Yahoo Fantasy Basketball: Top waiver wire adds during NBA chaos
We have teams shutting down players to organise trades, we have games postponed due to weather and COVID, and we have injuries cropping up at an alarming rate.
It’s tough out there for a fantasy manager, but I will highlight some waiver wire options for you in Yahoo Standard fantasy leagues, which can hopefully ease your path to a championship.
Under 70% Rostered (10 Team League Targets)
Josh Jackson - Jackson has been someone I’ve written about here in the past. But, he is still very much under rostered.
Blake Griffin’s absence from the team means more shots for Jackson, who wasn’t exactly shy about taking them in the first place.
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He also seems to have firmly established himself as a 28-30 minutes player, despite coming off the bench. He could be close to a 30 point fantasy player, yet he sits on many waiver wires.
Darius Bazley - Bazley can have cold streaks, but I have been encouraged by his recent form.
He is someone with such a guaranteed role and therefore is hard for me to leave on the wire, particularly in a Yahoo points league, where you aren’t penalised for poor shooting.
Despite his struggles, Bazley is still ranked 112th this season, and I think it can improve.
Eric Gordon - Gordon is battling a groin injury at the moment, and his role on a fully healthy Rockets team is a little muted, but Victor Oladipo and John Wall feel like they are going to continue to miss games through rest or injury.
Gordon’s scoring prowess is useful in points league formats.
Under 50% Rostered (12 Team League Targets)
TJ McConnell - McConnell started last game for Doug McDermott, but he has been putting up big numbers even in a bench role. Over the season, he is averaging 25 fantasy points per game, and it doesn’t appear that TJ Warren or Caris LeVert are particularly close to returning.
Saddiq Bey - With Griffin out in Detroit, Bey will become a constant in the starting lineup. He averages just 17 fantasy points per game so far, but I think he can push to around 25 fantasy points in his expanded role.
Immanuel Quickley - Quickly continues to show himself as the Knicks’ best guard. It is unlikely that Tom Thibodeau just starts him and plays him 30+ minutes, but even in 22-24 minutes, Quickley can be useful for standard leagues.
And, on the off chance that Thibs does give him the bulk of the point guard minutes, his value will only grow.
Under 30% Rostered (14 Team League Targets)
Jarred Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt is currently the starting power forward for the Timberwolves. They don’t hzve some high-powered starter injured, waiting to come back, so there is a chance he could lock into this role for a while. He isn’t a high scorer, but he rebounds, blocks shots, gets steals and can pass and is already averaging over 20 fantasy points this season.
Josh Hart - Hart seems like he is slowly taking minutes away from Eric Bledsoe. He may not start, but Hart is a strong add in New Orleans with his playing time pushing toward 30 minutes.
He’s averaging 23 fantasy points already and that could improve as the season goes on.
Jae’Sean Tate - I would be surprised if Tate moved out of the Rockets’ starting lineup this season. He is shooting fantastically, playing good defense and surprising us with 21 fantasy points per game. I actually think he can improve a bit from there as well.
Short Term Adds
Nerlens Noel - With Mitchell Robinson out, Nerlens Noel is the Knicks starting centre, and he is a grab in all leagues for the meantime.
Michael Carter-Williams - Carter-Williams is now the Magic’s starting point while Cole Anthony is out until the All-Star break with a rib fracture. MCW can have shooting issues, but that isn’t a penalty in Yahoo leagues, so feel free to add him.
Ricky Rubio - D’Angelo Russell is going to be out for 4-6 weeks, and I think it will likely be longer and Rubio is floating around on a lot of waiver wires.
He will be the starting point guard and can be solid enough to add 12 team fantasy leagues.
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