We are digging beyond the normal waiver wire names heading into Week 11, but first, a quick Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone. Hopefully, you enjoyed a full slate of NBA action from the Christmas Day games, because the momentum from that showcase has carried straight into some intriguing fantasy developments. In Brooklyn, Egor Demin has started to put his scoring ability on full display, coming off recent outings where he’s pushed into double figures while showing confidence as a shot creator and spot-up threat. Over in New York, Tyler Kolek is being talked about like he’s taking over the league. His recent stat lines, including multi-assist performances and steady minutes, suggest the Knicks are increasingly comfortable letting him run the offense in short stretches. And in Los Angeles, Brook Lopez officially entered the Clippers’ starting lineup for the first time this past Tuesday, immediately making his presence felt with rebounds, blocks, and floor-spacing production that fantasy managers know all too well. These are the types of under-the-radar trends that can quietly swing a week, so let’s dive into the Week 11 risers worth grabbing before the rest of your league catches on.
View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Basketball Category League Waiver Wire Pickups
Points
Egor Demin (SG-BKN) | 36% Rostered
Despite some early ups and downs, Egor Demin has begun carving out a consistent scoring role for the Nets and is quietly becoming a name to monitor in all fantasy formats. Over his most recent stretch, the rookie guard has posted multiple double-digit scoring efforts, including a 20-point game against the Sixers on 6-of-11 shooting and a 16-point outing the game before against the Raptors.
As long as his role of 25+ minutes per night holds, Demin profiles as a helpful add for teams needing a boost in the points category. He’s a confident shooter who doesn’t need the ball constantly to score, and his willingness to fire from deep gives him upside on nights when his shot is falling. The Nets’ youth-focused rotation also works in his favor, as Demin is likely to continue seeing opportunities to score with the second unit, and potentially more if injuries open the door. He won’t be perfectly consistent, but the recent scoring trend makes him a worthwhile pickup for managers looking to add points without sacrificing efficiency.
Assists
Tyler Kolek (PG – NYK) | 13% Rostered
Fantasy managers need to keep an eye on Tyler Kolek. He’s been making legitimate waves with his playmaking in recent games for the Knicks. With increased opportunity due to injuries, the rookie guard has delivered standout production, including a 16-point, 9-assist performance in New York’s dramatic Christmas Day comeback against the Cavs and a 20-point, 8-assist showing in his first NBA start against Minnesota on Tuesday.
Kolek’s recent uptick in court time has translated into real assist totals and offensive involvement, showing that he can be more than just a deep-league dart throw. As a true point guard with floor-general instincts, he’s proven capable of setting up teammates consistently, which makes him an intriguing add for fantasy managers in need of assists next week. If he continues to run a secondary unit or earns regular minutes behind Jalen Brunson, Kolek could be a sneaky source of assists and deserves a spot on your waiver wire radar.
Rebounds
Andre Drummond (C – PHI) | 41% Rostered
Andre Drummond continues to be one of the most consistent rebounders on the Philadelphia 76ers, especially when Joel Embiid is out or in limited minutes. He’s averaging about 9.7 rebounds per game this season, which ranks him top ten in the NBA in rebounding despite not playing starter’s minutes every night. In recent games where Embiid has missed time or been managed, Drummond has turned those chances into double-digit rebound nights, including a 14-point, 13-rebound double-double against the Knicks while drilling a few long balls.
If Drummond is a free agent in your league, he’s absolutely worth grabbing. His role as the primary big man when Embiid sits or gets limited minutes ensures a steady rebounding floor, and he can fill up the stat sheet with boards nearly every night. Even with Embiid healthy, Philadelphia’s rotation still leans on Drummond to handle the physical work on the glass, so he’s never just an afterthought. He’s a high-ceiling rebound source in fantasy leagues, especially in categories formats where boards can swing a matchup, and worth targeting while he’s still available.
Blocks
Brook Lopez (C – LAC) | 18% Rostered
In his first few starts with the Clippers, Brook Lopez has wasted no time making his presence felt on the defensive end. Over his recent stretch, Lopez has swatted at least two shots in each of his last three games. Even when his scoring fluctuates, Lopez continues to deliver strong defensive value, routinely finishing with 2-3 blocks per night in starter’s minutes.
From a fantasy perspective, Lopez is exactly the type of specialist managers should target when chasing blocks. His role doesn’t rely on heavy usage or offensive touches, his value comes from positioning, timing, and experience as a premier shot-blocker. As long as he’s seeing consistent minutes in the Clippers’ frontcourt rotation, Lopez offers a high floor in the blocks category, with occasional upside games that can single-handedly swing a matchup. Even if his playing time fluctuates slightly, his per-minute block rate keeps him firmly on the radar as a strong category add while Ivica Zubac is out.
Steals
Jaylen Wells (SF – MEM)| 42% Rostered
Every so often, one of the Grizzlies’ talented wing players starts to pop in the steals category, and right now, Jaylen Wells is turning heads in that department. Though he’s primarily been a scoring option lately (averaging around 12.4 points per game on the season) Wells has shown his defensive instincts are legit, highlighted by a four-steal performance in a recent win over the Jazz while playing about 32 minutes. Over his last dozen contests, he’s been averaging around 1.2 steals per game as his overall game continues to grow and his minutes stabilize.
Wells isn’t just a shooter, he’s active on the perimeter and opportunistic with his hands. These are traits that can lead to fantasy production in the steals category, especially in deeper leagues where wings who rack up steals are so valuable. With consistent playing time and an expanded role in Memphis’ rotation, Wells is worth a look if you’re hurting for steals in your matchup next week. As long as he continues to be entrusted with defensive minutes alongside his scoring responsibility, he could be a sneaky category streamer and impact piece for managers needing defensive stats.
Three-Pointers Made
Sam Merrill (SG – CLE) | 17% Rostered
It is time once again to talk about Sam Merrill’s torrid three-point shooting for the Cavaliers, and why he’s worth a look if you need made threes in fantasy. In a recent return to the lineup after a hand injury, Merrill exploded for 22 points and drained 6-of-10 from deep in Cleveland’s 141-118 win over the Pelicans on Tuesday, showing he’s back in rhythm and willing to fire from beyond the arc. He’s currently averaging around 3.7 made three-pointers per game on roughly 8+ attempts, ranking among the league’s leaders in threes made, all while shooting over 44% from downtown.
The type of volume and efficiency we’re seeing from Merrill now is exactly what fantasy managers want to see in the three-pointers made category. With Cleveland relying on spacing around Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, Merrill’s role as a perimeter threat gives him plenty of opportunities to hoist triples each night. A healthier roster could cause Merrill’s minutes to fluctuate, but his knack for hitting multiple threes makes him a high-upside streaming option, especially in deeper leagues.
Field Goal Percentage
Bruce Brown (SF – DEN) | 11% Rostered
Bruce Brown is quietly becoming a strong fantasy play if you’re chasing field goal percentage. Brown has been efficient for Denver, shooting 43-45% from the field this season while playing as a rotation forward. In a recent stretch, he’s logged around 26-28 minutes and made a good share of his attempts — including a game where he finished 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting — showing he can be a reliable source of smart looks and makes around the basket.
From a fantasy standpoint, Brown’s value is counting on some key injuries for the Nuggets. Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun are both dealing with injuries and figure to immediately reclaim their minutes once they return. If your roster needs a boost to the field goal percentage category for next week, Brown’s consistent efficiency and regular minutes make him worth a look off the wire.
Free-Throw Percentage
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (SG – MEM) | 14% Rostered
Jaylen Wells isn’t the only Memphis Grizzlies player making some noise in fantasy this week — Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is back on fantasy radars, not for a scoring outburst, but for his consistency at the free-throw line. In a recent game against the Wizards, KCP went 4-for-4 from the charity stripe, adding in 11 points, five assists, and a steal in 28 minutes of action. Across other appearances this season, he’s shown that he can consistently convert his free throws — including multiple games where he hit all of his attempts from the line, helping stabilize one of the trickier categories in many fantasy matchups.
Caldwell-Pope’s reliability at the line makes an intriguing waiver wire target if you need a boost in free-throw percentage. While his overall scoring and shooting from the field have ebbed and flowed, his veteran experience and spot-up opportunities when Memphis is shorthanded have kept his FT% near the high 80s to low 90s in the minutes he’s been trusted with. Even if he doesn’t fill up the box score like a star, his ability to cleanly knock down free throws with regularity is a nice floor in category leagues — especially in weekly formats where every percentage point matters. If he’s still available in your league, he’s definitely worth adding for that free-throw boost.
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