Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: 9 Under-the-Radar NBA Sleepers to Add

With the regular season now, hopefully, in the rearview mirror for those in head-to-head leagues, managing your roster becomes perhaps even more important. Opening up one or two streaming spots is a viable strategy at this time of the year, meaning adds and drops are likely to be plentiful. As we move through what is commonly viewed as silly season, the waiver wire is the place to be, providing managers with bargain players who could be about to ascend in the NBA fantasy rankings. And remember, never assume a player is rostered. It always pays to double-check, just in case they have been overlooked.

Identifying players who are benefiting from expanded roles–whether it's an offensive threat delivering points and threes or a defensive-minded player boosting your blocks and steals–is vital as you navigate the season.

Let's dive into nine key NBA sleepers whose current stats suggest they are poised for significant value and are currently rostered in fewer than 40% of Yahoo leagues.

Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups

Yahoo High Score Leagues

Ayo Dosunmu, Minnesota Timberwolves (29% rostered)

With Anthony Edwards sidelined for at least a week due to a knee injury, Dosunmu has been thrust into the starting lineup. Across those two starts, he has averaged 40.5 fantasy points, making him a clear must-add player. As we have seen throughout his career, Dosunmu needs upwards of 28 minutes to be considered in standard points leagues. Based on his recent outings, it certainly looks as though his ceiling could hover around 33 minutes per game, more than enough to be a positive contributor. While Bones Hyland also looks as though he is going to benefit, Dosunmu should be the clear preference for fantasy managers.

Cody Williams, Utah Jazz (23% rostered)

Williams is in the midst of what has been easily the best stretch of his young career, putting himself firmly on the fantasy radar. He has now amassed at least 30 fantasy points in six of his past eight games, including a career-best 61-point performance in a loss to the Kings. Although Utah's rotation is a little unpredictable, Williams has been a regular fixture in the opening lineup, logging at least 25 minutes in nine straight games. Like any fringe player thrust into a sizeable role, Williams is sure to experience some rough nights moving forward. However, when all is said and done, his volume alone could see him serve as a difference-maker for many fantasy managers.

Daniss Jenkins, Detroit Pistons (7% rostered)

Another player who looks set to be thrust into a sizeable role, Jenkins is definitely a name to consider across most formats, including high score leagues. Cade Cunningham looks set to miss multiple weeks due to a collapsed lung, meaning Jenkins will be an important piece in Detroit. In his first game without Cunningham, Jenkins was given the starting nod, logging 34 minutes in a blowout win over the Wizards. Although his production was nothing too exciting, the opportunity is what managers need to focus on. There will almost certainly be some ups and downs, given Jenkins' relative inexperience. However, he makes sense as a speculative grab, assuming he can maintain a 30-minute per-night role.

Standard 9-Category Leagues

Taylor Hendricks, Memphis Grizzlies (23% rostered)

For some, Hendricks was considered an intriguing late-round target in drafts due to his ability to contribute on both ends of the floor. It's fair to say that it didn't work out for anyone, with Hendricks falling out of the rotation altogether. However, a trade to Memphis appears to have rejuvenated his season. In six appearances over the past two weeks, Hendricks has been a top 40 fantasy player, averaging 13.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.7 three-pointers and 3.9 combined steals and blocks. While the defensive numbers are unlikely to stick, his role seems relatively safe on a team known for mixing things up. Assuming you can absorb a small amount of risk, Hendricks is arguably the most trustworthy player in Memphis right now.

Yves Missi, New Orleans Pelicans (25% rostered)

While it has been an indifferent season for Missi, his role appears to have solidified in recent times. Despite rotating between starting and coming off the bench, he has now played at least 25 minutes in three of the past four games. During that span, he has been a borderline top 100 player in standard leagues, averaging 6.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. New Orleans is looking to win as many games as possible down the stretch. Missi is easily the best rim-protector on the roster, meaning he should continue providing value in both blocks and rebounds.

Jalen Slawson, Indiana Pacers (19% rostered)

Slawson has seemingly come out of nowhere, delivering elite defensive production since making his debut just over a week ago. In fact, in three games over the past week, he has been a top 20 player in nine-category leagues, thanks primarily to his 4.3 combined steals and blocks. As a talent, he is definitely on the radar as a defensive specialist, which will almost certainly benefit those in their playoffs. The elephant in the room, however, is the fact that his contract is going to restrict how many games he actually plays. Keeping that in mind, while Slawson does make sense in specific situations, managers should keep an eye on his availability moving forward.

Standard Points Leagues

Jarace Walker, Indiana Pacers (30% rostered)

Despite a somewhat limited ceiling, Walker continues to quietly put up numbers, particularly in points formats where, of course, percentages don't matter. He has tallied at least 31 fantasy points in three of his past four games, built on consistent double-digit scoring, as well as serviceable peripheral production. With Indiana potentially shutting players down at some point, there is a chance Walker's role increases before all is said and done. At this point, managers should view him as a safe plug-and-play option whose role is seemingly locked in.

Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks (39% rostered)

A knee injury to Giannis Antetokounmpo puts Portis back in our line of sight when it comes to fantasy value. Although he is coming off a poor performance during Thursday's loss to Utah, prior to that, he had scored 90 fantasy points across two games. Based on what we know about Portis, his overall game is built on points, rebounds and threes, of which he can deliver in spades at times. His playing time is likely to fluctuate moving forward, largely dependent on whether the game is competitive. With that said, when afforded starter-level minutes, Portis is somewhat of a known commodity, making him a nice short-term addition, at least until we get some clarity regarding the latest injury to Antetokounmpo.

Pelle Larsson, Miami Heat (11% rostered)

Much like Walker, Larsson should be viewed as a low-ceiling, high-floor asset, given his presumptive role. He has now played at least 30 minutes in five of his past eight games, recording double-digit points in eight straight. He can play multiple positions, both on offense and defense, allowing him to stick in the rotation, no matter who else is available on any given night. If your league has limitations when it comes to streaming, Larsson should continue to provide serviceable production without setting the world on fire.