In this edition of Working the Wire, we’ll take a look at the games scheduled for week 10, 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 10

Back to Backs

Mon/Tues: 
Tues/Weds: 
Weds/Thurs: ATL, DEN, HOU, MIL, OKC, ORL
Thurs/Sat: ATL, BKN, DAL, GSW, LAL, MIL, NYK, PHX, UTA 
Sat/Sun: 
Sun/Mon (of Week 11): CHI, LAC, MEM, SAS

A Look Back…

Guards

Donte DiVincenzo – Didn’t even make it back to the court

Terence Davis (218th ranked player) – Another victim of the protocols, although was trending towards a loss

Garrison Mathews (174th ranked player) – I’ll take a loss here but looked better to close the week

Cody Martin (45th ranked player) – An obvious win

Forwards

Cam Reddish (108th ranked player) – Let’s go with a win here

Devin Vassell (145th ranked player) – Still not quite where we need him to, so more of a pass

Marcus Morris (97th ranked player) – A win here, before going into the protocols

Danilo Gallinari (180th ranked player) – Production has dropped, making this one a loss

Centers

Hassan Whiteside (244th ranked player) – Yuck, what was I thinking

Kevin Love (19th ranked player) – Wow!

Waiver Wire Options

Guards

Luke Kennard – After a season of disappointment in 2020-21, Kennard has managed to turn things around for himself. It took a while to get going this season but he is now playing arguably the best basketball of his career. He is the 51st ranked player over the past two weeks, averaging 17.7 points per game, to go with 4.3 triples. Paul George’s eventual return could throw a spanner in the works but until then, Kennard should be fired up in all leagues.

Malik Beasley – With Anthony Edwards in the health and safety protocols, Beasley has yet another opportunity to rekindle his value, both in fantasy and reality. It’s been a turbulent 12 months for Beasley, resulting in him finding his way to the waiver wire in most standard leagues. It is unclear whether he will stick in the starting lineup in the short term but we know he can put up points in a hurry, making him a viable 12-team option.

Gary Harris – It’s been a number of years since Harris was a borderline top-50 player in fantasy basketball. Since that time, he has battled through multiple injuries, as well as some questionable production. The Magic are decimated at the moment and while Harris likely doesn’t fit their long-term plans, he is a nice on-court leader for them as they navigate a tricky period in the season. His ceiling is certainly not what it once was but he can still provide some nice defensive numbers and efficient scoring remains a possibility.

Gabe Vincent – King of the questionable tag last season, Vincent has been a revelation for the Heat over the past few games as they battle through a number of injuries to key players. He is inside the top-90 over the past two weeks, in only 29 minutes per night. The return of Jimmy Butler and/or Tyler Herro is going to have an impact here but Vincent has done enough to earn himself some additional run, even when they are back on the floor.

Forwards

Larry Nance Jr. – Now starting for the Blazers, Nance finally has a chance to show us what he can do in 30 minutes per game. He is yet to fully embrace his new role but there have been flashes. He is typically quiet on the offensive end of the floor but can provide solid rebound numbers to go with consistent defensive production. He isn’t for everyone, obviously, but he warrants a roster spot in just about every league, just until we determine whether he can force his way into the top-100.

Nic Batum – Batum returned from an extended layoff on Saturday, turning in a serviceable line. Much like Kennard, Batum is going to be impacted by the return of both Paul George and Marcus Morris. Prior to his absence, Batum was basically a must-roster player, especially in roto formats. He can be a low-volume producer in just about every category, a skill set that is not lost on savvy fantasy managers. It could be a bumpy ride but if he is available, taking a flier is not the worst idea.

Chimezie Metu – The Kings are a bit of a mess right now, highlighted by Metu’s ever-changing role. For now, it appears as though he has shifted back into the good books, making him a more than adequate 12-team commodity. Be prepared for things to change in a heartbeat but while he is playing hefty minutes, there is enough upside there to be considered in a number of different formats.

Chuma Okeke – With the Magic running on fumes at the moment, Okeke has stepped up in a big way. He is the 36th ranked player over the past week, thanks in large part to his 2.8 steals per game. He was a fantasy force towards the backend of last season, something managers were hoping would be the case once again in 2021-22. Unfortunately, things have not gone his way up until now, leaving him more of a deeper league option. Given his current role, he simply needs to be added everywhere, just to see how things play out once the Magic get their guys back.

Centers

DeMarcus Cousins – With Bobby Portis sidelined for at least a week, Cousins has a chance to remind us all what he can do on a basketball court. Injuries have basically put an end to his elite fantasy upside but the fact remains, he can put up numbers in multiple categories in just a short amount of time. It is unlikely the Bucks play him more than about 26 minutes per night, but in that time he could certainly put up top-100 value.

Robin Lopez – The third player to benefit as a result of the situation in Orlando, Lopez has already shown us he still has some gas left in the tank. He is coming off a 20-and-10 double-double on Saturday, easily his best game of the season. He is a little restricted in terms of what he can offer but for those in need of an efficient scorer who can chip in boards and blocks, Lopez could be the answer to your problems. At least for the next seven days or so.

Streaming Targets

Points

Bones Hyland

Max Strus

Jordan Nwora

Grayson Allen

Josh Richardson

3-pointers 

Bones Hyland

Max Strus

Grayson Allen

Duncan Robinson

Garrison Mathews

Assists

Kyle Anderson

Eric Bledsoe

Cameron Payne

Killian Hayes

Facundo Campazzo

Rebounds

Kyle Anderson

Omer Yurtseven

Kenyon Martin Jr.

Enes Kanter

Kenrich Williams

Steals

Facundo Campazzo

Danny Green

De’Anthony Melton

Josh Richardson

Deni Avdija

Blocks

Kyle Anderson

Hassan Whiteside

JaVale McGee

Herb Jones

Alex Len

Is Adam on the money with his Waiver Wire piece? Let him know in our Fantasy Basketball Forums or over on our members-only Discord channel

For anything fantasy basketball-related, Adam has you covered. Follow him on Twitter @adamking91 or hit us up @SportsEthos or @ethosfantasyBK