Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Expert Week 13 Pickups

The first trade domino has fallen, with Trae Young on the move, heading to Washington in return for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. How does this impact fantasy basketball, and what does it mean for potential streaming value? Coupled with continued injuries, we have an abundance of targets across all formats. As always, the waiver wire is the place to be, providing managers with bargain players who could be about to ascend in the fantasy basketball rankings. And remember, never assume a player is rostered. It always pays to double-check, just in case they have been overlooked.

Identifying players who are benefiting from expanded roles–whether it's an offensive threat delivering points and threes or a defensive-minded player boosting your blocks and steals–is vital as you navigate the season.

Let's dive into nine key NBA sleepers whose current stats suggest they are poised for significant value and are currently rostered in fewer than 40% of Yahoo leagues.

Yahoo High Score Leagues

Aaron Nesmith, Indiana Pacers (33% rostered)

After a short ramp-up period following his return from injury, Nesmith has settled into a consistent role as a starter for the Pacers. He has played at least 32 minutes in four of the past five games, providing serviceable contributions on both ends of the floor. During that time, he has averaged 31.3 fantasy points per game, a number that should be somewhat sustainable, at least for the foreseeable future. This is a situation where the safety of the floor slightly outweighs the lack of upside, with Nesmith a proven contributor, albeit as a low-usage player. He should continue to be a nice plug-and-play option until the Pacers start to rest players down the stretch.

Julian Champagnie, San Antonio Spurs (23% rostered)

Despite coming off a modest performance against the Lakers, Champagnie has been a strong contributor for the Spurs over the past week, taking advantage of an injury to Devin Vassell. In his past five games, Champagnie has scored double digits four times, including a career-high 36-point performance in a win over the Knicks. In that time, he has averaged 35.0 fantasy points per game, having carved out a consistent role in the starting unit. Vassell is likely to miss additional time due to the nature of his injury, giving Champagnie a relatively clear path to value. Make sure he isn't still floating around on your waiver wire.

Egor Demin, Brooklyn Nets (12% rostered)

Coming off an emphatic overtime performance, Demin is beginning to make a name for himself thanks to solid play on both ends of the floor. After a slow start to his rookie season, he has established himself as the starting point guard in Brooklyn, having scored double digits in eight of his past nine games. His playing time has also solidified, seeing at least 30 minutes per game on a regular basis. He has topped at least 30 fantasy points in five of his past seven appearances, with his arrow now firmly pointed in the right direction. As with any rookie point guard, there are sure to be some ups and downs over the coming weeks. However, the upside is there for everyone to see, making him a sneaky must-roster player right now.

Standard 9-Category Leagues

Bilal Coulibaly, Washington Wizards (27% rostered)

Slowly but surely, it appears as though Coulibaly is at least trying to find some consistency on the offensive end of the floor. He has scored double digits in eight of the past nine games, while also continuing to deliver his usual assortment of supporting stats. An average offensive output is key to unlocking his fantasy value, something we have had a glimpse of over the past two weeks. In eight appearances during that time, he has averaged 13.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 3.1 combined steals and blocks, good enough for borderline top 60 value in nine-category leagues. Assuming you can absorb some assumed shooting struggles, Coulibaly makes for a decent pickup across all formats right now.

Justin Champagnie, Washington Wizards (11% rostered)

Another player in Washington who has been able to make some noise in recent times, Champagnie has turned himself into an above-average two-way player. In his past eight appearances, Champagnie has averaged 11.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.5 three-pointers and 2.2 combined steals and blocks in just 24.6 minutes per game. The Wizards are likely to part ways with Khris Middleton prior to the trade deadline, while CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert are already gone. Assuming Champagnie's floor lifts to 27.0 minutes per game, he could certainly flirt with top 90 value the rest of the way.

De'Anthony Melton, Golden State Warriors (3% rostered)

Melton is somewhat of a forgotten man when it comes to fantasy, having missed significant time over the past couple of years. Golden State has an abundance of options in the backcourt, meaning Melton is unlikely to move into a 30-minute role any time soon. However, he is arguably the best option they have, at least on the defensive end. He has played at least 23 minutes in six straight games, averaging 12.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 2.0 three-pointers. While the points will likely continue to fluctuate, his floor remains relatively safe due to his peripheral contributions. He makes for a sneaky add, particularly in category formats.

Standard Points Leagues

Brandon Williams, Dallas Mavericks (11% rostered)

In what has been an up-and-down season for Williams and the Mavericks, it appears as though Williams is back in the good books. Despite continuing to come off the bench, he has now scored double digits in five straight games, other than his most recent appearance, which lasted just nine minutes due to illness. He has clearly been the preferred point guard option, averaging over 30 fantasy points per game, a number worthy of a standard points league. There are obviously no guarantees when it comes to the backcourt rotation in Dallas, but for now, Williams is worth taking a flier on, once again.

Peyton Watson, Denver Nuggets (32% rostered)

Despite the return of both Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun, Watson has been able to put together arguably his best stretch of the season over the past two weeks. He has now scored at least 20 points in five straight games, while also continuing to contribute elsewhere. In that five-game span, he has totaled at least 38 fantasy points on three occasions, topping 40 points twice. Nikola Jokic is still at least two weeks away, meaning Watson should continue to log heavy minutes on a nightly basis. Make sure he isn't simply sitting there with nothing to do in your league.

Miles McBride, New York Knicks (14% rostered)

An injury to Josh Hart continues to provide McBride with an expanded role, having played at least 31 minutes in three of the past four games. He has scored double digits in six straight appearances, providing the Knicks with a viable scoring option outside of the usual suspects. Although his overall skill set is somewhat limited, he can still hold value in points formats, having scored at least 29 fantasy points in two of the past three outings. The upside is limited, but the role feels relatively secure, at least until Hart is cleared to return.