Fantasy Basketball Streaming Picks: Top Waiver Wire Targets for Wednesday
Streaming players from three NBA teams with good matchups on Wednesday.
Every team in the NBA has played right around 40 games, give or take a few. That means we are about to hit the halfway point of the season.
And nothing is even close to settled. In the Western Conference, the second- through seventh-place teams are separated by three games. In the East, No. 2 through No. 10 are seven games apart. There will be a lot of shuffling between now and April.
Moving to fantasy basketball, let's look at streaming players from three NBA teams with good matchups on Wednesday. We will focus on the guys who get on the court and are widely available in fantasy leagues. Most stats are from NBA.com.
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Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz
We start today with a game in which both teams are good targets. Not only are they good targets, but they are two of the three best fantasy targets available to us (the other is coming up next). Both teams are in or close to the 10th spot in their respective conference, and play-in position is probably as high as either can hope to finish.
Utah plays at the fourth-fastest pace and has the worst defensive rating in the league. Chicago is third fastest with the seventh-worst defense. Both these groups are likely to be among our favorite fantasy target teams the rest of the season.
Chicago Bulls
Guard
Josh Giddey is out, and Coby White missed yesterday's game due to “injury management,” though White could play today. Dosunmu is generally a slightly better fantasy player between these two, but Jones scored 34 points in 27 minutes yesterday; he's on a hot streak if nothing else. If White is in the lineup, these guys are both OK low-to-mid-level streamers.
Forward
Huerter is the best fantasy player from this group, and he can slot in at both guard and forward, giving him a little bump in value. His 11.8 points per game are the only stat that entices fantasy owners from this group. Okoro has been playing more lately, but he doesn't put up the numbers to be a real fantasy option.
Center
Smith is just a backup and won't have much fantasy value unless Nikola Vucevic misses extended time (though he had a good game yesterday).
Utah Jazz
We have a lot of names here but not necessarily a lot of fantasy value. As a low-level team, Utah has nothing to lose by playing a lot of guys, especially young players; it's our job to sift through for anyone who might be a good streamer.
Guard
Mykhailiuk and Bailey are very similar fantasy players, with Bailey having a slight advantage by season-long numbers. Both players can slot in at both guard and forward in most leagues, but they are just low-level statistical players, making it tough to trust them often. Mykhailiuk has been playing more recently, which could push him ahead.
Collier averages 8.6 points and 6.7 assists per game, good low-level streaming stats. Given that both these teams play super fast and with poor defenses, these players have a little intrigue today.
Forward
There's not as much potential here, as these guys all play 20 minutes or less per game and don't put up many numbers. Sensabaugh scores 10 points per game, but there's no other stat from any of these guys that stands out at all.
Center
Nurkic is a good fantasy streamer, averaging 10.4 points, 10 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He's well worth a spot in someone's lineup today. Filipowski plays backup minutes and puts up backup stats, keeping him below the level of a fantasy asset. He will have more value if Nurkic misses a stretch of games.
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Washington Wizards
It's a good day for fantasy owners who need streamers, as the Wizards complete the triumvirate of vulnerable teams we look to go after every day. Washington plays at the fifth-fastest pace and has the second-worst defensive rating, leaving them in a familiar spot: in the basement of the league.
The Clippers are a strong contender for most disappointing team of the first half. They sit 16-23 and one game back from the play-in with the sixth-worst point differential in the conference. Their offensive rating is a little better than average, but LA has the sixth-worst defensive rating, something that will hold them back from making any kind of real run.
Guard
Bogdanovic last played on December 26 because of a hamstring injury. He is listed as questionable here, but he needs to be verified as playing before you consider him for your lineup. If he remains out, it gives Dunn and Miller more opportunities. They are just low-level fantasy players, but Miller did have 14 points in 27 minutes in their last game, just three days after scoring 21 in 27 minutes; Miller is intriguing with Bogdanovic out.
Forward
Sanders also benefits from Bogdanovic's absence, though he has played inconsistent minutes during that time. Sanders is a lesser player than Miller, who is also eligible at forward in many leagues. Batum doesn't put up many stats at this point in his career and is off the fantasy radar.
Center
It wasn't long ago that Lopez was a fantasy darling, but he now plays less than 20 minutes per game and doesn't put up many numbers. He had a few vintage games filling in while Ivica Zubac was out, but that will have to occur again for Lopez to have any real fantasy value.
