With injuries plaguing several teams this past couple of weeks, scouting the waiver wire for quality pickups has become necessary even for fantasy managers who began the season on a roll. Jimmy Butler (ankle), Damian Lillard (abdomen), and Collin Sexton (torn meniscus) are just some of the players that recently had to go to the injured list.
For Week 5, Wednesday (PHT) has the least number of games, followed by Friday (PHT). The Warriors, Spurs, Jazz, Clippers, and Sixers have games on both days.
Among these five teams, the Warriors and the Clippers have the best schedule, having a total of four games this week including the least loaded days. You should definitely consider getting players from these teams if you’re looking to beef up your roster this week.
Here are some players that you can add, or at the very least, put on your watch list.
Grayson Allen (SG/SF), Milwaukee Bucks
Season Ave: 3.8 3PTM, 16.0 PTS, 3.9 REB, 1.4 AST, 0.9 ST, 0.4 BLK, 0.7 TO
A lot of fantasy managers already picked up Grayson Allen in the last couple of weeks, but he is still under-rostered at 67 percent. If he’s still available in your league, don’t waste any more time and just grab him. His 3-point shooting has been his best contribution, averaging 4.8 made shots in Week 4 and 3.8 for the season. He’s had plenty of opportunities to shine with Khris Middleton missing time due to health and safety protocols. His usage will drop once Middleton returns, but with how he’s going off and filling the stat sheet, he will likely remain significant.
Eric Bledsoe (PG/SG), Los Angeles Clippers
Season Ave: 0.9 3PTM, 11.1 PTS. 3.9 REB, 4.4 AST, 1.6 ST. 0.8 BLK, 2.4 TO
Eric Bledsoe struggled in his first few games this season, but his numbers jumped this past week. He’s had four straight double-digit scoring games, where he averaged 51 percent from the field. He’s coming off his highest scoring output this season, tallying 21 points alongside six rebounds and three assists, albeit in a loss. He usually contributes steals and blocks, too. Given the Clippers’ attractive schedule this week, Bledsoe could be a great streaming option.
Chimezie Metu (PF), Sacaramento Kings
Season Ave: 1.8 3PTM, 8.0 PTS, 4.3 REB, 1.0 AST, 0.5 ST, 0.3 BLK, 1.3 TO
Chimezie Metu just dropped 16 points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and one block in the Kings’ win over the Pistons this morning. He started and stayed on the court for 31 minutes, his longest time so far this season, after back-to-back promising performances last week. If you’re worried that this might be a fluke, you can just put Metu on your radar and check first if he can keep it up this week.
Josh Hart (SG/SF), New Orleans Pelicans
Season Ave: 0.9 3PTM, 10.6 PTS, 5.5 REB. 3.5 AST, 0.5 ST, 0.3 BLK, 1.0 TO
Josh Hart’s playmaking has been worth a look. Coming in this week, he just posted a career-high 11 assists with zero turnovers. His numbers do not usually pop out but he’s been averaging double-digits in scoring and his rebounding is not bad. He did record a double-double of 13-12 with a perfect 6-for-6 clip from the free throw line in a close loss to the Wizards this morning. As long as he’s a starter with the Pelicans, he’ll be able to contribute to your team.
Talen Horton-Tucker (SG/SF), Los Angeles Lakers
Season Ave: 1.0 3PTM, 17.0 PTS, 4.0 REB. 1.0 AST, 1.0 ST, 1.0 BLK, 2.0 TO
Talen Horton-Tucker just debuted for the Lakers yesterday after recovering from a right thumb surgery, and he immediately made a splash. He finished with 17 points, four rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block in 27 minutes of action. He played even better in his second game this morning against the Bulls. Hurry up and snag THT if he’s still on the wire. He’ll provide fantasy value, especially now that the Lakers are still dealing with several injuries, including that of LeBron James (abdomen).
