Fantasy Basketball Must-Add Waiver Targets As The Season Tips Off

Dominick Barlow was a perfect fit starting next to Joel Embiid, crashing the boards and playing great defense. The athletic two-way forward was a standout in camp and preseason for the Philadelphia 76ers. Barlow was aggressive on offense, getting to the free-throw line six times. He attacked the offensive glass, collecting five offensive rebounds. If he continues to maintain this success, he should still receive solid minutes even when the Sixers get healthy.

Ron Holland

Ron Holland is more of an upside pickup than anything. The Detroit Pistons’ offense is mostly an unknown, which gives Holland a good opportunity to take on a bigger role. He has gotten into foul trouble early this season, but his minutes seem good otherwise. He is an all-around player who will collect points all throughout the stat sheet for fantasy.

Grayson Allen

Grayson Allen has been much more of a facilitator than expected early in the Phoenix Suns’ season, accumulating twelve assists in their first two games. This, combined with his decent shot volume, makes him an intriguing addition in fantasy. He is a streaky shooter, which adds an element of high-risk risk high-reward type of play.

Jaime Jaquez Jr

Jaime Jaquez Jr has had an up-and-down start to his NBA career, but when he gets good minutes, he always fills the stat sheet. He is a good rebounder for his size and will add a couple of steals on the defensive end. This, on top of his usual efficiency, makes him someone who should be added to most fantasy leagues.

Gary Trent Jr

Gary Trent Jr is very similar to Allen in many ways. A streaky shooter who has seen an uptick in usage early in the 2025-26 season. The main difference between the two is that Trent has much more scoring upside. Allen is limited to mostly outside shots, but Trent is much more versatile. His scoring upside is what makes him interesting for fantasy, but he won’t see many starting opportunities due to his inconsistencies.

Moussa Diabate

Moussa Diabate is a great option for a fantasy player in need of a solid floor. He will always get good rebounds, no matter how many minutes he gets or whether he’s starting or not. He has been coming off the bench in favor of Ryan Kalkbrenner early in the season. Despite this, he still has been racking up the boards.

End Of My Fantasy Basketball Rant

These waiver wire pickups would be mostly beneficial in points leagues, and there is some real opportunity for value. All of these players have seen high usage and volume early in the season, indicating they could have an impact in fantasy this year.