10 Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Targets for Week 6
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.
Let's hit the wire for Week 6.
Jeremy Lamb, SG/SF, Charlotte Hornets
Yahoo Ownership: 60%
Jeremy Lamb is having a great season and should be owned in way more than 60% of fantasy leagues.
Through 15 games, he's the 57th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, and he's been the 19th-ranked guy over his last four. Over that span, he's averaged 17.3 points, 1.8 three-pointers, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.3 blocks, and 1.5 turnovers in 29.9 minutes per contest, while shooting 46.2% from the field and a perfect 14-for-14 from the free throw line.
Lamb is starting nightly for the Charlotte Hornets, getting increasingly more minutes and usage, and puts up solid numbers in all nine standard fantasy categories. He's likely a better asset than whatever you have at the end of your bench, so add him if he's somehow available in your league.
Jonathan Isaac, SF/PF, Orlando Magic
Yahoo Ownership: 60%
Jonathan Isaac recently missed six games due to a bum ankle, but he's been so solid coming off the bench for the Orlando Magic in the three games since his return that he immediately needs to be scooped up in any and all leagues in which he was dropped.
Over that three-game span, in only 19.1 minutes per contest, Isaac has been the 56th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 9.0 points, 0.7 triples, 5.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.7 steals, 2.3 blocks, and 0.7 turnovers, while shooting 58.8% from the field and 83.3% from the line.
Isaac filled the box score on Sunday night, racking up 16 points, 1 triple, 4 boards, 3 dimes, 2 steals, and 1 block. Coming off a performance like that, he could be set to reclaim the starting role he held at the beginning of the season that Wesley Iwundu has barely kept warm for him in his absence. Don't let him sit on your waiver wire a second longer if he's currently there.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, SG/SF, Sacramento Kings
Yahoo Ownership: 60%
The Sacramento Kings' Bogdan Bogdanovic is working his way back from a knee injury that cost him the first 10 games of the season. He's still coming off the bench and playing fairly limited minutes, but he's played well enough over his last three to show what he's capable of and why he should be owned in all leagues.
Over that three-game span, he's been the 77th-ranked player in nine-category leagues in only 22.8 minutes per contest, averaging 16.0 points, 2.3 threes, 1.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.0 blocks, and 1.0 turnover, while shooting 52.6% from the field and a perfect 1-for-1 from the charity stripe.
His minutes should keep rising as he rounds back into form, and he could very well replace Iman Shumpert in the Kings' starting lineup before long. If he's available in your league, go ahead and remedy that.
Bojan Bogdanovic, SG/SF, Indiana Pacers
Yahoo Ownership: 60%
One good Bogdanovic deserves another, as they say. Bojan Bogdanovic is an entrenched starter for the Indiana Pacers, is putting up consistent late-round value on the season and has been a top-50 asset over his last five.
Over that span, he's been the 39th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 17.4 points, 2.8 triples, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.0 blocks, and 2.6 turnovers in a healthy 32.9 minutes per contest, while shooting 54.7% from the field and 93.8% from the free throw line.
There aren't many holes in his line outside of the non-existent blocks (he hasn't swatted a single shot this season), so he should be owned in all but the shallowest of leagues, especially while he's this hot.
Mikal Bridges, SF, Phoenix Suns
Yahoo Ownership: 10%
Rookie Mikal Bridges has had a bit of a breakout over his last three games, the last two of which were starts in place of a missing Trevor Ariza (personal).
He's averaged 11.7 points, 1.3 threes, 2.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.7 blocks, and 1.7 turnovers in 27.1 minutes over those three contests, while shooting 52.4% from the field and a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe, making him the 38th-ranked player in nine-category leagues over this past week.
The eventual return of Ariza might knock Bridges back out of the starting lineup, but the 33-year-old Ariza hasn't exactly been lights out this season -- he's shooting 36.8% from the field on the year -- and it's only a matter of time before the 3-12 Phoenix Suns shift their attention entirely to developing their young guys. Bridges is worth the add now while he's rolling and will remain a premium stash at the very least if he falls off a bit when Ariza returns.
Derrick Favors, PF/C, Utah Jazz
Yahoo Ownership: 60%
After three consecutive seasons of mid- to early-round value, Derrick Favors fell off the map in 2016-17, before having a slight rebound in 2017-18. This year, in 2018-19, he started the season a little slowly, but he's been the 55th-ranked player in nine-category leagues over the last two weeks in only 23.9 minutes per contest.
Over that seven-game span, Favors has averaged 11.6 points, 0.6 triples, 6.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.4 blocks, and a mere 0.7 turnovers, while shooting a blistering 70.5% from the field and 55.6% from the free throw line. He's not the 20-10 threat he once was, but whenever he's getting enough minutes to contribute in both defensive categories, he's got a shot at mid-round value.
The low minutes might lead to some inconsistent outings, but his starting job on the Utah Jazz is very safe, and he's got enough to offer in enough categories to warrant a higher ownership rate than 60%.
Juan Hernangomez, SF/PF, Denver Nuggets
Yahoo Ownership: 30%
Juan Hernangomez has started four consecutive games for the Denver Nuggets, and has done enough with the opportunity to warrant keeping the job for the foreseeable future.
Over that span, he's been the 58th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 14.8 points, 2.5 triples, 8.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.3 blocks, and 1.5 turnovers in a healthy 33.8 minutes per contest, while shooting 60.0% from the field and 77.8% from the charity stripe.
Hernangomez's value will likely take a major hit when Will Barton (adductor muscle) eventually returns, but we're still a few weeks from the end of Barton's initial timetable. For now, Hernangomez is one of the hottest players in fantasy hoops, and should be added and started until further notice.
Terrence Ross, SG/SF, Orlando Magic
Yahoo Ownership: 55%
Terrence Ross has scored in double-figures in nine consecutive games and has been the 53rd-ranked player in nine-category leagues over his last five.
Over that five-game span, Ross has averaged 16.2 points, 3.2 threes, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.2 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 1.2 turnovers in 23.5 minutes per contest, while shooting 54.7% from the field and a perfect 7-for-7 from the charity stripe.
He hasn't cracked the starting lineup all season, and the recent return of Isaac lowers his chances of that even further, but Ross is still worth a flier while he's rolling like this.
Cody Zeller, PF/C, Charlotte Hornets
Yahoo Ownership: 20%
Cody Zeller is not the sexiest fantasy hoops asset, but he's the regular starting center for the Charlotte Hornets and has done enough recently to warrant your attention.
Over his last four contests, Zeller has been the 51st-ranked player in nine-category leagues with averages of 11.8 points, 0.0 threes, 4.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.8 blocks, and a mere 0.3 turnovers in 27.4 minutes per contest, and a shooting split of 54.8% from the field and 86.7% from the line.
He's now the 100th-ranked player on the year, and has a good chance of maintaining that kind of late-round value the rest of the way. He doesn't fill up the stat sheet all that much, but the sterling percentages (58.1% from the field and 90.9% from the line on the year) and low turnovers should not be overlooked.
Tyler Johnson, PG/SG, Miami Heat
Yahoo Ownership: 40%
Tyler Johnson has not had a very exciting season for fantasy purposes, but he's now scored in double figures in six consecutive contests and has done enough to put up 52nd-ranked value over his last three games.
Over that span, he's averaged 17.0 points, 2.0 threes, 5.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.0 block, and 1.3 turnovers in a healthy 31.8 points per contest off the pine, while shooting 46.2% from the field and 90.0% from the free throw line.
His bench role could lead to the occasional dud, but Johnson plays enough minutes on a regular basis for the Miami Heat to have a shot at fairly reliable mid- to late-round value. If you're looking for help at either guard position, don't overlook his 123rd- and 84th-ranked finishes in this same role over the last two years.
