Kyle Teel

Could Miss 4-6 Weeks With Hamstring Strain
Hideki Matsuyama

Brings Strong Course History to TPC Sawgrass
Josh Hader

to Start the Year on the Injured List
Adam Scott

in Strong Form Ahead of The Players
Kyle Teel

Exits Tuesday's Game With Hamstring Injury
Rickie Fowler

on Quite the Run Heading to TPC Sawgrass
Sepp Straka

Needs to Forget What Happened Sunday at Bay Hill
Jordan Spieth

an Enigma Heading to The Players Championship
Justin Rose

Trying to Pick Up the Pieces in Florida
Maverick McNealy

Bounces Back at Arnold Palmer Invitational
Brooks Koepka

Continues His Florida Swing With Some Momentum
Nicolai Hojgaard

in Strong Form Ahead of The Players
Robert MacIntyre

a Volatile Option at The Players
Matt Fitzpatrick

Looks to Return to Top Form at The Players
Sam Burns

a High-Risk, High-Reward Option at The Players
Keegan Bradley

Hard to Trust at The Players
Xander Schauffele

Rounding into Form Heading to Players Championship
Rory McIlroy

Set to Return at Players Championship to Defend Title
Jake Knapp

Set to Return at Players Championship
Viktor Hovland

Continues Strong Start to 2026 Season
Rasmus Hojgaard

Looking for Bounce-Back at Players Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Will Need to Find Putter to Compete at Players Championship
Akshay Bhatia

Continues Improving Heading to Players Championship
Merrill Kelly

Set to Make Spring Training Debut on Friday
Francisco Lindor

"100 Percent Optimistic" he Can be Ready for Opening Day
Justin Thomas

Continues Competitive Return at The Players Championship
Max Holloway

Drops Decision At UFC 326
Charles Oliveira

Becomes The New BMF Champion
Caio Borralho

Bounces Back
Reinier de Ridder

Reinier De Ridder Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Rob Font

Gets Dominated
Raul Rosas Jr.

Extends His Win Streak
Michael Johnson

Suffers Second-Round Knockout Loss
Drew Dober

Knocks Out Michael Johnson
Ryan Blaney

Earns his Second Consecutive Phoenix Cup Series Win
Christopher Bell

Falls Short of Victory Despite Dominating at Phoenix
Kyle Larson

Earns Hard-Fought Finish of Third at Phoenix
Denny Hamlin

Quietly Gains Another Top-Five Finish at Phoenix
Joey Logano

Crashes out at Phoenix Despite Strong Run