The Playlist: Week 11 fantasy basketball waiver wire pickups and lineup advice
Happy New Year!
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, lineup notes (who's in and out of rotations), followed by key takeaways on the schedule.
So press play and shuffle through the latest fantasy basketball info.
ICYMI:A significant trade went down on Saturday in the Eastern Conference between the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors.
O.G. Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn were traded to the New York Knicks
RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and a 2024 second-round pick were traded to the Toronto Raptors
Fantasy impact:
Quickley will be the biggest winner of this trade, as he'll see more minutes for a Raptors franchise that likely isn't finished making moves on its journey to a rebuild. With Dennis Schröder moving to the bench, there's a good chance IQ starts from the jump, but remember, the Raptors will still showcase Gary Trent Jr. in addition to Schröder in the hopes of increasing their trade value. Keep your eyes on the prize and ensure Quickley's not available on waivers because he could be the point guard Toronto's been looking for.
Anunoby has disappointed this season, ranking outside the top 100 in nine-category and points leagues. Still, now that he's landed in New York, we'll see a rejuvenated version with more minutes and an expanded role as the third option on offense.
Barrett should become a fan favorite returning to Ontario, and the change of scenery is probably a good thing. Still, he's outside the top 200 in nine-category leagues and top 100 in points leagues, so he'll have to show more than scoring 18 points per night if he's going to be worth holding onto.
Achiuwa will likely see minutes behind Isaiah Hartenstein with Jericho Sims (ankle) out of the lineup. He'll be much-needed depth for the Knicks, who are currently trotting out old af Taj Gibson. Achiuwa is someone to add to your watchlist in 12+ team leagues.
"Countdown" ( feat. Lupe Fiasco & Chris Turner) - Consequence
Who's in my rotation: players to pick up on waivers who are less than 50% rostered in Yahoo leagues
Must adds in Week 11:
Dante Exum - PG/SG, Dallas Mavericks (38% rostered)
Y'all are dropping the ball if Exum is sitting on waivers. Mavs HC Jason Kidd announced that Exum would remain in the starting lineup after Kyrie Irving (heel) is healthy, which means you can confidently hold Exum for the foreseeable future. He's been outstanding for the Mavs and fantasy managers, charting as a top-70 player in per-game value over the last month in nine-category leagues and top 100 in points formats. He's doing everything but blocking shots for fantasy managers, and he is a must-roster, no matter the format.
"Ball Drop" (feat, French Montana) - Fabolous
Nick Richards - C. Charlotte Hornets (34%)
The Hornets' injury reporting is becoming more suspect than Puffy's track record. Mark Williams has been listed as day-to-day since early December, missing 10 straight games with a lower back contusion and no substantive update on when he'll return. Alas, Nick Richards is filling the void, averaging very close to a double-double as a starter this year. He's had a few duds here and there, but he's also provided fantasy managers with four double-doubles over his last six outings. With no clarity on Mark Williams, Richards must be rostered in all leagues.
Duncan Robinson - SG/SF, Miami Heat (50%)
The injury bug is back in Miami, leaving more opportunity for Duncan Robinson to continue his career year. Robinson has been a top-90 player in nine-category leagues for much of the season and will be a consistent scoring threat with efficiency and sneaky assists. He's getting close to 30 minutes per night, which won't change anytime soon.
Players to hold in Week 11:
Derrick Jones Jr. - SF, Dallas Mavericks (20%)
Like Exum, Kidd included DJJ in his starting lineup once Irving returns, which is great for fantasy managers. He's still under-rostered, given his ability to knock down threes and generate stocks. He's averaging 2.4 stocks per game over his last five games, with 13.6 points and 5.2 rebounds. Dallas will play four games in Week 11 with plus matchups against the Jazz and Trail Blazers twice — keep rolling with DJJ.
Alex Caruso - PG/SG, Chicago Bulls (41%)
Over the past week, he's been a top-100 player, posting 13.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.3 threes and 1.3 steals in just under 30 minutes per game. As long as he's healthy, Caruso should be rostered. He's a stat stuffer who can raise the floor of your fantasy team defensively.
Malik Beasley - SG/SF, Milwaukee Bucks (41%)
Beasley's been trending down over the past week, falling under 50% and quickly approaching only 40%. However, he's heating back up, so grab him if you can. The Bucks have a favorable schedule in Week 11, and the three-point specialist has been cashing threes at a high rate (10 over his past two games). With games on Monday, Tuesday and Saturday, you'll likely get multiple days of production from just one transaction.
Day'Ron Sharpe - C, Brooklyn Nets (22%)
A per-minute beast, Sharpe has been a massive boost for fantasy managers lately. He ranked 65th in nine-category leagues in Week 10 and has produced in under 20 minutes per game. Over the past six games, Sharpe has averaged 11.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists. 0.8 steals and 1.2 blocks while shooting 68% from the field. He's not a good free-throw shooter but the counting stats make him worth holding at the moment.
Players to stream in Week 11:
Tre Jones - PG, San Antonio Spurs (47%)
Jones' minutes have been steady over the last three games, with at least 27 minutes each. He's filled up the stat sheet, posting 9.6 points, 6.0 assists and 5.7 rebounds while shooting an efficient 55% from the field. The Spurs play two of their three games on Tuesday and Thursday, making him a viable stream in Week 11, assuming his minutes hold.
Patrick Williams - PF, Chicago Bulls (45%)
He's not a must add, considering two of his three matchups are against the Sixers and Knicks, but he's been useful and a top-100 player in nine-category leagues over the past two weeks. He's scored at least 13 points with a three-pointer in seven of his last eight games. He could sneak in a couple of stocks, too.
Malaki Branham - PG/SG/SF, San Antonio Spurs (9%)
Pop's rotations have been interesting, to say the least. He's tried Jeremy Sochan and now Branham at point guard before giving Tre Jones a shot. Branham's started the past 11 games for San Antonio and is averaging close to 11 points with three rebounds and three assists across 19 starts this year. It's nothing huge, but similar to Jones, playing on Tuesday and Thursday can get a couple of days' worth of production out of one transaction. His three-position eligibility helps, too.
Jonathan Kuminga - PF, Golden State Warriors (32%)
Draymond Green is rumored to return sometime between Jan 4-7, which means Kuminga's days are likely numbered as a starter. But before we officially begin the countdown, JK's scoring and rebounding could be valuable this week. The Warriors play on Tuesday and Thursday as part of their four-game week, so he'll get run on the lighter slates.
"Countdown" (feat. Jamal) - Def Squad
Watchlist for Week 11:
Goga Bitadze - C, Orlando Magic (22%)
Wendell Carter Jr. missed Friday’s game with knee soreness, which offered an opportunity for Bitadze to rejoin the starters. He played well and has blocked at least one shot in 12 of his last 13 games and is averaging 2.6 stocks in 21 starts this year. The Magic may be conservative with Carter's knee, so if you need blocks and Wendell sits, Bitadze is worth streaming. The Magic play four games in Week 11.
Jabari Walker - SF/ PF, Portland Trail Blazers (4%)
Deandre Ayton (knee) and Duop Reath (back) missed the past two games, and Walker broke out in a significant way in Saturday's win over the Spurs, delivering a career-high 25 points (7-11 FG, 11-13 FT) with nine boards, one assist, one steal and one block in 30 minutes off the bench.
Other streaming options:
Shallow leagues:
Immanuel Quickley - PG/SG, Toronto Raptors (62%)
Brandin Podziemski - SG, Golden State Warriors (57%)
Jaden McDaniels - SF/PF, Minnesota Timberwolves (51%)
Kelly Oubre Jr. - SF, Philadelphia 76ers (47%)
Deep leagues:
Dario Šarić - PF/C, Golden State Warriors (25%)
Gary Trent Jr. - PG/SG, Toronto Raptors (36%)
Keyonte George - PG/SG, Utah Jazz (32%)
Paul Reed - PF/C, Philadelphia 76ers (32%)
Donte DiVincenzo - SG/SF, New York Knicks (23%)
Aaron Nesmith - SF/PF, Indiana Pacers (27%)
Jalen Smith - PF/C, Indiana Pacers (17%)
Cody Martin - SG/SF, Charlotte Hornets (2%)
Rotation notes:
X-rays negative on Heat F Jimmy Butler's foot
The play: Butler's missed eight games this season, but the foot injury is new. Heat HC Erik Spoelstra didn't provide an update on Butler's status, so he's already been ruled out for Monday. Fantasy managers can assume he'll be limited in Week 11, so keep riding with Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Duncan Robinson.
Nuggets F Aaron Gordon (dog bite) expects to return on Monday
The play: Peyton Watson can be dropped now that Gordon is trending toward playing on Monday. This is a welcomed news update, as it seemed like Gordon would miss an extended period dealing with lacerations on his face and shooting hand.
Daily Games Played:
Monday: 8
Tuesday: 6
Wednesday: 12
Thursday: 2
Friday: 14
Saturday: 4
Sunday: 9
20 teams play four games: Bucks, Cavaliers, Clippers, Grizzlies, Jazz, Kings, Knicks, Mavericks, Magic, Nets, Nuggets, Pacers, Pelicans, Pistons, Raptors, Rockets, Suns, Timberwolves, Trail Blazers and Warriors
10 teams play three games: 76ers, Bulls, Celtics, Hawks, Heat, Hornets, Lakers, Spurs, Thunder and Wizards
Teams with back-to-backs:
Monday/Tuesday: Hornets
Tuesday/Wednesday: Bulls, Grizzlies, Kings, Magic, Nets, Pelicans and Thunder
Wednesday/Thursday: Bucks
Thursday/Friday: Nuggets and Warriors
Friday/Saturday: 76ers, Celtics, Jazz, Knicks, Pacers, Rockets, Wizards
Saturday/Sunday: none
