Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Week 15 Streaming Targets

Week 14 brought with it a few surprises, as well as some interesting takeaways regarding the mindset of numerous organizations. The availability of players has been a hot topic over the past few years but appears to have burst onto the scene even earlier this season. Knowing who is playing from one night to the next is going to be an arduous task for many, making streaming an even more important strategy moving forward. Whether it's targeting an offensive threat capable of delivering points and threes or a defensive-minded player who can help boost your blocks and steals, narrowing your focus can prove vital as you battle for seeding. Let's dive into six players who are currently rostered in fewer than 50% of Yahoo leagues.

Jeremy Sochan, San Antonio Spurs (45% rostered)

Sochan has been dealing with a back injury but returned to action against the Pacers on Thursday. As this is an injury he has been dealing with for much of the month, the Spurs are likely going to take a cautious approach moving forward. He ended with 13 points, nine rebounds and three assists in 18 minutes, modest production in anyone's book. However, he has been a consistent contributor for San Antonio, playing in his preferred position of power forward. Across the season, he has put up healthy averages of 13.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 0.9 steals. Despite playing alongside Victor Wembanyama, he has managed to record double-digit rebounds six times, scoring at least 15 points on 10 separate occasions. Given his importance to the team, he should be rostered in all standard formats.

Tari Eason, Houston Rockets (45% rostered)

Another player returning from injury, Eason has hit the ground running with four solid performances. During that time, he has averaged 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 1.3 three-pointers in 23.7 minutes per game. An injury to Jabari Smith has opened the door for Eason to play consistent minutes, something that was a bit of an issue earlier in the season. Although it is unlikely he pushes too far beyond 25 minutes per game, he has demonstrated an ability to produce on both ends of the floor, even in limited playing time. There is an element of risk when it comes to trusting Eason, given his recent injury was related to an injury that ended his 2023-24 campaign. With that said, the investment is very low when grabbing someone off waivers, making him a no-brainer in just about every league right now.

Kel'el Ware, Miami Heat (41% rostered)

Speaking of no-brainer additions, Ware has rocketed into standard league consideration over the past week, starting in two straight games, while logging at least 33 minutes in three consecutive performances. It appears the Heat have decided to shift Bam Adebayo to the power forward position, allowing Ware to slide in as the starting center. Over the past week, he has averaged 19.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.5 three-pointers and 2.0 combined steals and blocks in 30.8 minutes per game. He has scored at least 20 points in three straight games, an element of his game that feels a little unsustainable. However, he should be a consistent source of rebounds and defensive stats, if recent events are anything to go by. If, for some reason, he is still available in your league, that needs to be rectified right away.

Cason Wallace, Oklahoma City Thunder (25% rostered)

Wallace continues to quietly go about his business, providing top-100 value across the season, and yet he remains unrostered in three-quarters of all leagues. Although his role has changed ever so slightly, his production has remained very consistent. Over the past month, he has averaged 9.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.1 three-pointers in 30.3 minutes per game. He has started in 10 of the past 11 games, tallying double-digits in six of those performances. He is certainly not the most exciting fantasy asset but provides elite defensive contributions, playing for a team whose success is built on defense.

Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers (22% rostered)

Unlike Wallace, Camara's production has been very up and down over the past two weeks, scoring at least 15 points in three of the past five games, while also failing to score in the other two. Thankfully, his defensive production has been stable enough to make him a viable asset, collecting nine steals and seven blocks in that time. One thing that has remained consistent is his role, having now started in every game in which he has featured. He sits just outside the top 130 for the season, averaging 9.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.4 three-pointers and 2.0 combined steals and blocks. If you can deal with some rough shooting nights, Camara should continue to be a stable enough backend target moving forward.

Nick Smith Jr, Charlotte Hornets (15% rostered)

A season-ending injury to Brandon Miller has afforded Smith with arguably the best opportunity of his young career. He has recently moved into the starting lineup, having now logged at least 26 minutes in three straight games. During that time, he has averaged 14.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 3.0 three-pointers. While these numbers aren't going to blow anyone away, they do provide us with an intriguing fantasy floor moving forward. The Hornets are likely playing for ping pong balls once again this season, meaning Smith could theoretically hold this starting role for the remainder of the campaign. If you can afford a bit of a flutter, Smith is definitely worth considering. 

Drop Candidates

Jrue Holiday, Boston Celtics (86% rostered)

Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets (79% rostered)

Jusuf Nurkic, Phoenix Suns (69% rostered)

Trayce Jackson-Davis, Golden State Warriors (66% rostered)