Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups: Add Huff, Sharpe & Achiuwa for Playoff Push

With the fantasy basketball stretch run underway, working the waiver wire can be the difference between a playoff push and a missed opportunity. Injuries, trades and tanking teams are opening up new roles across the league, creating short-term streaming value and potential rest-of-season risers. Players like Jay Huff and Day'Ron Sharpe are seeing increased minutes due to shifting frontcourt situations, while emerging options such as Devin Carter and Tristan Vukcevic offer category-specific upside. Meanwhile, Precious Achiuwa's expanded workload could quietly translate into steady production. Here are the top waiver wire targets to consider as schedules, roles and rotations begin to stabilize.

Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups

Jay Huff, Pacers (43% rostered)

It's been an up-and-down season for Huff. Efficiency and role haven't been consistent. But there appears to be a trend upward lately, which has upside to continue following the Pacers trading away competition at center in Isaiah Jackson.

Huff has played at least 21 minutes in six straight games, averaging 11.3 points and 1.2 threes on 47/26/100 shooting, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.2 steals (27.9 fantasy points). He might not make sense for fantasy managers in standard who don't need threes or blocks, but he at least needs to be on the streaming radar in all leagues. In deep formats, I don't think he should be on the wire given what we've seen lately.

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Day'Ron Sharpe, Nets (33% rostered)

Sharpe has started the past two games with Nic Claxton out, providing mixed results due to a competitive game against the Pacers and a blowout loss to the Cavaliers. Still, he was able to total 23 points, 17 rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and two blocks in those 51 minutes.

Similar to Huff, Sharpe doesn't qualify as a must-roster player for every team in a standard league. But he will fit the bill for someone who needs rebounds at minimum, and who could also use some extra assists and steals. Over Sharpe's past eight games, he's averaging 11.9 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals (27.9 fantasy points) in 20.8 minutes. With the Nets playing four games next week, he needs to at least be on streaming radars.

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Devin Carter, Kings (12% rostered)

The Kings are deep in the tank, partially due to legitimate injuries. That has vaulted a few players into fantasy relevance, including Carter. The 23-year-old guard has stepped into a bigger role across the past six games, averaging 14.0 points on 39.5 percent from the field, 4.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals (28.7 fantasy points) in 26.8 minutes.

There's no reason to think Carter won't keep seeing this kind of role. And it's possible there's an expanded role incoming if Russell Westbrook or Malik Monk sit games out. The Kings drafted Carter No. 13 overall in 2024, so the assumption should be they will use this as an opportunity to see what they have in him. Fantasy managers should act accordingly, especially if you need steals and assists.

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Tristan Vukcevic, Wizards (12% rostered)

Starting center Alex Sarr is expected to be sidelined for at least another week, which should afford Vukcevic continued chances for extended run. He's started four games this season, including Thursday against the Pacers, averaging 12.0 points and 1.3 threes on 46/28/60 shooting, 4.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.0 blocks (27.1 fantasy points) in 20.3 minutes when getting the nod.

It's hard to trust Vukcevic as a rest-of-season add given that he's on a two-way contract and Sarr could be back sooner than later. Still, he's a strong per-minute player that hardly needs 20 minutes to be worth a short-term pickup. Fantasy managers in all leagues should at least have him on their watchlist, and I wouldn't let him be available right now in deep formats.

Precious Achiuwa, Kings (5% rostered)

With Domantas Sabonis done for the year and Dylan Cardwell out for a month, Sacramento's frontcourt is in bad shape. Most managers have already picked up Maxime Raynaud, who is a must-roster player. But Precious Achiuwa saw massive run in Thursday's loss to the Magic. In 34 minutes, he produced 14 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, four steals and two blocks.

Achiuwa's value has fluctuated for much of the year, but it could stabilize now given the situation in Sacramento. When Achiuwa plays more than his season average of 20.5 minutes, he averages 11.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 steals (26.9 fantasy points). That's good enough to be worth rostering for some standard league managers. At the very least, he should be scooped up in deep formats to see how this plays out.