At this point in the season there isn’t going to much available in your waiver wire in terms of potential star talent but there are definitely some strong streaming options that are worth taking a chance on. There are a couple of players in particular that returned from injury of late and are worth considering if they fit in to your lineup over the next seven days. Here is a look at the top NBA fantasy waiver wire options available for this week.
PG: Deron Williams, Dallas Mavericks
Williams is finally healthy and producing once again but he is still available in just over 30-percent of NBA fantasy leagues. Williams has averaged 15.2 points, 6.4 assists, 1.8 rebounds, 1.4 three-point shots and 1.2 steals over his last five games and while he needs to improve on his 38-percent shooting from the floor the other numbers across the board make him worth picking up if you need help at the point guard position this week.
SG: Tony Allen, Memphis Grizzlies
Allen’s inability to stay healthy is the biggest reason why he is still available in most NBA fantasy leagues but he is back in the Memphis lineup right now and he has received some decent minutes since his return. Allen has averaged 14.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 2.2 steals while hitting 49-percent of his shot from the field since he came back from injury. There is always the risk of him eventually going down again but if you need help for this week then Allen could be a good option as a waiver wire streamer at the shooting guard position.
SF: Nick Young, Los Angeles Lakers
Young missed six straight games with a calf injury but he has been on fire since his return including an explosive Saturday night performance in which he went off for 32 points, three assists and eight three-point shots. Young has the potential to really heat up on any given night and he has been fairly consistent since his return averaging 16.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 3.2 three-point shots over his last five games. The Lakers are set to play four games this week so Young appears to be an excellent waiver wire option.
PF: Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Lakers
Speaking to the fact that the Lakers play four games this week, it’s also worth noting that Ingram is still available in more than 50-percent of fantasy basketball leagues. That number seems a little high for a promising young power forward that can chip in with some decent averages right now and has immense long-term potential as well. Ingram has averaged 7.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 30.3 minutes per game over his last 10 contests. The potential is there for him to be even better but we are just fine with taking that production with the awareness that he could really see a spike in his averages as the season progresses.
C: Tyson Chandler, Phoenix Suns
Chandler went off for 14 points and 21 rebounds last Sunday then had 23 rebounds the following Tuesday, so there is a good chance he has already been picked up in your NBA fantasy league. He has since followed that up with some less productive games, but he’s still giving you what you’d expect: rebounds. He went for four points and eight boards against the San Antonio Spurs, he went for 10 points and nine rebounds on Saturday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and he went for nine points and 12 rebounds on Monday night.
If he is still available, then it is definitely worth grabbing him now. Entering Monday, Chandler has averaged 9.0 points, 14.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks and steals per game while shooting 67-percent from the field over his last five games. Alex Len is still going to get the bigger role but Chandler is playing at a high enough level right now to warrant him being a strong waiver wire option at the center position this week. Just keep in mind what you’re getting from him in terms of NBA fantasy value: he’s good for around 10 points, he’s a very steady source of rebounds, he might be OK for field goal percentage, but he doesn’t do much beyond that. Don’t expect assists or blocks.
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