Welcome to The Playlist: my weekly column that lets you know who and what to play — when it comes to music or other things in my rotation — for the upcoming week in fantasy basketball.
Each week, you’ll see a compilation of the pickups you need to make, lineup notes (who’s in and out of rotations) followed by the must-watch games from across the league.
So press play and shuffle through the latest fantasy basketball info.
It’s the week of giving thanks, so thank you to everyone who’s tapped into fantasy basketball this season on Yahoo!
“Thank you” – Jay-Z
Who’s in my rotation: players to pick up on waivers that are less than 50% rostered in Yahoo leagues
Must-adds in all leagues
Keyonte George, PG/SG, Utah Jazz (43% rostered)
C’mon, man. This isn’t the first recommendation. How is George still under 50%? Point guards who average over 10 points and almost nine assists per game as a starter should be rostered in all leagues.
Skylar Mays, SG, Portland Trail Blazers (49% rostered)
Scoot Henderson (ankle) and Malcolm Brogdon (hamstring) aren’t back yet so Mays should be rostered in all leagues until that happens. He’s been averaging 12 points with three rebounds and eight assists over his last five games, and is a top 80 player over the past two weeks. He should gain PG eligibility this week (believe me, I hear you).
Dyson Daniels, PG/SG, New Orleans Pelicans (45% rostered)
Up from a mere 13% rostered when I recommended him last week, Daniels continues to cook for the Pelicans, ranking in the top 70 in points leagues and category formats over the past week. He’s provided a nice floor for rebounding, assists and steals for fantasy managers in CJ McCollum’s absence.
I expect him to hit over 50% rostered this week, so if he’s somehow available in shallow leagues, get him on your team ASAP.
Santi Aldama, PF/C, Memphis Grizzlies (44% rostered)
Choosing the right option in the Grizzlies’ frontcourt has been frustrating, and it gets even more weird since Memphis doesn’t play until Wednesday. However, Aldama is coming off a few strong performances in Week 4, averaging 23.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, three triples and 2.0 blocks per game. They have a three-game week, but if Xavier Tillman Sr. remains out, Aldama is worth adding.
Alex Caruso, PG/SG, Chicago Bulls (40% rostered)
Caruso has been a popular name in trade rumors because he’s an exceptional defensive player. And now that he’s back in the lineup, his fantasy appeal is rising. Beyond the stocks, he’s playing extremely efficient basketball, shooting over 66% from the field over the last month and hitting 1.9 threes per contest. He’s ranked in the top 60 in category leagues, so if you need an efficient guard who can rack up stocks, grab Caruso ahead of the Bulls’ four-game week.
Short-term streamable options for Week 5
Saddiq Bey, SF/PF, Atlanta Hawks (35% rostered)
Quin Snyder’s offense has been holding it down for fantasy managers, and even though Bey’s coming off the bench, he’ll be a helpful asset in Week 5. The Hawks play four games, with two back-to-back sets, so you can start Bey on Tuesday and Saturday — the lightest slates of the week. He’s been a reliable source of threes, points, rebounds and steals when getting minutes — scoop him up.
Cam Reddish, SF/PF, Los Angeles Lakers (32% rostered)
Reddish is quietly reviving his career as a member of the Lakers, earning a spot with the starters over the last six games. He’s cashing in, too, averaging 27 fantasy points per game and ranking 40th in category leagues over the past seven days.
He’s been giving opponents the business, with nearly three steals per contest over that span, knocking down almost two threes and shooting 50% from the field. The Lakers are 6-2 with Reddish starting this season, so he can stay in this role as long as the Lakers continue to put W’s up. The Lakers play three games this week, with two landing on Tuesday and Saturday so you can use Reddish in your lineups for those days.
“The Bizness” (feat. Common) – De La Soul
Bilal Coulibaly, SF, Washington Wizards (25% rostered)
The 19-year-old rookie has seen his playing time expand over the past week and a half, playing over 30+ minutes in four of his last six games. He’s more of a target for category leagues than points leagues, as Coulibaly is shooting well from the field and giving fantasy managers nearly two stocks and two triples per contest over that span.
With the Wizards going nowhere fast, expect his role to grow as he gets more reps. The Wizards have four games on tap this week but if you want to wait, you could fit him into your lineups for their Friday/Saturday back-to-back.
Deep streams in Week 5
Cole Anthony, PG/SG, Orlando Magic (36% rostered)
I’ve seen Anthony sitting on waivers in a few 12-team leagues, so even though he’s approaching 40% rostered, fantasy managers still need to buy in. Markelle Fultz’s knee situation is concerning, and Anthony should be rostered the longer he is out. He’s averaging 11.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists over his last five games. His poor shooting from the field (33%) is compensated a bit by his exceptional free-throw shooting over that span. He’s made 18 straight while attempting 3.6 free throws per game. The Magic have a four-game week, too.
Jonathan Isaac, SF/PF, Orlando Magic (21% rostered)
He’s looking healthy, and with his minutes trending up, Isaac is worth picking up if you need stocks. Over the last five games, Isaac is averaging 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. With a four-game week, that’s considerable production if he continues getting 15-20 minutes per game.
Nicolas Batum, SF/PF, Philadelphia 76ers (5% rostered)
Joel Embiid had some good things to say about Batum following Sunday’s win over the Nets, and with Kelly Oubre Jr. recovering after being by a car, Batum will start and will be a low-end contributor for threes, rebounds, assists and stocks in category formats. The Sixers have a favorable streaming schedule, with two games falling on Tuesday and Saturday this week.
Other streaming options in Week 5
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Coby White, PG/SG, Chicago Bulls (46% rostered)
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Bismack Biyombo, C, Memphis Grizzlies (39% rostered)
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Grayson Allen, SG/SF, Phoenix Suns (31% rostered)
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Eric Gordon, SG/SF, Phoenix Suns (29% rostered)
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Moritz Wagner, C, Orlando Magic (24% rostered)
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Jonathan Kuminga, PF, Golden State Warriors (24% rostered)
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Talen Horton-Tucker, PG/SG, Utah Jazz (21% rostered)
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Donte DiVincenzo, SG/SF, New York Knicks (15% rostered)
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Craig Porter, Jr., PG/SG, Cleveland Cavaliers (1% rostered)
Rotation notes
The play: Grayson Allen and Eric Gordon’s minutes will rise, but most of the usage will spread among Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. However, both are useful for threes, steals and low-end assists.
The play: Bane’s usage is going north of 30%, and while Jacob Gilyard looks to be in a great spot to fill in at PG, the Grizzlies have been going with a bigger lineup. Keep him on the watch list, as the rookie is still a part of the rotation.
The play: Jonathan Kuminga and Dario Saric continue to fill in for Green while he’s suspended for the remainder of Week 5.
The play: Murray is nearing a return to the court, so Reggie Jackson’s time as a starter is closing quickly.
The play: Stream Nic Batum or Robert Covington in the short term, but stash Oubre in IL/IL+ if you can.
Schedule notes
The best streaming days are Tuesday and Saturday in Week 5
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Thanksgiving is Thursday, so no hoops!
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The teams that play on Tuesday and Saturday are the Sixers, Cavs, Hawks, Lakers and Jazz
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Drop fringe players on the Mavs and Thunder because they’re not playable until Saturday
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Drop Pistons on waivers after Monday because they won’t play again until Friday, and it’s a loaded slate
Daily Games Played
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Monday: 8
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Tuesday: 5
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Wednesday: 14
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Thursday: 0
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Friday: 10
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Saturday: 6
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Sunday: 8
15 teams play four games: Bucks, Bulls, Cavaliers, Celtics, Clippers, Hawks, Heat, Magic, Nuggets, Pelicans, Raptors, Spurs, Suns, Timberwolves, Wizards
12 teams play three games: 76ers, Grizzlies, Hornets, Jazz, Kings, Knicks, Lakers, Nets, Pacers, Rockets, Trail Blazers and Warriors
Three teams play two games: Mavericks, Pistons and Thunder
Teams with back-to-backs
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Tuesday/Wednesday: Sixers, Cavaliers, Hawks, Jazz, Lakers, Magic, Pacers, Raptors, Suns and Trail Blazers
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Friday/Saturday: Clippers, Heat, Pelicans and Wizards
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Saturday/Sunday: Cavaliers, Hawks and Nets,
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Sunday/(following) Monday: Nuggets and Trail Blazers
Favorite games of the week: for fantasy and just ones you want to watch as a fan
Monday: New York Knicks at Minnesota Timberwolves (8:00 pm ET)
Knicks HC Tom Thibodeau is 11-4 (7-1 on the road) against his former squad, and with the Timberwolves tied for the best record in the West, this one should be a chess match. New York has the big men capable of challenging Minnesota’s twin towers. But who can check Anthony Edwards? Quentin Grimes is injured, but this will be an outstanding defensive matchup where the stars should shine.
Tuesday (in-season tournament): Indiana Pacers at Atlanta Hawks (7:30 pm ET)
This colorway for this court is about to be louder than Khalifa Kush. There’s no chance either team will cool down the Pace, with both ranking in the top three in Pace per game this season. Dynamic guards Tyrese Haliburton and Trae Young lead the way in what should be an entertaining game with plenty of fantasy implications.
“Cool down the Pace” – Gregory Isaacs
Wednesday: Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics (7:30 pm ET)
The last time Damian Lillard faced the Celtics, he dropped 41 points in a loss, but this time, he’ll have Giannis Antetokounmpo alongside him to try and take down the current top seed in the East. Neither team is on a back-to-back, and it’ll be on ESPN, so be sure to tune into a star-studded affair. This is only the beginning of what is sure to be an exciting race at the top of the Eastern Conference.
“The Race” – Wiz Khalifa
Thursday: No games. Happy Turkey Day!
Friday (in-season tournament): Sacramento Kings at Minnesota Timberwolves (8:00 pm ET)
The Kings and Timberwolves are tied for the top spot in West-Group C so a lot is at stake in this matchup. De’Aaron Fox is unconscious, while Domantas Sabonis is second on the NBA.com’s In-Season Tournament MVP ladder. Karl-Anthony Towns is fourth on the MVP ladder, averaging 31.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game in tournament play. There’s a lot of basketball on, but this one will be a track meet with ample fantasy production.
