October 24 Fantasy Basketball Streamers: Al Horford, Maxi Kleber, Spencer Dinwiddie and More
Players with good matchups on Thursday who are widely available in fantasy leagues.
The NBA season is underway! Opening night was Tuesday, and 10 games took place yesterday. Get ready for a long, six-month journey to the playoffs, just to endure another two months of postseason basketball to determine a champion.
Fantasy basketball lasts as long as the regular season, which means we’re going to get to know each other well. The streamer article is about finding the best matchups and identifying players who are available in your fantasy league. This is about the fringes of your roster.
There are six teams I am targeting to start the season (Atlanta, Detroit, Indiana, San Antonio, Utah, and Washington) because they were in the top 10 in pace and bottom 10 in defensive rating last season. They’re the teams that play fast and have bad defenses (with one possible exception, which we’ll get to).
Let’s look at the two teams with good matchups on Thursday and the players who are widely available in fantasy leagues. None of these guys will be fantasy stars, but they are probably free to be picked up and plugged into your lineup if you’re short.
Players are listed at their primary position, but many are eligible in multiple spots. They are also listed in order of fantasy value within their position on their team.
Boston Celtics @ Washington Wizards
The Wizards were maybe the worst team in the league last season. They added a few young players with big potential, but they are unlikely to be much better in 2024-25. Jonas Valanciunas adds some size inside, but this is a team that will again finish near the bottom.
Washington played at the fastest pace in the league last year and had the third-worst defense. They were in the top four in most points per game allowed to every position except point guard, where they were in the middle.
Especially with a good team like Boston, essentially every player can be considered for a fantasy spot against Washington. The chance of a blowout is high, meaning more minutes for the second unit are a possibility.
Celtics’ Streaming Players
Guard
Forward
Center
Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs
OK, so the Spurs played at the third-fastest pace and had the 10th-worst defense last season. They were the 12th-best defense after the All-Star break, though, and it makes sense that they would continue improving.
Victor Wembanyama was an All-Defense first-team selection as a rookie. In case you forgot about him, Wembanyama is the 7’3 weapon of mass destruction who was among the top 25 in steals per game and averaged the most blocks per game by more than a full block.
I don’t want to target the Spurs, but without much information, I’ll follow last year’s numbers for now. The Spurs still played fast when their defense improved late in the season, so there should be plenty of possessions.
San Antonio was in the top five in most points allowed to point guards, shooting guards, and centers last year. It seems foolish to expect centers to keep doing well against Wemby, but the numbers show it. Guard seems like the best place to attack the Spurs.
Mavericks’ Streaming Players
Guard
Forward
Center
- None
