Working the waiver wire is pivotal to succeeding in fantasy basketball. With so many games, injuries and endless shifts in rotations throughout the 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 roster 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 in direct competition with the talent floating in free agency.
In this weekly series, I 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, I believe the names below -- ordered by ownership rate at each position -- can contribute positively to fantasy rosters.
Point guard
Rajon Rondo, New Orleans Pelicans (Rostered in 39.6 percent of ESPN leagues)
Even while spending the season often ceding minutes and touches to the likes of Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler in Chicago last year, Rondo was 13th in the NBA with 12.6 potential assists per game, just ahead of the likes of Damian Lillard and Draymond Green. To me, this suggests Rondo can still distribute at an elite level. Since last season is the most recent sample of his play, it's worth noting Rondo was also 11th among all guards last year with 8.6 rebounding chances per game. With what should be heavy minutes and unfettered facilitation duties for the Pelicans once he returns from injury, Rondo is arguably the best injury stash among widely available players at the moment.
Austin Rivers, LA Clippers (13.0 percent)
There still isn't a clear timeline for Milos Teodosic's return from injury, which affords Rivers a good bit of short-term value amid an increase in usage and minutes. Over the past three games, Rivers is averaging 17.3 points, 2.3 steals and 3.7 3-pointers. The most important metric might just be the 34.2 minutes Rivers is netting per appearance over this sample, revealing an entirely worthy streaming option for the week ahead.
T.J. McConnell, Philadelphia 76ers (3.9 percent)
Another player with potential as a rental while, his teammate Markelle Fultz is on the mend, McConnell has been a consistent playmaker for the 76ers on both sides of the ball over the past two games. This past Wednesday against Houston, he became just the third Philadelphia player since 1983 to register at least 6 steals, 9 assists, 5 rebounds and 6 points. That's just it, don't look at the scoring column when assessing McConnell's fantasy value, as his ability to build diverse lines as the third guard and primary backup point guard is a sneaky way to add value to the end of your roster.
Shooting guard
Rodney Hood, Utah Jazz (26.5 percent) I never learned to play an instrument with any proficiency, but I keep banging the Hood drum to at least broadcast how valuable he might become for fantasy investors in the months ahead. Hood is currently fourth in the NBA in points per touch (0.530) with impressive peers in efficiency like Kyle Korver, Kristaps Porzingis and Andrew Wiggins. I wouldn't focus on Hood's low usage rates, as he's really just asked to score and shoot for a Jazz team in dire need of perimeter scoring pop in the wake of Gordon Hayward's departure. Health remains an element of risk for Hood, but given he's available at the cost of a few clicks in most leagues, it's a worthy gamble to consider.
Marco Belinelli, Atlanta Hawks (10.8 percent)
Forgotten in the shuffle of a wild offseason, Belinelli is now the key shooting specialist for the Hawks, as he's averaging a rich 5.8 shots from beyond so far. On a roster in need of his floor spacing, it's easy to envision this veteran regularly earn at least 25 minutes of exposure each game with rare freedom to loft from deep.
Small forward
Taurean Prince, Atlanta Hawks (20.7 percent)
Atlanta has the kind of roster that will prove popular for finding fantasy free agents early this season; an infusion of youth and untested veterans earning more minutes fosters statistical potential. Prince is a key example of how opportunity rates can drive value, as he's averaging 1.5 steals, 1.5 3-pointers and a nice rebounding rate from the wing in 29.3 minutes (32.7 over past three).
Josh Richardson, Miami Heat (19.7 percent)
Over his past four games, all starts, Richardson is proving his awesome finish to last season wasn't an aberrational stretch of success, but an enduring trend, as he's averaged 13.8 points, 4.3 boards, 3 assists, 1.3 steals, 1 block and 2 3-pointers as a key combo guard and glue guy for the Heat. Even when the scoring production isn't present, a rich blend of defensive metrics supports steady value for Richardson.
Chandler Parsons, Memphis Grizzlies (5.6 percent)
If you have a roster spot available for stashing a player, Parsons is immediately intriguing thanks to a huge night from the floor against the Rockets recently. It might have just been an isolated revival game for Parsons, but his pedigree merits our attention.
Power forward
John Collins, Atlanta Hawks (29.1 percent)
A fun sleeper candidate now thriving on the glass for the Hawks, Collins is tied with Myles Turner and just ahead of Kevin Durant with 14 rebounding chances (within 3.5 feet of an available board) per game. With some defensive upside complementing a steady rebounding pattern, Collins is worth owning in all but shallow fantasy formats.
Marcus Morris, Boston Celtics (21.3 percent)
Among the league leaders in minutes played over the last several seasons in Detroit, Morris should see plenty of minutes and touches on a Boston frontcourt reliant on youth at the moment. Morris should also be afforded additional freedom to extend his shot in Boston, adding to what could be a high-floor fantasy profile upon his impending return from an injury.
Caris LeVert, Brooklyn Nets (12.4 percent)
An endorsement for those in deeper leagues, LeVert is struggling badly from the field with just 36.8 percent of his shots going in so far, marked by shooting 19.3 percent from beyond. But I also see him shooting 4.3 3-pointers and playing 28.4 minutes, evidence a positive correction could be on the way for his shooting and scoring rates. More than anything, I think LeVert is a talented prospect and could eventually find his stride on this fast-paced and fantasy-friendly Nets scheme.
Center
Frank Kaminsky, Charlotte Hornets (35.8 percent)
While he may lose a few minutes once Cody Zeller returns to the court, Kaminsky should remain a key part of the Hornets' rotation, given his rare ability to stretch the floor -- he's making 42.1 percent of his 3-point attempts and averaging nearly 17 points over his past four games.
Kelly Olynyk, Miami Heat (23.1 percent)
Finally getting steady minutes now that he's on his second team, Olynyk is impressively averaging at least one block, steal and 3-pointer per night to go with 10.6 points and seven rebounds. This diverse slash seems sustainable and could quietly earn him a top-20 fantasy finish at the position (currently 16th on the Player Rater).
Alex Len, Phoenix Suns (9.8 percent)
Another deep-league addition to consider, Len is averaging 11.8 points and 8.8 rebounds over the past four games for a Phoenix team that proves entirely thin past Tyson Chandler at center, affording this mercurial big enough minutes to matter.
