10 Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Targets for Week 4
We're here once again to look at 10 of the most interesting players to emerge off fantasy basketball waiver wires over the past week.
As always, make sure you're checking out last week's edition (and the week before for good measure). We try not to repeat ourselves, but there are always some high-priority options to be found in previous iterations of this column who should still be on your radar if they're out there.
Let's hit the wire for Week 4.
Pascal Siakam, PF, Toronto Raptors
Yahoo Ownership: 60%
Third-year forward Pascal Siakam might be in the midst of a breakout. He's started for the Toronto Raptors in all but one game this season, leaving veterans and long-time starters Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valanciunas to fight over the other frontcourt spot.
Over Siakam's last four games, he's been the 30th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 15.8 points, 0.0 threes, 10.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.3 steals, 0.3 blocks, and 1.8 turnovers in 32.0 minutes per contest, while shooting 65.1% from the field and 63.6% from the free throw line.
With a seemingly secure starting job and a full complement of minutes, Siakam is starting to look like a mid-round guy with early-round upside. Consistency might still be an issue for a while, but you might want to jump on this train before it completely leaves the station.
Mitchell Robinson, C, New York Knicks
Yahoo Ownership: 35%
Rookie Mitchell Robinson has started the last five games for the New York Knicks with mixed results. Even with a zero-point dud mixed in, however, he's the 81st-ranked player in nine-category leagues over that five-game span, averaging 8.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.0 block, and a mere 0.4 turnovers in 24.5 minutes per contest, while shooting 64.0% from the field and 75.0% from the free throw line.
Knicks head coach David Fizdale looks fully ready to embrace the youth movement in New York and has even hinted that Robinson might be his starting center the rest of the year. If the big man is still on your wire, he should be a priority add this week.
Jae Crowder, SF/PF, Utah Jazz
Yahoo Ownership: 50%
Jae Crowder might not be starting for the Utah Jazz, but he's a staple of their closing unit, and is still getting 31.0 minutes per game. He's once again knocking on the door of the top-50 value he was clearing just two years ago with the Boston Celtics, and should be far more than 50% owned at this point.
Through nine games, Crowder is the 56th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 14.4 points, 2.4 threes, 5.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.4 blocks, and a mere 0.4 turnovers, while shooting 46.2% from the field and 75.0% from the free throw line. Over his last four, he's been coming on even stronger, ranking 35th overall on the strength of his 18.0 points, 3.5 triples, 6.0 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.0 block, and 1.0 turnover per game, and shooting split of 52.9% from the field and 57.1% from the line.
Crowder is only 28 years old and looks to be in the midst of a bounce-back season. Get him on your squad before his ownership rate skyrockets.
Al-Farouq Aminu, SF/PF, Portland Trail Blazers
Yahoo Ownership: 35%
Al-Farouq Aminu is far from a consistent scorer, but he has a secure starting job on the Portland Trail Blazers, and manages to fill up the box score in plenty of other areas outside of points on a regular basis.
Over his last five games, Aminu has been the 93rd-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 8.6 points, 0.8 three-pointers, 9.0 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 1.0 steal, 0.6 blocks, and 0.8 turnovers in 29.0 minutes per contest, while shooting 41.7% from the field and a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe.
If you can absorb the low field goal percentage and make up the points elsewhere, Aminu is a very underrated fantasy asset. Any guy that can get you double-digit rebounds and close to a three, steal, and a block apiece per game is worth a spot on just about any roster.
P.J. Tucker, SF/PF, Houston Rockets
Yahoo Ownership: 30%
P.J. Tucker hasn't been much more than a late-round fantasy guy for his last three seasons, but this year he might be set to produce consistent mid-round value.
To wit, he's the 47th-ranked player through eight games so far this year. Over that span, he's averaged 8.1 points, 2.0 threes, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.9 steals, 0.8 blocks, and only 0.6 turnovers in a healthy 35.8 minutes per contest, while shooting 41.5% from the field and 62.5% from the line.
He's never going to give you a lot of points, nor do much to help your percentages, but the triples, boards, defensive contributions, and low turnovers make his modest 30% ownership rate look a little silly.
Frank Ntilikina, PG/SG, New York Knicks
Yahoo Ownership: 25%
Frank Ntilikina has started every game for the New York Knicks so far this year, and the consistent role is starting to pay fantasy dividends.
Over his last five games, Ntilikina is averaging 10.0 points, 1.2 triples, 1.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 2.4 turnovers in 29.0 minutes per contest, while shooting 38.3% from the field and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line.
The low shooting percentage has dragged his nine-category ranking down to 146th over that span, but if you can absorb the poor shooting, there's plenty to like in his threes, assists, steals, and free throw accuracy.
Joe Harris, SG/SF, Brooklyn Nets
Yahoo Ownership: 55%
Joe Harris is a consistent starter for the Brooklyn Nets and the 76th-ranked player through 10 games this season. If that's not enough to get you to consider him as an add, he's been the 40th-ranked player over his last four games.
Over that span, Harris has averaged 15.8 points, 3.5 triples, 2.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.0 blocks, and 0.8 turnovers in 32.3 minutes per contest, while shooting a blistering 60.5% from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 from the free throw line.
The career 46.6% shooter from the field and 77.3% from the line is due for some regression in terms of his efficiency, but he's a career 41.4% shooter from long range and should make for a good mid-round guy with plenty of points, threes, and decent percentages going forward.
Boban Marjanovic, C, Los Angeles Clippers
Yahoo Ownership: 20%
Boban Marjanovic hasn't really been getting enough minutes for the Los Angeles Clippers this year to put him on fantasy radars, but he's seen a bump over his last four games, including a start for a missing Marcin Gortat (undisclosed) on Friday night.
Over that four-game span, Boban has averaged 10.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.5 steals, 2.0 blocks, and 2.3 turnovers in only 16.8 minutes per contest, while shooting 69.6% from the field and 57.9% from the free throw line.
If not for the turnovers and low free throw percentage, Boban's 126th ranking in nine-category leagues over that period would be a whole lot higher. If Gortat misses more time or his struggles cause him to drop down to the rotation, Boban could be in for a productive stretch. He's worth a flier to see how this all plays out.
Noah Vonleh, PF, New York Knicks
Yahoo Ownership: 25%
Noah Vonleh has started five consecutive games for the New York Knicks, and despite back-to-back duds this weekend, has been producing late-round value in the process.
Over that span, he's averaged 7.0 points, 0.4 threes, 6.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steal, 1.0 block, and 1.8 turnovers in 20.9 minutes per contest, while shooting 54.5% from the field and 81.8% from the free throw line.
The eventual returns of Kevin Knox (leg) and Kristaps Porzingis (knee) will likely kill Vonleh's fantasy value, but he's worth rolling with in the meantime if you're looking for boards, shooting efficiency, and help on the defensive end.
Marcus Morris, SF/PF, Boston Celtics
Yahoo Ownership: 55%
The Boston Celtics are loaded with talent, and Marcus Morris rarely comes up in conversations about said talent, but he's been very solid off the team's bench for the entire season to date.
He's been the 49th-ranked player in nine-category leagues on the season as a whole, and over his last five contests, he's been the 29th-ranked player on the strength of his 18.8 points, 3.6 triples, 7.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.4 blocks, and 2.2 turnovers per contest over that span, and shooting split of 56.1% from the field and 85.7% from the line.
The career 43.0% shooter from the field and 73.4% from the line is due for some regression at some point, but for now, he's red hot and well worth rolling with in fantasy starting lineups for owners in need of points, threes, and rebounds.
