Winning your week often depends on exploiting the NBA schedule. This week, the NBA injury report has created immediate openings in NBA lineups for players like Jamal Shead (Raptors) and Jordan Goodwin (Suns), who are suddenly rising in NBA player rankings.
We analyze how Phoenix's dense schedule provides high-volume NBA player stats for Goodwin. Additionally, we check the situation surrounding Jay Huff and his rotation headache.
Use this information as your fantasy basketball cheat sheet to identify the best NBA sleepers and maximize your output this week.
Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire
Jordan Goodwin, Suns 
We touched on this yesterday with the Collin Gillespie discussion, but it bears repeating: the Suns have an extremely dense schedule with five games from this Monday through next Monday. That makes Phoenix players attractive streaming targets regardless of individual circumstances.
Grayson Allen could return tonight, which would potentially cut into Goodwin's minutes and usage. However, that's not a major concern given the sheer volume of games coming up. Even if Goodwin's role diminishes slightly with Allen back, the compressed schedule means he'll still accumulate plenty of counting stats across the week.
Over his past six games, Goodwin has averaged 13 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.7 steals in 25 minutes per game. Those are solid, well-rounded numbers that contribute across multiple categories. As he's proven in previous seasons, Goodwin is a capable creator who thrives on generating extra possessions through steals and offensive rebounding. He's scrappy, active, and constantly impacting the game in ways that translate to fantasy production. The fantasy value here is straightforward: volume of games multiplied by decent per-game production equals a week's worth of valuable stats.
Recommendation: Goodwin is a 12-team streamer for this specific schedule crunch. Add him now, extract value from Phoenix's five-game week, and reassess afterward. In 16-team formats, he's more of an "add now and figure it out later" situation—the waiver wire is thin enough that even mediocre production with high game volume has value. Don't overthink it based on Allen's potential return. The schedule is the story here.
Jamal Shead, Raptors 
RJ Barrett is doubtful for tonight's game after suffering a knee injury that forced him to leave Sunday's contest against the Nets. He's set to undergo further testing, which typically signals the team doesn't have clarity on the severity or timeline. That uncertainty creates an opportunity for Shead.
Shead saw an immediate bump in role when Barrett exited Sunday's game, posting 11 points and 9 assists in just 24 minutes. The assist total is particularly encouraging. Shead is a skilled passer who can set up teammates. His per-36-minute averages this season tell the story: 12 points, 11 assists, and 1.6 steals.
The challenge with Shead is his scoring inconsistency. He's not a reliable bucket-getter, which caps his floor when the assists aren't flowing. Think of him as similar to Davion Mitchell or Isaiah Collier. If you desperately need assists and steals, Shead provides value. If you need balanced production across all categories, he'll disappoint.
The Raptors' schedule is another factor to consider. Toronto plays tonight, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday—five games with most of the action backloaded toward the weekend and early next week. This means adding Shead will mostly pay off if Barrett misses a week-plus rather than just a game or two.
Recommendation: Shead is a 12-team to 14-team streamer who makes sense if you need assists specifically and can afford to gamble on Barrett's injury timeline. If Barrett is ruled out for an extended period, Shead becomes a more confident add. In 16-team leagues, he might have medium-term relevance if the injury is significant. But if you need scoring or well-rounded production, look elsewhere. This is a pure assists-and-steals play that requires Barrett to miss real time to truly pay off.
Jay Huff, Pacers 
Stop me if you've heard this name before! After posting his season-best performance against the Hornets last Wednesday, Huff was rewarded with more minutes Friday against the Cavaliers. His response was...fine. He managed 5 points, 5 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 1 steal in 26 minutes.
The situation with Huff and Isaiah Jackson hasn't changed in weeks, and it's unlikely to change going forward. They're locked in a frustrating rotation battle where one gets the opportunity while the other sits, then the roles flip seemingly at random. Trying to predict which Pacers center will play meaningful minutes on any given night will drive you insane.
Huff and Jackson are 12-team streamers when circumstances align—mainly, the Pacers have a favorable schedule and you desperately need their specific category strengths. In 16-team leagues where the waiver wire can be a wasteland, they're luxury holds if you can stomach the inconsistency and require what they provide.
Recommendation: If you're in a 12-team league and absolutely desperate for blocks for a specific matchup, Huff is a fine stream. In 16-team leagues, he's a speculative hold only if blocks are a critical category need and your wire has nothing better. For everyone else, save yourself the frustration and move on. There are better uses of your roster flexibility than trying to time the Pacers' center rotation.
