yahoo - 3/19/2026 5:23:26 PM - GMT (+2 )
Playoff weekend is here, and your schedule is the game. Friday: six games. Saturday: 10 games (no bueno). Sunday: five. Stack your squad with Knicks (slim pickings), Celtics, Nets, Nuggets, Wolves and Blazers — those are the best teams to stream from Friday-Sunday. Set your lineups with options who can help you win the margins.
Weekend strategyBefore we dive in, Pistons All-Star G Cade Cunningham suffered a collapsed lung and is going to be re-evaluated in two weeks. Cunningham left early in Tuesday’s game against the Wizards with what was initially called a back injury. This is a massive blow for the Pistons and fantasy managers who unfortunately have no choice but to drop their first-round pick. Look for Daniss Jenkins (13% rostered) and Marcus Sasser (1%) to take over at PG duties while Cade is out of the lineup.
If you're still holding Bulls players after Thursday, let them go — Chicago doesn't play again until Monday and you need those spots for the weekend. The Suns and Wizards are the only teams that play three games in four nights from Thursday through Sunday. As I mentioned in my Playlist article from Monday, both teams have fringe guys with streamable value across points and 9-cat leagues.
On Thursday, try to get ahead of the weekend by using one of my transactions on a player or two who play both Friday and Sunday slates. Saturday’s 10-game schedule may not prevent you from getting a waiver asset into your lineup; plan accordingly based on your needs. And it’s important to see where you stand mid-week. If you typically win assists and are down Cunningham, it's okay to pivot and refocus on other areas that can help you overcome a deficit or steal a different category.
Players to drop and fadeGiannis Antetokounmpo: Giannis will be re-evaluated in one week, but with him at odds with the Bucks front office, this doesn’t look like it’ll end well. I’m moving on.
Anthony Edwards: Edwards will be re-evaluated in 1-2 weeks. If your playoffs end in Week 22, he’s a drop. If your playoffs end in Week 23, I’d keep him stashed in IL, just in case he returns to meet the 65-game requirement for awards and All-NBA teams.
Trae Young: Young suffered a quad contusion on Monday and I’m hard-pressed to think the Wizards will try to be anything but cautious with Trae. I’m dropping him because Bub Carrington will hold more value than him on the bench.
Bulls players: No games after Thursday and Chicago doesn't play again until Monday's 10-game slate. Any fringe Bull you're holding for counting stats is eating a roster spot through the weekend.
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Streaming options this weekendShallow leagues (over 10% rostered)Ayo Dosunmu - PG/SG/SF, Minnesota Timberwolves (29%): With Edwards out, expect Ayo to continue playing 30-plus minutes while contributing an efficient statline in 9-cat formats with enough counting stats to be useful in points leagues. The Wolves play on Friday and Sunday, so he’s guaranteed to play in shallow-league lineups. I just spent 1/3 of my FAAB on him after an efficient 23-9-6 outing with 3 steals on Wednesday.
Royce O'Neale - SF/PF, Phoenix Suns (18%): I’d add O’Neale in deeper points and 9-cat leagues because of the counting stat volume across categories like 3s, steals, rebounds and assists. Just hold for a couple of hours so that we get some more info on whether he’ll play (he’s listed as questionable on Thursday).
Will Riley - SF/PF, Washington Wizards (15%): Riley’s minutes look to be the most consistent among the Wizards' frontcourt players, and with another back-to-back, I have more confidence he won’t rest with three games left in the week.The rookie has scored at least 21 points in three of his last five contests and has been pitching in on 3s, boards and assists.
Scoot Henderson - PG, Portland Trail Blazers (19%): Points and assists with the minutes restriction lifted. Blazers play both Friday and Sunday.
Nique Clifford - SG/SF, Sacramento Kings (22%): Check if he’s available if you need a final bump in steals, assists or rebounds on Sunday because the Kings play the Brooklyn Nets.
Mitchell Robinson - C, New York Knicks (13%): Fortunately, the Knicks don’t play a back-to-back, so Robinson is arguably the best rebounding and blocking option on waivers. Get him before someone else does.
Oso Ighodaro - C, Phoenix Suns (12%): Steals, rebounding and assist upside for a big man who is starting and has three games left.
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Deep leagues (under 10% rostered)Bones Hyland - PG/SG, Minnesota Timberwolves (8%): Bones is a microwave bucket who will take advantage of Edwards’ absence. He scored 22 with 5 dimes on Tuesday and followed that up with 18-3-2 on Wednesday.
Bub Carrington - PG/SG, Washington Wizards (10%): Young was ruled out for Thursday’s contest and I doubt he’ll play again over the weekend, handing most of the ball-handling duties to Bub. Sharife Cooper will also get reps, but Carrington is the add coming off dropping 30-4-2 on Tuesday.
Baylor Scheierman - SF, Boston Celtics (1%): Another deep-league heave with games on Friday and Sunday, Scheierman has been a steady fixture in the rotation despite Jayson Tatum’s return. The big man’s had at least 5 rebounds and 2 assists in five straight and a steal in his last three contests.
Rasheer Fleming - PF, Phoenix Suns (0%): Merely a 3s and stocks guy for deeper 9-cat leagues.
Tim Hardaway Jr. - SG/SF, Denver Nuggets (13%): Hardaway is a deep-league add for scoring and 3s. His skill set might be best suited to points leagues over 9-cat.
Tre Johnson - PG/SG/SF, Washington Wizards - (8%): Johnson is capped around 24 minutes and is only a desperation play for fantasy managers needing points and 3s.
Danny Wolf - PF/C, Brooklyn Nets (9%)
Sandro Mamukelashvili - PF/C, Toronto Raptors (9%)
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