Markelle Fultz, Luke Kornet lead NBA waiver wire pickups heading into Week 14

Finding low-owned players that are trending in the right direction could be beneficial for fantasy owners who are either in need of roster replacements due to injury or want to boost their depth. These type of players also carry value for daily fantasy owners on DraftKings in select matchups.

Here are some widely available players in mainstream traditional fantasy basketball leagues that fantasy owners can consider picking up:

Shabazz Napier, PG, Minnesota Timberwolves (9.8 percent on ESPN)

Napier was moved into the starting lineup eight games ago, which has boosted his facilitating. Napier is creating a team-high 13 potential assists per game on 53 passes per game during that span, a boost from eight potential assists on 35 passes per game previously. With PG Jeff Teague now shipped back to Atlanta, the Timberwolves could give Napier even more ball-handling duties on the back of more minutes played, as Teague’s 28 minutes per game with the Timberwolves will now be available to be spread to other guards on the roster. Napier’s first game of the week is a home matchup against the Nuggets on Monday, where he is priced at $5,100 on DraftKings.

Markelle Fultz, PG/SG, Orlando Magic (56 percent)

The Magic traded for Fultz prior to the season as part of reclamation project. Fultz was drafted first-overall by the 76ers in the 2017 NBA draft, but shoulder issues combined with shooting struggles made Fultz a poor fit for the 76ers’ roster. Fultz appears to be developing well in Orlando as the season has gone on. Since the calendar turned to January, Fultz is shooting a better-than-average 47% from the field and creating a solid 12 potential assists per game in 30 minutes played per game. Fultz recently peaked with a triple-double on 21 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against the Lakers on Jan. 15, showcasing the type of fantasy upside that made him the first overall pick in 2017. With Magic PG D.J. Augustin (knee) now out for an extended period, Fultz could see an expanded role for the foreseeable future. Fultz is priced at $6,300 on DraftKings on Monday in a good matchup against the Hornets, who have allowed the most assists to opponents.

Luke Kornet, PF/C, Chicago Bulls (3.3 percent)

The Bulls are very thin at center due to injuries to Wendell Carter Jr. (ankle) and Daniel Gafford (thumb), which has forced Kornet into the starting lineup. In two starts, Kornet is averaging 25 minutes per game, a big boost from 11 minutes per game previously. Kornet is widely available in seasonal leagues and should be a solid source of minutes in the short term for the banged-up Bulls. He’s $5,200 on DraftKings on Monday for a matchup against the Bucks, who lead the league in pace, which makes the Bulls a candidate for boosted possessions on Monday.