Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Navigating Volatile Rotations

We head into another key week in the fantasy season, one that runs parallel to what might be considered the most volatile time of the actual NBA season in terms of personnel usage. 

Injuries have naturally also taken centerstage, as they do virtually ever season by this point. But the silver lining is now much opportunity it's opening up for players that are still widely available in many leagues as fantasy managers try to fortify rosters for postseason battle.

As always, the players in this article must be rostered in less than two-thirds of CBS leagues. Players are listed in the order that I recommend adding them, assuming they are equally good fits for you. 

Adds for all leagues

Spencer Dinwiddie, Mavericks (58% rostered)

Jaden Hardy, Mavericks (3% rostered)

Given his career-long body of work, Dinwiddie was bound to finally hit his stride with the abundance of opportunity available on an injury-ravaged Mavericks squad. The grizzled vet has finally started to pay consistent dividends for fantasy managers, averaging 19.4 points (on 48.6% shooting, including 39.3% from behind the arc), 6.2 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.0 steals over his last five games. 

Granted, there's some concern about that shooting efficiency holding up down the stretch, given that's never been his strong suit and Dinwiddie has only drained 40.2% of his attempts since the start of the 2023-24 season. Nevertheless, with Anthony Davis (thigh) still lacking a firm return timetable and Kyrie Irving (knee) gone for good this season, Dinwiddie figures to continue benefitting from a usage bump to varying degrees the rest of the way.

Meanwhile, Hardy is a somewhat forward-thinking pickup, on a couple of fronts. One, he just returned from a seven-game absence due to an ankle strain, so he's a bit of a forgotten man in the fantasy realm at the moment. Yet, sharp deep-league managers know there's some upside to be had there, as Hardy offered a reminder of by pouring in 24 points across 24 minutes in his return Wednesday against the Pacers.

Additionally, while Brandon Williams has certainly been impressive when healthy, he's a two-way player with only five games remaining at the NBA level this season. The Mavericks can't sign another player until April 10 due to cap restrictions, so Hardy may well be in store for plenty of minutes off the bench down the stretch. 

Kyle Filipowski, Jazz   (62% rostered)

Brice Sensabaugh, Jazz   (14% rostered)

The Jazz's productive duo was also highlighted last week, and with their roster rates still making our cut, they're right back in this space. John Collins and Lauri Markkanen have seemingly returned to the comfy confines of the inactive list, and Collins is dealing with a left lateral ankle strain that's expected to keep him out at least another week. That absence should lock in plenty of opportunity for Filipowski, who's averaged 19.0 points (56.7% shooting, including 55.0% from distance), 9.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists across 30.5 minutes in the eight starts he's logged since Feb. 8.

Meanwhile, Sensabaugh will continue to benefit from Markkanen's spotty attendance, and the third-year wing is averaging 13.7 points (48.7% shooting, including 47.3% from deep), 3.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists across a modest 23.8 minutes per game in his 15 post-All-Star-break contests. While that line underscores the fact the production you'll get from the 2023 first-round pick is a bit top-heavy on the scoring end, it also confirms Sensabaugh can give your offensive categories a nice boost.

Tre Jones, Bulls  (53% rostered)

Jones' years in San Antonio could be aptly described as underwhelming to a degree, but the 2020 second-round pick has, at least for the moment, carved out a niche in Chicago's short-handed backcourt. As noted in last week's column, Lonzo Ball's ongoing absence because of a wrist injury has helped Jones' cause, but Josh Giddey's four absences in the last five contests because of an ankle issue certainly haven't hurt, either.

Jones has parlayed blistering 60.7% shooting – including 60.0% from 3-point range – into an average of 14.2 points over his last 11 games, a figure he's complemented with 6.1 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals per contest. While the elite efficiency on the offensive end is unsustainable over an extended stretch, it's also fair to say it isn't a total fluke by any stretch – Jones came into the season shooting 48.1% over his first four NBA seasons.

Brandin Podziemski, Warriors (63% rostered)

Podziemski has returned in fine form from a five-game absence due to a bilateral low-back strain, averaging 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 steals over his first two games back on the floor. The 2023 first-round pick immediately reclaimed his starting two-guard role, and he's a solid third option when sharing the floor with Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler.

Podziemski's efficiency still has room for improvement, and fluctuations in his scoring come with the package of rostering him. However, with 14 games of 15 points or better, a trio of double-doubles and 14 multi-steal tallies, the potential benefit of rostering Podziemski down the stretch is evident.

Ziaire Williams, Nets (20% rostered)

Williams is making quite the name for himself in both NBA and fantasy circles down the stretch, with a Thursday night 22-point, five-rebound, one-assist, two-steal effort his latest noteworthy performance. It was Williams' fifth straight double-digit scoring tally and seventh in his last eight contests, and the scoring total was his second highest this season.

Williams has recorded at least 14 points in seven of his last 13 games overall, a sample that includes one double-double, one 18-point effort and a pair of 19-point tallies in addition to Thursday's 22-point contribution. The 2021 first-round pick is locked into the starting small forward role, and he should continue receiving all the minutes he can down the stretch as Brooklyn plays out the string. 

Guerschon Yabusele, 76ers (41% rostered)

Joel Embiid (knee) and Paul George (knee/groin) are both out for the season, while Tyrese Maxey (back/finger), Kelly Oubre (knee) and Andre Drummond (toe) are dealing with nagging injuries that they're understandably not being pushed to return from. Even rookie Adem Bona, who would be in prime position to get valuable reps under current conditions, is dealing with a nagging ankle issue that will cost him a fourth straight game Friday. 

In other words, Yabusele is nearly the last man standing, especially in Philadelphia's frontcourt. The veteran big, who rejuvenated his career in EuroLeague, has had his fair share of success in his return NBA season while putting together career-best figures of 10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists, as well as 49.6% shooting, including 39.0% from 3-point range. Yabusele should be leaned on heavily for the foreseeable future and has corroborated his ability to make meaningful contributions in multiple categories.

Aaron Nesmith, Pacers (33% rostered)

Nesmith's teammate Bennedict Mathurin (79% rostered) is all the rage on waiver wires and is only going to be more coveted with every passing stellar performance while Tyrese Haliburton remains out due to his back injury. 

However, Nesmith has more quietly put together some solid work in his own right recently, as he went into Thursday's win over the Nets averaging 17.8 points (on 53.6%, including 47.5% from behind the arc), 3.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals across his first nine games of March. 

Nesmith then turned in a solid 14-point,six-rebound, two-steal effort versus Brooklyn. Although Haliburton's eventual return would theoretically ding Nesmith's production, the latter is still clocking 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals per 36 minutes when he shares the floor with his star teammate.

Orlando Robinson, Raptors (31% rostered)

Robinson has been a primary beneficiary of the Raptors' late-season haphazard frontcourt personnel usage, which has included affording veteran Jakob Poeltl his fair share of rest days. Jonathan Mogbo also recently missed six games due to a nasal injury, and although the latter has been back for two games, he's averaged just 3.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists across 27.5 minutes while shooting 25.0% in that span.

Robinson had consistently outpaced those numbers over the last five games going into Thursday's matchup versus the Warriors, posting 14.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists across 28.6 minutes per contest. What's more, the third-year big has even been flashing a bit of floor-spacing prowess, recording a 37.5% success rate from behind the arc on eight total three-point attempts during the sample. 

Robinson isn't higher on this list largely because he was curiously left out of the rotation altogether Thursday against Golden State, which is naturally a bit of a concern. However, given the upside he's demonstrated – and the likelihood there are more nights off in Poeltl's future over the last few weeks – Robinson is still worthy of consideration. 

Other recommendations: Dennis Schroder, Pistons (57% rostered); Dalton Knecht, Lakers (43% rostered); Kevin Huerter, Bulls (24% rostered)

Deep leagues

Sandro Mamukelashvili, Spurs   (4% rostered)

Mamukelashvili should certainly garner some interest this week after putting together nothing short of a record-setting performance in the form of a 34-point effort over 19 minutes against the Knicks on Wednesday, the biggest scoring haul in under 20 minutes in NBA history. 

That was Mamu's fourth straight double-digit scoring effort, a sample in which he's also connected on multiple three-pointers in each contest. The floor-spacing forward has shot an elite 63.6% from distance in that span, and if San Antonio opts to manage veteran Bismack Biyombo's minutes down the stretch, Mamukelashvili should be in line for plenty of run.

Other recommendations: Tristan Vukcevic, Wizards (6% rostered); Kai Jones, Mavericks (6% rostered)