This article is part of our NBA Waiver Wire series.
Already, more than 70 players have missed time this season due to health and safety protocols, leaving many general managers (as well as fantasy managers) scrambling to fill the holes. The league announced a series of postponements Sunday morning, pushing three games from Sunday's slate, as well as Monday's Magic-Raptors matchup and Tuesday's game between the Wizards and Nets.
As the virus continues to make its way through the league, more games could be in jeopardy as the week goes on, but at this point fantasy managers are used to rolling with the punches. It has been a bit chaotic, to say the least. With that being said, the lack of stagnancy has made writing this column (as well as spreading the love around) relatively easy.
Without further ado, here are 10 recommendations for Week 10, most of whom have not been suggested in previous weeks.
Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers (41% rostered)
While C.J. McCollum (lung) is reportedly making progress and will be re-evaluated next week, he is being mentioned in trade rumors as much as anyone in the league these days. Outside of McCollum and Damian Lillard, who has dealt with an abdomen injury all season, Simons is Portland's only other reliable source of perimeter offense, a capable bucket-getter who has scored 22 or more in three of his last seven games. Although the Trail Blazers have only two games this week, Simons possesses plenty of upside from a rest-of-season perspective, given that a blockbuster trade
Already, more than 70 players have missed time this season due to health and safety protocols, leaving many general managers (as well as fantasy managers) scrambling to fill the holes. The league announced a series of postponements Sunday morning, pushing three games from Sunday's slate, as well as Monday's Magic-Raptors matchup and Tuesday's game between the Wizards and Nets.
As the virus continues to make its way through the league, more games could be in jeopardy as the week goes on, but at this point fantasy managers are used to rolling with the punches. It has been a bit chaotic, to say the least. With that being said, the lack of stagnancy has made writing this column (as well as spreading the love around) relatively easy.
Without further ado, here are 10 recommendations for Week 10, most of whom have not been suggested in previous weeks.
Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers (41% rostered)
While C.J. McCollum (lung) is reportedly making progress and will be re-evaluated next week, he is being mentioned in trade rumors as much as anyone in the league these days. Outside of McCollum and Damian Lillard, who has dealt with an abdomen injury all season, Simons is Portland's only other reliable source of perimeter offense, a capable bucket-getter who has scored 22 or more in three of his last seven games. Although the Trail Blazers have only two games this week, Simons possesses plenty of upside from a rest-of-season perspective, given that a blockbuster trade could be on the horizon, or the club's backcourt may remain hobbled.
Kelly Olynyk, Detroit Pistons (47% rostered)
With Jerami Grant (thumb) set to miss at least the next month and a half, the Pistons are paper-thin in terms of talent. And like McCollum, Grant's name also keeps popping up in trade rumors. Meanwhile, Olynyk (knee) will be re-evaluated soon and could return in the near future, if all goes well.
Whenever Olynyk does rejoin the rotation, his rostered percentage will almost certainly rise immediately thereafter. Isaiah Stewart has mostly struggled this season, failing to build on a strong finish to his rookie campaign, and Olynyk was off to a steady start with averages of 12.5 points, 5.3 boards, 2.3 dimes, 1.4 threes, 1.4 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 23.0 minutes through his first 10 appearances. Add and stash Olynyk now, before it's too late.
Chuma Okeke, Magic (40% rostered)
With the Magic dealing with injury and COVID issues, Okeke has moved into a much larger role over the last three games. He's started all three and averaged 13.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 3.0 threes, 3.0 steals and 1.3 blocks in 35.3 minutes per game. Okeke began the year injured and has mostly struggled, but lately he's reminding fantasy owners of the flashes he showed near the end of last season. Monday's game against Toronto has been postponed, but the Magic still play three more games in Week 10. With Mo Bamba (ankle) and Wendell Carter (lower leg) hobbled, and Moritz Wagner and Terrence Ross in COVID-19 protocols, Okeke's increased role will likely continue for at least one or two of those games.
Nerlens Noel, New York Knicks (42% rostered)
While his offense can be non-existent on some nights, Noel remains a consistent contributor defensively, with season averages of 5.9 boards, 1.4 blocks, and 1.1 steal2 through 16 appearances. Moreover, having posted a career-high 2.2 blocks per game last season, it shouldn't be surprising if his swats increase as the campaign carries on. He's started over Mitchell Robinson in each of the last six games in which he's played.
Matisse Thybulle, Philadelphia 76ers (34% rostered)
Speaking of stocks (steals and blocks), Thybulle has cooled off compared to earlier in the year, but he's still turning in 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. While he doesn't provide much outside of those two categories, he's maintaining career-high field-goal and free-throw percentages (46.4% FG, 87.5% FT), albeit on minimal attempts.
Already averaging a career high in minutes (24.1 MPG) as well, if Thybulle can inch his way closer to the 35.7 percent he shot from beyond the arc as a rookie, he'll likely be in line for even more playing time going forward, as the 76ers are seriously lacking in the perimeter defense department, apart from veteran stalwart Danny Green. When you ask Tobias Harris to cover Kevin Durant in crunch time of a close game, losing is all but inevitable.
The Sixers also head into the week with a number of COVID and injury-related question marks. Green (hip), Furkan Korkmaz (illness), Georges Niang (COVID-19), Shake Milton (COVID-19) and Andre Drummond (COVID-19) could all be liable to miss time.
P.J. Tucker, Miami Heat (36% rostered)
Miami is missing most of its top players due to injuries, and Tucker has helped pick up the slack. During the last five games, he's averaging 14.6 points, 6.8 boards, 4.6 dimes, 2.6 threes, 1.0 steals, and 0.6 blocks across 34.4 minutes. Normally a player who is significantly more impactful in real life than fantasy, Tucker seems like a solid streaming option until the Heat are healthier.
Isaac Okoro, Cleveland Cavaliers (18% rostered)
Okoro (health and safety protocols) is expected to miss the next several contests. Still, he has been playing the best basketball of his brief career over the last week, averaging 18.5 points across the last four games. Despite the loss of Collin Sexton (knee) for the remainder of the season, Cleveland remains stacked at point guard, power forward and center. It's along the wing where there is limited talent and depth. As such, the Cavaliers can be expected to rely heavily on Okoro once he's healthy.
Saben Lee, Detroit Pistons (8% rostered)
Small sample size alert! In his last two games, Lee combined for 28 points, 11 dimes, seven boards, six steals, two treys, and one block in 49 minutes. Despite that production, he didn't see the floor against Detroit on Saturday night. Still, he may be worth a speculative look as part of what's been a very much unsettled Pistons' rotation. The indefinite absence of Jerami Grant (thumb) has pried open the door of opportunity for other Pistons to make their mark, and Lee is the most likely to shine – at least in my opinion.
For those with a short memory, Lee had a hot stretch last year when he burst onto the scene and achieved fantasy relevance. More recently, he has been tearing up the G League in 2021-22, averaging 30.6 points, 7.4 assists, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 threes, 2.1 steals, and 0.9 blocks across 39.1 minutes through seven contests with the Motor City Cruise. Another good game or two and Lee may be gone in most leagues. Add him now while folks are still sleeping.
Gabe Vincent, Miami Heat (25% rostered)
Vincent has quietly scored in double figures in nine of the last 12 games while providing decent production in the assists, threes, and steals departments. Furthermore, he's coming off back-to-back monster performances against Philly (26 points) and Orlando (27 points). Like Tucker, Vincent has stepped up with Miami missing several starters and regular rotation players. Those looking for a quality streaming option for Week 10 could do much worse, especially in deeper leagues.
Recent recommendations still rostered in less than 50 percent of leagues: Chris Duarte, Royce O'Neale, Marcus Morris, Kevin Huerter, Tyus Jones, Cameron Johnson, Garrison Mathews, Eric Gordon, Dewayne Dedmon, Dorian Finney-Smith, JaVale McGee, Patrick Beverley, Herbert Jones, Cedi Osman
