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Week 21 Essentials - Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire

Congratulations are in order in making this far into the season, as we head to the final week of the regular season in most formats. We wish everyone the best of luck in your upcoming playoffs and may the odds forever be in your favor!

As a reminder for most leagues, fantasy playoffs will begin on Week 21 which begins March 12th. Drop the dead weight, make an effort to improve your team by maximizing your weekly adds and utilizing streamer spots via the waiver wire. Don't be attached to short-term pick ups when there is a hot player on the horizon. Be wary of weekly streaming options and stay ahead of your opponents. Owners should try to do anything in their power to squeeze their way into the playoffs, as it's a completely different ball game. This is not the time to hang on to struggling players, even if it means you have to drop them to just make it into the playoffs.

Our staff at RotoBaller has great insight and daily columns how to improve your squad and tips to make your team successful, so be sure to check them out! Now let's get prepared for Week 20.

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Week 21 Schedule

4 Games – Jazz, Raptors, Magic, Pelicans, Heat, Grizzlies, Lakers, Pacers, Rockets, Warriors, Nuggets, Cavaliers, Bulls

3 Games – Hawks, Celtics, Nets, Hornets, Mavericks, Pistons, Clippers, Bucks, Knicks, Thunder, 76ers, Suns, Trail Blazers, Kings, Spurs, Wizards

2 Games – Timberwolves

 

Week 21 Standard Leagues - Waiver Wire Pickups

Montrezl Harrell, PF/C, Los Angeles Clippers (21% Ownership)

Harrell has been terrific, despite only playing 21.4 minutes per game over the last five contests. However, he's responded well by averaging 16.4 points and 1.0 block in an ultra efficient 69 percent shooting. He's ranked No. 55 over the past week and No.66 in the past month in nine-category leagues. I'd add him Harrell now as the Clippers has the best fantasy playoffs schedule with four games from Week 21-23.

Jakob Poeltl, C, Toronto Raptors (15% Ownership)

The Raptors success this season was most noteworthy because of their bench play. Poeltl has been outstanding this season in limited minutes, and it also helps that his game is very fantasy friendly. If the Raptors ever decide to move Jonas Valančiūnas, Poeltl would become a must own player. Give him a look if you need some extra help in rebounding and blocks. Keep deploying him as Poeltl is averaging 2.4 blocks over the past five games.

Frank Kaminsky, PF/C, Charlotte Hornets (38% Ownership)

Kaminsky is rolling, scoring double-figures in five straight and averaging 16.4 points in that span. He doesn't turn the ball over and hits 3-pointers from a big man position, which evaluates his value. His outlook would be a lot more promising without having to fight off the likes of Dwight Howard, Marvin Williams, and Cody Zeller, but he's worth an add with him being this hot.

Jarell Martin, PF/C, Memphis Grizzlies (10% Ownership)

Martin is capitalizing on the opportunity because the Grizzlies are tanking for lottery balls, as he's averaging 33.2 minutes per game over the last five. Martin can stretch out to the 3-point line and grab rebounds, so he's a nice end of the bench option for your team. He's coming off 19-point, 11-board double-double on Saturday and looks to keep it going on Monday against the Spurs.

George Hill, PG/SG, Cleveland Cavaliers (59% Ownership)

Hill hasn't been what most owners were hoping for when they picked him up at the trading deadline, but he's still capable of putting up value when his shot falls. If you look at his box score, he seems to have a good game every other contest, but he's worth a gamble to see if he can keep it up. The Cavaliers have play four times this week.

Wilson Chandler, SG/SF/PF, Denver Nuggets (47% Ownership)

Chandler belonged on the waiver wire for most of the year, but he's really picked it up in the month of February, averaging 12.2 points per game. The minutes are up and he looks healthy, so he's definitely worth using while he's playing well. Chandler is capable of hitting the open shot and the Nuggets has been moving the ball extremely well this season. The Nuggets also play four times this week, so grabbing him now makes a lot of sense.

Ed Davis, PF/C, Portland Trail Blazers (7% Ownership)

The Trail Blazers start the week off with a Monday-Tuesday back-to-back set, and Davis could give you a nice boost in rebounding and blocks to start the week. He doesn't hurt you anywhere and is consistent at what he does best. There's no threat to his minutes as he will continue to stabilize the Blazers bench. Get him and stay ahead of your opponents.

David Nwaba, SG/SF, Chicago Bulls (22% Ownership)

Nwaba is going to start for the Bulls the rest of the way as they continue to tank for lottery balls and focus on youth movement. He is a coaches favorite and his ability to play multiple positions bodes well for his value and minutes. He won't do much outside of scoring and rebounding, but his minutes upside makes him a nice player to have at the end of your bench.

J.J. Barea, PG/SG, Dallas Mavericks (33% Ownership)

Barea has been on and off all season, but his consistent contribution in 3-pointers and dimes remains valuable in competitive leagues. He's been playing very well lately, despite him dropping a dud on Friday with only six points and four assists. I would at least wait to drop him until after Tuesday's match up against the Nuggets, and would look to pick him back up for Saturday and Sunday's back-to-back set.

 

Week 21 Deep Leagues - Waiver Wire Pickups

Shabazz Napier, PG, Portland Trail Blazers (4% Ownership)

Much more Ed Davis, Napier also have a back-to-back set with start the week off against the Lakers and the Knicks. Both of these games are likely to be fast paced with minimal defense played, so Napier is certainly worth a gamble to see if he can give you some low end value.

James Johnson, SF/PF, Miami Heat (44% Ownership)

The Miami Heat is also starting the week off with a back-to-back stat, and while Johnson hasn't been what most owners hoped this season, he's still capable of putting up defensive stats whenever the minutes are available. He's a low risk, high reward player to start your Week 21 on a high note.

Marcus Morris, SF/PF, Boston Celtics (33% Ownership)

Morris has been a nice addition for the Celtics this season, as he's capable of putting up points in the high teens. He's someone who can play multiple positions and that bodes well for his value. Morris dropped 21 points, three steals, to go along with five triples on Saturday.

Jonathan Isaac, SF/PF, Orlando Magic (3% Ownership)

Isaac hasn't had the best rookie year due to nagging injuries. But he's worth keeping an eye on to see if he can continue to get defensive stats, as he's averaged 2.0 blocks in the last two outings. His long wiry frame allows him to really rack up rebounds and blocks in a hurry, which really helps his appeal. The Magic plays four games this week, so he's worth a deep league add if you're desperate need for blocks.

Ben McLemore, SG/SF, Memphis Grizzlies (1% Ownership)

McLemore is one of the last healthy guards the Grizzlies has left, and he's coming off a 20-point, seven-rebound, four-assist performance in 38 minutes on Saturday. The Grizzlies don't have much incentive to win anymore games, so it makes sense for them to give McLemore more minutes to evaluate him further heading into the off season.

Mario Hezonja, SG/SF, Orlando Magic (25% Ownership)

The Magic couldn't get anything in return for Hezonja in the trading deadline in February, so they're giving him minutes to perhaps showcase him heading into free agency this summer. Mario is coming off a full line, with 16 points, two boards, two assists, three blocks and a steal on Saturday. Give him a look in all 14+ team leagues.

Andre Iguodala, SG/SF, Golden State Warriors (14% Ownership)

Iggy has finally shown his age this season, as he's battled nagging injuries here and there, which really put him off the radar in fantasy. He's always been productive in recent seasons, providing low-end value in percentage and category leagues with his across-the-board contributions. He's now healthy and has played very well as of late, putting him on the radar for deep leagues. The Warriors play four times this week, and he's in jeopardy of missing a game due to rest, so play him with caution.

 

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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.



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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Justin Verlander

Plans to Pitch in 2026
Junior Caminero

Day-to-Day With Back Tightness
Will Smith

Won't Return When First Eligible
Tyler Soderstrom

Returns to A's Lineup
Tyler Warren

Sidelined on Wednesday with Toe Injury
Jaylen Waddle

Questionable for Week 3 Against Buffalo
Joe Burrow

Bengals Not Closing the Door on Joe Burrow Returning This Year
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LaNorris Sellers to Play Against Missouri?
Kyle Tucker

Progress has "Plateaued"
Isaac Paredes

has "Outside Chance" to Return This Weekend
CFB

Kaidon Salter Expected To Start for Colorado on Saturday
Willson Contreras

Goes on 10-Day Injured List, Done for Season
Justin Fields

Ruled Out for Week 3 Due to Concussion
Jayden Reed

Out Indefinitely After Foot and Shoulder Surgery
Washington Commanders

Preston Smith Signs With Commanders
Trey Jemison III

Joins Knicks on Two-Way Contract
Kevin McCullar Jr.

Signs New Two-Way Deal With Knicks
Matt Ryan

Returns to Knicks on Exhibit 10 Contract
New York Knicks

Alex Len Signs Exhibit 9 Deal With Knicks
Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Expected to Take on Larger Offensive Role With Hawks
Thomas Sorber

Undergoes Surgery
Dominic Canzone

Has Five-Hit, Three-Homer Game Tuesday
Cal Raleigh

Sets Single-Season Home Run Record for a Switch-Hitter
Jayden Reed

Undergoes Clavicle and Foot Surgeries, Out for Foreseeable Future
Bo Bichette

to Miss Rest of Regular Season
Zach Neto

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Hand Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Out on Tuesday, Dealing With "Significant" Ankle Sprain
Aaron Jones Sr.

Vikings Place Aaron Jones Sr. on Injured Reserve With Hamstring Injury
CFB

Diego Pavia Refutes Report of Seeking Seventh Collegiate Season
Christian Kirk

Expected to Return in Week 3
CFB

Diego Pavia Seeking Another Year of Eligibility
Tarik Skubal

on Track to Start Thursday
CFB

Kevorian Barnes Questionable Against SMU
Bo Bichette

has Short-Term Knee Injury, Could Return for Postseason
Tosan Evbuomwan

Joins Knicks
NBA

Kai Jones Links Up With EuroLeague Team
Bismack Biyombo

Returns to Spurs
Bones Hyland

Rejoins Timberwolves
Kobe Bufkin

Moves to Brooklyn
Trey Yesavage

Sets Franchise Strikeout Record On Monday
Yordan Alvarez

To Receive MRI For Sprained Left Ankle On Tuesday
Willson Contreras

Exits Early Monday With Right-Biceps Tightness
Yordan Alvarez

Exits With Ankle Sprain
Brock Bowers

Officially Active on Monday Night
Jauan Jennings

Day-to-Day With Ankle Injury
Logan O'Hoppe

Activated Off Seven-Day Injured List
CBJ

Denton Mateychuk Dealing With Groin Issue
Bo Horvat

Fine for Training Camp
Kirby Dach

on Track to Be Ready for Opening Night
Jose Altuve

Returns Against Rangers
J.J. McCarthy

Expected to Miss 2-4 Weeks With High-Ankle Sprain
J.J. McCarthy

Likely Out for Week 3 With High-Ankle Sprain
Jean Silva

Gets Finished For The First Time In His Career
Aaron Jones Sr.

Unlikely to Play in Week 3 Due to Hamstring Injury
Diego Lopes

Returns To The Win Column
Jayden Daniels

' Week 3 Status in Doubt
Rob Font

Outclassed In The Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
David Martinez

Wins His Second UFC Fight
Jared Gordon

Suffers Brutal TKO Loss At Noche UFC 3
Rafa Garcia

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Brian Thomas Jr.

Dealing with Wrist Injury
Dustin Stoltzfus

Drops A Decision At Noche UFC 3
Kelvin Gastelum

Gets Back In The Win Column
Diego Ferreira

Suffers Second-Round TKO
Alexander Hernandez

Extends His Win Streak With A Brutal TKO
Quang Le

Suffers First-Round Knockout
Santiago Luna

Shines In His UFC Debut
Christopher Bell

Earns his First Bristol Cup Series Victory
Alex Bowman

Falls Short of Advancing Through Cup Series Playoffs
Chase Briscoe

Collects his Third Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Ryan Blaney

Strong Top-Five Bristol Performance Advances him to the Playoffs
Corey Heim

Earns his First Career Cup Series Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Leads Greece to Bronze Medal
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Drops 28 Points in EuroBasket Finals
CFB

Indiana's Lee Beebe Jr. Out for Season with Knee Injury
Dennis Schröder

Dennis Schroder Named EuroBasket MVP
Bryce Eldridge

Giants to Promote Bryce Eldridge
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Progressing in Recovery
Jonathan Kuminga

Receives New Offer From Warriors
Kenneth Walker III

Bounces Back with Big Week 2 Performance
Bijan Robinson

Rushes for 143 Yards in Week 2
Justin Fields

Currently in Concussion Protocol
Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals Calling Around to Available Free-Agent Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow

to Undergo Surgery, Out at Least Three Months
Emil Heineman

Aiming to Take the "Next Step" This Season
Braeden Cootes

Good to Go for Camp
Ivan Fedotov

Blue Jackets Acquire Ivan Fedotov From Flyers
Quentin Grimes

Still Not Close to a New Contract Agreement
Joel Embiid

"Looking Slender, Spry and in Positive Spirits"
Ty Gibbs

Has Arguably his Best Career Drive, but Only Finishes 10th
Chase Elliott

Despite Crashing Out at Bristol, Chase Elliott Advances to Round of 12
Austin Dillon

Misses Round of 12 After Extremely Mediocre Bristol Run
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Fails to Advance to Round of 12
Josh Berry

Finishes Last in All Three Round of 16 Races to Fail to Advance
CFB

Ryan Williams Explodes In Return To Field
CFB

Drew Allar Plays Mediocre Game In Blowout Win
CFB

LaNorris Sellers Exits Game In Blowout Loss
CFB

DJ Lagway Tosses Five Interceptions In Loss
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Plays Game Manager in Saturday's Win
CFB

CJ Carr Remains Poised In Narrow Loss
CFB

John Mateer Leads Oklahoma In Rout
CFB

Arch Manning Struggles Against UTEP
CFB

Jeremiah Smith Impresses In Win
CFB

Sam Leavitt Shines As Arizona State Rebounds From Week 2 Loss
Ivan Demidov

Turning Heads in Rookie Camp
NHL

Calvin de Haan Signs With Swedish Team
Samuel Girard

Skates With Non-Contact Jersey
Mackenzie Blackwood

Dealing With Injury Ahead of Training Camp
Spencer Knight

Signs Three-Year Extension With Blackhawks
Chris Buescher

May have Another Solid Run at Bristol
Corey Perry

Out 6-8 Weeks Following Surgery
Kyle Busch

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Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Too Risky to Consider Rostering at Bristol?
Michael McDowell

Could be A Solid Value Option For Bristol DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

Probably Won't Factor in for Bristol Win
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not as Strong at Bristol as Other Short Tracks
Alex Bowman

Needs to Win to Make Round of 12
Ross Chastain

has Never Led at Bristol but Has Been Pretty Consistent
Austin Dillon

Richmond Speed Unlikely to Carry Over to Bristol
Josh Berry

Might Run Well at Bristol, but Almost Certainly Won't Win to Advance
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Austin Simmons Listed As Game-Time Decision Against Arkansas
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Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

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Corey Perry

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Antonio Williams Out Against Georgia Tech
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CJ Bailey Flashes Again in Win Over Wake Forest
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Jaxson Moi a Game-Time Decision for Tennessee on Saturday
Jean Silva

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Diego Lopes

Set For Noche UFC 3 Main Event
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Set For Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
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Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
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Looks To Return To The Win Column
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In Dire Need Of Victory
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Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
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Heading to Knicks on One-Year Deal
Landry Shamet

Staying with the Knicks

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