The first few weeks of the season are always the most important for waiver wire pickups. There's always some surprises early in the season with players having bigger roles than expected, while some bigger names have been struggling out of the gate. The following players all have starred in this early part of the season, and some of them could end up being league winners by the time it's all said and done.
Power Conferences
Mouhamed Sylla, F/C, Georgia Tech (Fantrax Ownership: 25%)
Sylla was one of the top big-men recruits in the country, and he's already made a big impact this season. He's had a double-double in three of four games and is also averaging 2.3 blocks per contest. Sylla has also outplayed fellow big man Baye Ndongo, who had been highly productive the last two seasons for the Yellow Jackets. Expect Sylla to dominate with upcoming games against Georgia Southern and West Georgia.
J.P. Estrella, F/C, Tennessee (6%)
Estrella has been extremely efficient in the minutes he's been given over the first three games. He's played exactly 20 minutes in each of them and is averaging 17.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per contest. Estrella has been far more effective than any other big on the Volunteer roster and that surely won't be lost on coach Rick Barnes. Expect Estrella to continue his hot start with games against Rice and Tennessee State up next.
Arrinten Page, F/C, Northwestern (8%)
After stops
The first few weeks of the season are always the most important for waiver wire pickups. There's always some surprises early in the season with players having bigger roles than expected, while some bigger names have been struggling out of the gate. The following players all have starred in this early part of the season, and some of them could end up being league winners by the time it's all said and done.
Power Conferences
Mouhamed Sylla, F/C, Georgia Tech (Fantrax Ownership: 25%)
Sylla was one of the top big-men recruits in the country, and he's already made a big impact this season. He's had a double-double in three of four games and is also averaging 2.3 blocks per contest. Sylla has also outplayed fellow big man Baye Ndongo, who had been highly productive the last two seasons for the Yellow Jackets. Expect Sylla to dominate with upcoming games against Georgia Southern and West Georgia.
J.P. Estrella, F/C, Tennessee (6%)
Estrella has been extremely efficient in the minutes he's been given over the first three games. He's played exactly 20 minutes in each of them and is averaging 17.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per contest. Estrella has been far more effective than any other big on the Volunteer roster and that surely won't be lost on coach Rick Barnes. Expect Estrella to continue his hot start with games against Rice and Tennessee State up next.
Arrinten Page, F/C, Northwestern (8%)
After stops at USC and Cincinnati where Page found little playing time, the 6-11 big man has found his home with Northwestern. Through the first four games he is putting up 16.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per contest. Page's scoring is going to be important for this team with not many reliable options outside of Nick Martinelli. Virginia and South Carolina upcoming will provide a good challenge for Page and company.
Keanu Dawes, F/C, Utah (5%)
Dawes was a potential breakout candidate heading into the season with Babacar Faye going down with a leg injury, and he has more than lived up to that hype. He has scored at least 11 points and grabbed at least nine boards in all four games this season. Dawes is also averaging three assists per game. It's hard to see his production dropping off much going forward, especially with upcoming games against Purdue Fort Wayne and Cal Poly.
William Kyle, F/C, Syracuse (3%)
It was hard to see this kind of production coming from Kyle. He won the starting center job in fall camp and has run with it. Kyle is a double-double threat at 10.7 PPG and 9.3 RPG, but also has been a defensive menace averaging 3.3 BPG. Kyle was bogged down by a loaded frontcourt last season at UCLA, but is thriving in Adrian Autry's system. He's going to be a player you want to keep on your roster for the long haul.
Dai Dai Ames, G, California (6%)
I talked about another Cal guard last week in Justin Pippen, but Ames has been lighting it up in his own right. He has scored, 18, 23, 24 and 25 points in the four games so far this season, and his most recent showing against Kansas State saw him also drop seven assists and five steals. Ames also has gone 11-for-13 from deep over the last two games. He'll find little resistance against Presbyterian and Sacramento State this week.
Bryce Lindsay, G, Villanova (9%)
Lindsay was one of the top shooters in the transfer portal, and Villanova has to be thrilled with the results they have gotten over the first four games. Lindsay is averaging 23 PPG and has hit 18-of-36 shots from behind the arc. He also is posting respectable rebounding (3.8 RPG) and assists (2.5 APG) numbers for a shooting guard. Villanova's next three games are against La Salle, Old Dominion and Temple before the schedule starts to pick up.
Kingston Flemings, G, Houston (13%)
Flemings was part of an impressive freshman class for the Cougars. He has shined in the early part of the season and perfectly filled the void in the backcourt left by LJ Cryer. Flemings has averaged 20.3 points, 6.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds over the last three games. He has quite honestly been the more effective point guard than Milos Uzan, who many had on their list of Wooden Award contenders. Flemings is not going to stay under 20 percent owned for long.
Tyler Tanner, G, Vanderbilt (4%)
Vanderbilt ranks seventh nationally in points per game through the first two weeks of the season. It has resulted in a number of interesting fantasy players for the Commodores, and Tanner is right at the top of that list. The 6-0 sophomore is averaging 15.0 points, 3.8 assists, 2.8 steals, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 three-pointers per game. Three of the next four games for Vanderbilt are against Texas Southern, Western Kentucky and Central Arkansas.
Nate Calmese, G, Wake Forest (6%)
Calmese struggled with foul trouble in a Nov. 7 game against Morehead State, but the other three games have been very productive across the board. The 6-2 guard is averaging 12.0 PPG, 7.0 APG, 4.7 RPG, 3.0 SPG and 2.3 3PM in those contests. Calmese was a big-time player at Washington State last year, and he has all the looks of a guy who is going to give other ACC guards fits. He'll get a fun matchup against Christian Anderson next game.
Other Conferences
Amari McCottry, G, Saint Louis
McCottry averaged just 14.5 MPG last season, but his sophomore season has all the makings of a breakout campaign. The 6-6 wing from Milwaukee is averaging 17.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals through the first four games of the season. McCottry is playing in a very fantasy friendly system as coach Josh Schertz has the Billikens flying around with the second-shortest offensive possession length in the country.
Kam Sanders, G, Air Force and Eli Robinson, F/C, Air Force
Sanders is a freshman, while Robinson is a sophomore who only played in one game last season. Both players are in line to have very productive seasons in multiple categories for a team that will struggle to win more than a handful of games. Sanders is averaging 12.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.8 three-pointers per contest. Robinson is putting up 12.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.3 steals per game. Air Force will have a three-game week against Alabama State, SIUE and IU Indy.
Okku Federiko, F/C, Drake
Federiko transferred to Drake after never playing a game for South Carolina. He looks like found a great place for him, averaging 13.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks through the first four games of the season. Don't be surprised if Federiko ends up being one of the best bigs in the MVC by seasons end. Drake gets Charleston and Buena Vista this week.
Joel Foxwell, G, Portland
Foxwell has professional experience coming from Australia, and he's hit the ground running with Portland. The 6-1 guard is putting up 15.5 points, 5.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 three-pointers and 1.5 steals over the first four games of the season. This would be a great week to bounce on Foxwell considering Portland has a three-game week with Cal St. Fullerton, Northern Colorado and St. Thomas on tap.
