Welcome to this year’s first installment of our weekly waiver wire article. Here we’ll cover some of the players currently available in more than 50 percent of leagues that you should consider picking up.
Considering everything that’s happened already, it’s hard to believe that we’re not even two full weeks into the NBA season. With all of the injuries to big-name players in the first week alone, this year is starting off much like the NFL did seven weeks ago. Barely five minutes into the season opener and we had our first league changing injury when Gordon Hayward went down with a broken ankle. Many other injuries to other players soon followed, and now, if you look at an updated injury report for the entire league, it feels as if every team has at least one star player out. While we never wish for injuries to occur, in the fantasy world there is often a silver lining lurking around even the darkest of corners, that is if you’re quick enough to find it first. So, with that being said, it’s time to start making that proverbial lemonade by doing a little waiver wire squeezing!
Ownership percentages are for ESPN leagues as of October 25.
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Josh Richardson (SG/SF – MIA) 16.3%
Last year was tough on the Heat as they were forced to limp through an injury-riddled season, but all was not lost, as the thin depth charts allowed Miami’s younger talent to gain experience faster than expected. While he only played in 53 games (due to injuries of his own), Josh Richardson was one of those players able to take advantage of the extra court time (over 30 minutes per game) and prove to everyone that he had potential worth exploring. Now, after an off-season contract extension of four-years, Richardson has started in all three of Miami’s games this year and is currently averaging 14.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 blocks, 2.7 threes and 0.7 steals over that span. Currently logging over 36 minutes per game, the third-year guard is tallying productive numbers across the board and doesn’t look like he’ll be slowing down anytime soon. His free throw percentage, at 60 percent this season, seems like a downer but considering he’s only attempted 1.7 shots from the line per game, most owners should be able to handle those misses with ease. He’s not the kind of player that’s going to blow you away, but given his versatility and as long as he continues to lockdown 30-plus minutes, Richardson is just about a must-add across all scoring formats.
Lauri Markkanen (PF – CHI) 31.1%
Thanks to some preseason in-house “disagreements” (aka Bobby Portis breaking Nikola Mirotic‘s face during a fight) on what was already a less than intimidating lineup, rookie Lauri Markkanen has stumbled across some major court-time right out of the gate. Making the most out of this opportunity, the 20-year-old power forward from Finland is averaging an impressive 16.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 three-pointers in 34 minutes across the first three games of the season. For someone new to the NBA, Markkanen is shooting a solid 44.7 percent from the field, 45.5 percent from beyond the arc and 71.4 percent from the line. His 2.7 turnovers, zero assists and 0.3 steals per game may leave a little something to be desired, but any ball handling and defensive issues should only improve with time as he becomes more comfortable with the speed, strength and overall talent level in the NBA.
The eventual returns of both Mirotic and Portis will siphon some time away from Markkanen but given his ability to stretch the floor via the three-point shot and still grab nearly 10 rebounds per game, any hit to his playing time should be relatively minor. The fact is that the Bulls don’t have much talent to go around, so Markkanen is in the perfect spot to gain experience without having to endure too much pressure to perform day in and day out. That will help with his consistency, but, as with any rookie, owners should be patient if and when he throws up some duds here and there. Current production alone says he should be owned in most 12-team leagues (points and category based scoring), but if you add in his room for improvement, it’s hard to find a reason to leave him on the wire, regardless of your respective league size and scoring system.
Kelly Oubre Jr. (SF – WSH) 14.4%
Playing on a much more talented roster than those of our first two waiver suggestions, Kelly Oubre Jr.‘s current usage rate may not be as stable, but that doesn’t mean he should be overlooked. Though Jason Smith is set to be back this week, and Markieff Morris, who’s still recovering from a September hernia surgery, is nearing his own return, Oubre Jr. could very easily maintain enough playing time to make him a long-term fantasy target in many leagues (especially points-based formats). Even with the return of the two aforementioned forwards, the Wizards could keep Oubre in the starting lineup in order to go small, or they could use him as a sixth man adrenaline shot.
As of writing this article, the third-year small forward, in three games, has averaged 10.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, one assist, 1.7 threes, one block and two steals in 35.3 minutes per game. He may have struggled with his shot in Washington’s second game of the season against Detroit making just 1-of-5 attempts from the field, but Oubre was able to recover in his very next contest by scoring 14 points on 5-of-10 from the field. He’s shaping up to be a serviceable play in many category leagues and a possible mainstay in points leagues. Add him now for an immediate impact and, if you have the roster space available, hold on to him for a while to see what unfolds over the next few weeks.
Terry Rozier (PG – BOS) 35.8%
It didn’t take long (5 minutes and 15 seconds to be exact) for Boston’s season to be flipped on its head, as any and all preseason expectations for the team flew right out the window when Gordon Hayward (likely out the rest of the year) suffered a dislocated ankle and fractured tibia in the Celtics’ season opener. This was obviously horrible news for Hayward and the team as a whole, but, on the bright side, it immediately opened up a ton of playing time for the many young players Boston has on its roster – notably Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Terry Rozier. Of those three, both Brown and Tatum were heavily drafted in most fantasy leagues, but the same cannot be said about Rozier. With an ADP falling outside of the top-200 this preseason, Rozier wasn’t on the radar of many fantasy owners, though that’s quickly changing now that he’s seeing nearly 30 minutes per game.
So far, after Boston’s first four games, Rozier is averaging 11.5 points (44.4% FG, 44.4% 3PT and 66.7% FT), four assists, 5.8 rebounds, two 3-pointers, two steals and 0.8 turnovers in 27 minutes per game. That level of production makes him a valuable asset in all scoring formats, and even though Marcus Morris will be returning from injury in the near future, Rozier should still see enough action to remain relevant in most leagues. His value will probably take a larger hit in category leagues because of a likely regression in the rebound department, but he should still be worth rostering as at least a bench/role player in 10-team and larger leagues.
John Collins (PF/C – ATL) 20.4%
Last but not least, we have another rookie who’s wasted no time in making a name for himself. John Collins, an energetic big man drafted 19th overall by Atlanta in the 2017 draft, has averaged 11.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, one block and 0.8 steals over the first four games of the season. That kind of production alone makes him a low-end play in 10 or 12-team leagues, but when you consider that he’s doing it while seeing just 19.3 minutes per game, his value takes a sizable boost. Part of his success has come while Ersan Ilyasova has had to deal with a knee strain, but Collins put up similar numbers before that became a real issue, so it stands to reason that he could continue his current pace even after Ilyasova returns.
Add to that the prospect of Collins eventually taking over as the starting power forward on an Atlanta team projected to struggle this year and you have a guy that’s worth playing now and at least worth holding onto for a while after that to see how things pan out. He may end up being one of those waiver wire regulars that owners have a hard time figuring out, but just know that the potential is certainly there.
George Haw is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from George, check out his archive and follow him @georgeWarfieldH.
