Working the waiver wire is pivotal to succeeding in fantasy basketball. With so many games, injuries and endless shifts in rotations throughout the NBA season, we'll need to source stats from free agency to maximize our imaginary rosters.
A willingness to entertain competition for the last spot or two on your fantasy hoops rosters can prove rewarding, even though it's difficult to open up space this early in the season. The final few rounds of a draft are often used for speculation on sleepers, so it can help to consider those end-of-bench players as being in direct competition with the talent floating in free agency.
In this weekly series, we identify players available in more than 40 percent of ESPN leagues at each position. Some nominations are purely specialists capable of helping in one or two categories, while others deliver more diverse and important statistical offerings. Either way, we believe the names below -- ordered by ownership rate at each position -- can contribute positively to fantasy rosters.
Point guard
Terry Rozier, Boston Celtics (rostered in 24.6 percent of ESPN leagues)
The guy Danny Ainge supposedly claimed he would never include in a trade package is now entirely worthy of acquisition as a fantasy free agent. With a serious injury to Gordon Hayward, and Marcus Smart now ailing as well, Rozier has been asked to contribute as the complementary backcourt playmaker alongside Kyrie Irving. The Louisville product has averaged 28.6 minutes, 14.5 points, seven rebounds, four assists and 2.5 3-pointers over the past two games with an awesome offensive rating of 121 -- confirming his positive impact. Even if it's just a short-term run, Rozier is a valuable addition at the moment.
Jerian Grant, Chicago Bulls (3.2)
At some point, we need to value opportunity for the sheer sake of scarcity. As in, Grant is a starting NBA point guard averaging 30.2 minutes and nearly 12 shots per game. With the Bulls applying at a faster pace, increasing transition opportunities, Grant could be a fun source of assists and steals atop what is a thin backcourt.
Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn Nets (2.9)
Getting cheap shares of Brooklyn's amazing pace-driven system could pay dividends for those in deeper leagues. With Jeremy Lin out for the season and D'Angelo Russell playing best when rotating off the ball, we could see Dinwiddie enjoy increased opportunity rates -- such as a usage percentage of 26.8 percent in the second game.
Shooting guard
Dejounte Murray, San Antonio Spurs (36.9)
A huge frame and impressive defensive skills fuel immediate value for Murray; he's averaging two steals and he's the rare guard with the ability to compile a meaningful block rate. With the Spurs' backcourt depth chart so thin, Murray will earn steady minutes, offering awesome value as a guard capable of supplying plus rates in steals, assists and rebounds. I've placed Murray at shooting guard rather than point guard, given his dual eligibility and the shallow nature of the two-guard position.
Rodney Hood, Utah Jazz (25.0)
Injuries continue to be the main holdup to Hood providing value as a fantasy resource, but opportunity and ability are both present in his profile. Hood sported a rich 29.9 usage rate in the team's second game, and he's posted a stellar offensive rating (the team's offensive performance per 100 possessions) above 130 in each of his first two appearances. If you can remain patient as Hood heals from a calf ailment, the payoff could prove enduring.
Evan Turner, Portland Trail Blazers (15.6)
A full-floor game fuels rewarding fantasy results when Turner is afforded plenty of exposure, as he's averaging 29.9 minutes and enjoying a robust assist percentage of 21 percent this season. With Portland moving Allen Crabbe this past offseason, Turner shouldn't have any issues nearing 30 minutes with rewarding, ball-dominant usage as the team's complementary playmaker behind a dynamic starting backcourt.
Small forward
Joe Ingles, Utah Jazz (27.3)
Much like with Turner in Portland, roster erosion in Utah this past offseason affords Ingles rare offensive responsibilities for a wing. Averaging well over 30 minutes, and with one of the most efficient scoring profiles in the league, Ingles helps in nearly every category, save for blocks.
Taurean Prince, Atlanta Hawks (13.5)
You'll notice multiple players from Brooklyn and Atlanta merit consideration in this column, with Prince as a key example of a player thriving with increased usage on a team that is thin on proven veterans. The combination of Dwight Howard and Paul Millsap averaged nearly 40 rebounding chances (within 3.5 feet of an available board) for the Hawks last season. With these vets in other spots now, Prince is capitalizing on this void in opportunity on the glass, with eight rebounds and respectable scoring and defensive rates bolstering an emergent fantasy profile.
DeMarre Carroll, Brooklyn Nets (13.4)
Back to Brooklyn, where we find former Hawk standout Carroll enjoying bountiful opportunities on the glass and as a stretch forward. The vet is responding with 8.5 boards, two 3-pointers and 1.5 steals per night so far, a slash that clearly demands more attention from fantasy investors.
Power forward
Trevor Booker, Brooklyn Nets (38.2)
While surface stats like 18.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game for Booker through the first week of the season stand out, I'm equally impressed by the fact he's averaging 7.5 free throw attempts -- a sign of his increased aggressiveness and independence on offense. We mention Brooklyn's fast pace so often because it correlates to added possessions, and thus added opportunities to produce fantasy-relevant results. Booker is a key beneficiary of this fantasy-friendly scheme so far.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Brooklyn Nets (31.8)
The parade of Nets continues. It's fairly easy to endorse Hollis-Jefferson, as he's the rare player who can carry your team in steals -- one of the scarcest categories in the league. Don't overthink this one, as "RHJ" has top-100 value as long as he's healthy.
Lauri Markkanen, Chicago Bulls (20.7)
With Nikola Mirotic ailing and Bobby Portis suspended, this unique stretch big has been afforded every opportunity to produce for a young Bulls roster. Averaging well over 30 minutes, with impressive early rebounding and shooting rates, Markkanen could be the standout fantasy freshman during these early weeks of the season.
Center
Tyson Chandler, Phoenix Suns (18.0)
Rebounding. That's what you add Chandler for. The block rate and offensive support are essentially gone by this point of his career. If you don't need boards, move on. If you went guard-heavy in your draft and are in need of support on the glass, Chandler is still among the leaders in rebounding chances and conversions, as he's been over the past several seasons.
Kelly Olynyk, Miami Heat (16.5)
If Chandler offers singular value, Olynyk doesn't stand out in any one statistic, but instead he provides value by contributing diverse statistical lines. Through two appearances, the former Celtic is averaging two 3-pointers, seven rebounds, 3.5 dimes and respectable defensive rates. Don't get scared off by meager scoring results, as Olynyk can provide far more helpful rates among the scarcer categories.
Dewayne Dedmon, Atlanta Hawks (9.7)
A free source for blocks and boards, Dedmon is filling part of the aforementioned rebounding void left in Atlanta. There isn't much competition for Dedmon for meaningful center minutes, and thus he's likely underappreciated by the fantasy market at the moment.
