Week 2 Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: NBA Deep Sleepers

November 6, 2014

In his weekly NBA Waiver Wire column, David Sass focuses on some deep-league sleepers for your fantasy basketball purposes.

The NBA season is in full swing, and that means the fantasy basketball waiver wire is heating up. The following group of players are not of the typical standard-league variety, but rather options for those participating in deeper formats.

Unless you have the roster space to stash one of these fringe contributors as a sleeper, there is little reason to own any of them outside of leagues with 12 or more teams.

Position Eligibility & Ownership Rate Based on Yahoo! Fantasy Basketball Leagues

Deep League Waiver Wire Options

Mo Williams (MIN, PG/SG) - 11% Owned

A dangerous scoring threat off the bench, Williams is currently receiving over 20 minutes a game as the backup at the point for Minnesota. The Timberwolves' starting point guard, Ricky Rubio, is not a proficient scorer, and that is where Williams' impact on the rotation comes in to play.

Not only can Williams knock down shots from the floor, but the 12-year-veteran typically hits a high percentage of free throws and threes while dishing out a fair number of assists.

Shane Larkin (NYK, PG) - 6% Owned

Larkin is getting nearly 28 minutes per game so far, but his playing time is sure to be scaled back a bit when veteran Jose Calderon (calf) enters the mix in a couple of weeks.

Larkin has made some noise during this early-season opportunity, averaging 6.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.6 steals across the first five games of 2014-15. The young guard has been impressive with his shooting, posting percentages of 46.4 from the field and 85.7 percent from the free-throw line. Larkin has solid potential and could realize it at some point during his sophomore NBA campaign.

JaVale McGee (DEN, C) - 33% Owned

Although McGee is seeing just 14 minutes of court time per game, he has been producing as of late. The towering 26 year old has always had tremendous upside and is an athletic freak.

An immediate boost to any fantasy team in need of blocks, McGee is swatting 2.3 per game despite his modest playing time.. If he can earn more minutes, then the blocks, along with some additional points and rebounds, should only rise even further.

Keeper League Pickup of the Week

Dante Exum (UTA, PG) - 22% Owned

Exum has yet to receive the type minutes needed to produce strong stats for fantasy purposes. After not playing college basketball, but rather coming from overseas, the highly regarded rookie needs time to adjust to the competition and play style of the NBA.

As the season goes on, Exum should start to see more than his current sixteen minutes per game, and could become a real stat stuffer. Being a bigger point guard, he will not only put up points, assists and steals, but also has the potential to help out on the boards.

Once Exum earns the trust of Head Coach Quin Snyder and has a permanent spot in the rotation, his production will increase, as will his ownership rate.