Welcome to "Role Revolution," where we explore fantasy basketball players poised to break out due to recent roster changes and expanded opportunities.
As we approach the final month of the NBA regular season, playoff races are heating up while injuries continue to reshape rotations across the league. With teams like Houston on hot streaks and others like Philadelphia and Washington evaluating talent for the future, this week's edition highlights six week 21 waiver wire adds who could be difference-makers during fantasy playoff weeks. (Statistics as of March 18, 2025)
1. Tari Eason
(PF, Houston Rockets)
2024-25 stats: 12.4 PPG, 6.3 RPG
1.3 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.9 BPG
48.6 FG%, 35.1 3P%, 76.9 FT%
Tari Eason has quietly been one of the best bench players in the league this season, scoring effectively while showcasing versatility that includes elite offensive rebounding and deflection rates. Starting forward Amen Thompson has been dealing with a sprained ankle since March 8th, and Eason has taken his game to another level in his absence.
Over his past three outings, Eason is averaging 22.0 PPG on 53.2 FG%, 8.7 RPG, and 1.7 BPG to help keep the Rockets’ seven-game winning streak alive. Thompson is expected to return in the coming games, but Eason (rostered in just 38% of ESPN leagues) should remain a valuable fantasy asset across multiple categories down the stretch.
2. Jeff Dowtin Jr.
(PG, Philadelphia 76ers)
2024-25 stats: 5.9 PPG, 1.5 RPG
1.8 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.2 BPG
48.6 FG%, 41.5 3P%, 70.0 FT%
Quentin Grimes has deservedly received all the 76ers-related attention recently for his breakout play, but as Philadelphia manages extensive injuries and evaluates its players in the latter stages of a lost season, some other names are gaining fantasy relevance as well. With point guards Tyrese Maxey and Kyle Lowry each missing significant time over the past month, Jared Butler and Jeff Dowtin Jr. have each filled in extensively at the one for the Sixers. Both are solid streaming options, but Dowtin has shot the ball more efficiently of the two.
Dowtin, who has played just 81 total NBA games since debuting in 2021, has posted seven consecutive double-digit scoring performances with Maxey sidelined. Over that span, Dowtin is averaging 15.1 PPG on 59.5 FG% and a remarkable 56.0% from beyond the arc.
With Dowtin already 27 years old, head coach Nick Nurse may choose to explore Philadelphia’s younger options in its final games, but the numbers he’s posting right now are outstanding for a player rostered in just 2.7% of ESPN leagues.
3. Jalen Hood-Schifino
(SG, Philadelphia 76ers)
2024-25 stats: 8.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG
1.2 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.4 BPG
48.3 FG%, 41.2 3P%, 83.3 FT%
One of Nurse’s younger guard options is second-year player Jalen Hood-Schifino, the 17th overall pick in the 2023 draft. Hood-Schifino has similarly seen limited NBA action thus far, but made his mark in the G League, particularly since the 76ers signed him to a two-day deal on March 1st. In three regular season games for the Delaware Blue Coats, he averaged 27.0 PPG on 57.1 FG%, leading to his NBA call-up last week.
Hood-Schifino was quiet in his first game for Philadelphia last Friday, but followed that up by posting his two highest career scoring outputs on back-to-back nights: Sunday against Dallas with 19 points on 6-11 FG and on Monday versus Houston with 12 points on 5-9 FG. Given his youth (21 years old) and status as a highly rated prospect coming out of college, Hood-Schifino should continue to get impactful NBA-level exposure over the final stretch.
4. Jaylen Martin
(SF, Washington Wizards)
2024-25 stats: 2.7 PPG, 1.6 RPG
0.4 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.0 BPG
40.0 FG%, 50.0 3P%, 0.0 FT%
Jaylen Martin, a two-way player for the Wizards, has logged fewer than 50 total minutes in the NBA this season for Brooklyn and Washington and been less than impressive in the G League, averaging 13.0 PPG on 47.4 FG% and 27.1 3P% over two seasons. With the last-place Wizards decimated by injuries to Malcolm Brogdon, Corey Kispert, Bilal Coulibaly, and Marcus Smart, the undrafted Overtime Elite league product finally got his first significant minutes in the association on Monday and performed well.
In 28 minutes of action, he scored 11 points on 5-10 FG, to go along with six rebounds, three assists, and two steals. These aren’t the kind of statistics that win you fantasy matchups, but with the Wizards in full tank mode and both Khris Middleton and Jordan Poole expected to be out for Wednesday's game against the Jazz, Martin is certainly someone to keep on your radar as lottery teams like the Wizards assess their talent in the final weeks.
5. Simone Fontecchio
(SF, Detroit Pistons)
2024-25 stats: 6.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG
0.9 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.2 BPG
40.8 FG%, 34.0 3P%, 81.8 FT%
After being traded from the Utah Jazz at the deadline last season, Simone Fontecchio had the best run of his NBA career, averaging 15.4 PPG on 42.6 3P% in 16 games for a terrible Pistons team before a toe injury prematurely ended his season. This season, the Pistons have made a remarkable turnaround, but Fontecchio has failed to find his footing in their much-improved rotation, shooting 34% from deep on just 17.0 MPG.
However, Fontecchio appears to be trending in the right direction. The sharpshooter has converted 10-15 three-pointers over his last five games, including by far his best game of the season on Monday in a blowout win over the Pelicans. He posted 23 points on 9-10 from the field and 5-5 from deep to go along with seven rebounds.
If Fontecchio can fully return to his late-season form from last year as the Pistons grapple for playoff seeding in the East, he’ll be a solid streaming option for teams in need of three-point help.
6. Donovan Clingan
(C, Portland Trail Blazers)
2024-25 stats: 6.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG
1.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.6 BPG
54.5 FG%, 25.8 3P%, 59.5 FT%
Bringing up the rear for our week 21 waiver wire adds is Donovan Clingan, who featured in our week 17 edition. Portland’s starting center Deandre Ayton was slated to be re-evaluated four weeks after injuring his calf on February 12th, but has not played since then and his return this season appears to be in doubt.
In the meantime, Clingan continues to hold down the paint for the Trail Blazers, who currently sit three games behind the Mavericks for a Play-In spot. Despite still being rostered in just 18.5% of ESPN leagues, Clingan has been a monster on the glass recently, averaging 4.6 offensive boards over his past eight games.
He’s been even better the past four games, grabbing 6.0 offensive rebounds per game, the highest average league-wide during that period. If Ayton remains out as expected, Clingan is a terrific streaming option and could easily continue posting dominant rebounding performances in the closing weeks.