In this edition of Working the Wire, we’ll take a look at the games scheduled for week 24, including those teams that have a back-to-back set. Before looking ahead, let’s quickly take a look at last week’s waiver wire pickups and whether we struck gold or came up empty. We will then run down the list of players you could consider picking up for longer than a couple of games, although do remember that not every player is going to suit your needs. Finally, we take a look at a list of current streaming options, based on categorical need.

Games Schedule – Week 24

Back to Backs

Mon/Tue: 
Tue/Wed: ATL, BKN, CHI. OKC, PHX, UTA, WAS
Wed/Thu: BOS
Thu/Fri: CHA, LAL, MIL, POR, TOR
Fri/Sat: 
Sat/Sun: GSW, IND, LAC, MEM, NOP, PHI, SAC, SAS

A Look Back…

Guards

Matisse Thybulle (54th ranked player) – Obviously all about the defense but I’ll take a win

Alec Burks (23rd ranked player) – A ton of minutes right now, a clear win

Kris Dunn (89th ranked player) – Limited upside but certainly a win right now

Immanuel Quickley (146th ranked player) – Outside of FG%, a clear win here

Forwards

Taurean Prince (140th ranked player) – Not exciting at all but doing just enough

Deni Avdija (84th ranked player) – Cooled slightly but remains a win

Marvin Bagley III (152nd ranked player) – A win but the injury negates everything

Isaiah Roby (141st ranked player) – The Thunder have a ton of injuries, a solid win

Centers

Drew Eubanks (20th ranked player) – Has been a stud of late, a clear win

Goga Bitadze (55th ranked player) – Despite the injury risk, a must-add player

Waiver Wire Options

Guards

Killian Hayes

The 15th ranked player over the past month, Hayes appears to have finally found his groove, albeit at the tail-end of the season. Injuries have once again slowed any momentum he was able to create this year, limiting him to streaming appeal only. With the Pistons simply playing for lottery balls, Hayes is now playing in excess of 30 minutes per game, delivering his usual assortment of both assists and steals, as well as an improved offensive game.

Donte DiVincenzo

The Kings are also playing for nothing and despite still coming off the bench, DiVincenzo has been logging 30 minutes per night of late. He has been able to put up top-25 numbers over the past week, thanks primarily to his 2.7 steals per game. That said, this is an element of his game that is proven and so his floor feels relatively safe moving forward.

Theo Maledon

The Thunder can barely cobble together a healthy roster at this stage and so Maledon is simply the last man standing. We have seen him flash 12-team value in the past and with very little competition for minutes, he should be locked into 12-team rosters the rest of the way. His scoring is unlikely to stick but he should have the ball in his hands a ton ROS.

Josh Richardson

A late-season addition to the Spurs, Richardson has been able to rediscover some of the form he displayed during his time in Miami. He is hitting 3s, racking up steals and generally being a positive contributor on both ends of the floor. The Spurs are pushing to make the Play-In tournament and Richardson’s veteran savvy is going to be key to their success.

Forwards

Rui Hachimura

Despite a one-dimensional fantasy game, Hachimura has actually looked much better over the past week, putting up top-45 numbers. With Kyle Kuzma potentially done for the season, Hachimura has assumed the role of lead power-forward, playing alongside Kristaps Porzingis. As long as he can continue to score efficiently, he should remain a 12-team asset the rest of the way.

Obi Toppin

This one is reasonably straightforward. With Julius Randle likely done for the season, Toppin becomes a must-add player. He has been able to put together a somewhat solid season despite inconsistent playing time. With the Knicks eliminated from postseason play, Toppin is going to get plenty of minutes down the stretch and makes for an intriguing pickup.

Daniel Theis

With Robert Williams done for the remainder of the regular season, Theis has stepped into a larger role over the past few games. Despite arriving in Boston following the trade deadline, he is certainly no stranger to life in green. He won’t blow anyone away with his production but in 25 minutes per night, he can be a solid top-100 player thanks to his ability to chip in across multiple categories, without hurting you anywhere.

Kelly Olynyk

Both Marvin Bagley and Jerami Grant are done for the season and so it could be Olynyk season in Detroit. After being hyped as a potential top-100 player this season, it’s been nothing but disappointment thus far. We saw what he could do when afforded sufficient playing time during his infamous late-season run in Houston and so perhaps he can repeat those efforts, albeit for only one week.

Centers

Damian Jones

The fifth-ranked player over the past week (no, that is not a typo), Jones simply needs to be rostered everywhere. He has looked fantastic as the Kings’ starting center and while this is unchartered territory, it feels as though his role will remain unchanged ROS. Despite there being just one week remaining, he could be a bit of a difference-maker thanks to his ability to rebound and block shots, while scoring efficiently on high-volume.

Moses Brown

Brown certainly has a shelf-life here but until Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are back, he looks to be a must-roster player. We have seen what he can do in 25 minutes per night and if you simply need a nightly double-double threat who can block a couple of shots, he could be your guy. The Cavs will want to get Allen and Mobley back in the fold but they also need to ensure both players are as healthy as possible for their playoff push. For new, grab Brown and just ride it out until we hear otherwise.

Streaming Targets

Points

Lindy Waters

Luke Kennard

Keon Johnson

Reggie Bullock

Corey Kispert

3-pointers 

Reggie Bullock

Lindy Waters

Luke Kennard

Garrison Mathews

Keon Johnson

Assists

Tomas Satoransky

Ish Smith

Keon Johnson

Delon Wright

Lindy Waters

Rebounds

Otto Porter

Onyeka Okongwu

Patrick Williams

Daniel Gafford

Kenyon Martin Jr.

Steals

Josh Christopher

Stanley Johnson

Delon Wright

Keon Johnson

Isaac Okoro

Blocks

Braxton Key

Kenyon Martin Jr.

Patrick Williams

Onyeka Okongwu

Nic Claxton

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