10 Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Targets for Week 3
We're here once again to look at 10 of the most interesting players to emerge off fantasy basketball waiver wires over the past week.
As always, make sure you're checking out last week's edition (and the week before for good measure). We try not to repeat ourselves, but there are always some high-priority options to be found in previous iterations of this column who should still be on your radar if they're out there (like Nemanja Bjelica, Montrezl Harrell, Danny Green, Cedi Osman, Rodney McGruder, and Bryn Forbes to name a few).
Let's hit the wire for Week 3.
Dewayne Dedmon, C, Atlanta Hawks
Yahoo Ownership: 60%
Dewayne Dedmon missed the first three games of the season for the Atlanta Hawks due to an ankle injury. He didn't do anything special in his first game back last Wednesday, but he broke out on Saturday night.
In a loss to the Chicago Bulls, he put up 13 points on 5-for-10 shooting from the field and 2-for-2 from the free throw line, a three-pointer, 13 boards, five blocks, and no turnovers. Just as a reminder, lines like that are not totally out of the norm for the big man, who finished 83rd in nine-category leagues over 62 games last season.
If someone in your league lost patience with Dedmon's ankle issues and dropped him in the early going, go ahead and grab him.
Wesley Matthews, SG/SF, Dallas Mavericks
Yahoo Ownership: 60%
Wesley Matthews has scored 20 or more points in four straight contests, ranking 59th in nine-category leagues over that one-week span.
He now ranks 89th overall on the season, with averages of 20.0 points, 3.3 triples, 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.0 blocks, and 1.3 turnovers in 34.0 minutes per contest, and a shooting split of 41.2% from the field and 80.0% from the free throw line.
He may not bring owners much in terms of rebounds, assists, or defensive numbers, but the points and threes make him well worth consideration if you're looking for help in those areas.
Zach Collins, PF/C, Portland Trail Blazers
Yahoo Ownership: 30%
Zach Collins might be coming off the bench and only playing 20.5 minutes per night for the Portland Trail Blazers, but he's racking up a healthy helping of blocks and playing efficiently enough to produce early-round value.
Through five games this season, Collins is the 33rd-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 10.8 points, 1.0 three, 5.2 boards, 0.8 assists, 0.6 steals, 2.2 blocks, and 1.2 turnovers, while shooting a blistering 69.2% from the field and 86.7% from the charity stripe.
There is bound to be some inconsistency ahead as a result of his bench role and modest minutes, but he's playing well enough for fantasy managers to take notice. He's a top target this week, in particular, because the Blazers are set to play five games over the next seven days.
Justin Holiday, SG/SF, Chicago Bulls
Yahoo Ownership: 30%
Justin Holiday is locked in as a starter for the injury-ravaged Chicago Bulls, and he's playing well enough to warrant a higher ownership percentage in fantasy basketball.
Through six games, he's the 47th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 11.5 points, 2.3 triples, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.3 blocks, and a mere 0.3 turnovers in 34.3 minutes per contest, while shooting 42.1% from the field and 87.5% from the free throw line.
The eventual returns of guards Kris Dunn (knee) and Denzel Valentine (ankle) -- and even forwards Lauri Markkanen (elbow) and Bobby Portis (knee) -- will eat into Holiday's production, but for now you can add and start him if you're looking for threes, steals, decent percentages, and low turnovers.
Kelly Oubre Jr., SF, Washington Wizards
Yahoo Ownership: 60%
The Washington Wizards are off to a lousy 1-5 start, but Kelly Oubre Jr. has been a bright spot off the bench for the team.
He's currently the team's third-leading scorer with 14.5 points per game. Over the past week (four games), he's been the 47th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 17.5 points, 3.0 three-pointers, 5.8 boards, 0.8 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.5 blocks, and 1.8 turnovers in a healthy 30.9 minutes per contest, while shooting 50.0% from the field and a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line.
Playing in the exact same role a year ago, Oubre Jr. finished as the 135th-ranked player in nine-category leagues -- his best finish over his three-year career -- so it's not likely that this top-50 streak will continue, but he's certainly worth the add right now while he's hot.
Cameron Payne, PG, Chicago Bulls
Yahoo Ownership: 25%
Last week, Kris Dunn has been ruled out for the next four-to-six weeks, so there's still a fair bit of time left on that timetable. In the meantime, Cameron Payne has started all but one game for the Bulls this year and has been filling it up over his last three contests.
Over that span, he's been the 45th-ranked player in nine-category leagues (despite a two-point dud on Saturday), with averages of 12.7 points, 3.0 triples, 2.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.3 blocks, and 1.7 turnovers in only 23.9 minutes per game, and shooting split of 52.0% from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 from the charity stripe.
His rest-of-season outlook is not all that rosy since the Bulls will eventually get some of their regular starters back (in theory), but Payne looks to have the opportunity to contribute to your fantasy squad for at least the next month or so.
Damyean Dotson, SG, New York Knicks
Yahoo Ownership: 20%
We've had three relative second-year nobodies emerge from practically nowhere in the past week in fantasy circles, with arguably the most impressive being second-year guard Damyean Dotson.
Dotson averaged only 4.1 points in 10.8 minutes over 44 games for the New York Knicks last year, but he has really put his stamp on things in the early going of this season. He got DNP-CDs for the Knicks' first two games, but an injury to Kevin Knox opened up some more minutes for Dotson over their last four.
In that span, Dotson has been the 36th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 14.0 points, 2.8 three-pointers, 6.8 boards, 1.0 assist, 1.5 steals, 0.3 blocks, and 0.5 turnovers in 29.5 minutes per contest, while shooting 46.8% from the field and 1-for-2 from the free throw line.
This might not be the second coming of Linsanity, but Dotson just got the call for his first start of the season on Friday and could be in for a nice little run here while the Knicks are banged up.
Monte Morris, PG, Denver Nuggets
Yahoo Ownership: 20%
Another second-year player who has come out of nowhere this week is Denver Nuggets guard Monte Morris. Morris played only 25 total minutes for the team last year in his rookie season, but he's getting more of an opportunity in his sophomore campaign due to an abductor injury to Will Barton.
Over his last two games, Morris has been the 12th-ranked player in nine-category leagues (disclaimer: super small sample size), with averages of 15.5 points, 1.5 threes, 3.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.0 blocks, and 0.0 turnovers in 28.1 minutes per contest, and a shooting split of 47.6% from the field and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line.
That two-game explosion onto the scene might be a distant memory by the time we look at the landscape again this time next week, but for now, it's hard to deny his recent returns and opportunity going forward. Barton is due to be out for the next five-to-six weeks, so that opens up a nice door for Monte to remain fantasy-relevant for the next little while.
Maxi Kleber, PF, Dallas Mavericks
Yahoo Ownership: 10%
The third and final second-year player who suddenly became a name to pay attention to in fake hoops this week is Maxi Kleber. Kleber played 16.8 minutes per contest over 72 games for the Dallas Mavericks last season, so perhaps it's not fair to call him a nobody, but his 257th-ranked finish in nine-category leagues is why he's never really been a guy to notice for fantasy purposes.
Until now.
Over the last week, Kleber has been the 75th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 10.5 points, 1.8 threes, 5.0 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.5 steals, 2.0 blocks, and 0.5 turnovers in 21.4 minutes per contest, while shooting 51.9% from the field and 63.6% from the free throw line.
He played just 13 minutes last night in a loss to the Utah Jazz, so his rise to relevance might already be on a downturn, but if you missed out on up-and-comers Damyean Dotson and Monte Morris this week, there's enough upside in Kleber to at least make him worth a flier.
Lance Stephenson, SG/SF, Los Angeles Lakers
Yahoo Ownership: 20%
It seems like Lance Stephenson always finds a way to force his way into fantasy relevance for a week or two per year, even if he hasn't placed in the top-240 for a full season in nine-category leagues once over the last four tries. That time came early this year, as he's been the 30th-ranked player in nine-category leagues over his last three games.
Over that span, Lance has averaged 16.3 points, 1.7 three-pointers, 7.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.0 blocks, and 1.7 turnovers in 24.2 minutes per contest off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers, while shooting a blistering 56.8% from the field and a perfect 2-for-2 from the free throw line.
While Stephenson is always a threat to fill up the box score at any given time, he's just never done it consistently. He's worth riding while he has the hot hand like this, but don't expect him to suddenly become a mid- to early-round guy on a regular basis.
