This article is part of our In-Season Strategy series.
An injury or a trade can turn a player from fantasy irrelevancy to a hot waiver-wire addition. Trying to project them early could help fantasy managers from having to spend a significant chunk of their FAAB on them down the road. To beat the potential rush, let's discuss a few players to consider adding now if you have an open roster spot to play with.
Tre Mann, Oklahoma City Thunder (97 percent available)
The injury to Chet Holmgren (foot) likely cemented the Thunder as one of the teams aiming for a high draft pick this season. They got off to a somewhat hot start, thanks to stellar play from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. However, they started falling further down the standings, entering Thursday with an 11-17 record. As the season wears on, they could pile up more losses by resting some of their top players more frequently.
If Gilgeous-Alexander were to miss any time with an injury or receive rest days, Mann could step into a prominent role. Even Josh Giddey could be a player who the Thunder would look to rest to rack up losses, which would further help Mann. Last season, Mann played 17 games in which he logged at least 30 minutes. In those matchups, he averaged 17.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.7 three-pointers. In the two games in which he has played at least 30 minutes this season, he has provided 23.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 3.5 three-pointers.
An injury or a trade can turn a player from fantasy irrelevancy to a hot waiver-wire addition. Trying to project them early could help fantasy managers from having to spend a significant chunk of their FAAB on them down the road. To beat the potential rush, let's discuss a few players to consider adding now if you have an open roster spot to play with.
Tre Mann, Oklahoma City Thunder (97 percent available)
The injury to Chet Holmgren (foot) likely cemented the Thunder as one of the teams aiming for a high draft pick this season. They got off to a somewhat hot start, thanks to stellar play from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. However, they started falling further down the standings, entering Thursday with an 11-17 record. As the season wears on, they could pile up more losses by resting some of their top players more frequently.
If Gilgeous-Alexander were to miss any time with an injury or receive rest days, Mann could step into a prominent role. Even Josh Giddey could be a player who the Thunder would look to rest to rack up losses, which would further help Mann. Last season, Mann played 17 games in which he logged at least 30 minutes. In those matchups, he averaged 17.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.7 three-pointers. In the two games in which he has played at least 30 minutes this season, he has provided 23.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 3.5 three-pointers.
T.J. Warren, Brooklyn Nets (89 percent available)
It's been a long road back for Warren, who played a combined four games over the last two seasons. When he was in his prime, he was a productive fantasy option. His peak campaign came in 2019-20 when he averaged 19.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.4 three-pointers per game while shooting 53.6 percent from the field for the Pacers. With injuries ending his tenure there, Warren joined the Nets, hoping that he could both revive his career and make the playoffs.
Warren missed the first 23 games for the Nets this season but has returned to appear in five of the last six. He logged fewer than 20 minutes four times and should continue to see his playing time limited for the foreseeable future. However, if the forward can stay healthy, he could become one of their main bench contributors during the second half. Also, if anything were to happen to Kevin Durant, Warren could step into a significant role in terms of minutes and shot attempts.
Kenyon Martin Jr., Houston Rockets (90 percent available)
Martin is the one player on this list who has already provided some value this season. He has logged quality minutes off the bench for a young Rockets team, averaging 10.5 points and 5.1 rebounds over 24 minutes per game. He has shot 54.2 percent from the field, putting him on pace to shoot at least 50.9 percent for the third straight season.
The encouraging stat with Martin is that he has made six starts this season, providing 13.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 54.1 percent shooting from the field in that role. The Rockets are going nowhere fast, so if they trade Eric Gordon, more playing time could open up for Martin. If anything were to happen to Jabari Smith Jr. on the injury front, Martin could also be thrust into a prominent role.
It is worth noting that Martin has been rumored to be on the trade block. He has a non-guaranteed contract with a club option for next season. However, he is only 21 years old, and his contract for next season would be under $2 million if the team exercised his option, so they might not be in a rush to trade him.
T.J. McConnell, Indiana Pacers (95 percent available)
After logging 24 minutes per game last season, McConnell is only playing 18 minutes per game this season. His production has taken a hit, but he's still averaging a respectable 4.3 assists and 1.2 steals. His scoring contributions have been limited to 5.5 points per game, and he has never averaged more than 8.6 points.
McConnell could have a few paths to an expanded role. One would be an injury to Tyrese Haliburton. Another would be the team potentially trading away some veterans before the deadline, including Buddy Hield. Finally, McConnell himself might be dealt to a contending team that could make him their primary point guard off the bench. If McConnell can get back to playing around 23-to-25 minutes per game regularly, he can provide significant fantasy contributions in assists and steals.
Daniel Gafford, Washington Wizards (84 percent available)
The trade from the Bulls to the Wizards boosted Gafford's career. He could barely find his way onto the floor for the Bulls, but he logged 20 minutes per game last season for the Wizards. He made his minutes count, putting up 9.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 69.5 percent from the field. He also didn't hinder fantasy managers at the free-throw line, shooting a career-high 69.9 percent.
Gafford has taken a step backward this season, logging only 14 minutes per game playing behind Kristaps Porzingis. If Porzingis is healthy, Gafford will not likely see a jump in minutes anytime soon. However, Porzingis has played 57 or fewer games in the last five seasons. He hasn't shown an ability to stay healthy, so if he should miss an extended stretch again, Gafford has the potential to be an excellent source of rebounds and blocks.
