Now five weeks into the season, it’s once again time to take a look at who’s floating around on the waiver wire. This week we’ve got a few guys who may be heavily owned for this column’s purposes, but are still available in far too many leagues, and a few other less popular names who should be added before your competition wakes up. So, with that being said, let’s not waste any time and get right into it!
Ownership percentages are for ESPN leagues as of November 15.
Get free start/sit and waiver wire advice for your fantasy team 
Rajon Rondo (PG – NO) 44.7%
Rajon Rondo played five minutes in his season debut Monday against Atlanta and 14 minutes in his second game Wednesday against Toronto. The Pelicans’ point guard missed the first four weeks of the season after undergoing surgery on a sports hernia he sustained during the preseason. Given his age (31) and the nature of his injury, Rondo will probably be eased into action, so he may not become fantasy relevant for a couple of weeks, but if you have extra space on your roster, now is the time to pick him up. While he does have a notable injury history, having only played more than 70 games five times in his 12-year career, the wily veteran is still capable of putting up useful fantasy numbers as shown by last year’s playoff performances against Boston in which he averaged 11.5 points, 10 assists, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals in two games. If you’re looking for immediate production, E’Twaun Moore might still have some value left in him, but that should decrease as Rondo works his way back to full health.
Jamal Murray (PG – DEN) 35.7%
The Nuggets have two young point guards in Jamal Murray (20) and Emmanuel Mudiay (21), but neither has shown much ability distributing the ball as they’re averaging just 2.4 and 3.2 assists respectively. Given those struggles, one would think that they’d be on thin ice when it comes to playing time, however, Denver doesn’t really have anyone else to turn to, so both players should continue to see plenty of minutes. Murray has been the starter in every game this season, and as a result, is averaging 25.9 minutes per game on the season and 30.3 over his last three games. Murray can provide nice production in the points scored and three-pointers made categories but leaves much to be desired when it comes to his field goal percentage (28.8 percent on the year) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.1 on the year). He also looks to have a relatively firm grip on the starting point guard position, for now, so feel free to add him if you need immediate depth. If he’s not available, Mudiay is also an option, though he may be more of a deeper league play than Murray.
Mike James (PG – PHO) 16.9%
After starting 10 straight games, Mike James has moved to the bench (in favor of Tyler Ulis) for the last two contests, but that may not be permanent. Over that 10-game stretch, James averaged 13 points (39.3% FG, 36.8% 3p, 80% FT), 4.2 assists, 3.6 rebounds, one steal, 1.4 made threes and 1.4 turnovers in 26.4 minutes. His production wasn’t exactly eye-popping, but it wasn’t horrible either. The desire to shake things up may have something to do with the roster change, but it’s more likely that he’s being reprimanded for his recent behavior. During the Suns’ game against Orlando, James threw the ball at teammate Dragan Bender and was promptly sent to the bench in the very next game. Considering how underwhelming Ulis has looked, there’s a good chance that James will be back with the first unit sooner rather than later. If you’re in need of some extra scoring but have the ability to sit on a player for a few games, James makes for a nice addition in deeper leagues. He’s going to have more value in points formats, but could eventually become roster worthy in many category leagues too if he manages to reclaim his starting role.
Donovan Mitchell (PG/SG – UTA) 29%
I mentioned him last week, so I won’t spend too much time reiterating what I’ve already said, but the general idea is that Mitchell is a promising rookie with plenty of opportunities to not only continue his current production but also improve as the season moves forward. He’s a good defender but has also surprised many with his ability to score. Over his last four games, Mitchell is averaging 20.3 points, 2.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 2.3 three-pointers in 33.1 minutes. He doesn’t look like he’s going to slow down anytime soon, so go ahead and pick him up now before it’s too late.
Alex Len (C – PHO) 15.7%
Alex Len isn’t a very exciting fantasy player, and he does take a hit when Tyson Chandler is playing, but if (and that’s a very unsure “if”) the Suns ever decide to start phasing Chandler out, Len should be able to produce at levels worth owning in standard leagues. Neither he nor Chandler has done much in the scoring department, making them less valuable in points leagues, but if you’re looking for rebounding, shot blocking and a boost to your field goal efficiency, either will be able to help you out. It’s hard to understand why Len hasn’t been given more playing time on a consistent basis, considering how old Chandler is (35) and how awful the Suns are (5-10 on the season), and there’s no guarantee things will change anytime soon, but if they do (and, again, that’s a shaky “if”), Len will most certainly be worth owning. As of now, Len is worth playing on days when Chandler sits out, so he’s currently more of a deeper league flyer than anything else, but just make sure to keep an eye on the center position in Phoenix, because things could change at any given moment.
John Henson (PF/C – MIL) 14%
It’s been a tough stretch for fantasy owners in need of frontcourt help, and this week isn’t any different. If you happen to be one of those people, John Henson may be your best option as the recent Greg Monroe departure should increase playing time, and hopefully production, for Henson. We shouldn’t expect too large of a boost in output, but he did just put up his first double-double of the season against a tough opponent in Andre Drummond in Milwaukee’s win over Detroit this past Wednesday. Giannis Antetokounmpo is always going to be their go-to guy, but Henson should be able to collect a respectable amount of rebounds while continuing to block a good number of shots. He’s been an up and down player in the past, but we could see him become more consistent this season now that he has less competition down low.
George Haw is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from George, check out his archive and follow him @georgeWarfieldH.
