With 22 teams scheduled for four games next week, successful fantasy basketball strategy shifts to maximizing game volume. This guide highlights five must-add NBA sleepers whose boosted NBA player stats will drive them up the NBA fantasy rankings. Crucially, recent NBA injuries—like Dereck Lively's foot injury and Paolo Banchero's absence—have elevated Daniel Gafford and Anthony Black into key roles. We analyze how Noah Clowney has locked down a spot in the NBA starting lineup and detail why Moussa Diabate's free-throw improvement makes him a valuable center stream over the busy schedule.
Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Week 7 Adds
Moussa Diabate, Charlotte Hornets 
(46% rostered)
Diabate continues to come off the bench behind Ryan Kalkbrenner. However, he is still averaging a career-high 23 minutes per game. That has helped him produce averages of 9.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks, while shooting 66.0% from the field. Normally a liability from the free throw line, he has shot 70.8% on his attempts from there this season.
The Hornets are one of the teams that will play four games this upcoming week. They will need his size with matchups against the Knicks and Nuggets among them. While his overall numbers likely won't jump off the page, Diabate could provide enough production over the course of four games to be worth rostering.
Noah Clowney, Brooklyn Nets 
(44% rostered)
Clowney came off the bench and only averaged 20 minutes over the first six games of the season.
With 22 teams scheduled for four games next week, successful fantasy basketball strategy shifts to maximizing game volume. This guide highlights five must-add NBA sleepers whose boosted NBA player stats will drive them up the NBA fantasy rankings. Crucially, recent NBA injuries—like Dereck Lively's foot injury and Paolo Banchero's absence—have elevated Daniel Gafford and Anthony Black into key roles. We analyze how Noah Clowney has locked down a spot in the NBA starting lineup and detail why Moussa Diabate's free-throw improvement makes him a valuable center stream over the busy schedule.
Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Week 7 Adds
Moussa Diabate, Charlotte Hornets (46% rostered)
Diabate continues to come off the bench behind Ryan Kalkbrenner. However, he is still averaging a career-high 23 minutes per game. That has helped him produce averages of 9.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks, while shooting 66.0% from the field. Normally a liability from the free throw line, he has shot 70.8% on his attempts from there this season.
The Hornets are one of the teams that will play four games this upcoming week. They will need his size with matchups against the Knicks and Nuggets among them. While his overall numbers likely won't jump off the page, Diabate could provide enough production over the course of four games to be worth rostering.
Noah Clowney, Brooklyn Nets (44% rostered)
Clowney came off the bench and only averaged 20 minutes over the first six games of the season. He then moved into the starting lineup, which has resulted in him logging 31 minutes a night in the role. With added minutes in hand, he has averaged 16.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.0 steals, 1.0 blocks and 2.9 three-pointers as a starter.
Clowney wasn't efficient last season, shooting 35.8% from the field. While he is only shooting 39.9% this season, he has shot 43.9% since becoming a starter. Don't expect him to provide a lot of rebounds and assists, but he can do enough in terms of points, three-pointers and defensive stats to be a viable fantasy option with the Nets scheduled to play four games next week. He's even someone to consider rostering long term, given his new role.
Daniel Gafford, Dallas Mavericks 
(38% rostered)
Gafford missed the first five games of the season due to injury and was inconsistent when he did make his return to the floor. However, he has started to settle in lately. Across his last seven games, he has averaged 10.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. During that span, he shot 61.4% from the field and 75.9% from the charity stripe. Coming into this season, he had produced back-to-back campaigns in which he averaged at least 11.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.
Anthony Davis (calf) is nearing his return for the Mavericks, but they will still be shorthanded up front with Dereck Lively II going down with a foot injury. The team said he will re-evaluated in seven-to-ten days, so he could be sidelined even longer. The Mavericks have four games on the docket next week, so Gafford should be a top option to add for those who need a center.
Anthony Black, Orlando Magic 
(38% rostered)
Black showed flashes of promise last season when he played 24 minutes per game. However, he took a step back with his efficiency compared to his rookie season. He only shot 42.3% from the field and 31.8% from behind the arc after shooting 46.6% from the field and 39.4% from deep as a rookie. He seems to have righted the ship out of the gate this season, shooting 48.6% from the field and 34.8% on his three-point attempts.
Not only has Black been more efficient, but he has logged 27 minutes per game. That has helped him average 12.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 three-pointers. Over his last six games, he has even averaged 17.8 points. Paolo Banchero (groin) still doesn't have a timeline for a return, so Black can continue to provide a boost in production with the Magic set to play four times next week.
Jalen Smith, Chicago Bulls 
(13% rostered)
Nikola Vucevic has been one of the most healthy centers in the NBA. He appeared in 73 games last season and has played at least 70 games in each of the last five seasons. He finally missed his first game of the season Monday, but his knee injury is not considered to be serious at this time. With him out against the Pelicans, Smith chipped in 13 points, six rebounds and three three-pointers over 26 minutes off the bench.
Even with Vucevic mostly healthy, Smith has been a viable fantasy option with averages of 10.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.7 three-pointers per game for the season. That's in just 17 minutes per game. Zach Collins (wrist) remains sidelined, so Smith doesn't have any competition for backup minutes at center right now. The Bulls will play four games next week, so those who play in deeper formats should consider adding Smith.
