The Playlist: Fantasy basketball waiver wire pickups and start/sit advice for Week 16 (Part 2)
Welcome to The Playlist: my weekly column that lets you know who and what to play — when it comes to music or other things in my rotation — for the upcoming week in fantasy basketball.
Each week, you'll see a compilation of the pickups you need to make and a quick look at the schedule and lineup notes (who's in and out of rotations).
Press play and shuffle through the latest fantasy basketball info.
🏀 Week 16, Part 1 Wrap-up
All-Star Weekend had more lowlights than highlights. Between the unserious skills challenge to stars like LeBron James and Anthony Edwards being late scratches for Sunday's finale (with no subs on deck), an ordinarily ceremonious and exciting weekend needs a drastic overhaul. And never invite Kevin Hart to host again. With that, the songs in my playlist are reflections of my disappointment over the weekend, but let's finish out the fantasy week strong.
🎧 Who's in My Rotation: Pickups under 50% rostered
There continue to be 10 or so players between 40% and 50% rostered who should be on all fantasy teams. Rather than rehash names like Isaiah Collier and Max Christie, I'll focus on the players under 40% who are more likely to appear in your waiver pools.
Stephon Castle: PG/SG, San Antonio Spurs (36%)
Fresh off competing in three events from All-Star Weekend, Castle further stamped his foothold on Rookie of the Year honors. He's also been playing well in fantasy lately, finishing 35th in 9-cat leagues last week. The Spurs are still starting Chris Paul in the backcourt, but it's only a matter of time before Castle rejoins the starters. Even so, the Spurs play three games in four nights to close out the week, playing against the Suns, Pistons and Pelicans. It's a good week to start Castle.
Bol Bol: PF/C, Phoenix Suns (35%)
Bol shouldn't be on waivers right now despite being available in 65% of leagues. He's started at power forward the past two games, a trend that will likely continue as the Suns search for answers in their frontcourt. Over his last three games, Bol has averaged over 17 points, 8 boards and 4 steals in 33 minutes per game, so pick him up in all leagues.
Quentin Grimes: SG/SF, Philadelphia 76ers (21%)
Since joining the Sixers at the deadline, Grimes is averaging close to 33 minutes a game. Even though three of his four games have come as a reserve, it's clear Philly is giving him a chance to play, and he's taking full advantage. Before the All-Star break, he dropped a season-high 30 points with 9 boards and 4 assists. The Sixers' big three missed that game, but with their season in peril, Grimes, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, has a lot to play for. I may be in the minority, but I think the Sixers will tank the season's final third, opening up a sizeable opportunity for Grimes — especially with Paul George and Joel Embiid injured. He's posting a strong 17/6/4 line with Philly and he's a hold for the foreseeable future.
Ty Jerome: PG, Cleveland Cavaliers (15%)
He's down 4% in rostership since last week, which is weird because he's still doing the thing where he's super efficient and producing. I'd scoop him up if Jerome's anywhere on waivers in 9-cat, 12-team leagues, but be sure to monitor his injury status, as he's been dealing with a calf ailment. That said, He's been a top 100 player over the past month and can gather counting stats in limited minutes across several categories.
Naji Marshall: SG/SF, Dallas Mavericks (16%)
With Anthony Davis and Daniel Gafford sidelined for the next month and change, I expect the Mavs' wing to step up in the frontcourt. He's going to play close to 30 minutes whether he's starting or not, and he's produced at a top-90 level over the past two weeks, averaging 14/6/3 with a steal in that span.
If Marshall is unavailable, Kessler Edwards (8%) is another option for consideration.
Nick Smith Jr.: PG/SG, Charlotte Hornets (15%)
I'm returning to the well because Charlotte needs someone else to score besides LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges. Smith has played over 32 minutes in five of his last six games, and it likely would've been 6/6 if he hadn't been ejected last Wednesday. The Hornets play Wednesday and Saturday, so picking him up will likely get you at least two of the three games they play in the extended week 16 scoring period. I'd add Smith in points and 9-cat leagues for his volume-scoring potential.
🗓️ Weekly Game Schedule
We're in the second phase of Week 16, with games restarting on Wednesday through Sunday after the All-Star break. Here's how the week breaks down in terms of total NBA games played per day. Use this to identify when streaming options will be the most favorable:
Day | Games Played |
Wednesday | 1 |
Thursday | 9 |
Friday | 9 |
Saturday | 5 |
Sunday | 10 |
Prime Streaming Days: Wednesday and Saturday
The Lakers and Hornets are the only teams to play on both prime streaming days, so you should target players like Moussa Diabate and Jaxson Hayes since they'll play three games in four nights, plus two of the lighter slates.
🎯 Other teams/players to target:
Each of the following teams also play three games in Week 16, Part 2:
Bucks - Gary Trent Jr.
Cavaliers - De’Andre Hunter
Grizzlies - Jaylen Wells and Luke Kennard
Knicks - Precious Achiuwa and Miles McBride
Magic - Goga Bitadze
Spurs - Harrison Barnes
Suns - Royce O'Neale
❌ Teams to avoid:
The Sacramento Kings play one game (Friday) for the rest of the week, so keeping players like Keon Ellis and Jonas Valančiūnas will be challenging.
