Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups by Category (Week 4)

Welcome back to another waiver wire primer for fantasy basketball category leagues! Just like every week of the fantasy season so far, there are so many surprise contributors popping up, including a 25-point showing from Lakers guard Nick Smith Jr. – right off the heels of his teammate Jake LaRavia‘s big night. Not to mention the renaissance of Russell Westbrook on the Sacramento Kings, with yet another triple-double against the Warriors on Wednesday night. We’re really just scratching the surface, so let’s take a look at the waiver wire and find those great fits for your roster next week:

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Fantasy Basketball Category League Waiver Wire Pickups

Points

Moses Moody (SG – GSW) | 16% Rostered

Although the Warriors are dealing with absences from their star players due to minor injuries, Moses Moody just played himself into fantasy consideration this past Wednesday with his 28-point night on 9 of 15 shooting with 6 threes. Fantasy managers will also appreciate the 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 blocks and perfect free throw shooting. Although Moody played poorly last night, and Jimmy Butler returned from his back injury, I believe there are two options here: wait until the Warriors are fully healthy to make a decision, or if you have the roster capability, go for an early add of Moody to get a potential rest-of-season stud in your lineup.

Marcus Smart (PG – LAL) | 14% Rostered

Although Marcus Smart’s season-high 17-point outing came with Lebron on the sideline, Smart has been more and more involved in the Lakers’ offense with no less than 8 shots in the last four games. Although his shooting is inefficient, Smart has a knack for getting to the free throw line. As long as the shot volume remains, he could be a nice points streamer for fantasy managers while contributing in all other categories as well.

Assists

Mike Conley (PG – MIN) | 11% Rostered

While it is true that Mike Conley is 38 years old and Anthony Edwards returned from injury, Conley still dropped 6 dimes in just 18 minutes of action Wednesday night against the Knicks. In fact, the veteran guard has had at least 6 assists in each of his last four games. I think it’s safe to say that Conley is at least worth a speculative add to see where things go, even if Edwards continues to dominate the ball-handling duties for the Timberwolves.

Bub Carrington (PG – WAS) | 40% Rostered

Carlton “Bub” Carrington’s poor offensive play to start the season has lowered his roster percentage significantly across all fantasy leagues. So why is he featured in this week’s article? Call it a “buy low” for Carrington, but his minutes and assist numbers have picked up over the last few games, and his teammate CJ McCollum hasn’t looked much better. Bub could be back in action sooner rather than later, so keep an eye on the young Wizards guard if he is available in your league.

Rebounds

Mitchell Robinson (C – NYK) | 21% Rostered

There is a lot not to like about Mitchell Robinson in fantasy basketball. Robinson has played in just 3 games this season and no more than 20 minutes in each. However, in each of these three games with limited minutes, Robinson has pulled down 11, 5 and 10 total rebounds, respectively, with most coming on the offensive side of the ball. The injury-prone center will likely not play any back-to-back games in the near future, but if you need rebounds at any point during the week, look for Mitchell Robinson to give you a huge lift in that category.

Derik Queen (C – NOP) | 40% Rostered

Speaking of injury-prone bigs, Zion Williamson has been sidelined with a left hamstring strain. The h-word is not something that fantasy managers will take kindly to, as it can hamper a player’s production all season in severe cases. In Zion’s absence, Derik Queen has proved to be the rebound king for the Pelicans, grabbing 15 boards over his last two games. Look for Queen to continue his hot rebounding streak, especially if he starts to play a consistent 25+ minutes per night.

Blocks

Dereck Lively II (C – DAL) | 40% Rostered

Averaging 1.4 blocks per game in his rookie campaign and 1.6 blocks per game last season, Lively will look to continue building on his improvement in this category after he returns from a knee sprain. Lively is confirmed out through this weekend, but fantasy managers in need of blocks will want to grab the spark plug center before someone else does.

Jay Huff (C- IND) | 6% Rostered

Although fantasy managers shouldn’t overreact to Huff’s 16-point night against the Nets, we can look at his 1.5 blocker per game rate and consider him as a nice streaming option while the Pacers are still dealing with several injuries. Huff has played no more than 22 minutes in any game so far this season, but his affinity for swatting the ball should keep him in fantasy consideration for the time being.

Steals

Cason Wallace (SG – OKC) | 47% Rostered

Jalen Williams is getting re-evaluated for his injury next week, and Luguentz Dort has missed a couple of games with a shoulder injury. While these key Thunder players are battling injuries, Cason Wallace is in a prime position to take on a larger role. The third-year guard is averaging 2.75 steals per game to start the season and is showing no signs of slowing down.

Kris Dunn (PG – LAC) | 6% Rostered

Kris Dunn has benefited heavily from the absences of Kawhi Leonard, Bradley Beal, and James Harden at different points throughout this past week. Dunn has excelled in limited minutes for the Clippers, showcasing his ability to steal, assist and rebound at a high level. Dunn is a name to keep an eye on if any of the three stars are out, but could be someone to watch moving forward regardless.

Three-Pointers Made

Harrison Barnes (PF – SAS) | 10% Rostered

Barnes has shot uncharacteristically well from beyond the arc to start the season at a 44% clip. Also, De’Aaron Fox is set to make his season debut today, which could change up the usage for Barnes. Nonetheless, Barnes is a reliable contributor for the Spurs and is a name to monitor as long as his hot streak continues.

AJ Green (SG – MIL) | 11% Rostered

There may not be a better three point streamer at this moment than AJ Green. The reserve guard has hit at least 3 triples in every game he’s played this season. Yes, you read that correctly. His roster percentage remains low due to his lack of consistent contribution in other categories, but fantasy managers don’t need to look any further for a boost in this category.