Week 3 Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: NBA Deep Sleepers

November 13, 2014

In his Week 3 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 in week 3. 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

Evan Fournier (ORL, SG) – 35% Owned

What does someone have to do to be picked up in fantasy basketball?

Fournier is the main outside scoring threat on an offensively deficient Magic team. The third-year sharpshooter from France has scored double-digit points in every single game so far this season. That is consistency and he is being rewarded with big minutes as a result.

Fournier is averaging just shy of 34 minutes through nine games, and not only does he score, the 22-year-old averages over two treys per contest. In addition, he has posted marks of 2.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists thus far.

It is past time for Fournier to be owned in not only deep formats, but virtually all fantasy leagues. He is in a starting role for the Magic and it does not appear that is going to change any time soon, even when Victor Oladipo (face) returns to the rotation.

Evan Turner (BOS, SG/SF) – 25% Owned

Turner started for the Celtics this past Saturday due to injuries to Marcus Smart (ankle) and Rajon Rondo (hand). Even though Rondo was back in action Wednesday night, Turner should to continue to get decent minutes (just under 21 on Wednesday).

Turner saw north of 32 minutes in his start, putting up 19 points, six assists and five boards, and even if he does not get 30 minutes a game going forward, the former lottery selection can be productive.

In Coach Brad Stevens' offense, Turner can do what he does best, score. If he is able to find any level of consistency in both playing time and production, then Turner has the potential to average double-double points while adding solid rebound and assist totals.

Steven Adams (OKC, C)- 19% Owned

Adams is a young player with exceptional size and talent. Entering the league last year after only one year at Pitt, he was too raw for some teams and fell all the way to the end of the first round of the draft.

Due to injuries, Adams has been thrown into the starting lineup for the Thunder and has played well to this point. Averaging almost 28 minutes through nine games, he has put up 8.2 points and 7.3 rebounds.

Those numbers should only improve as Adams gains more experience and minutes. He has potential for a double-double on a daily basis, so grab him now before everyone else realizes his ability.

Keeper League Pickup of the Week

Ben McLemore (SAC, SG) – 24% Owned

After an extremely disappointing rookie season, McLemore worked hard over the offseason and is now the starting shooting guard for the Kings. He seems to be less intimidated by the NBA this year and is thus being more assertive, especially on the offensive end.

McLemore can score from just about anywhere on the court as he is both a three-point threat and skilled finisher at the rim. If he continues to improve and display the same ability shown in his college days at Kansas, then McLemore will be a valuable fantasy contributor for quite some time.