Fantasy basketball playoffs begin on Monday for many leagues, making this a critical week to attack the waiver wire. Securing the right pickups now can provide an immediate boost and help push teams through the first round.
Several injuries across the league continue to open short-term opportunities, creating paths for role players to step into larger workloads and produce meaningful fantasy value. Monitoring those situations closely can provide a key advantage during playoff matchups.
Team context also plays an important role at this stage of the season. Some organizations remain firmly in the playoff race and are leaning heavily on their most productive rotations.
Others have shifted focus toward the future, resting veterans and giving younger players extended run as they evaluate talent and improve draft position. Those shifting rotations often create valuable fantasy opportunities that may not have existed earlier in the season.
To simplify the process, this week’s recommended pickups are organized into three rostership tiers:
30–49%
15–29%
0–14%
The Week 21 schedule is also included to assist with streaming strategy and maximizing the number of games in active lineups. Below is a breakdown of the top waiver wire options to consider for the upcoming week.
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Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 21)
Five games:
PHI
Four games:
BKN, CLE, DAL, DEN, DET, GSW, IND, LAC, MEM, MIL, MIN, NYK, SAC, TOR, UTH
Three games:
ATL, BOS, CHA, CHI, HOU, LAL, MIA, OKC, ORL, PHX, POR, SAS, WAS
Two games:
NOP
Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered in 30-49% of Leagues
Kelly Oubre Jr. (SG, SF – PHI)
If Kelly Oubre Jr. is somehow available in your fantasy basketball league, he should be a priority pickup this week. He looked sharp in his return during Saturday’s 125–116 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, finishing with 24 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals after missing two games due to illness.
The Philadelphia 76ers also play five games this week, which significantly boosts Oubre’s fantasy appeal. He has logged at least 33 minutes in five of his last six games and scored 18+ points in four of those contests, showing a consistent offensive role.
With heavy minutes and extra opportunities on a five-game schedule, Oubre has the potential to deliver strong fantasy production throughout the week.
Neemias Queta (C – BOS)
Neemias Queta saw his minutes fluctuate after the arrival of Nikola Vucevic at the trade deadline, but that situation has quickly changed. Vucevic fractured his finger in the first quarter of Friday’s 120-100 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday and is expected to miss about a month, reopening a clear path to consistent minutes for Queta.
In that game, Queta logged 26 minutes and finished with 16 points, 15 rebounds, one block and one steal, showing the type of production he can provide when given extended playing time.
While managers shouldn’t expect 15 rebounds every night, mid-20s minutes are well within reach. Before Vucevic entered the picture, Queta averaged 10 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals in 25.4 minutes per game during January, highlighting the strong per-minute production that makes him an appealing rest-of-season pickup.
Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered in 15-29% of Leagues
Quentin Grimes (SG – PHI)
Quentin Grimes has been excellent over his last two games, averaging 21 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and one steal while logging 36.2 minutes per contest. His expanded role has come with VJ Edgecombe (back) sidelined, allowing Grimes to take on more responsibility in the rotation.
The opportunity could grow even further moving forward as Tyrese Maxey (hand) suffered an injury late in Saturday’s 125-116 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, and Edgecombe’s timeline remains uncertain. While Grimes has disappointed many fantasy managers this season, the Philadelphia 76ers are dealing with multiple injuries and have a five-game schedule this week. With potential for heavy minutes and increased usage, he becomes a difficult player to ignore on the waiver wire.
GG Jackson II (PF – MEM)
GG Jackson II has become an important part of the offense for the Memphis Grizzlies, posting a 25.8% usage rate over his last 10 games. During that stretch, he has averaged 17.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.4 blocks, showing the ability to contribute across multiple categories while taking on a larger scoring role.
With Memphis dealing with constant lineup changes over the past month, Jackson has benefited from steady minutes and has delivered consistent production.
Jackson is a strong rest-of-season pickup, but his short-term appeal is even greater this week with the Grizzlies scheduled to play Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. That includes two back-to-back sets, and Memphis has often rested players dealing with nagging injuries in those situations, which could open the door for Jackson to see even more usage and offensive opportunities.
Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered in 0-14% of Leagues
Tristan da Silva (SF, PF – ORL)
With Franz Wagner (ankle) sidelined, Tristan da Silva has stepped into a larger role and made the most of the opportunity. In four games in March, he has averaged 14.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.8 steals in 30 minutes per contest, providing solid production across multiple categories.
The Orlando Magic are also dealing with injuries to Jonathan Isaac (knee) and Anthony Black (back), which could further increase the Magic Forward’s playing time and offensive involvement. With several rotation pieces banged up, da Silva should continue to see steady minutes, making him a viable pickup for managers looking to add well-rounded production.
Guerschon Yabusele (PF, C – CHI)
The Chicago Bulls are dealing with multiple frontcourt injuries — Matas Buzelis (ankle), Patrick Williams (quadriceps) and Jalen Smith (calf). While many of these injuries appear to be short-term, they have opened the door for Guerschon Yabusele to take on a larger role in the rotation.
Yabusele has already taken advantage of the opportunity, averaging 15.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, three assists and 1.3 steals in 30 minutes per game through three contests in March.
Although Chicago plays just three games in the upcoming week, a back-to-back on Thursday and Friday could lead to additional rest for players dealing with nagging injuries. If that happens, Yabusele could be in line for even more minutes, making him an intriguing short-term waiver option.