2026-27 Deep League Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Week 1

The NBA season is officially underway, and it’s one of the best times of the year! The goal of this article throughout the season is to highlight players who can help you win your weekly matchups right now, along with under-the-radar names worth monitoring before they become popular waiver-wire targets. To keep things focused on players who are actually available, I’m primarily looking at guys rostered in 30% or fewer of leagues.

Deep League Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire

Yves Missi – C, Pelicans

WOW! Missi has always offered solid potential as a source of rebounds and blocks, but he took things to another level in his season opener against Indiana. He finished with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting, 14 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals in 30 minutes.

Missi made the most of his opportunity in the starting lineup, putting together arguably the best performance of his young career. If you drafted him late and can find a manager willing to pay up for that performance, this could be an opportunity to sell high. However, his potential role as New Orleans’ starting center makes him an intriguing player to hold onto as well.

Don’t expect him to put up these numbers every night, but his ability to contribute across multiple categories makes him worth monitoring. If Missi can consistently deliver rebounds, blocks and occasional double-doubles, he could become a valuable option in deeper leagues. There is plenty of opportunity for young players to establish themselves in New Orleans, and Missi is someone fantasy managers should keep on their radar.

Zaccharie Risacher – F, Mavericks

Risacher played 27 minutes in Wednesday’s 128-110 loss to Houston. He produced four points on 2-of-7 shooting, six rebounds, two assists but a career-high five steals. The offensive production just wasn’t there, but Risacher managed to salvage his fantasy performance with an impressive defensive showing. The bigger question is whether he can develop into a consistent fantasy contributor or remain a player who only provides value in certain matchups.

Risacher should have an opportunity to turn things around in Dallas, but he needs to become more productive offensively to earn a consistent role in fantasy lineups. Five steals are great, but managers shouldn’t expect that kind of production on a regular basis. For now, he’s best viewed as a streaming option rather than someone who needs to be rostered in every league.

Isaiah Jackson and Brook Lopez – C, Clippers

We got ourselves an old fashioned position battle. Jackson got the starting nod but only played 15 minutes due to foul trouble. He finished with 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting, five rebounds and one steal. The foul trouble opened the door for Brook Lopez to stay relevant. Lopez logged 27 minutes scoring 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 11 rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block and a three-pointer. Jackson is worth considering in 12-team leagues if he’s available, especially if he can hold onto the starting job and stay out of foul trouble. However, his limited minutes in the opener are a reminder that his role still needs to become more secure.

Lopez, meanwhile, is an intriguing option for managers in deeper leagues. The veteran center showed he still has something left in the tank, and his ability to contribute across multiple categories makes him worth watching. Until Jackson establishes himself as a reliable fantasy option, Lopez could provide some useful production off the bench.

Julian Champagnie – F, Spurs

Despite Devin Vassell earning the Opening Night start, Champagnie appears to have an opportunity to benefit from Tobias Harris’ absence due to a calf injury. In Tuesday’s loss to Oklahoma City he finished with eight points on 3-of-8 shooting, two three-pointers, three rebounds, one assist, three blocks and two steals in 30 minutes.

The most encouraging part of Champagnie’s performance was his defensive production. As long as Harris remains sidelined, Champagnie is worth considering as a streaming option. Keep an eye on his playing time and role over the next few games. If he continues to receive meaningful minutes and contributes defensively, he could offer short-term value in deeper leagues.

GG Jackson – F/C, Grizzlies

GG Jackson put together a promising performance in the season opener, finishing with 12 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.

Memphis has a young roster, which creates opportunities for players to establish themselves as the season progresses. Jackson is exactly the type of player deep-league managers should be monitoring early in the year, especially if his minutes begin to climb into the upper 20s.

His ability to contribute as both a forward and a big man gives him some added appeal, particularly for managers looking for rebounds and blocks without sacrificing scoring entirely.

Jackson isn’t someone I’d rush to add in every format just yet, but he’s worth keeping an eye on. If his role expands and the production follows, he could become a useful waiver-wire addition before other managers catch on.

Keon Ellis – G, Nets

Ellis got the start in Brooklyn’s season opener against Charlotte and delivered a well-rounded performance. He finished with seven points on 3-of-7 shooting, one three-pointer, two rebounds, four assists, and three combined steals and blocks.

The scoring numbers weren’t anything special, but Ellis showed the kind of versatility that can make a difference in deeper fantasy leagues. His ability to contribute assists and defensive stats gives him a path to value even when his shot isn’t falling.

Like Memphis, Brooklyn has an opportunity to give younger players meaningful minutes and see who emerges. Ellis has moved around the league, but this could be an opportunity to establish himself in a more consistent role.

For now, he’s a name to monitor rather than an automatic add in every format. If he continues starting and maintains a meaningful role in the rotation, his defensive production and ability to contribute in multiple categories could make him a sneaky waiver-wire target.