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January 30, 2022, 5:33 amIn this edition of Working the Wire, we’ll take a look at the games scheduled for week 16, 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 16
Team MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN Total ATL TOR PHX @tor @dal 4 BKN @phx @sac @uta @den 4 BOS MIA CHA @det @orl 4 CHA @bos CLE MIA 3 CHI ORL @tor @ind PHI 4 CLE NOP @hou @cha IND 4 DAL OKC PHI ATL 3 DEN @min @uta NOP BKN 4 DET NOP MIN BOS @min 4 GSW @hou @sas SAC 3 HOU GSW CLE @sas NOP 4 IND LAC ORL CHI @cle 4 LAC @ind @lal MIL 3 LAL POR LAC NYK 3 MEM @phi @nyk @orl 3 MIA @bos @tor @sas @cha 4 MIL WAS @por @lac 3 MIN DEN @det DET 3 NOP @cle @det @den @hou 4 NYK SAC MEM @lal 3 OKC POR @dal @por @sac 4 ORL @chi @ind MEM BOS 4 PHI MEM WAS @dal @chi 4 PHX BKN @atl @was 3 POR @okc @lal OKC MIL 4 SAC @nyk BKN @gsw OKC 4 SAS GSW MIA HOU 3 TOR @atl MIA CHI ATL 4 UTA DEN BKN 2 WAS @mil @phi PHX 3 Total 8 7 9 6 9 6 8 Back to Backs
Mon/Tue: GSW, MIA, NOP
Tue/Wed: BKN, DEN, ORL, WAS
Wed/Thu: LAL, SAC
Thu/Fri: ATL, CHI, DET, SAS, TOR
Fri/Sat: CHA, OKC, POR
Sat/Sun: MIL, ORL
Sun/Mon (of Week 17): CHIA Look Back…
Guards
Ayo Dosunmu (70th ranked player) – A nice win here but he has been somewhat underwhelming
Chris Duarte (110th ranked player) – Again, a win but underwhelming
Monte Morris (92nd ranked player) – Let’s go with another serviceable win
Terence Davis (333rd ranked player) – Obviously a loss due to his recent injury
Forwards
Devin Vassell (90th tanked player) – A win and he is looking a little better
Nic Batum (101st ranked player) – Not flashy by any means, but a solid win
Cam Johnson (35th ranked player) – Massive win but Crowder could be back on Sunday
Chuma Okeke (45th ranked player) – Starting to be a little more consistent, a good win
Centers
Ivica Zubac (272nd ranked player) – Has been trending down, let’s go with a loss
Goga Bitadze (295th ranked player) – Good while it lasted but a pretty clear loss
Waiver Wire Options
Guards
Luke Kennard – Kennard has been playing well of late, putting up first-round value over the past week. Obviously, this is not sustainable but he is actually putting together a nice season, when healthy. Marcus Morris will return on Sunday and that could cut into the playing time for Kennard. However, he has been doing enough to hold down a 30 minute per night role, making him a viable 12-team addition.
Patty Mills – After his hot start to the season, Mills fell back to being more of a streaming option. His playing time has been consistent, it is just that his usage drops significantly when the Nets are healthy. That’s where this week comes in. Kevin Durant is out, which we already know. James Harden missed Saturday’s game with a new injury and while there is no word on the severity, it could at least limit his production slightly. Give Mills a look and if it doesn’t play out, simply move on.
Austin Rivers – It’s 2022 and here we are with Rivers once again. We know hie recent production is not going to last. That I can guarantee. How long it can continue is another question altogether. Outside of points and 3s, he doesn’t offer a lot of upside. Although, playing and starting means he is going to get a lot of opportunities to fire away from the perimeter. He isn’t for everyone but he is worth riding until this hot stretch subsides.
Gabe Vincent – Kyle Lowry continues to miss games for an unknown reason, allowing Vincent to put together the best stretch of his young career. He is the 65th ranked player over the past week, putting up some intriguing numbers across the board. As soon as Lowry is back, Vincent figures to be a pretty clear drop. Until that time, he falls into the category of being a must-roster player.
Forwards
Lu Dort – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is going to miss at least the next few weeks with an ankle injury suffered on Friday. While Dort is not the direct beneficiary, he is going to have the ball in his hands a bit more. He is likely to destroy your percentages but that one flaw aside, he could be a sneaky source of points, 3s, rebounds and steals for at least the short-term.
Dorian Finney-Smith – With Kristaps Porzingis already ruled out on Sunday due to knee soreness, the alarm bells are starting to ring. As we have seen on many an occasion, Finney-Smith typically steps up his game with Porzingis is sidelined. While we don’t have a timeframe for the injury, you can be sure the Mavs are going to play it safe. If Finney-Smith is available in your league, he probably should be added everywhere.
Carmelo Anthony – Another player who started this season on fire, Anthony has gone back to being just a deeper league asset in recent times. However, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis both ailing, Anthony has been a solid option over the past week, coming in as the 61st ranked player. Granted, this is not going to be a long-term thing but for now, he is absolutely worth taking a flier on until the Lakers get some of their firepower back on the court.
Reggie Bullock – With Tim Hardaway Jr. likely done for the season, Bullock has been the player to step up over the past week, logging fringe top-50 numbers. Overall, he has been a disappointment this season but he now finds himself with a great opportunity to contribute. We have seen him player starters minutes previously in his career and he has been nothing more than a borderline top-120 player. We should temper our expectations lightly but until he proves otherwise, he is worth a flier in 12-team leagues.
Centers
Otto Porter – Yes, I’m putting Porter as a center given the fact he plays for the Warriors who seemingly love playing a lot of small-ball. His upside has a shelf life but Draymond Green does not have a firm return date at this point. We know Porter can be a pretty solid top-100 player when given an opportunity, but also when he is healthy. The Warriors have been resting him from time to time but based on what we have seen over the past week, he should be added in all formats.
Maxi Kleber – Again linking back to the fact Porzingis is out, Kleber is the obvious player to consider, at least as a more direct beneficiary. He has an intriguing skill set, making him a nice fit for a lot of fantasy squads. It could all go south in a hurry but for now, you grab him and see if he can carry on his recent momentum.
Streaming Targets
Points
Kenyon Martin Jr.
Trey Lyles
Jaylen Nowell
Malik Beasley
Evan Fournier
3-pointers
Malik Beasley
Ben McLemore
Evan Fournier
Duane Washington
Quentin Grimes
Assists
Killian Hayes
Immanuel Quickley
Lou Williams
Austin Reaves
Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Rebounds
Willy Hernangomez
Kevon Looney
Steven Adams
Nerlens Noel
Hassan Whiteside
Steals
Jose Alvarado
Nerlens Noel
Matisse Thybulle
Killian Hayes
Gary Payton II
Blocks
Isaiah Jackson
Hassan Whiteside
Onyeka Okongwu
Willy Hernangomez
Steven Adams
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Heat have b2b M/T just a heads up, thanks for all the tips.