Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Week 17 Streaming Targets

With the trade deadline now behind us, we set our sights on the fantasy playoffs. While it was an eventful deadline, the fantasy implications were limited, with very little to talk about in terms of clear winners and losers. As we approach the pointy end of the 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: Week 17 Pickups

Yahoo High Score Leagues

Jarace Walker, Indiana Pacers (18% rostered)

Arguably one of the biggest winners following the trade deadline, Walker's path to playing time just cleared up a little. With Bennedict Mathurin no longer around, and Indiana now looking to ensure a bottom-four finish, Walker should be able to maintain his recent role. He has scored double digits in seven games, adding serviceable production across most peripheral categories. While his game isn't necessarily built for points leagues, volume alone should see him flirt with top-100 value. As for high-score leagues, he has tallied at least 29 fantasy points in five of the past seven games, making him a viable addition to any roster.

GG Jackson, Memphis Grizzlies (19% rostered)

With Memphis seemingly tearing things down, Jackson could find himself in a favorable situation, much like in previous seasons. Given the current roster construction, there is a chance Jackson could, in fact, start for the remainder of the season. His ability to play multiple positions should also work in his favor, even if he is ultimately moved back to the bench. He has averaged 31.7 fantasy points in each of the past three games, during which he has seen his playing time increase. Despite the fact that there is still some uncertainty surrounding the Grizzlies' exact makeup, Jackson is worth taking a gamble on, especially seeing as we have seen this play out before.

Aaron Wiggins, Oklahoma City Thunder (11% rostered)

Seen as a potential breakout candidate coming into the season, Wiggins has been largely disappointing. The ascension of Ajay Mitchell has played a huge role in that, limiting Wiggins to minutes in the mid-20s on most nights. However, we now have a situation where both Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Mitchell are dealing with injuries, providing Wiggins with perhaps his best opportunity of the season. He has now tallied at least 29 fantasy points in five of his past six games, including a 51-point performance during Wednesday's loss to the Spurs. While this is likely to have a shelf-life, Wiggins makes for a nice upside swing heading into the All-Star break.

Standard 9-Category Leagues

Pelle Larsson, Miami Heat (20% rostered)

One of the more unexpected stories from this season has been the recent play of Larsson. Seen as little more than a depth piece, Larsson has taken full advantage of the fact that Miami has had to deal with multiple injuries, most notably Tyler Herro, who has missed a significant portion of the season thus far. Larsson has played at least 28 minutes in nine of the past 12 games, providing the Heat with solid production on both ends of the floor. In eight appearances over the past two weeks, he has been a top-80 player in nine-category leagues, averaging 14.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 three-pointers. The eventual return of Herro will impact Larsson's opportunities, but until then, feel free to give him a look.

Gui Santos, Golden State Warriors (6% rostered)

Santos has quietly gone about his business over the past two weeks, putting up top-50 value during that time. With averages of 13.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.0 three-pointers and 2.7 combined steals and blocks, he has been delivering on both ends of the floor. The Warriors are currently at a crossroads, having to decide whether to continue pushing for wins or shift their focus to next season. Nonetheless, Santos appears to have carved out a meaningful spot in the rotation, putting himself firmly on the standard league radar.

Tyus Jones, Dallas Mavericks (2% rostered)

When it comes to Jones, this is purely speculation. Following a disappointing stint in Orlando, Jones was traded to Charlotte before being rerouted to Dallas. Currently, the point guard rotation consists of Brandon Williams and Ryan Nembhard, both of whom are borderline starters at best. Williams is dealing with a leg injury, leaving Nembhard as the last man standing. Enter Tyus Jones. While there are definitely no guarantees when it comes to what Jason Kidd might do on a nightly basis, Jones is in a position to at least provide the team with a veteran on-floor leader. If you can absorb all the risk that comes with a move like this, Jones could be worth a speculative add, especially for those needing assists and steals.

Standard Points Leagues

Will Riley, Washington Wizards (5% rostered)

Despite the addition of Trae Young and Anthony Davis, the path forward for Washington is clear. With a view to the 2026-27 season, it appears as though the Wizards' rotation is going to feature a lot of young players moving forward, one of whom is Riley. He has now recorded at least 32 fantasy points in three of the past four games, closing in each appearance despite not being in the starting unit. Based on what we have seen over the past week, Riley seems to be high on the priority list, which could result in sustained fantasy value for the remainder of the season.

Jaden Ivey, Chicago Bulls (17% rostered)

Based on what we had seen this season, a trade was really the only hope for Ivey when it came to boosting his fantasy appeal. Thankfully, he was moved to the Bulls prior to the trade deadline, landing in what many view as a confusing situation. Chicago now seemingly has too many backcourt options, all of whom have a claim to playing time. In his first appearance since the trade, Ivey shifted straight into the starting lineup, recording arguably his best performance of the season. It was the first time since returning from injury that he had accumulated more than 30 fantasy points, an encouraging sign, at least for his immediate value. The eventual return of Josh Giddey and Tre Jones will complicate matters, but for now, he is worth taking a chance on.

Taylor Hendricks, Memphis Grizzlies (3% rostered)

Much like the situation with Tyus Jones, this is another speculative add based on what might be. Hendricks was a viable last-round target coming into the season, seen as a player who could step into a sizeable role on a team with very little to play for. Those hopes were soon diminished, with Hendricks even falling out of the rotation altogether at one point. Now in Memphis, perhaps we can hit the reset button and hope that he can resurrect his young career, once again playing for a team that should be prioritizing its youth. If you have an open spot on your roster and you can exercise at least a small amount of patience, Hendricks is worth the gamble.