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October 20, 2026, 12:00 pmLast Updated on October 20, 2026 12:01 pm by Mike Passador | Published: October 20, 2026
The NBA season is officially underway, and Wednesday is where things really get going. After Tuesday’s three-game opening slate, we’re jumping straight into an 11-game night featuring 22 teams, plenty of new faces in new places, and some fascinating fantasy situations that could produce our first meaningful waiver-wire opportunities of the season. This is where things get interesting. We’ve spent months discussing projections, draft values, potential breakouts, and depth-chart battles. Now it’s time to find out which players are actually going to get the opportunities we’ve been projecting.
But Wednesday is also a tricky slate for fantasy managers. With 11 games on the schedule, most daily-lineup leagues should have plenty of players available to start. That means adding someone purely for Wednesday might not be the smartest move, particularly when Thursday brings just two games. Instead, we’re looking for players who can offer something beyond one night. Whether that’s a new starting role, an injury-created opportunity, or a potential breakout that could make someone a season-long addition, the goal is to get ahead of the market before everyone else catches on.
And remember, we’re bringing you this Cheat Sheet a day in advance. We’ll focus on the situations we can reasonably anticipate, while our NBA news coverage will keep you informed of everything that changes between publication and tip-off.
Let’s get into it!
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From the cliffs of Porto Moniz to the forests of Latvia. With a degree in business and a background in finance, I traded balance sheets for projection models, following a lifelong love of the game. Iโve played it, Iโve lived it and Iโve had the privilege of working inside team front offices at both the club and national level.
For over 20 years, Iโve also been immersed in the world of Fantasy Basketball, studying trends, finding edges and living the grind season after season. That passion has brought me here, to SportsEthos, where Iโm honored to be part of our management team alongside the great Aaron Bruski. My mission is simple: help SportsEthos thrive as the premier home for Fantasy Sports and sports coverage. A place where users get real value and where every member of the team can sharpen their craft, find joy in the work and build something special that feels like home.
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