Fantasy College Basketball Waiver Wire: Pickups of the Week

This week's top pickups highlights a couple freshman with big opportunities in front of them, as well as a few seniors seeing their production reach an all-time high. With most of the top conferences having just a game or two left in the non-conference slate, the time is now to jump on some of these players below before it's too late. 

Guards

Miles Kelly (Georgia Tech):

Kelly has started the last five games for Georgia Tech and has truly taken off. During that stretch he is averaging 16.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 three-pointers, and 1.2 steals per contest. Kelly is also shooting 46.7 percent from behind the arc. Georgia Tech gets one more cupcake before diving into ACC play. 

Cormac Ryan (Notre Dame):

Ryan is starting to come on, averaging 16.3 points, 3.8 three-pointers, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per contest over the last four. He is also shooting a mind-boggling 65.2 percent from behind the arc during that stretch. Notre Dame players have a lot of fantasy upside because of coach Mike Brey's notoriously short bench. 

Fletcher Loyer (Purdue):

Loyer was coach Matt Painter's top recruit this offseason. While he started right out of the gate, his production took a few games to get rolling. Now, the freshman has officially arrived, and he is leading one of the most efficient offenses in the country. Over the last six contests, Loyer is putting up 15.8 points, 3.7 assists, and 2.3 three-pointers. He will continue to gain confidence going forward. 

Alex Lomax (Memphis):

The fifth-year senior is one of the best on-ball defenders in the country. Lomax's 3.0 steals per game rank fourth nationally. Over the last six games, he is giving fantasy managers a reason to consider adding him to lineups due to his production across the board. That would be 11.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.7 steals, and 3.5 assists per contest. Lomax and Kendric Davis make for an undersized but scary backcourt duo. 

Daniss Jenkins (Iona): 

Jenkins was a starter during his time at Pacific, but the move to Iona after a year off could not have started any better. The 6-3 guard is putting up 17.6 points, 5.1 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.5 three-pointers, and 1.0 blocks per contest. Backcourt mate Walter Clayton Jr. has been just as good this season for coach Rick Pitino, averaging 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.0 treys, 1.6 steals, and 0.9 blocks per contest. Either player would make for a solid add in deeper leagues with a larger team pool. 

Forwards

Quincy Guerrier (Oregon):

Guerrier is on a tear right now, putting up 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.5 three-pointers on 46.7 percent shooting from deep over the last four games. Oregon has dealt with more injuries than just about every team in the country this season. Guerrier's recent emergence has given the Ducks a big lift to add a secondary scorer behind Will Richardson. 

Noah Clowney (Alabama): 

Clowney played just three minutes in the team's 4OT win over UNC on Nov. 27 due to a lower-body injury. Clowney was able to shake that off and put up a game against South Dakota State in which he dropped 22 points, nine rebounds, five three-pointers, and four assists. Then, he came out and helped the Crimson Tide get a huge road win over No. 1 Houston with 16 points and 11 boards. This freshman has a ton of upside and it would be wise to jump on the 6-10 forward now. 

Deshawndre Washington (New Mexico State): 

Washington has been one of the top JUCO transfers in the country. After spending a couple years at South Suburban College, Washington has been spectacular for New Mexico State as a do-it-all forward. Through the first eight games he is putting up 13.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 three-pointers per contest. The additions of Washington and LSU transfer Xavier Pinson have the Aggies in a place to potentially win the WAC again. 

Cameron Brown (St. Joseph's):

Brown is a fourth-year starter for the Hawks that is really coming into his own as a senior. Through nine games, he is putting up 12.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.6 three-pointers on 44.2 percent shooting from deep. Brown had already totaled three double-doubles this season and has hit 10 of his last 15 three-point attempts. St. Joseph's is a team that plays at a high pace, and there should be a lot of chances for Brown to continue putting up numbers. 

Gerald Liddell (Detroit):

Liddell was forced to miss the seven games of the season due to an undisclosed issue, but in his four games back the fifth-year senior has been dominant. The 6-8 forward is putting up 18.5 points, 14.8 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.8 blocks per contest. Liddell spent three seasons as a role player for Texas before a stop at Alabama State last season. Liddell is going to be a nightmare for teams in the Horizon League. 

Centers

Makhi Mitchell (Arkansas):

Mitchell should be the top pickup of the week across power conferences. He is in line to take the reins as the clear starting center for the Razorbacks now that Trevon Brazile (knee) is done for the season. Over the last four contests, the Rhode Island transfer is putting up 11.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks on 70.4 percent shooting. 

Lars Thiemann (California):

The opportunity is now there for Thiemann after he failed to crack 15 minutes per game in each of his first three seasons with the Golden Bears. The 7-1 center has scored in double figures in 9-of-11 games this season and is averaging 12.4 points and 6.7 rebounds. Thiemann and Devin Askew will continue to do their best to carry this still-winless team into Pac-12 play. 

Bryant Selebangue (Tulsa):

In his first season in D1, Selebangue has been a bright spot for Tulsa, taking over right away as the team's starting center. Through nine games, Selebangue has already posted four double-doubles and two other games that were just either a point or rebound off of one. His stock could continue to rise if he can contribute more in the defensive categories as we approach AAC play.