The calendar has officially flipped, and with the new year comes a clear reminder that we’re nearing the halfway point of the fantasy basketball season. By now, rosters are taking shape, strengths and weaknesses are easier to identify, and the margin for error in weekly matchups is getting thinner. While the top waiver wire names are likely long gone, this is often the stretch where smart managers separate themselves by capitalizing on subtle rotation shifts and short-term opportunities.
Injuries across the league have opened the door for rotation players to step into fantasy relevance, and we’re already seeing the ripple effects. In Chicago, Ayo Dosunmu has found himself in a position to take on added playmaking responsibility. In Toronto, Collin Murray-Boyles is quietly benefiting from frontcourt injuries, turning increased minutes into tangible rebounding production. And in Denver, DaRon Holmes II is being thrust into a much larger role than expected, with an extended run at center giving him a chance to provide efficient production despite some early growing pains.
These are the types of under-the-radar developments that can quietly swing a matchup or even reshape a season if acted on early. As we push into the heart of the fantasy calendar, staying ahead of these trends is more important than ever. Let’s dive into the players rising into relevance and worth targeting 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
Max Christie (SF-DAL) | 28% Rostered
Despite ongoing struggles for the Mavericks, Max Christie may have just emerged as a viable fantasy basketball pickup. With Naji Marshall recently sliding out of the starting lineup, Christie has stepped into a larger role and taken full advantage of the increased opportunity. Christie’s performance against the Sixers on Thursday is a perfect example of his upside. In Dallas’ 123-108 loss to Philadelphia, he led the Mavericks with 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting (including 2 triples) across 29 minutes, leading the team in scoring, and showing that he can fill it up even when Dallas’ offense sputters.
Christie doesn’t need to be the primary creator to score; he’s a confident scorer who can deliver points off catch-and-shoot opportunities and create when given a bit of the ball. As long as he continues to start and sees 25+ minutes per night, he profiles as a helpful add for teams needing a boost in the points category. He’s unlikely to be perfectly consistent, but the recent scoring trend and increased role make him worth watching — and potentially picking up — in all fantasy formats.
Assists
Ayo Dosunmu (SF – CHI) | 46% Rostered
Fantasy managers searching for help in the assists category should look to pick up Ayo Dosunmu if he’s still available in your league. The 4th-year forward appears poised for an expanded playmaking role with the Bulls, as Coby White and Josh Giddey are both dealing with injuries. Coby White is expected to miss roughly one week, while Josh Giddey is expected to remain out for most of the month. That being said, Dosunmu is a strong candidate to slide into the starting lineup, where his ball-handling responsibilities would naturally spike.
Dosunmu has already shown he can deliver as a distributor when given the freedom. Over his recent stretch, he’s turned increased usage into tangible assist production, with two games this week of 6+ assists while also keeping turnovers in check. His ability to initiate offense, push pace, and make the simple read has stood out, particularly when Chicago has needed a steady secondary creator. If he locks into consistent starter-level minutes, Dosunmu profiles as a reliable short-term add for fantasy managers needing a boost in assists, with enough peripheral production to avoid being a one-category liability.
Rebounds
Collin Murray-Boyles (C – TOR) | 10% Rostered
A frequent name that pops up here for us is once again offering fantasy managers a boost in the rebounding category. Collin Murray-Boyles could be a useful streamer for next week with Jakob Poeltl sidelined. Murray-Boyles has consistently outplayed reserve center Sandro Mamukelashvili, both in terms of minutes and overall impact. Over his recent run, Murray-Boyles has turned those extra opportunities into solid rebounding totals, regularly flirting with double-digit boards when his minutes push into the mid-20s.
What makes Murray-Boyles appealing as a fantasy add is that his value is straightforward and dependable. As long as Poeltl remains out and Murray-Boyles continues to see the edge over Mamukelashvili in the rotation, he profiles as a reliable rebounds streamer who can help swing the category in weekly matchups. He may not offer much scoring upside, but for managers chasing boards, the role and recent production make him well worth a look.
Blocks
Isaiah Stewart (C – DET) | 41% Rostered
Fantasy managers hunting for blocks should keep Isaiah Stewart firmly on their radar following Jalen Duren‘s ankle sprain on Thursday, an injury that could open the door to a meaningful uptick in minutes. Stewart has hovered on the fringe of fantasy relevance for much of the season, but when Stewart’s playing time climbs, his defensive impact becomes far more noticeable. He’s an active rim protector who isn’t afraid to challenge shots in the paint. In games where he’s pushed into extended run, Stewart has regularly delivered multiple blocks, even when his scoring output remains modest.
From a fantasy standpoint, Stewart fits the profile of a classic category streamer. If Duren is forced to miss time or play limited minutes, Stewart could see enough run to provide a steady floor in the blocks category, with occasional spike games that can swing a weekly matchup. He won’t be a must-roster player in all formats, but for managers chasing defensive stats, Stewart is a smart short-term add worth monitoring closely.
Steals
Marcus Smart (PG – LAL) | 14% Rostered
Fantasy managers may want to turn their attention to Marcus Smart as a steals specialist now that he’s stepped into an expanded role with the Lakers. Austin Reaves is expected to remain out for most of the month, and with him sidelined, Smart has been bumped into the starting lineup and is now seeing a noticeable increase in minutes. Even as his offensive output fluctuates, Smart’s impact on the defensive end remains steady. He’s long been one of the league’s most instinctive perimeter defenders, and with starter-level run, his trademark activity in passing lanes has started to show up more consistently in the box score.
From a fantasy perspective, Smart can be exactly the type of category streamer managers should prioritize when chasing steals. His value is tied directly to effort, anticipation, and defensive responsibility rather than scoring volume. Keep an eye on his minutes as he’ll likely need to maintain his typical 25 per game for fantasy relevancy. He may not help across every category, but his reliable steals floor with upside might be worth targeting in the short term.
Three-Pointers Made
Julian Champagnie (SG – SAS) | 25% Rostered
Julian Champagnie is back on fantasy radars as a three-point streamer. His starting role should remain secure while Devin Vassell is sidelined, and his confidence as a perimeter shooter has translated into reliable volume from beyond the arc. Champagnie is a willing shooter who doesn’t hesitate when the ball swings his way, routinely launching 3-to-6 attempts from deep per game. That green light has led to his most productive night of the NBA season, hitting a whopping 11 threes on 17 attempts.
Fantasy managers will have to hope that Champagnie can find a consistent stroke from downtown, as prior to this huge game, he hadn’t been shooting well from beyond the arc. Champagnie won’t contribute heavily across every category, but as long as he continues to see starter-level run, Champagnie profiles as a solid three-point specialist who can swing the threes category in weekly matchups, particularly in deeper fantasy leagues.
Field Goal Percentage
DaRon Holmes II (C – DEN) | 18% Rostered
Rookie center DaRon Holmes II is more of a “let’s add and see what happens” type of pickup on the waiver wire for next week. Holmes had a rocky starting lineup debut against the Cavaliers on Friday and struggled to find his footing offensively, but the bigger picture is what matters for fantasy purposes: he’s now in line to serve as Denver’s starting center with Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas both projected to miss roughly a month.
While we only have a small sample size on Holmes up to this point, he could still make sense as a field goal percentage streamer as his minutes stabilize and the nerves of his first start wear off. Starter-level minutes at center almost always translate into efficient looks, and Holmes doesn’t need volume scoring to help in the field goal percentage category. As long as Jokic and Valanciunas remain sidelined, Holmes offers managers a chance to protect or boost field goal percentage without sacrificing minutes, making him a viable short-term streamer in category leagues willing to ride out some early volatility.
Free-Throw Percentage
Jalen Smith (C – CHI) | 20% Rostered
The Chicago Bulls are dealing with a couple of key backcourt injuries, but their frontcourt is suffering as well. Zach Collins has missed a handful of games and is expected to remain out for all of next week with a toe injury. With Collins sidelined, Smith has stepped into a larger role and responded well, turning back-to-back starts into solid, fantasy-friendly production while continuing to hit his attempts from the charity stripe.
Smith checks the boxes as a short-term free-throw percentage streamer while providing a lift in many other categories as well. His minutes are secure as long as Collins remains out, and his efficiency gives him a nice floor. He won’t be a league-winner, but for managers trying to squeeze out a matchup win next week, Smith is a practical, low-risk add who fits cleanly into rosters of all fantasy formats.
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | TuneIn
