Fantasy basketball: Top waiver wire adds amid NBA injuries

How’s your fantasy basketball team going? It’s been a tough battlefield to traverse, with injuries, form fluctuations, COVID absences, making it even more important to stay on top of the waiver wire in your Yahoo fantasy basketball league.

So, let’s take a look at the wire now for some players who are available who may be able to strengthen your squad.

Under 70% Rostered (10 Team League Targets)

Derrick White

This sounds crazy after he put up 11 fantasy points on 1-of-11 shooting the last time he was on the court, but of course, that is a blip and White is a guy who will be starting for the Spurs and should be a top 80 fantasy points player this season.

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It’s going to take some time to get his groove, playing only five games this season due to two separate toe injuries, but I believe in White, perhaps like no other, so I am not leaving him on the wire

Mason Plumlee

Plumlee isn’t the most exciting player, but he is playing at a very high level for the Pistons and is averaging 28 fantasy points for your fantasy teams.

Well, it would be for your fantasy team if he wasn’t available in 35% of Yahoo leagues.

Plumlee starts for Detroit and while there is a rookie, Isaiah Stewart, backing him up, Stewart’s minutes have dropped off late, as Plumlee has seen his playing time rise. No reason at all to leave Plumlee on the wire.

Under 50% Rostered (12 Team League Targets)

Cole Anthony

Anthony suffered an injury scare on Wednesday, but it looks like he escaped serious problems.

He is questionable for Friday, so it feels like he will miss at most a couple of games.

The rookie point guard has impressed as a starter this season, averaging 25 fantasy points since Markelle Fultz’s season ending injury, which includes the last game where he exited after just 14 minutes.

No-one is taking his minutes and his play should continue to improve.

Josh Jackson

Josh Jackson isn’t starting in Detroit, but it doesn’t really matter.

He is back in form after his ankle injury knocked him around, and even though Wayne Ellington is starting ahead of him, it doesn’t matter.

Jackson gets more minutes and without Derrick Rose next to him, he is in position to see his usage rise as well. In a points league, his efficiency issues don’t impact you, so just enjoy the counting stats.

Jakob Poeltl

Poeltl could be more of a short term guy, thriving at the moment with LaMarcus Aldridge out, but even when Aldridge comes back, I am not convinced that the old man’s hip is going to magically heal and as good as new.

So, I’m saying that I can see Poeltl getting good minutes throughout the season and then peaking when Aldridge has to inevitably sit more games with wear and tear injuries.

Under 30% Rostered (14 Team League Targets)

TJ McConnell

There isn’t a better guy on the wire who gets assists and steals.

He tends to have more value in a category league, but that doesn’t mean you need to ignore him, like so many have, in a points league.

McConnell is averaging 22 points, but that is up to over 25 points in the last month.

With Caris LeVert and TJ Warren out, McConnell role is solid and he shouldn’t be on the wire in 12 team leagues, let alone 14 teamers.

Alex Len

It’s hard to trust Scott Brooks’ rotation, but Len looks like the Wizards’ best centre.

There will be shaky nights, but Len shouldn’t be on the wire in a 14 team league, and I would even consider him as an option in 12 team leagues.

Theo Maledon

George Hill is out a while. Maledon, to be fair, is also out, under the NBA’s health and safety protocols, but he will back before Hill is and I would say it’s likely he doesn’t give up the starting spot for the rest of the season.

If you can deal with some short-term absences and rookie struggles, Maledon is likely a nice add in 14 team leagues.

Short Term Adds

Denzel Valentine

Valentine is a Bulls starter with Lauri Markkanen out.

It also helps that Otto Porter and Wednell Carter Jr. are sidelined, but for Valentine is getting minutes, and he is being relatively productive in that time.

For now, I would consider him in 12 team leagues as an option over the next couple of weeks.

Donte DiVincenzo

Jrue Holiday has likely tested positive to COVID, so while DiVincenzo was already starting, the important thing to note here is that his role increases.

He was playing minutes in the mid-20s, and now he should absorb the Holiday role of playing over 30 minutes, but almost as importantly, he moves from fourth offensive option to likely third, behind Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton.

When the team is healthy, he isn’t really a 12 team guy, but for now, he’s worth a look.

Hamidou Diallo

As mentioned above, OKC Thunder teammate Maledon is in the NBA’s health protocols, George Hill is out, and now Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is dealing with knee issues.

That leaves Diallo as one of the only guards on the roster. It may be for a handful of games, but Diallo is starting and is a hot add off the wire.

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