Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Week 9: Top Under-Rostered NBA Sleepers to Target

Following a week in which many teams suited up only once, managers will be relieved to know that things are going to return to normal, with a typical slate of games on the way. A couple of recent NBA injuries have opened the door for certain players, while others continue to produce at a relatively high level, despite being largely under-rostered. 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.

Waiver Wire Adds in Yahoo High Score Leagues

Anthony Black, Orlando Magic (30% rostered)

Black continues his breakout season, playing easily the best basketball of his young career. Granted, injuries to other players have helped his cause, but with Franz Wagner likely to miss at least a month due to an ankle injury, Black's path to minutes remains wide open. Despite coming off the bench, he is basically playing starter-level minutes on a nightly basis, resulting in excellent fantasy production. He started the last game for the Magic, a trend that could help him even further. He has scored at least 33 fantasy points in six of his past seven games, in three of which he exceeded 40 points. If, for some reason, he is available in your league, go and rectify that immediately.

Kyle Filipowski, Utah Jazz (23% rostered)

After a slow start to the season, Filipowski is starting to simmer, having played at least 29 minutes in five straight games. While this has been a result of lopsided scorelines and injuries to other players, who's to say that trend won't continue for the lowly Jazz? Filipowski has been earmarked as a potential 'stash' since day one this season, and nothing has changed in that regard. However, recent events could be hinting at his opportunity coming a little sooner than initially expected. He has scored at least 28 fantasy points in each of his last five games, enough to put him firmly on the radar in high-score leagues.

Noah Clowney, Brooklyn Nets (30% rostered)

Unlike Filipowski, Clowney has been a must-roster player for most of the season after securing a starting role early in the piece. While his production has been a little up and down, it is far more consistent than in previous seasons. What's possibly more encouraging is the fact that he is playing heavy minutes on most nights, topping at least 30 in eight of the last nine games. During that span, he has scored at least 30 fantasy points on seven occasions, including two standout performances that yielded 41 and 48 points. Another player who is drastically under-rostered, go and grab him if he is floating around in your league.

Waiver Wire Adds in Standard 9-Category Leagues

Naji Marshall, Dallas Mavericks (19% rostered)

With Dereck Lively now ruled out for the season due to an ongoing foot issue, Marshall could very well end up being one of the main beneficiaries. After a slow start to the season, Marshall has been able to rediscover some of the form we saw during stretches of the 2024-25 campaign. He has put up borderline top-40 value over the past two weeks, averaging 15.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.2 three-pointers through six appearances. The eventual return of Daniel Gafford will have some sort of an impact, although if we're being honest, neither he nor Anthony Davis can be relied upon at this point. If Marshall is available in your league, he is definitely worth taking a flier on, at least until we see what his role looks like when the roster is healthy.

Maxime Raynaud, Sacramento Kings (23% rostered)

We're keeping Raynaud on this list, despite his availability dropping to 77 percent. Since last week, he has started in back-to-back games, averaging 12.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 24.0 minutes per game. While the playing time has been a little underwhelming, it does appear as though the starting role is his for now. While he isn't the most versatile player when it comes to the offensive end of the court, he has connected on four three-pointers thus far, an element of his game that the Kings would love for him to continue developing. He won't be for everyone, but if you need traditional big-man numbers, with some scope for a bit extra, Raynaud could very well be your man.

Jock Landale, Memphis Grizzlies (7% rostered)

With news coming in that Zach Edey is going to miss at least a month due to a stress reaction in his ankle, it could very well be time to return to the well, the well being Landale. Edey missed almost a month to begin the season, again due to an ankle issue, during which time Landale was able to carve out a meaningful role for himself. In 13 appearances without Edey, Landale scored double digits on nine separate occasions, adding serviceable rebound and block numbers. He also can stretch the floor at times, currently averaging 1.0 three-pointers in 24 appearances. While his upside remains somewhat limited, he should get a good look at the starting job once again, meaning his solid start to the season could very well be replicated over the next month, or even beyond.

Waiver Wire Adds in Standard Points Leagues

Cam Spencer, Memphis Grizzlies (21% rostered)

Although Ja Morant is slated to return in the very near future, Spencer may have done enough to maintain a sizeable role in Memphis. Despite coming off the bench behind Vince Williams during Morant's absence, Spencer has been, by far, the better option in both fantasy and reality. In five games over the past two weeks, he has averaged 15.2 points, 5.2 assists and 1.4 steals, good enough for almost 28 fantasy points per game. Morant will almost certainly move into the starting lineup as soon as he is cleared to return, pushing Williams to the bench. However, given Spencer's impressive play, there is a chance he remains the primary backup, with Williams playing a minor role or even moving out of the rotation. There is some obvious risk here, but Spencer could end up being a sneaky addition, at least for the foreseeable future.

Herbert Jones, New Orleans Pelicans (33% rostered)

Speaking of risk, Jones could be the face of risk, especially when it comes to points formats. Better known as a steals specialist, Jones's offensive shortcomings have been well documented. However, with no Zion Williamson (adductor) for at least the next month, Jones has an opportunity to find some rhythm on the offensive end. In his first game back following an injury-related absence, Jones matched his season high with 17 points, adding five combined steals and blocks. His minutes should push up to at least 30 per game, and if his scoring can stick at around 13-15 points, the rest of his game should do the rest in terms of fantasy production. If he was dropped in your league, he could be worth taking a chance on, just in case things trend in the right direction.

Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks (31% rostered)

While it certainly hasn't been a season to remember for Portis, the fact remains that he can put up fantasy-friendly numbers when provided an opportunity, especially when it comes to points formats. Giannis Antetokounmpo is likely to miss at least another 3-4 weeks due to a calf injury, meaning both Portis and Kyle Kuzma should be in line for more playing time. In his last five games, Portis has scored double digits in four appearances, including a 22-point performance in a loss to the 76ers. It does appear as though he will continue to come off the bench, although strong play could certainly result in starter-level minutes at times. This is likely a situation where you can take a chance on Portis, knowing full well that you may have to re-evaluate your decision after a week, just in case his production remains mediocre.