Week 2 Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: NBA Guards

November 5, 2014

In his week 2 NBA Waiver Wire column, Lou Cappetta focuses on a few Guards that could deserve some attention in your Fantasy Basketball league.

The NBA season is in full swing, and that means the fantasy basketball waiver wire is heating up. The following guards, whether of the "sleeper" variety or just cashing in temporarily on an unforeseen opportunity, almost certainly deserve attention across the various league formats.

Position Eligibility & Ownership Rate Based on Yahoo! Fantasy Basketball Leagues

Waiver Wire Guard for Right Now

Tony Wroten (PHI, PG)

Wroten is currently owned in slightly more than half of all Yahoo! leagues, and that is simply way too low. Granted, he is probably going to lose minutes and touches once Michael Carter-Williams returns from injury, and has efficiency issues, but a guy that owns averages of 19.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 3.0 steals needs to be started in virtually all leagues.

Wroten cannot shoot the three at all, is going to turn the ball over and is one of the worst free-throw shooting guards in the NBA, but the Sixers have absolutely no one else to rely on, so until Carter-Williams returns, he will be heavily used. That means Wroten is a lock for solid numbers based solely on having an exorbitant amount of chances.

This type of hot start could result in Wroten retaining plenty of value even after Carter-Williams returns to the lineup. The 21-year-old guard is a must-own player until further notice.

Waiver Wire Guard in Deep Leagues

Aaron Brooks (CHI, PG)

Owned in fewer than 10 percent of Yahoo! leagues, Bulls' reserve Aaron Brooks makes for a nice grab in deeper leagues.

Due to being a terrible defensive player, Brooks is going to lag in minutes at times. However, his top notch shooting has seen him post top-100 numbers while barely averaging 22 minutes per contest. Contributing 13.3 points, 5.3 assists and 2.0 treys per game, Brooks is a terrific add at a position where the talent is often scarce.

The constant injury concerns that surround Derek Rose give Brooks even more fantasy value. Even if Rose stays healthy, Brooks should continue to fill a significant role in the Bulls' rotation and provide decent production in a few categories while seeing 20-25 minutes per game.

Waiver Wire Guard to Keep an Eye On

Elfrid Payton (ORL, PG)

Payton has plenty of holes in his game. He has trouble scoring, is going to turn the ball over and is not a strong shooter from the field or charity stripe. However, the rookie guard is very athletic, a good rebounder and has terrific court vision.

Payton has collected at least seven assists in all four of his games so far this season. That trend could continue throughout the campaign, as he has zero competition for his spot and is on a rebuilding team that is going to be content to give plenty of minutes to its young players. Payton is worth adding now, but should at the very least be on watch lists as he develops. The kid's skills are legit.