Thanks for reading our fantasy basketball waiver wire report for Week 8! Every week, we’ll help you decide which fantasy basketball waiver pickups to make that could benefit your fantasy basketball teams now, later in the season, or just for the upcoming Week 8.
Note: Free-Agent Acquisition Budget dollar bid prices for NBA Week 8 are based on a season-long budget of $100. Adjust your percentage and scale accordingly for your league’s unique FAAB allotment and your remaining FAAB dollars.
(Roster % is based on Yahoo! Fantasy leagues information as of Friday, December 3rd.)
2021 Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Week 8: Top Pickups
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, PG/SG/SF, Washington Wizards (52% Rostered)
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has found his groove in Washington. He has been a starter all year, but his performances were volatile early on.
Since November 15, however, KCP is averaging 13.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals with a 48% shooting percentage, including 43% from beyond the arc. He’s been a legitimate producer on a good team that sits near the top of the Eastern Conference.
While this sort of efficiency should not be expected the rest of the season, KCP is playing nearly 30 minutes per game and entrenched in the rotation. If you have a team built around punting assists or just need threes, points, and steals, he should be rostered moving forward.
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Waiver Wire FAAB Bid: 8-12%
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De’Anthony Melton, PG/SG, Memphis Grizzlies (49% Rostered)
With Ja Morant‘s status uncertain for the foreseeable future, De’Anthony Melton has emerged as a major piece off the bench who plays lead guard at times. Tyus Jones is starting at PG, but he is a limited producer who is only good for assists.
Melton can do a little bit of everything. Despite cooling down and seeing his playtime reduced prior to Morant’s injury, he has stepped up over the last three games with 13 points, 7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2 threes per game. He’s also averaging 1.4 steals per game on the season.
- De’Anthony Melton Waiver Wire FAAB Bid: 8-12%
2021 Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Week 8: Best Players To Stash
DeMarcus Cousins, SF/PF, Milwaukee Bucks (12% Rostered)
Boogie is back! While DeMarcus Cousins is a shell of his former self after a myriad of injuries and team changes, he can still do a good bit given his shooting and rebounding ability.
He’s only played one game thus far and rested the one right after, but as soon as his conditioning is solid, we can expect near everyday play due to the absence of C Brook Lopez, who will miss a lot of time post-back surgery.
Expect a low FG% with good rebounds, double-digit points, along with some stocks (steals + blocks) and threes. Boogie won’t win a league anytime soon, but there’s something there for fantasy.
- DeMarcus Cousins Waiver Wire FAAB Bid: 5-8%
DeMarcus Cousins is a top fantasy basketball waiver wire add after re-establishing himself with the Milwaukee Bucks this season. (Image: USA TODAY Sports)
Nic Claxton, C, Brooklyn Nets (9% Rostered)
Nic Claxton has missed roughly the entire season thus far due to an undisclosed non-COVID illness. He is finally back in the NBA after spending some time with the Nets’ G-League affiliate.
Assuming Claxton returns to speed sometime in the near future, he is a dynamic fantasy asset who can provide blocks, rebounds, and a good FG%. LaMarcus Aldridge, Paul Millsap, and Blake Griffin are definitely roadblocks and Claxton is not a world-beater, but there is value in a player like him despite the low FT% and points.
- Nic Claxton Waiver Wire FAAB Bid: 1-3%
2021 Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Week 8: One-Week Streamer Plays
Monte Morris, PG/SG, Denver Nuggets (44% Rostered)
Monte Morris is essentially a complementary guard for the Nuggets given that Nikola Jokic plays point-center, but that is not such a bad thing for fantasy.
Morris is averaging a career-high FGA per game while taking 75% of his shots from mid-range or from behind the arc. His 4.2 assists per game are career-high, as well, but haven’t jumped as much as folks expected with Jamal Murray’s absence.
The Nuggets get a four-game slate in Week 8 and should allow Morris plenty of opportunities to return fantasy value.
- Monte Morris Waiver Wire FAAB Bid: 3-5%
Brandon Clarke, PF/C, Memphis Grizzlies (14% Rostered)
Brandon Clarke has had an up-and-down season with Memphis where he started off as a major part of the rotation off of the bench then disappeared as a healthy scratch. Now, he is back into his role as a bench big averaging 17.5 mpg since November 8.
This may not be much, but Clarke is capable of doing plenty in limited action. In this stretch, he is averaging 9.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks with a 65.8% shooting percentage.
Clarke produces when he’s on the floor and if granted more minutes in Week 8 with four games on the docket, he’d be a great stream.
- Brandon Clarke Waiver Wire FAAB Bid: 1-3%
