College Basketball Waiver Wire: Pickups of the Week

It's an awfully quiet week across the wire. No big injuries to report, so we're hunting role changes for some younger players as well as continuing to grind and add depth to benches in case a few or your players are forced to miss a game or two.

Power Conferences

Charlie Moore, G, Miami

The well-traveled Moore is on the uptick again. After a December where he shot only 36.5 percent from the floor and scored in double-digits just once in five outings, Moore has been terrific in the new year, averaging 20.3 points, 5.0 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 3.0 steals, including seven thefts in Miami's upset over Duke. Moore will always be a steady source of dimes and steals, but the 'Canes appear to be clicking in their four-guard look, generating fantasy appeal to both Moore and Jordan Miller.

Jesse Edwards, C, Syracuse

Perhaps your league counts fouls as a stat category? Edwards has fouled out in four straight and eight times overall. I kid, but Edwards is still getting upwards of 27 minutes nightly despite the hacking issues. He's only pulled down double-digit rebounds once all year, but he's blocking shots at an elite level; 2.9 nightly and 13 in his last three games. He's not a total liability offensively either, averaging 11.8 ppg thanks to easy shots given his size and proximity to the hoop, shooting 70.7 percent, a nice boost where percentages matter.

Caleb McConnell, G, Rutgers

You're going to have to get scoring elsewhere, as McConnell averages only 7.3 points and has only four double-digit scoring outings to his credit this season. But he's gone for four or more assists in three of four and six of nine, adding two steals or better nine times on the year. In Big 10-heavy circles, that's a nice glue guy to your roster.

Clarence Nadolny, G, Texas Tech

Nadolny has drawn consecutive starts with the Red Raiders down some key pieces. He pumped in 17 points in that second opportunity against Kansas, and now has between three and four steals in three straight. He's a streamer, as Nadolny wasn't productive with Terrence Shannon and Kevin McCullar both healthy, but so long as they're out, Nadolny can produce.

Aaron Wheeler, F, St. John's

It's pretty slim picking on the wire this week, so we're digging a little deep here. The Johnnies were off from December 18 to January 5, and prior to that hiatus, Wheeler made just one start and averaged 12.2 minutes. In two games since starting play again, Wheeler has gotten 28.0 minutes, resulting in 10.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.5 blocks. This seems like a noteworthy role change, that if it continues, makes Wheeler a decent bench piece.

Olivier Prosper, F, Marquette

Prosper has started four straight, averaging 12.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.0 steals in 29.3 minutes. Consider that against 5.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists across 12.4 minutes in the team's five previous outings, and we've got emergence from the second-year freshman.

Cody Riley, C, UCLA

Riley is back in action for the first time since the Bruins season opener, and was immediately thrust into the starting lineup. He doesn't block a ton of shots for a center, but should be back to being a vital cog in this rotation in short order, giving him a reasonable expectation of matching the 10.0 points and 5.3 rebounds he posted last season. Not huge numbers, but solid depth in the pivot.

Jarron Coleman, G, Missouri

Coleman made his first start of the season over the weekend, piling up a 33.3 percent usage rate in route to 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists, leading the Tigers to an upset over Alabama. There's obviously no guarantee he'll continue seeing this much run, as we don't know how long Anton Brookshire will be out. But both Brookshire and DaJuan Gordon aren't exactly lighting things up, so it stands to reason Coleman should get another opportunity or two to prove his worth.

Tier 2

Emoni Bates, G/F, Memphis

Given the hype Bates entered the year with, you'd expect he's rostered in most spots where in the player pool. But he hasn't been brilliant, and has also missed three games prior to Sunday's return. He shined off the bench, putting ups career-high seven boards and six assists in just 21 minutes. Memphis is dealing with a slew of other injuries, so its rotations are going to look different in the immediate future, which makes me hopeful Bates sees an uptick in minutes. Perhaps your league has thin benches, or Bates' initial manager grew impatient. 

Foster Loyer, G, Davidson

Loyer has enjoyed a nice season scoring the ball, but appears to be finding his grove in the Wildcats lineup now that conference play has begun. He's still averaging only 2.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists for the year, but we've seen that rise to 4.3 boards and 6.0 assists over the last three contests. Sure, it's a small sample size, but it's certainly sustainable. Davidson rarely takes their starters off the floor and look to be in the upper tier of this conference, giving Loyer the opportunity to produce at multiple levels.