Fantasy Basketball Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups: Breakouts & Sleepers

As the NBA season's third full month nears completion, the waiver wire is highly active in many fantasy basketball leagues, given how prevalent injuries typically are by this point in the calendar. That's certainly holding true this season, and several of our suggestions this week have earned their spot in this space thanks to the additional minutes and usage afforded by key absences on their squad.

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.

Yahoo High Score Leagues

Saddiq Bey, New Orleans Pelicans (36% rostered)

Bey is in the midst of a resurgent season that sees him boasting averages of 15.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 steals across 30 minutes per game over 42 contests. The veteran forward may be playing his best basketball of the season at the moment, as he's boasting averages of 21.2 points (on 48.5% 3-point shooting), 6.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals across 31.3 minutes over his last six games. Despite the Pelicans being at full health except for the season-long absence of Dejounte Murray, Bey is averaging 13.3 shot attempts in the latter span, and the upside that's led to him scoring at least 20 points in 13 games makes him a candidate for rostering in High Score formats.

Max Christie, Dallas Mavericks (27% rostered)

Christie is another player who's had some spike performances of late, scoring 21 points or more in four straight games before a downturn against the Timberwolves on Wednesday that saw him record only nine points on 1-for-8 shooting. Nevertheless, Christie has taken firm hold of the starting shooting guard role and went into Jan. 29 action averaging a career-high 13.2 points (on 47.6% shooting, including 44.5% from 3-point range), 3.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest. Anthony Davis' absence due to a finger injury is expected to keep him sidelined until after the All-Star break, so Christie's elevated usage should persist for several more weeks, at minimum.

Grayson Allen, Phoenix Suns (38% rostered)

Any time Allen has a chance at additional minutes, there's always the possibility of some eye-popping offensive numbers. The veteran wing is averaging a career-high 16.4 points, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals per contest, and he's currently in the midst of another stretch with the first unit thanks to Jalen Green's perpetually troublesome hamstring. Furthermore, Allen currently has the opportunity for enhanced usage for as long as Devin Booker is sidelined by his ankle issue. Allen already has 33- and 42-point tallies on his resume this season, and the fact he's putting up a career-best 8.8 3-point attempts per game keeps him in play for some similarly impressive tallies any time he takes the floor.

Standard 9-Category Leagues

Cam Spencer, Memphis Grizzlies (28% rostered)

Spencer remains the Grizzlies' starting point guard for the time being thanks to Ja Morant's latest absence, which is the result of an elbow injury that will sideline him for the next two weeks at minimum. The second-year guard does have some fluctuation when it comes to his scoring output, but he's capable of making up for it by stuffing the stat sheet in other areas. Spencer is averaging 11.1 points, 9.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds across his 13 games as a starter, posting four double-doubles in that span. He also has six multi-steal tallies and is shooting a blistering 44.5% from behind the arc for the season, making him a very viable consideration as a waiver-wire pickup. 

Ayo Dosunmu, Chicago Bulls (28% rostered)

Dosunmu continues to offer the Bulls versatile production in much the same way Spencer does for the Grizzlies, with the former averaging a career-high 14.6 points with the help of a career-best 44.5% success rate from long range. The veteran guard is also contributing 3.4 assists and 2.7 rebounds per contest, and he's clocking a solid 26.0 minutes per game in his second-unit role. Dosunmu has hit or eclipsed the 20-point threshold on nine occasions despite coming off the bench in seven of those games, and he's dished out at least five dimes in 13 instances as well. 

Ace Bailey, Utah Jazz (26% rostered)

Bailey's impressive rookie-season efforts are flying somewhat under the radar due to the Jazz's overall struggles, but he's delivered solid performances throughout the campaign and is on the ascent as the end of January approaches. Bailey is averaging 17.1 points (on 50% shooting), 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists across 31.3 minutes in his last eight games while holding down the starting small forward role. Lauri Markkanen's spotty playing record is also helping Bailey's cause in the form of extra usage, adding to the latter's appeal. 

Standard Points Leagues

De'Andre Hunter, Cleveland Cavaliers (15% rostered)

Evan Mobley has been diagnosed with a calf strain that could sideline him up to three weeks, so Hunter is teed up for some extra run, if not some spot starts. The veteran wing is struggling with efficiency this season – his 42.2% shooting is his lowest since his 2019-20 rookie campaign – but he's averaging a career-high 2.1 assists, while his 4.3 rebounds are his highest figure in that category since the 2020-21 season. Hunter is also capable of better offensive output than he's shown so far, as he's demonstrated by draining 48% of his shots during the 18 games in which he's scored 16 or more points.

Tobias Harris, Detroit Pistons (35% rostered)

Harris is much more of a complementary piece at this stage of his career, but he's still scored between 16 and 26 points in 13 of 30 games. The veteran also remains capable of some solid work on the glass, pulling down between five and nine boards in 15 games. Harris is also shooting an improved 51.7% over his last 11 games, adding more appeal to his candidacy as a player who can boost the bottom half of your roster. 

Aaron Nesmith, Indiana Pacers (23% rostered)

Nesmith is shooting a career-worst 37.0% from the field this season, but he's still managed to average a career-high 13.5 points over his first 27 games. The veteran forward is also averaging a career-best 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists, and his 36.1% 3-point shooting is helping keep his offensive contributions afloat. Nesmith's 12.0 FGAs per game is also a new high-water mark, and if that level of usage persists, Nesmith has utility as a complementary source of multi-category production in your points league.