The Playlist: Week 1 fantasy basketball with wavy wire footage and schedules

Welcome to The Playlist: my weekly column that tells you who and what to play — when it comes to music or other things in my rotation — for the week ahead in fantasy basketball.

Each week you’ll see a compilation of the pickups you need to make, lineup notes (who’s in and out of rotations), followed by takeaways from the schedule.

Press play and browse the latest fantasy basketball information.

🎧 Who’s in my rotation: Waiver Pickups

As a general strategy note, look in the waiver pool for players with the INJ designation. Pick them up and put them in an IL spot (if you have one). I’m thinking of Shaedon Sharpe because he’s only 29% on the list.

Oh and for those with IL+ spots, there are a ton of players listed as GTD. Send them to IL+ if they don’t play so you can pick up another player on waivers.

Payton Pritchard – PG, Boston Celtics (14% selected)

The Celtics play Tuesday and Thursday, so you get two quality games from Pritchard in a three-game week. What’s better? After playing the Knicks on opening night, the Celtics will face the Wizards and the Pistons. Pritchard could go for 30.

Trolls or not, the Celtics will be heavy favorites in every game, so Pritchard has a good chance at more minutes and production this week. He should be the Celtics’ sixth man, so stream him and see where things go. Sam Hauser is an alternative option if you’re looking for 3s.

Taylor Hendricks – SF/PF, Utah Jazz (48% ranked)

The second-year professional did not have a good preseason. Still, he starts at PF and can hit 3s and generate shares. He also averaged six boards as a starter, so with more minutes he could provide some sneaky value on the back end of your team.

Kelly Oubre Jr. – SG/SF, Philadelphia 76ers (31% on list)

We don’t know when Paul George will be ready for the start of the season, so Oubre Jr. could get a nice boost in opportunities if PG misses any floor time this week. As a starter, his minutes floor is safely in the 30s, but increased shot volume, rebounding and steals are a reasonable expectation if George doesn’t play.

Nick Richards – C, Charlotte Hornets (12% on list)

The Hornets are still mum on Mark Williams’ return date, so Richards becomes a streamable option for rebounding, blocks and FG%. Williams has failed to stay healthy and Richards is a good player if you need depth at the position. Richards averaged 10 points with 8.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks last year, while Mark Williams was not in the lineup last year.

Al Horford – PF/C, Boston Celtics (39% ranked)

Playing Big Al in a three-game week with no back-to-backs? Wise choice. Without Kristaps Porziņģis in the lineup, Horford averaged 11.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 3s and 1.8 shares in 30 minutes. He enters Year 18 in the league as an underrated but solid 3-point shooter and functional defender. If you’re not feeling Horford, go for Xavier Tillman Sr. — especially against the Wizards and Pistons.

Jaden McDaniels – SF/PF, Minnesota Timberwolves (24% selected)

Like the Celtics, the Timberwolves play on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so McDaniels is guaranteed to fit into your lineup. McDaniels shot particularly well in the preseason, finishing exhibition play 12-for-21 from the field (57%), 5-for-8 from 3 (63%) and 6-for-7 from the line (86%) over four games . If that carries over into the regular season, that will make for solid flow, along with his stock potential.

🗓️Plan highlights:

“We all need something to help us get through our daily events” – AZ, I’m back

• Teams playing three matches: Bulls, Cavaliers, Celtics, Clippers, Grizzlies, Hawks, Hornets, Lakers, Nets, Pacers, Pelicans, Pistons, Raptors, Rockets, Suns, Thunder, Timberwolves, Trail Blazers and Warriors

• Teams playing two matches: Heat, Jazz, Kings, Knicks, Mavericks, Nuggets, Spurs and Wizards

• Prime streaming days: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday

• Back to back:

  • Friday/Saturday: Bulls, Cavaliers, Grizzlies, Hornets, Lakers, Magic, Pistons, Raptors, Rockets and Suns

  • Saturday/Sunday: Clippers and Thunder

  • Sunday/Monday: Bucks, Hawks, Pacers and Trailblazers