In fantasy basketball, it is often necessary to look beyond the obvious choices on the waiver wire. In deep leagues, there are often players available that can provide solid production despite not being widely known. Here are a few waiver wire pickups that could make a difference in deep leagues.
Week 3 Fantasy Basketball Deep Waiver Wire Adds
Jeremy Sochan, PF – San Antonio Spurs (16% rostered)
The ninth pick in the 2022 draft, Sochan has already seemingly earned Gregg Popovich’s trust averaging over 27 minutes a game in the last week. Going hot in the previous 3 games, in particular, the stat line is very well-rounded with all 9 categories within one standard deviation of the league average. If Sochan can keep up the minutes and the production, he could be flirting with a top 100 spot in fantasy basketball. With one random online commenter calling him the next Boris Diaw, the potential is tantalizing.
Marcus Morris, PF/C – Los Angeles Clippers (30% rostered)
In, perhaps, the most injury-prone team in the league, Morris seems to be the one making the most of the opportunities. He ranks among the top 50 8-category fantasy players on a per-game basis. Averaging 14 points with strong percentages and a decent contribution in threes, rebounds, and steals, Morris is a rare player on the wire producing in the scoring categories. Regardless of injured teammates returning, Morris is the starting power forward for the Clippers and his stat line isn’t heavily dependent on teammates missing games.
Justise Winslow, SF – Portland Trail Blazers (5% rostered)
With Damian Lillard out for at least a couple of weeks with a right calf strain, Shaedon Sharpe has taken his starting spot. However, look for Winslow to take advantage of the opportunity. In the first Lillard-less game, Winslow came through with a solid stat line of 7 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, and 1 three-pointer. This is mostly in line with his season before the Lillard injury with the exception of the assists, which we can now expect to increase in Lillard’s absence. Also, Portland is scheduled for 7 games in 11 days to start November so, if nothing else, you can use the volume.
Caleb Martin, SF – Miami Heat (22% rostered)
Taking over P.J. Tucker’s role in the Heat starting lineup, Martin has produced a very versatile fantasy stat line highlighted by 1.8 steals per game in his first 6 games of the season. Martin’s role in the team is to do all the small things and make open shots so don’t expect flashy numbers in the box score. With many injury-prone players on the team, Martin could, on occasion, get a boost on his 27 minutes per game, making him a very solid option at end of the fantasy team.
Dean Wade, PF – Cleveland Cavaliers (2% rostered)
Exploding for 22 points and 6 threes against the Knicks, Wade is one of the benefactors of Darius Garland’s eye injury. Having started in the last 3 games, Wade’s role in the rotation seems secure even after Garland’s return. Points and threes are all that Wade is offering so if that’s what your team is lacking, Wade is worth a look if he’s available off the waiver wire.