Top Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Picks: 6 Breakout Players to Add Now

With the NBA Cup creating an unusual schedule, this is an ideal moment to reassess your roster and dig into the latest fantasy basketball news. Evolving NBA depth charts and unexpected injuries are reshaping roles across the league, creating new opportunities to add impact players before the rest of your league reacts. Let's break down six widely available options worth consideration.

Top Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Picks

Derik Queen, New Orleans Pelicans (48% rostered)

Queen made history Monday when he recorded 33 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and four blocks in a loss to the Spurs. He became one of five players ever to post a 30-point triple-double before turning 21 years old. The other four on that list are big names in LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox.

Zion Williamson (adductor) is out for at least the next three weeks. Given his checkered injury history, it's difficult to have much faith in him staying on the floor, even when he does return from his most recent ailment. With their 3-22 record, the Pelicans aren't likely to push Williamson to play if he's not completely healthy. Queen has the potential to be a fantasy difference maker from here on out.

Neemias Queta, Boston Celtics (38% rostered)

Queta is logging 24 minutes per game as the starting center for the Celtics. That's not exactly a hefty workload, but it has still enabled him to average 10.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. He has also shot 65.8% from the field. Although his 62.8% shooting from the free-throw line isn't great, he's not tanking fantasy managers in that department because he has only averaged 2.0 free-throw attempts per game.

Despite the moves that the Celtics made to weaken their roster during the offseason, they are 15-9 out of the gate. It would be a shock if they didn't at least make the Play-In Tournament at this point. If Jayson Tatum (Achilles) comes back, they could really make some noise in the Eastern Conference. They are still thin at center, though, so unless they make a trade, Queta is in line to play a prominent role in their playoff push.

Jay Huff, Indiana Pacers (30% rostered)

The writing was on the wall with Huff when he averaged 0.9 blocks in just 12 minutes per game with the Grizzlies last season. It took him some time to work his way into a prominent role with the Pacers, but he has now started six straight games. During that span, he averaged 10.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.8 three-pointers and 3.7 blocks. The key is, he logged 25 minutes per game.

The Pacers are 4-2 since moving Huff into their starting lineup. Given his contributions on the defensive end, he has a great opportunity to remain in the role moving forward. His only real competition for minutes right now is Isaiah Jackson, who has played just 18 minutes a game since Huff became a starter. Fantasy managers who need blocks should make adding Huff a priority.

Jeremiah Fears, New Orleans Pelicans (29% rostered)

Queen isn't the only exciting rookie on the Pelicans. They didn't waste much time putting Fears in a prominent role, moving him into the starting lineup in their third game of the season. He hasn't relinquished the job. As a starter, he has averaged 15.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 three-pointers. The downside has been him shooting 42.3% from the field.

Jordan Poole (quadriceps) is nearing a return, but even when he does come back, it's not likely that he removes Fears from the starting five. If anything, the Pelicans might be looking to trade Poole. The long-term concern with Fears is that Dejounte Murray (Achilles) is aiming to return in January. Still, when he does come back, he could be on a minutes restriction for a while. We could get at least another month of Fears being a significant fantasy contributor, and possibly longer.

Ryan Nembhard, Dallas Mavericks (23% rostered)

After being inserted into the Mavericks' starting lineup, Nembhard immediately provided some juicy fantasy stat lines. He was then tested in his last two games with difficult matchups against the Thunder and Rockets, who are the top two teams in the league in defensive rating. First, he produced 10 points, four assists and two three-pointers against the Thunder. He followed that up with 11 points, seven assists and a steal against the Rockets.

Nembhard playing well against the best defensive teams in the league is certainly encouraging for his fantasy outlook moving forward. The Mavericks lost to the Thunder (who doesn't?), but they pulled off the upset over the Rockets. With Nembhard as a starter, they have a 4-2 record. That should help him retain his starting job moving forward.

Maxime Raynaud, Sacramento Kings (22% rostered)

Domantas Sabonis has played at least 70 games in each of the last three seasons. That won't happen this season, as he is currently out with a partially torn meniscus in his left knee. Drew Eubanks was provided an opportunity to start when Sabonis got hurt, but he wasn't able to make much of an impact. That has resulted in Raynaud surpassing him on the Kings depth chart. Across the last five games, the rookie center has averaged 15.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 blocks.

The Kings can make some odd lineup decisions, but with how well Raynaud has played, it would be shocking if he lost minutes to Eubanks moving forward. Those in deeper formats who need a big man should look for Raynaud on their waiver wire.