Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Week 22 Streaming Targets

For many, this is it. The time has come to battle it out for your fantasy basketball championship. With so many NBA teams rolling out a different lineup each and every night, knowing which players to target can be somewhat of a fool's errand. Nonetheless, let's see if we can give you a leg up on your opponent with some names to consider adding in certain situations. 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

Yahoo High Score Leagues

Naji Marshall, Dallas Mavericks (35% rostered)

Despite one or two subpar performances, Marshall's role has remained relatively consistent. He has played in 12 straight games, during which time he has tallied at least 30 fantasy points on six occasions. Even more important is the fact that those six performances have come in his past seven games, four of which have been at least 39 points. Although Dallas isn't necessarily playing for anything substantial, it does appear as though Marshall is going to continue to play a sizeable role over the final few weeks of the season. While things can certainly change in a hurry for any team in the lottery, managers should feel comfortable getting him into their lineups, at least for the foreseeable future.

Kennedy Chandler, Utah Jazz (12% rostered)

We are working with a very small sample size when it comes to projecting Chandler's role, given he has played just three games this season, all of which have come in the past week. However, during that time, he has averaged 38 fantasy points per game, more than enough to put him firmly on the fantasy radar. Utah is another team with very little to play for, specifically when it comes to winning basketball games. Assuming you can absorb a small amount of risk, it seems as though Chandler could hold value for the remainder of the season. 

Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings (28% rostered)

While it has been a disappointing season for Monk, his value does seem to be trending in the right direction. He has played at least 30 minutes in three straight games, averaging 40.3 fantasy points per game during that span. Compared to most of the names on this list, Monk is actually a proven commodity, having had sustained periods of relevance throughout his career. With that said, Sacramento is arguably the hardest team to get a read on when it comes to its nightly rotation. As long as Monk continues to play meaningful minutes, be it as a starter or off the bench, he could end up being a real difference-maker down the stretch, given his upside.

Standard 9-Category Leagues

Gary Payton, Golden State Warriors (12% rostered)

Payton is in the midst of arguably the best stretch of his career, having scored double digits in nine straight games, while also continuing to produce on the defensive end. Typically seen as a specialist, the fact that he is doing a bit more on the offensive end should have him on the radar, no matter your build. In seven games over the past two weeks, he has been a top 35 player in standard nine-category formats, averaging 14.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.7 three-pointers. Incredibly, he has done his damage on high efficiency, shooting 71.4 percent from the field. As long as he is playing well, Payton warrants a roster spot in most leagues.

Isaiah Jackson, Los Angeles Clippers (6% rostered)

Despite playing as the backup behind Brook Lopez, Jackson has quietly gone about his business, flirting with top 100 value in eight games over the past two weeks. During that time, he has averaged 9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks, shooting 79.1 percent from the floor. His ceiling is obviously limited, assuming Lopez stays healthy. However, he is doing more than enough to be considered by anyone needing rebounds and blocks, as well as low-volume, high-efficiency scoring.

Elijah Harkless, Utah Jazz (10% rostered)

With Utah's backcourt depleted right now, Harkless has found himself in a favorable position. He has played at least 30 minutes in six of the past seven games, starting in five of those. In that span, he has averaged 12.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.6 three-pointers. Although that puts him outside the top 150, the fact that he has shot just 38.4 percent from the floor and 70.0 percent from the line has a lot to do with that. If you can deal with inefficient scoring, Harkless could be a sneaky pickup for anyone seeking traditional guard numbers.

Standard Points Leagues

GG Jackson, Memphis Grizzlies (23% rostered)

Although he has been dealing with a couple of minor injuries, Jackson continues to be a silly season winner. While his overall game is somewhat empty, the fact that he has a green light on the offensive end certainly lends itself to points leagues. He has scored at least 15 points in seven straight appearances, three of which have been at least 20 points. He is coming off 40 fantasy points in a loss to the Spurs, which should probably be considered his ceiling. He doesn't have the upside of some of the players on this list, but assuming he continues to play a sizeable role, he should be viewed as a viable plug-and-play option.

Daeqwon Plowden, Sacramento Kings (13% rostered)

Much like Jackson, Plowden's value is built on his ability to score, something he has been doing consistently over the past few games. In fact, he has scored at least 20 points in three straight games, including back-to-back career-high performances of 22 and 23 points respectively. Also, much like Jackson, Plowden's upside is limited, which means you should view him as a quantity over quality option. If you have limited moves available to you, his spot in the rotation should be safe enough that you can feel comfortable starting him on most nights, with a view to him accumulating around 30 fantasy points per game.

Ziaire Williams, Brooklyn Nets (6% rostered)

Unlike both Plowden and Jackson, Williams has the ability to produce on both ends of the floor, which does raise his ceiling. Although his playing time appears to be limited to around 25 minutes per game, he has scored double digits in four straight appearances, while also adding 11 steals. During that span, he has averaged 32.7 fantasy points, more than enough to see him rostered in competitive formats. While Brooklyn's nightly rotation can also be tough to predict, Williams has played at least 20 minutes in seven straight games, which is more than can be said for a number of his teammates.