Hey all, Wesley Cheng coming off the bench for Fabio Lucarini this week, with a look at the top waiver wire options that could still be available in your fantasy basketball leagues.

If you’re reading this week, you’re likely still in the dance.

Did you hand out a bad beat? Or did you earn a resounding victory into the next round?

None of that matters anymore. We’re here to focus on what’s ahead. Throw seeding and past matchup data out the door.

This is the fantasy playoffs, anything and everything can happen.

I only have two pieces of advice to share on how to approach your coming matchup:

1. Be selective with your targeted categories. Assuming you’re in a head-to-head league, know which ones you’re winning and which ones you’re punting.

2. Games played supersedes everything. Don’t get caught having too many players scheduled for the same day (Wednesday is an 11-game slate). Also note that the Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, and San Antonio Spurs only have two games this week. Make roster decisions based on weekly total projections, not average.

PG: Patrick Beverley, Timberwolves (18.9 per cent rostered)

When he’s not getting himself ejected, P-Bev is a valuable fantasy contributor. Including today, he has a four-game week and is a unique waiver wire point guard who gets you bonus value in blocks. Over his last 10 games (including two ejections), he averaged 2.1 threes, 4.1 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.9 blocks. The only negatives to his stat line come in the points and rebounds column.

PF, C: Jaxson Hayes, Pelicans (9.6 per cent) 

Surprisingly, Hayes’ production has been consistent whether Brandon Ingram has been active or not. In 12 games since the All-Star Break, Hayes has provided top-110 production with elite-level field-goal impact (61.5 per cent) and respectable free-throw numbers (75 per cent). Seventy-four per cent of his shots come at the rim, and the rest are from beyond the arc, perfect for fantasy purposes. He plays three games in the final four days of the week and has a block in five straight games. 

PG: Bones Hyland, Nuggets (8.4 per cent)

Denver has lost four of their last six but don’t blame it on Bones. In that span, he’s been leading the second unit as a top-100 player, averaging 15.5 points, 2.8 threes, 4.5 assists, 1.0 steals on 49.2 per cent shooting from the field. The Nuggets are trusting him with more consistent minutes and his combination of scoring volume with efficiency is nearly impossible to find on the wire.

SG, SF: Chuma Okeke, Magic (5.0 per cent) 

If you need a high-risk, high-reward ‘three-and-d’ asset, Okeke is probably your best bet this week. Over the last month, he’s averaged 1.8 threes, 1.4 steals and 0.5 blocks. He returned to the lineup Sunday night and gave managers two threes, two steals and a block. He barely makes a dent in points and assists but rarely turns the ball over and shoots 86 per cent from the charity stripe.

PG: Kris Dunn, Trail Blazers (2.0 per cent)

If we need to go deep down the list, Dunn is one of the most surprising contributors at this stage in the season. He’s been out of the spotlight for the last two seasons due to a litany of injuries but has carved out a role on a Portland squad tanking hard. In four games off the bench, he’s averaged 5.8 assists and an eye-popping 2.5 steals on 54 per cent shooting and 100 per cent from the line. Is this surprising? Absolutely. But it’s the fantasy playoffs so who cares. He gets four games this week against lottery-bound teams.