2025-26 Fantasy NBA Deep League Waiver Wire Adds for Week 3

As we head into Week 3 of the 2025–26 basketball season, it’s time to start locking in on the injury reports. No matter your league format, staying ahead of lineup changes is crucial — especially with teams still tweaking rotations and injuries already piling up across the league.

Let’s dive into the key storylines and fantasy trends to watch for Week 3.

Fantasy Basketball Deep League Waiver Wire Adds

Jeremiah Fears – G, Pelicans

The Pelicans are clearly ready to see what they’ve got in Jeremiah Fears. After opening the season as a spark plug off the bench — scoring 13+ in each of his first two outings — New Orleans handed him a starting nod last Friday against the Celtics. The result? Rough. Fears went ice-cold, finishing with just two points on 1-of-11 shooting in a game he’ll want to forget.

But credit to the rookie: he bounced back in a big way. Fears stayed in the starting lineup Wednesday versus Denver and delivered a breakout performance — 21 points on 10-of-15 shooting with six assists, two steals, and a season-high 30 minutes. That’s the kind of resilience coaches love.

With Jordan Poole now riding the bench and seemingly outside the Pelicans’ long-term plans, Fears’ path to steady minutes is wide open. If you’re looking for scoring upside on the wire, Fears is worth a speculative add while he’s hot.

Jarace Walker – F, Pacers

Injuries have hit the Pacers hard and early. With Bennedict Mathurin (toe) sidelined week-to-week and Obi Toppin (hamstring) out at least a month, Indiana’s depth has been stripped thin — especially after losing Myles Turner in free agency.

Enter Jarace Walker. Thrust into the starting lineup for the first time without Toppin, Walker responded with a monster stat line: 20 points, six boards, five dimes, three steals, a block, and four triples across 36 minutes. The efficiency wasn’t pretty (5-for-19 from the field), but the volume and versatility certainly were.

Given the Pacers’ injury situation, Walker’s role should remain locked in for the foreseeable future. He’s an across-the-board contributor with upside in defensive stats and threes — the kind of multi-category glue guy fantasy rosters love this time of year.

Ajay Mitchell – G, Thunder

Ajay Mitchell’s second season is off to a promising start. The UCSB product has seen a major bump in opportunity, averaging 29.5 minutes per game through six contests — nearly double his rookie workload. The result: steady, efficient production as a key spark off the bench.

With Jalen Williams sidelined, Mitchell’s role has expanded even further, making him a strong short-term fantasy add. His scoring touch and growing confidence in the Thunder’s second unit make him worth holding until Williams returns. For now, treat Mitchell as a must-roster player in deeper leagues.

Cedric Coward – G, Grizzlies

The 11th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft is already carving out a reliable niche in Memphis. Cedric Coward tallied his first career double-double against the Lakers on Friday and continues to impress with a consistent scoring punch — averaging 15.5 points in just 24.7 minutes per game.

That kind of per-minute production is hard to ignore. Coward’s energy, athleticism, and ability to fill the box score make him a sneaky early-season pickup. If you’ve got room at the end of your bench, he’s absolutely a player worth scooping.

Colin Murray-Boyles – F, Raptors

Colin Murray-Boyles continues to make the most of his opportunity. In Sunday’s 117–104 win over Memphis, the rookie first-rounder posted 15 points, nine boards, five assists, and three steals across 31 minutes — a career-best effort on the glass that included six offensive rebounds.

With Jakob Poeltl (back) sidelined, Murray-Boyles has stepped into the starting lineup and shown flashes of being a long-term piece for Toronto. Over his three starts, he’s averaged 11.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.0 steals in 25.5 minutes. As long as Poeltl remains out, Murray-Boyles is a fantasy streamer with upside — particularly for managers chasing hustle stats and efficiency.

Moussa Diabate – F/C, Hornets

Moussa Diabate continues to quietly deliver for Charlotte’s second unit. In Sunday’s 126–103 rout of Utah, he dropped 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, added 12 rebounds, and a block in just 22 minutes of action — good for his second double-double of the young season.

Diabate dominated the paint and outplayed starter Ryan Kalkbrenner, who mustered only two points in the same span. If this trend continues, Diabate could push for a larger role in the Hornets’ frontcourt rotation. He’s a name to monitor — or stash now — for those in need of rebounds, field-goal percentage, and energy stats.