Waiver review: Collison, Miller starting

Rookies are almost always risky in fantasy leagues, but they’re also the players with the most upside year in and year out.

Think back to this year’s fantasy draft. How high did guys like Tyreke Evans or Brandon Jennings or Stephen Curry or Jonny Flynn get picked? Don’t even get me started with Marcus Thornton or Omri Casspi.

Blake Griffin was the top rookie chosen in my big money league, and that was with the 57th overall selection. Curry was next in the 98th spot. He took a while to get going, as most of them did, but despite being drafted 98th or below, there are as many as 10 rooks making big impacts on fantasy teams this season.

The most recent? New Orleans’ backup point guard Darren Collison. Sure, it’s due to injury, but that’s how these things normally work in the Association. A veteran goes down, and a newbie gets his chance to shine. And shine, he is, to the tune of being this week’s top waiver wire option.

Who else joins him as we get into the meat of Week 15?

1. Darren Collison, PG, New Orleans

All he’s done the last two games as a starter is score 33 points and dish out an absolutely ridiculous 33 assists! There aren’t many players in the entire league who’ve had 33 assists in back-to-back games this season. With Chris Paul out for a month, Collison’s gonna be the lone usable point guard on this roster the duration of that time. He may already be snatched off your waiver wire if you’re in a regular sized league. However, if he hasn’t been (and there ARE those leagues out there where he’s still available), then run – don’t walk – to your transaction page to pick him up. He may hurt your field goal percentage a bit, but he’s an assist and steal machine who doesn’t miss free throws, either.

2. Mike Miller, SF, Washington

Another guy who may have been picked up already, but the numbers say it’s only happened in about 50 percent of leagues thus far. Now healthy, and with Gilbert Arenas and Randy Foye both out of the lineup, Miller’s gonna have all the time in the world to throw in threes. Over the last four games, he’s already scoring at a 15-point pace, with an average of 2.5 threes, 8.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.0 steals and is shooting 56 percent from the floor. That’s production, folks.

3. Peja Stojakovic, SG/SF, New Orleans

We know he’s a specialist, but he’s another guy who’s gonna see more time and more shots with Chris Paul out. In his last four games, he’s scoring 14.5 points a night, with 4.8 boards and 1.3 steals. However, we all know what he does is shoot the ball, and he’s doing so at a 2.0-threes-a-night pace. He’s also made 20 of his last 21 free throws (95 percent). He doesn’t dish out assists, and he doesn’t block shots, but he does just about everything else.

4. Arron Afflalo, SG, Denver

Carmelo Anthony continues to sit, and Afflalo continues to put up numbers in his absence. He’s scored 70 points over the last five games (14.0) while shooting 59 percent in the process – and that was with an 0-for-7 night thrown in there. The threes have been huge, with 3.0 a game, he’s hitting 84 percent from the line, stealing 1.2 passes and grabbing 3.2 boards. That’s a ton of categories he’s giving you, and that’s what it’s all about when talking waivers.

5. J.J. Redick, SG, Orlando

Another three-point shooter who just happens to be hitting them in multiples right now, Redick’s suddenly become a fashionable pickup again. The 11.8 points over his last six games is nice, but it’s the 2.0 threes, 49 percent shooting from the floor and 94 percent from the line that really make his case the best. His next two games are against teams the Magic should beat handily also (Milwaukee and Washington), so the likelihood of him playing even more in those is pretty high.

6. Hakim Warrick, PF, Milwaukee

He’s been on and off this list all season long, but now is one of those times where it looks good to grab him once again. With 14.8 points, 4.0 boards and 92 percent shooting from the free throw line going for him over the past four games, he looks like a safe play, despite getting only 20 minutes a game.

7. Jerryd Bayless, PG, Portland

The team continues to get their players back little by little, but Bayless’ court time doesn’t seem to be going down. Of course, Brandon Roy’s absence is the main key to him playing, but until he returns, you have to like Jerryd’s potential to fill the stat sheet. He’s scored in double figures now seven straight times (14.4), while dishing out 3.0 assists, picking off 1.0 steals, shooting 54 percent from the floor and connecting on an impressive 89 percent from the line. He’s still owned in less than 30 percent of leagues, so capitalize on that if you can – at least until Roy returns.

8. Nicolas Batum, SF, Portland

Blazer No. 2 on this list is one of the recent returnees to the lineup. Batum’s a guy this team loves, even though he hasn’t had too many chances to show it on the court yet. He’s been back for five games now, and the last four have seen him score 11.3 points, grab 6.3 rebounds, hit 1.0 threes and grab 0.8 steals. His shooting has been huge too, hitting all five of his free throws and going for a pretty sweet 64 percent from the floor. He’s someone who’s gonna continue to get better and better, so better jump on him now before the rest of your league catches up.

9. Keyon Dooling, PG, New Jersey

Losing Devin Harris has hurt the Nets yet again, but Dooling’s jumped at the chance to get some extra playing time. The nine-year veteran’s putting up some nice numbers over the last three games, scoring 12.7 points with 7.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 threes while shooting 48 percent from the floor. Assists are the main plus, as it’s really tough to find those at this stage of the season. Jump on it while you have the chance, even if it is just for another couple weeks.

10. Jared Dudley, SF, Phoenix

Dudley’s been amazing at times this year and he’s been a complete bust at times too. His main threat is the three-point ball, as is the base with most of the Suns roster, but he’s been hitting them regularly over the past week and change. In his last four outings, he’s nailing 2.0 long balls a night, to go with his 12.8 points, 6.0 boards, 3.0 assists, 1.8 steals and terrific percentages. There’s no telling how long one of his stretches will last, but while he’s playing well, you should be all over him.