Fantasy Basketball Pickups: Dennis Schroder headlines priority waiver wire adds for Week 13

Week 13 of the fantasy basketball season is upon us, and, like every Monday, I'll break down several players who are less than 50 percent rostered in Yahoo fantasy basketball leagues and should be considered in lineups. But before we get to this week's waiver pickups, here are the games played by each team in Week 13.

Four games: 13 teams (76ers, Bulls, Bucks, Celtics, Kings, Knicks, Magic, Mavericks, Nuggets, Pistons, Thunder, Trail Blazers and Spurs)

Three games:16 teams (Cavaliers, Clippers, Grizzlies, Hawks, Heat, Hornets, Jazz, Lakers, Pacers, Pelicans, Raptors, Rockets, Suns, Timberwolves, Warriors and Wizards)

Two games: One team (Nets)

Okay, now that you know which teams to target for streaming, let's get to the pickups.

Priority Adds

Naji Marshall - SF/PF, New Orleans Pelicans (44% rostered)

Zion Williamson (hamstring) won't be evaluated for a couple of weeks, and Brandon Ingram's timeline continues to move to the right as he's rehabbing an injured toe. There's optimism that Ingram returns this week, but you never know. In the meantime, Marshall is the guy who is widely available in 56% of Yahoo leagues and should be rostered.

Marshall has started and played at least 33 minutes in the last three contests and is averaging 21.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 threes and 2.0 steals while shooting 50% from the field. He's been consistent all season when playing over 30 minutes, producing 15.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game with a 65% true shooting percentage.

He's a lockdown defender and is becoming a reliable scorer for the shorthanded Pelicans. He'd be even higher in last week's rankings (finished 171st) if it weren't for shooting 72% from the line and committing over three turnovers per game. But otherwise, it should be smooth sailing for Marshall in Week 13.

Advice: Add in all points and H2H leagues while Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram are out

Jalen McDaniels - SF/PF, Charlotte Hornets (48% rostered)

Kelly Oubre had surgery on his left hand and will be out for 4-6 weeks, and Gordon Hayward isn't ready to return from a hamstring injury. That leaves Jalen McDaniels as the de facto starter for the Charlotte Hornets.

McDaniels is enjoying his best professional season to date, averaging a career-best in points, rebounds, assists, steals and three-pointers made per game. He's also shooting 87% from the charity stripe, which has been great for his fantasy value.

The Hornets are also on Wemby Watch, and Hayward's inability to stay healthy only gives more opportunity for McDaniels this season.

In Week 12, McDaniels averaged 13.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.8 3PM, 2.0 steals, 1.3 blocks and 2.3 turnovers per contest. He shot 47% from the field and 85% from the line, finishing 62nd in per-game value. But he's been doing this for some time now. McDaniels has been 75th in per-game value in the last month and recently cracked the top 100 (95th in per-game value). He's not just a deep-league add anymore and should be well over 50% rostered by now.

Advice: Add in all points and H2H leagues

Dennis Schroder - PG/SG, Los Angeles Lakers (48% rostered)

Schroder is making a splash in his second stint with the Lakers (and hopefully, he doesn't fumble the bag this time around) and should be rostered in all leagues.

Schroder is averaging 21.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 3.0 threes and 1.4 steals across his last five games. He's also been uncharacteristically efficient over that span, shooting 50% from the field and 54% from three-point range. For the season, he's shooting 46% from the field, which is his best since the 2019-2020 season.

The Lakers have reeled off five wins in a row, and Schroder has been one of their best players outside of LeBron James since turning the calendar year. His minutes are up to nearly 38 per night in January, and he has been 73rd in per-game value over the past two weeks. He's benefitting from several injuries, but the way he's playing, he'll continue to get heavy minutes for a Lakers team that desperately needs his scoring.

Advice: Add in all leagues

Mid-tier Adds

Daniel Gafford - C, Washington Wizards (42% rostered)

The Wizards have deployed a new big lineup over the past nine games, starting Gafford at center alongside Kristaps Porzingis while moving Kyle Kuzma to the small forward spot. So far, it's yielding positive results, with the Wizards going 6-3 in that span. As long as Gafford plays over 20 minutes per night, he's worth adding. Over his past nine games, Gafford is averaging 11.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. He finished 76th in per-game value the past two weeks, and he'll continue to be a low-end double-double threat with the increase in minutes.

Gafford has long been a blocking specialist who finishes amongst the league-best at the rim, so fantasy managers should appreciate that Gafford's finally a fixture in the Wizards rotation. He's making his presence felt, with the Wizards being top-three in Defensive Rating over the past nine games compared to 24th 13 weeks into the NBA season.

Keep Gafford rostered because he can win you a week in blocks and get a cheap double-double.

Advice: Add in 12 team points and H2H leagues. Stream in 10-team leagues.

Quentin Grimes - SG/SF, New York Knicks (39% rostered)

I'll make this quick because this is the third consecutive week I've had Grimes as either a mid-tier or priority add in fantasy basketball. He's averaged over 36 minutes per game over his previous 10 contests and has been a top 100 player over the past two weeks (87th).

It's hard to find that many minutes and opportunities on waivers, and he'll continue to start for the Knicks after RJ Barrett returns — which we can't say about Immanuel Quickley. The Knicks have a four-game week, and Grimes will get you points, threes, and stocks while being efficient from the field. Pick him up.

Advice: Add in 12-team points and H2H leagues

Short-term but worth a look

Malik Monk -SG, Sacramento Kings (32% rostered)

Monk was load-managed on Saturday but is good to go for the Kings' upcoming four-game schedule in Week 13. Even better, the Kings are facing three of the worst teams in fantasy points allowed, with two of those teams ranking in the bottom five against opposing shooting guards. The Kings play the Rockets twice, the Magic and the Spurs — all teams Monk's had recent success.

Monk averaged 22 points with four rebounds and three assists in his last two games versus the Rockets. A small caveat, he played 40 minutes in each of those games as a member of the Lakers. Still, this Rockets team is similar to last season. Monk also dropped 15 points with five assists against the Magic and 26 points with four rebounds and two assists versus the Spurs earlier this season.

The Kings are fifth in the Western Conference heading into Monday, and facing three teams in the bottom three of their respective conferences leaves the door open for a spike in minutes. Monk has cooled off recently, but this is an excellent week to rebound.

Advice: Stream in 12-team leagues

Duane Washington, Jr. - PG/SG, Phoenix Suns (7% rostered)

The Suns are going through it — Chris Paul aggravated his hip on Friday, Devin Booker is out up to a month with a groin injury, and Cam Payne (ankle) is on IL. Landry Shamet is also a player I'd consider rostering, but I like what I've seen from Washington Jr. recently. And, given his comments here, I think it's fair to assume the Suns will be without their backcourt stars in the immediate future:

Washington Jr.'s per-game rank isn't impressive because of his low field-goal percentage, but he's shown he can score and facilitate the offense. In three games in which he's played more than 20 minutes this season, he's averaged 21.3 points, 6.0 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 3.6 threes per game.

He hasn't played a ton of minutes this year because, coming into the season, he was the third shooting guard on the Suns' depth chart. But injuries happen, and in fantasy basketball, players like Washington Jr. could be worth streaming with Paul and Payne out of the lineup.

Keep an eye on the Suns' injury report, but Suns HC Monty Williams had good things to say about Washington, so there's streaming appeal here.

Advice: Stream if Chris Paul and Cameron Payne are out

Montrezl Harrell - PF/C, Philadelphia 76ers (24% rostered)

I would say stay clear of Harrell because his best days are behind him, but he's shown he's got more in the tank after putting together three strong fantasy performances in a row. He finished 76th in per-game value in Week 12, and he'll also hold value heading into Week 13.

Joel Embiid's foot injury doesn't appear to be severe, but given the Sixers' upcoming schedule against teams like the Pistons and Thunder, it wouldn't surprise me to see Embiid miss those games. Embiid could rest his ailing foot for 12 days (last played on January 4) and return on the second leg of a back-to-back set against the Lakers. Or the Sixers may keep him out for their upcoming five-game road trip. Either way, Harrell is worth streaming until we get a more definitive timeline on Embiid's return.

In 12 games without Embiid this season, Harrell is averaging almost 12 points with six rebounds and two stocks per game. He's shooting a shade under 64% from the field in those games, so pick up Harrell if you require a big man in the short term.

Advice: Stream in 12-team H2H leagues

Others to consider by my rankings

Grant Williams - SF/PF, Boston Celtics (22%)

Ayo Dosunmu - PG/SG, Chicago Bulls (26%)

Norman Powell - SG/SF, Los Angeles Clippers (44%)

Andrew Nembhard - PG/SG - Indiana Pacers (10%)

Zach Collins - PF/C, San Antonio Spurs (18%)

Romeo Langford - SG/SF, San Antonio Spurs (8%)

Royce O’Neale - SG/SF, Brooklyn Nets (41%)