Fantasy College Basketball Waiver Wire: Pickups of the Week

After two weeks of action roles are starting to be defined and breakout candidates are emerging. This is an important time to make some moves and pick up players that could later prove to be league winners. 

Another thing to watch for with Feast Week on the horizon is how many games teams will play in this week. Adding a player that is in an eight-team tournament and has three games on tap could be the difference in winning and losing this week. 

Power Conferences 

Cam Carter, G, Kansas State 

Carter has taken a big leap forward even with incoming top transfers Tylor Perry and Arthur Kaluma coming to Manhattan. Through five games he is averaging 18.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.0 steals and 2.4 three-pointers per contest. Last season Carter started every game, but only averaged 6.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists. Carter has already made his move for the most improved player in the Big 12 and should be added in all formats. 

Lynn Kidd, F/C, Virginia Tech 

Kidd has taken his game to new levels early in the 2023-24 season. After being a role player last season, Kidd is the rock in the middle for the Hokies. The 6-foot-10 big man has already notched a pair of double-doubles and scored nearly half the team's points in a low-scoring 60-44 win over Campbell. Former VT center Grant Basile was extremely productive last season at 16.4 PPG and 5.4 RPG, and Kidd is in position to fill a lot of that production this year. 

Jimmy Bell, F/C, Mississippi State 

With bigs Tolu Smith and KeShawn Murphy set to miss a few more weeks, the time is now to jump on Bell and enjoy some high-end production from a center. The West Virginia transfer is averaging 11.3 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks through the first four games of this season. Bell has a couple enticing matchups coming up against Nicholls State and Southern. 

Tyler Bilodeau, F/C, Oregon State 

Bilodeau flashed potential when he got the chance to start 13 games down the stretch last season. Now will a full offseason under his belt, the sophomore has come out of the gate strong, averaging close to a double-double at 15 points and 8.8 boards per game. Bilodeau has also shown he's not afraid to let it fly from deep, which could further add to his value. Oregon State gets two games next week during the NIT Season Tip-Off where Bilodeau will hope to put himself on the national radar. 

Quinn Slazinski, F/C, West Virginia 

With Akok Akok suffering a scary medial episode in one of the team's exhibition games, Slazinski has been asked to step in, and he has taken advantage of the opportunity. Through the first three games, the Iona transfer leads the team at 17.3 PPG. He has also at 5.3 RPG and 3.0 APG while knocking down 8-of-16 attempts from behind the arc. This is a great time to pick up Slazinski with the Mountaineers playing three games next week. 

Jaeden Zackery, G, Boston College

Zackery was a starter his first two seasons with Boston College and is poised for his best campaign yet as a junior. Through four games, he is averaging 13.8 points, 4.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals per contest. Zackery hasn't quite gotten the three-ball rolling yet, but he shot an impressive 47.7 percent as a freshman. Boston College gets two games this week in Kansas City at the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Classic. 

Ezra Manjon, G, Vanderbilt

With talented players like Tyrin Lawrence and Ven-Allen Lubin remaining out with no clear timetable for return, Manjon is the man to roster on this Vanderbilt team. The fifth-year senior has carried the team to a 3-1 record, averaging 18.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.0 three-pointers per contest. Manjon will get two games this week at the Vegas Showdown and will look to continue his hot start. 

Dontrez Styles, G/F, Georgetown

Styles has taken advantage of Ismael Massoud's hand injury and proven himself to new coach Ed Cooley. Styles put together a big performance over the weekend against Mount St. Mary's on Saturday, where he had 26 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks, then put up 22 points and 11 rebounds against American on Sunday. Continue to ride the hot hand while Massoud remains out. 

Other Conferences

Neal Quinn, F/C, Richmond 

Quinn has proven himself to be a true stat-stuffer. His best season to this point was his junior season at Lafayette, where he averaged 14.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. It was a bit more of a struggle in his first season at Richmond last year, but through three games this season, he is putting up 12.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.0 blocks per contest. This is a great time to pick him up with Richmond set to play in three games next week.

Jhamir Brickus, G, La Salle

Brickus is a four-year starter but has taken his production to new heights early in his senior season. He has never averaged more than 9.8 points in a season, but through three games is now putting up 17.3 PPG to go along with 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.3 three-pointers and 2.0 steals per contest. Usually the smallest player on the court, Brickus certainly doesn't play like such and makes for a quality add for any leagues that use the A-10. 

Michael Ajayi, F/C, Pepperdine

Ajayi and Houston Mallette are proving that they can be one of the best offensive duos in the WCC. Mallette is a third-year proven scorer, but Ajayi is a transfer from Pierce College who is coming off an incredible 31-point, 12-rebound performance against UNLV. His averages through five games now sit at 17.2 points, 11.2 rebounds and 1.2 three-pointers per contest. Ajayi gets three games this week at the Ball Dawgs Classic in Nevada. 

Ethan Taylor, G/F, Air Force 

Taylor has been a solid point guard with size the last two seasons for Air Force, but early in the 2023-24 campaign he is showing he can be an elite scorer. Taylor has scored at least 21 points in four of the six games the team has played so far. He has also knocked down a whopping 24 three-pointers. If you are in a league that includes the Mountain West, then Taylor needs to be rostered.