Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups by Category (Week 16)

Another pivotal week has arrived in fantasy basketball, and by now, the margins are razor-thin. At this stage of the season, the waiver wire isn’t about splashy names – it’s about reacting faster than your league mates when roles shift, minutes stabilize, and injuries force teams to rewire their rotations on the fly. This is where disciplined managers can quietly win matchups before the box scores catch up, via fantasy basketball waiver wire pickups.

The Anthony Davis injury continues to reshape the Mavericks’ rotation. The absence of a high-usage star has opened the door for secondary contributors to take on larger workloads, with bench guard Brandon Williams being the latest to make his presence felt on the floor in Dallas.

Elsewhere, managers have been rewarded for monitoring subtle rotation changes. Keldon Johnson has thrived as San Antonio’s sixth man with a reliable scoring floor, Moussa Diabate has seized the Hornets’ starting center job and turned it into double-doubles, and defensive specialists like Herb Jones and Clint Capela have returned to relevance through steals and blocks despite limited offensive roles.

These are the kinds of developments that don’t always trigger an immediate rush to the waiver wire, but they absolutely can help decide a matchup. Let’s dive into the players benefiting most from this week’s chaos and pinpoint where the smartest fantasy value lies before the rest of your league catches on.

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Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups: Categories

Points

Keldon Johnson (PF – SAS) | 41% Rostered

Keldon Johnson is carving out real fantasy value off the bench lately with the Spurs. While his role has shifted away from the starting lineup, Johnson’s production — especially in the points category — hasn’t taken a hit.

Serving as the Spurs’ primary sixth man, Johnson has been holding a strong minutes floor, regularly logging 26-30 minutes despite coming off the bench. Over his recent stretch, he’s been consistently aggressive as a scorer, averaging around 15-17 points per game while taking double-digit shot attempts and knocking down multiple threes in several outings. His ability to create his own offense has made him the go-to option when the second unit needs a spark, and that usage has stayed steady even as rotations fluctuate around him.

For fantasy managers streaming points, Johnson checks the right boxes: reliable minutes, a green light offensively, and a role that’s insulated from nightly matchup changes. As long as Devin Vassell remains in his bench role as well, Johnson’s role is likely going to be one of the safer bets on the waiver wire.

Assists

Brandon Williams (PG – DAL) | 31% Rostered

Working his way back into the streaming conversation, Brandon Williams has been consistently producing despite coming off the bench and rarely pushing past the mid-20s mark in minutes. Williams has been remarkably steady when he’s on the floor.

Over his recent stretch, Williams has consistently chipped in 4-6 assists per game while playing 22-26 minutes, showing strong per-minute playmaking efficiency. He’s recorded at least 4 assists in the majority of his recent outings, including a couple of 6-assist performances, despite never cracking 30 minutes. Dallas has leaned on him to stabilize the second unit, and his usage in a facilitator role has remained intact, with solid scoring numbers to go along with.

Williams doesn’t seem to need starter-level run to help in the assists category, and his bench role appears secure for now. If you’re streaming assists in a tight weekly matchup or need a low-roster, low-risk option who won’t tank percentages, Williams fits nicely, especially if Dallas continues trusting him to run the offense with the second unit.

Rebounds

Moussa Diabate (C – CHA) | 46% Rostered

If this big man is still available in your league, you may want to grab him pretty soon. Moussa Diabate has officially taken control of the Hornets’ center rotation, securing the starting role over Ryan Kalkbrenner, and the minutes bump has translated directly into a lot of rebounds.

Diabate has logged starter-level run with minutes in the low-30s recently, and the production has followed. Over his last four games, he’s posted two double-doubles, including outings of 14 and 19 rebounds while anchoring the paint defensively. Even in games where the scoring is modest, Diabate’s motor on the glass has been consistent, as he continues to vacuum up boards on both ends of the floor.

This is more than you can ask for from a short-term rebounds streamer: a clear role, rising minutes, and a fantasy-friendly skill set that doesn’t rely on usage. As long as Diabate remains locked into the starting center spot, his ability as a nightly double-double threat makes him a strong add for managers needing help in that category. Don’t overthink it – if you need boards, Diabate should already be on your watch list.

Blocks

Clint Capela (C – HOU) | 7% Rostered

This may just be a move for deeper leagues, but for managers chasing blocks, the door may finally be open for Clint Capela. With Steven Adams out for the season, Houston has reason to lean on Capela as a situational big, and he reminded us why he’s worth monitoring in the right context.

In his most recent outing on January 29, Capela made his presence felt defensively, posting two blocks in 18 minutes while controlling the paint whenever he was on the floor. The minutes weren’t eye-popping, but that’s kind of the point: Capela doesn’t need heavy run to contribute in the blocks category. Even in a bench role, his rim protection and positioning give him a realistic path to multiple blocks on any given night.

This is strictly a category-driven add, but it’s a useful one. As Houston sorts through its frontcourt rotation down the stretch, Capela profiles as a low-usage, low-risk streamer who can swing the blocks category without hurting percentages. If you’re in a tight matchup and need defensive stats, Capela is suddenly back on the radar and worth a short-term add while the opportunity is there.

Steals

Herbert Jones (SF – NOP) | 26% Rostered

Herb Jones makes a living off defensive disruptions when he’s 100%. After a recent 8-game absence, Jones has returned to the Pelicans’ lineup and is still working his way back into rhythm offensively, but the defensive production is already showing up.

In his first few games back, Jones’ minutes were in the mid-to-upper 20s as he immediately reminded fantasy managers why he’s so valuable in category leagues. He’s already produced multiple-steal outings, including two steals in his first game back, and has added blocks on top of that defensive activity. The shot has been hit-or-miss, but that’s never been the selling point. Jones is on the floor to defend, and New Orleans continues to trust him in high-leverage situations.

This is exactly the type of steals streamer you want: a player whose fantasy value isn’t tied to scoring efficiency. As his conditioning improves and his minutes stabilize, Jones’ defensive floor makes him worth a look for managers chasing steals (and bonus blocks from the wing). Even if the offense wavers, the defensive stats should continue to trickle in, which might be all you need to swing a close matchup.

Three-Pointers Made

Tim Hardaway Jr. (SG – DEN) | 32% Rostered

The Nuggets are pretty thin on the perimeter right now, and veteran gunner Tim Hardaway Jr. has emerged as a potential three-point streamer who deserves a closer look.

Injuries to Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, and Cam Johnson have forced Denver to lean heavily on its remaining scoring options, and Hardaway has been one of the biggest beneficiaries. He’s seen a noticeable bump in both minutes and shot volume, logging upper-20s to low-30s minutes and consistently clearing double-digit field goal attempts. Over his last handful of games, Hardaway has been hovering around the mid-teens in scoring, knocking down multiple threes per night while maintaining a green light whenever he’s on the floor.

The appeal here is role security. With Gordon sidelined for the next 4-6 weeks and Braun and Johnson cleared to return before the All-Star break, Hardaway’s minutes should be safe for at least the next couple of weeks, giving fantasy managers a reliable short-term solution for points and triples. He’s not going to stuff the stat sheet elsewhere, but if you’re chasing scoring in category leagues or need a plug-and-play option during a busy week, Hardaway fits the bill nicely. As long as Denver’s injury list remains crowded, his path to steady usage is clear — and that’s exactly what you want from a three-point streamer.