NBA Fantasy: 6 waiver wire targets ahead of Week 20

FANTASY

Bulls’ Andre Drummond is averaging 8.5 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.0 steals this season.

Get ready for a busy Week 20 in the NBA. There are 16 teams that will play four games each, while one team will play five times. That leaves us with a bevy of viable waiver wire options. Here are some top players to target who are still available in at least half of Yahoo leagues.


Andre Drummond, Chicago Bulls (53% available).

Drummond couldn’t have played much better in the Bulls’ double-overtime win over the Cavaliers on Wednesday. He logged 36 minutes in a starting role, producing 17 points, 26 rebounds and three blocks. While he normally comes off the bench, the Bulls do like to start him alongside Nikola Vucevic when they face teams with size. His last three starts have come against the Cavaliers (twice) and the Timberwolves.

Despite logging just 17 minutes per game this season, Drummond has averaged 8.5 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game. He is still one of the best rebounders in the league, and with their depth compromised because of injuries, the Bulls will need him to play more down the stretch. The Bulls will play four games in Week 20, so Drummond could provide a significant boost in rebounds for fantasy managers.


Caris LeVert, Cleveland Cavaliers (57% available).

LeVert is the driving force behind the Cavaliers’ second unit. Even though he’s not starting, he has still logged 28 minutes per game this season. He also has a 23.6 percent usage rate which is nearly five percentage points higher than his mark from last season. He has parlayed that into 14.1 points and 1.6 three-pointers per game.

LeVert has provided more than just scoring, averaging 3.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 0.9 steals per game. Over the last 12 games, he has averaged 5.2 rebounds and 6.5 assists. The Cavaliers are another team scheduled to play four times, leaving LeVert with intriguing upside.


Norman Powell, LA Clippers (58% available).

Powell has seen his usage rate decline to 19.9 percent this season, which would be his lowest mark since the 2018-19 campaign. Still, he has averaged 13.6 points and 2.2 three-pointers per game. He is actually averaging more three-pointers per game than last season when he had a 26.0 percent usage rate.

The key to Powell remaining productive is that he has shot 49.1 percent from the field and 44.9 percent from behind the arc. He is on pace to shoot at least 40 percent from behind the arc for the fifth time in his career. The Clippers have four games upcoming, so fantasy managers needing three-pointers should add Powell.


Corey Kispert, Washington Wizards (71% available).

There haven’t been a lot of positives for the Wizards this season, but one that has started to emerge lately is Kispert. The team has thrust him into a more prominent role down the stretch, having him average 28 minutes over his last 12 games. He made the most of his added playing time, putting up 17.2 points and 2.9 three-pointers per game during that span.

The downside with Kispert is that he doesn’t provide much in the way of rebounds or assists. However, he is shooting 48.2 percent from the field, which comes on the heels of him shooting 49.7 percent last season. The Wizards have also played at the fastest pace in the league, so the added minutes for Kispert means even more for his upside. The Wizards will play four times in Week 20, so in leagues in which Powell might have already been scooped up, Kispert is a viable target for points and three-pointers.


Simone Fontecchio, Detroit Pistons (78% available).

The Pistons are another team that still has some fantasy-friendly options on the waiver wire. They brought over Fontecchio in a trade with the Jazz, and he has averaged 28 minutes over his seven games with the team. His stats during that span are not that dissimilar to Kispert’s. Although he didn’t provide much in the way of rebounds or assists, he averaged 15.1 points and 2.7 three-pointers.

Fontecchio’s contributions from behind the arc should not be a surprise since he has shot 39.6 percent from deep this season. Considering that the Pistons don’t have anything left to play for, Fontecchio should continue to play significant minutes down the stretch. The Pistons will play just three times in Week 20, but they will play four games in four of the final five weeks of the season. Fontecchio has the makings of a valuable waiver wire add for far longer than just one week.


Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets (95% available).

The Nets are the team that will play five games in Week 20. The problem is most of their appealing fantasy options are already rostered in more than half of Yahoo leagues.

For those who play in really deep leagues, Sharpe might be one of the few players on the Nets to target. Despite logging only 16 minutes per game this season, he has averaged 7.4 points and 6.8 rebounds, while shooting 58.7 percent from the field. With the possibility that he could play more as the Nets try not to wear out their starters, Sharpe could be a fantasy-relevant option. He would be a quick drop, though, since the Nets play just three games in both of the following two weeks.

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