The key to winning your fantasy basketball league is not how well you draft, but the players you add off waivers. This is extremely important because securing hidden talent could replace those late-round selections that aren’t having the best season. Here at NFS, we provide the best picks for players you should grab off waivers now before it is too late. As always, both opportunity and performance are taken into consideration for these players. Learn to think like a NERD! Check out the NBA Player Consistency Rankings to see how consistent, good or bad, players are, determined by stats, not hunches or anecdotal evidence!
Guards
Pat Connaughton, SG/SF, Milwaukee Bucks
After choosing the basketball route, Pat Connaughton has slowly but surely worked his way into a championship rotation. He proved reliable during the Bucks’ championship run. His role has even increased with the injury to Donte DiVincenzo. He’s already started 10 games this season. And as of late, Connaughton has been playing a high-level 3 and D player. In his last 10 games, Connaughton has averaged 14 points and five rebounds a game. He’s also shot an incredible 48 percent from beyond the arc. Until DiVincenzo returns from injury, Connaughton should have a consistent valuable going forward.
Kevin Huerter, SG/SF, Atlanta Hawks
Kevin Huerter’s playoff run also proved dividends for his rotational role this season. He’s filled the sixth man role for the Atlanta Hawks as they look to repeat an Eastern Conference Finals appearance. In his last 10 games, Huerter has averaged 14 points, three rebounds, and three assists. He’s also shot a legitimate .52/.46/.89 percentage in those same 10 games. And still, at 23 years old, Huerter still has plenty of upside to make improvements to become an even more valuable player for the Atlanta Hawks.
Tyus Jones, PG, Memphis Grizzlies
With Ja Morant expected to be sidelined for a couple of weeks with a knee sprain, Tyus Jones has been the typical point guard to fill his roles. Jones has proved to be a phenomenal playmaker and great for the supporting talent on the Memphis Grizzlies. In his last 10 games, Jones has averaged eight points and five assists per game. He’s also averaged less than a turnover per game in the same 10 games. Of course, Jones can always improve on his individual scoring, especially efficiently wise. But he is still a quality waiver pickup as he’ll continue to see a minutes increase.
Garrison Matthews, SG, Houston Rockets
Jalen Green is currently dealing with a hamstring injury that will force him to miss a handful of games. But Garrison Matthews has emerged as another young player for the Houston Rockets who continue to search through talent to find their future. In his last 10 games, Matthews has averaged 12 points and three rebounds while shooting around 42 percent from beyond the arc. His play has helped the Rockets win six straight games and could see a rotation role for the remainder of the season. His role could even see an increase if Eric Gordonwere to be traded in the coming weeks.
Forwards
Kelly Oubre Jr., PF/SF, Charlotte Hornets
Despite playing in a crowded frontcourt, Kelly Oubre Jr. has still found an important role as a dynamic scorer as the Charlotte Hornets continue to move towards contenders in the Eastern Conference. In his last 10 games, Oubre has averaged 20 points, three rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. He’s also shot an effective 40 percent on almost nine attempts per game from beyond the arc. Even with Miles Bridges, PJ Washington, and Gordon Hayward, Oubre should consistently have his minutes to put up productive stat lines. He should be considered a number one target on the waiver wire as he is being picked up fast.
Franz Wagner, SF, Orlando Magic
Even with the Orlando Magic, Franz Wagner has continued to play as one true bright spot in the franchise’s current dark period. He’s proved to be ahead of the curve in his development and could be a front-runner for Rookie of the year. In his last 10 games, Wagner has averaged 14 points, four rebounds, four assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He could still improve on his outside shooting as he’s only hit at around the league average. But for a rookie in his situation, Franz Wagner has continued to be a pleasant surprise through the first half of the season.
Jae’Sean Tate, SF/PF, Houston Rockets
After being a surprising rookie last season, Jae’Sean Tate was expected to take an underrated step forward with the Houston Rockets. Instead, he’s continued to average similar numbers as last season, which are still productive enough to make him a quality addition off waivers. In his last 10 games, Tate has averaged 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and nearly a block and a steal per game. He recently achieved a stat line of 32 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and five blocks against the Thunder. Tate is an underrated choice on waivers.
Centers
Alperen Sengun, C, Houston Rockets
Alperen Sengun was picked as a rookie who could pop off to start the season. And while that hasn’t come quite yet, he’s shown slow improvement through the first half of the season. In his last 10 games, Sengun has averaged eight points, four rebounds, three assists, and nearly a steal and a block per game. In those games, Sengun is only averaging around 16 per game. His play has helped the Houston Rockets continue their six-game winning streak. But it could be soon where the leash is released on Sengun and he dominates with more minutes to operate.
Ethan Hartley 