January 7 Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Ryan Dunn, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Naji Marshall, Jaden Hardy, Mason Plumlee and More

It’s time for another fantasy basketball waiver wire article!

We took a look at five of the most popular pickups on Monday, so we won’t go over those five in detail today, instead focusing on five new players. The five players we’ll talk about today were pulled from the FantasySP Waiver Wire Pickups page, which is updated daily. Let’s dive right in!

Explore the best in-season tool to manage lineup/start decisions including waiver pickups, projections, trade suggestions, trade value charts, rest of season rankings, power rankings, and tons more with Fantasy Assistant. Use our fantasy basketball trade analyzer and the Trade Value Chart to break down trade scenarios.

Ryan Dunn Fantasy Outlook

Dunn got a 17.77% increase and sits at 32.67% overall now. 

The rookie was inserted into the starting lineup earlier this week, although after Monday’s start, Dunn has started in 14 games this season. The insertion into the starting lineup is certainly behind Dunn’s big boost in own percentage.

For the season, Dunn is averaging 6.8 points, 3 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.7 blocks across 19.4 minutes in 30 games and 14 starts. He’s shooting 44% overall and 31.3% from behind the 3-point line.

Dunn has been surging upward of late, so that’s another reason why his own percentage is rising. Over the past four games, he’s averaging 29.5 minutes, 12.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 blocks and 0.5 steals. He’s shooting 51.2% overall and 33.3% from deep.

His numbers, even over the past four games, are not high enough to add and play him in standard leagues, but as is, Dunn is worth a roster spot and starts in deeper leagues. As long as he’s getting around 30 minutes a game, Dunn is going to accumulate enough numbers most nights to be a decent fantasy asset.

As a rookie, he should be added in most dynasty leagues too. Standard league owners need to keep an eye on him in case he breaks out, but I think he’ll likely top out as a deep-league option and standard league streaming option this season.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. Fantasy Outlook

Jaquez is now rostered in 43.78% of leagues after a 12.4% increase.

Jaquez hasn’t taken the step forward that many expected in his second NBA season, but the uncertainty surrounding Jimmy Butler has now given him some more playing time, and it’s turning into production, both in real life and for fantasy purposes.

He played 46 minutes in a start and double overtime loss to the Kings on Monday. Jaquez came off the bench against the Jazz on January 4, but played 34 minutes.  He has 29 points, 14 rebounds and assists, six steals and a block in those games combined - Jaquez had a triple-double on Monday, showing a high ceiling.

For the season, Jaquez is averaging 8.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.1 blocks across 22.6 minutes in 30 games and five starts.

The absence of Butler is going to open some things up for Jaquez, and after he delivered in his rookie season, he’s definitely an intriguing waiver wire option right now. I think he needs to immediately be added in all deeper leagues, while some fantasy owners might be ready to add him in standard leagues already. I’m not quite there yet, but all it would take to get me there is another solid performance or two, so everyone needs to keep a close eye on him.

Naji Marshall Fantasy Outlook

Marshall is up 9.19% and rostered in 18.67% of leagues overall now.

Marshall is one of several Mavericks on the waiver wire list, and that’s because the team will now be without Kyrie Irving for a week or two. Marshall got back on the court on Monday after missing a few games because of a suspension, and those two things combined has Marshall’s own percentage soaring up.

In a start and 33 minutes on Monday, Marshall had 16 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. He shot just 5-of-15 from the field, but some tougher shooting nights are to be expected when Irving and Luka Doncic are both out of the picture. Marshall’s fantasy value right now comes with volume stats in a good amount of minutes played.

In 27 games and nine starts this season, Marshall is averaging 23.6 minutes, 11.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.1 blocks. He’s shooting 51.5% overall and 31.9% from deep.

I love the idea of adding Marshall for the next several Mavericks’ games, and wouldn’t limit things to just deep-league owners. Marshall should get a good amount of shot attempts every night, and playing 30+ minutes gives him a chance to stuff the stat sheet and be a solid fantasy asset. Take advantage of things while you can.

Jaden Hardy Fantasy Outlook

Hardy got a 5.62% boost and is at 8.78% overall now. His 177.85% increase was the largest of the day.

Hardy is another Dallas player on the waiver wire list. He’s seen an increased role over the past four games, and it’s led to some decent fantasy showings.

He’s averaging 12.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and 0.5 steals across 21.9 minutes in those four contests. Hardy is averaging 7.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.2 blocks across 15.2 minutes in 28 games and three starts this season.

Hardy shouldn’t be rostered in all deep leagues, but he has some increased value for the next week or so. It makes sense to take advantage of Hardy as a fantasy asset if those averages are better than what some other waiver wire options are doing of late.

Mason Plumlee Fantasy Outlook

Plumlee is rostered in 14.22% of leagues after a 4.96% increase.

Plumlee is the other Phoenix player who was inserted into the starting lineup recently. He’s started the past four games and has 11 starts across 33 games played this season.

Plumlee is averaging 4.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.8 blocks and 0.4 steals across 17.5 minutes this season. He’s shooting 58.4% from the field so far.

Oddly enough, Plumlee’s least amount of minutes during this four-game stretch in which he’s started came after the Suns announced he and Dunn would be inserted in the starting lineup moving forward. 

He’s scored in double figures just twice this season. His big fantasy value comes from rebounding, but with some inconsistent minutes recently, I don’t think Plumlee’s own percentage should rise much more. Plumlee is just a fantasy option for those of you in really deep leagues.

Other Waiver Options

Nikola Jovic, Brice Sensabaugh, Keon Johnson, Max Christie, Ziaire Williams, Peyton Watson, Duncan Robinson, Grayson Allen, Jaden McDaniels, Toumani Camara and Spencer Dinwiddie are some other options in deeper leagues.

Jovic was added in 9.26% of leagues and is up to 42.22% overall now. Sensabaugh got another 6.8% boost and sits at 26.44% overall.

Johnson is now rostered in 32.89% of leagues after a 4.67% increase. Christie is up 4.15% and owned in 37.78% of leagues overall.

Williams sits at 12.44% rostered after a 3.86% boost. Watson is up to 13.66% owned after a 3.73% increase.

Robinson is rostered in 26.44% of leagues after a recent 3.19% increase. Allen is up to 42.89% after a 3.16% boost.

McDaniels is up 3.15% and owned in 43.78% of leagues now. Camara is rostered in 40% of leagues after a 2.75% increase. Dinwiddie is up 2.35% and owned in 37.56% of leagues.

Quentin Grimes, Alexandre Sarr, Kyle Kuzma, P.J. Washington, Dereck Lively II, Terry Rozier, Naz Reid, Klay Thompson and Kelly Oubre Jr. are all standard league options.

Grimes rose another 9.05% and is now rostered in 55.78% of leagues. Sarr is up to 81.33% after a nice 4.13% boost.

Kuzma got another 4.03% boost and is rostered in 88% of leagues overall. Washington is up to 91.11% after a 3.72% increase.

Lively is now owned in 80.44% of leagues after a 3.01% increase. Rozier sits at 62% after a 2.86% boost.

Reid is up 2.53% and sits at 82.89% overall now. Thompson is rostered in 88% of leagues after a 2.22% increase. Oubre’s own percentage increased 2% and is at 59.11% overall.