Welcome to "Role Revolution," where we explore fantasy basketball sleepers who are poised to break out due to recent roster changes and expanded opportunities.
As we move into the final five weeks of the regular season, the NBA landscape continues to evolve, with injuries to stars like LeBron James, Jalen Brunson, and Kyrie Irving creating immediate opportunities. This week's edition spotlights eight week-20 waiver wire adds who can provide significant fantasy value during the crucial playoff push. (Statistics as of March 11, 2025)
1. Cole Anthony
(PG, Orlando Magic)
2024-25 stats: 9.7 PPG, 3.1 RPG
2.9 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.5 BPG
42.7 FG%, 35.4 3P%, 81.7 FT%
There was some cautious optimism that Magic guard Jalen Suggs would return this season, but those hopes were extinguished last Tuesday when Orlando announced he would undergo knee surgery and miss the remainder of the season. Cole Anthony has played increased minutes and started the majority of games since Suggs initially went down in January, but he has turned things up a notch recently.
He posted back-to-back 20+ points outings last week, including a 22-point, nine-assist performance against Milwaukee on Saturday. The 6’2 guard even swatted three shots that game (Anthony’s second three-block performance in four games), including perhaps the block of the season to deny Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Despite a poor performance against Houston on Monday (4-13 FG), Anthony has firmly positioned himself as the go-to point guard over Anthony Black for the remainder of the season. If he continues stuffing the box score as the Magic look to secure a Play-In spot, Anthony (available in over 90% of ESPN leagues) will remain a solid option.
2. Miles McBride
(PG, New York Knicks)
2024-25 stats: 9.0 PPG, 2.5 RPG
2.6 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG
40.7 FG%, 36.1 3P%, 83.6 FT%
Knicks backup point guard and sixth man Miles McBride is in line for a major boost in fantasy relevance after Jalen Brunson’s rolled ankle against the Lakers last Thursday. Brunson is expected to miss at least a couple of weeks and head coach Tom Thibodeau has inserted McBride into the starting lineup.
In the second game of a back-to-back against the Clippers on Friday, McBride struggled mightily with the added responsibility, shooting just 2-13 from the field. However, he recovered exceptionally well in a dominant win over the Kings on Monday, scoring 21 points on 7-11 FG while dishing out seven assists.
This was McBride’s highest assist total of 2025 and the level of comfort he demonstrated as the team’s lead playmaker was a welcome sight for both the Knicks and fantasy managers as they navigate this stretch of games without Brunson. McBride is a worthy pickup as the Knicks battle for playoff seeding and is currently rostered in just 6.3% of ESPN leagues.
3. Dalton Knecht
(SF, Los Angeles Lakers)
2024-25 stats: 9.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG
0.8 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.1 BPG
46.6 FG%, 36.4 3P%, 78.5 FT%
Dalton Knecht has had an up-and-down rookie season, including the rescinded trade for Mark Williams last month, but has taken a step forward in his last five outings. Knecht is averaging 14.2 PPG on 54.9 FG% and 42.4 3FG% over this stretch, all noticeable upticks from his season-long numbers.
This recent surge in play has now combined with expanded opportunity as LeBron James suffered a groin injury against the Celtics on Saturday and is expected to miss at least one to two weeks. Head coach J.J. Redick started Knecht the following matchup in Brooklyn and the rookie responded well, scoring 19 points in a season-high 41 minutes of action. He will presumably remain the starter at small forward while James is out, presenting a chance for fantasy managers to profit from efficient scoring production.
4. Brandon Williams
(PG, Dallas Mavericks)
2024-25 stats: 5.8 PPG, 1.3 RPG
1.8 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.1 BPG
49.0 FG%, 39.5 3P%, 82.8 FT%
The injuries keep piling up for Dallas, presenting more and more opportunities for role players and otherwise fringe options to step up. We discussed the Mavericks’ frontcourt the past two weeks and the focus has now shifted to the backcourt with Kyrie Irving going down with an ACL injury and shooting guard Jaden Hardy set to miss his fifth straight game with a sprained ankle.
Brandon Williams, a two-way point guard who has logged fewer than 300 NBA minutes this season, took full advantage of the opportunity presented to him over the past week. In three appearances since the Irving injury, Williams averaged 19.3 PPG on 55% from the field to go along with 6.3 APG and 5.0 RPG. This included a 31-point, 10-15 FG showing against Memphis on Friday, which led to his first start as a Mav the following game.
Despite his limited NBA pedigree, Williams is no stranger to big scoring nights, averaging 28.9 PPG in 10 G League games this season. Williams is listed as questionable for Dallas’ game against San Antonio on Wednesday due to hamstring tightness, which caused him to miss the last game, but he should continue to see elevated playtime as soon as he is ready to return to the floor.
5. Spencer Dinwiddie
(PG, Dallas Mavericks)
2024-25 stats: 10.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG
3.7 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG
40.2 FG%, 32.8 3P%, 80.4 FT%
Speaking of the Dallas backcourt, with Williams out Monday night in San Antonio, Spencer Dinwiddie showed he can still be a relevant fantasy asset in the right situation. Dinwiddie came off the bench but received more minutes than and outplayed starters Max Christie and Dante Exum, dropping 28 points, six assists, and seven rebounds while shooting 9-16 from the field and 4-8 from beyond the arc.
It remains to be seen who will reap the most benefits from Irving’s absence between Williams and Dinwiddie, but with each shining in expanded roles, either one may be worthy of a speculative add in deep leagues.
6. Tre Jones
(PG, Chicago Bulls)
2024-25 stats: 6.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG
3.6 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.2 BPG
52.3 FG%, 35.9 3P%, 81.5 FT%
Tre Jones was shipped along with teammate Zach Collins from the Spurs to the Bulls on February 3rd as part of the Zach LaVine trade and has similarly boosted his play since arriving in Chicago. Jones has more than doubled his PPG on the Bulls and has been particularly productive in the last five games that fellow guards Ayo Dosunmu and Lonzo Ball have missed due to injury.
Jones has posted 12.6 PPG, 6.0 APG, and 4.2 RPG on 54% from the field and 50% from deep over that stretch. Dosunmu will miss the rest of the season, and while Ball may return to the court in the coming days, Jones has undoubtedly done enough to remain in this expanded role over the final stretch of games.
7. Naji Marshall
(SF, Dallas Mavericks)
2024-25 stats: 12.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG
2.8 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG
49.8 FG%, 28.6 3P%, 84.8 FT%
Naji Marshall is having his best season as a professional in his fifth year out of Xavier and has surged considerably over the past five games. Despite Dallas going 1-4 over that stretch, Marshall has averaged a whopping 25.2 PPG on 52.2 FG% to go along with 9.4 RPG, 4.6 APG, and 1.6 SPG.
With the Mavericks’ recent injuries, Marshall has not just stepped up in his role but also become head coach Jason Kidd’s go-to option over this period, leading the team in minutes. He still has to improve as a three-point shooter and opposing teams will likely hone in on him more aggressively in coming games. That said, he is still owned in less than one-third of ESPN leagues, well below where he should be with this level of production.
8. Al Horford
(C, Boston Celtics)
2024-25 stats: 8.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG
1.9 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.9 BPG
41.8 FG%, 35.8 3P%, 89.3 FT%
Al Horford grabs the final spot among our week-20 waiver wire adds with 15.0 PPG on 53.3 FG% and 8.7 RPG over his last three appearances while playing exceptional defense. He’s had a rough offensive season, shooting by far the lowest field goal percentage of his 18-year career, but appears to have turned things around as the Celtics gear up for the playoffs.
For a veteran as experienced as Horford, saving some gas in the tank for the late regular season and postseason in the hopes of a title defense run is not just a possibility but a wise strategy. Don’t be surprised if his production over the final few weeks more closely aligns with his recent play than his full season to this point.