Welcome back to another season of Fantasy basketball analysis. We’re a bit late to begin the season, because of things, but you know what they say about late being better than never. At any rate, we only recommend players that are owned in maximum 50 per cent of ESPN leagues and 55 per cent of CBS leagues, so, you know… they are probably actually available in your league.

This week, Joel Embiid (knee) is getting closer to making his season debut; Cleveland is off to its first 5-0 start since 2016; and Victor Wembanyama posted the second 5×5 game of his young career.

So while you wonder whether OKC can stay undefeated (currently 11.5-point faves over Portland Friday as per FanDuel), let’s get to this week’s…

Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Picks

Caleb Martin, SG/SF, Philadelphia 76ers (ESPN: 6.8 per cent; CBS: 44 per cent): Midway through last season, we pimped Martin as he was on a great roll, but he didn’t shoot as well the following month before picking up his scoring again for a few weeks and then finishing on a bit of a down note. Well, he’s not tearing it up right now, but is definitely getting extra PT with Paul George (knee) still out. Martin has played at least 33 minutes in all four games so far and has flirted with double-doubles each contest, recording one, while getting more touches than ever — fueled by the additional absence of Embiid. But even once Philly’s stars return, Martin should retain some Fantasy value because he can play the two, three and four spots. Oh, and he’s a fiery dude (see video below).

Fast Breaks

• Devin Booker shook off a sluggish start with a 33-point effort on Monday and then went off for 40 on Thursday. He’s seeing the same amount of PT as he did last season, when he set a career high in MPG, but for the second straight season, he’s getting to the line less often (although with 35 attempts over the last three games, he’s on the right track in this regard).
• Charlotte bagged its first home win on Wednesday thanks to an offensive explosion that included a career-high 25 points from Cody Martin. That’s two straight double-digit scoring games from the six-year vet, who is off to a very nice start. Early on, Martin is sinking more buckets than ever — especially from beyond the arc. Give him a look in deeper formats.
• Stephen Curry (ankle) missed two games this week and is scheduled to be re-evaluated on Friday. It’s super early, so let’s not place too much stock in the facts that (a) he has a history of ankle woes; and (b) his shooting, which regressed last season, has been even worse so far. In the meantime, Brandin Podziemski is posting some solid numbers and getting plenty of touches, although his three-point shooting is a work in progress.
• It could be a long season in Toronto, but Jakob Poeltl has been killing it so far, especially in terms of rebounding. He’s particularly feasted on the defensive glass, pulling down 11 d-boards in back-to-back games. Poeltl is getting more touches than ever before, so if he can return to his shooting percentage of last year, there’s room for growth in his scoring.
• Karl-Anthony Towns (wrist) is another star dealing with an early-season injury. He’s coming off a massive 44-point, 13-rebound effort on Wednesday, but is listed as questionable for Friday. Hopefully, he’s good to go as his shooting touch has been off the charts as a Knick. If Towns can’t suit up, Jericho Sims could be a sneaky play.
• Memphis 2024 second round pick Jaylen Wells has been very impressive so far, posting career highs with 16 points and seven boards on Thursday, giving him double digits in two out of three (with a nine-point showing in the middle). The rookie is seeing enough PT to be useful for deep league Fantasy purposes, and he’s definitely getting the touches, even if his shooting touch could use work. Keep an eye on Wells.
• We lost another star when Magic forward Paolo Banchero suffered a torn oblique that will keep him sidelined for a while — he won’t even be re-evaluated for another four-to-six weeks. He was in the early stages of a breakout, shooting much better and looking like a potential scoring champion, so this is a major burn for his owners. While Banchero is out, Moritz Wagner needs to be owned.
• Luka Doncic broke a bit of a scoring lull with a 29-point showing on Thursday, but just five boards and two dimes from Mr. Triple-Double? WTF? Doncic is off to a sluggish start in general as his career-best FT shooting from last season has regressed and his assists are at their lowest level since he was a rookie. Meanwhile, he still leads the NBA in usage percentage, so let’s put things in perspective, shall we? Maybe Doncic is a buy-low candidate?

RotoRob Tune of the Day

Denis Colin Leary is more succinctly known to the world as American stand-up comedian/actor Denis Leary. From his 1997 Lock ‘n Load special, here he is riffing on being unable to get a proper cup of coffee.