Wired: Roddy B & Kaman

It's hard to believe, but we're already near the end of the season, entering week 18, which means we're only about three weeks away from the start of the fantasy playoffs in most leagues. And since players have only played one or two games since the last Waiver Wired ran, we'll kick things off with a look at playoffs schedules for you in weekly leagues.

Playoff Schedules

I consider four weeks – 21 (starts March 14), 22, 23 & 24 (starts April 5) – as playoff weeks. Your league may or may not use those weeks, but if you use playoffs, chances are at least three of those four weeks are used. At four games per week, sixteen games is the max, while the lowest number of playoff games is – gulp – 12 games. Also, take note of the Rockets, who have a 2-game week in the playoffs.

16 Games – Celtics, Nets, Suns, Kings, Wizards

This is as good as it gets, making guys like Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Steve Nash, John Wall, possibly Tyreke Evans and others nice owns in fantasy leagues.

15 Games – Bulls, Cavaliers, Pacers, Bucks, Knicks, Thunder

Obviously, these teams have great playoff schedules, although are just shy of perfection.

14 Games – Hawks, Bobcats, Mavericks, Nuggets, Warriors, Clippers, Heat, Sixers, Blazers, Spurs, Raptors

This is the "average" playoff schedule.

13 Games – Pistons, *Rockets, Lakers, Grizzlies, Magic, Jazz

The Rockets have a 2-gamer, going 4-2-4-3 in the playoffs, while this is not the ideal schedule for the owners of Kobe Bryant, Zach Randolph, Dwight Howard and Deron Williams.

12 Games – Timberwolves, Hornets

This is tough news for the likes of Kevin Love, Chris Paul, Michael Beasley, David West, and others. The Hornets had one of the worst schedules in the league this year, with only 10 4-game weeks, a decent first-half schedule, and then a mess in the second half and playoffs. If you own three or four of these guys in a playoff league, you might want to look at trying to pull off some trades.

Waiver Wired

The Big 4

Sam Young, Tony Allen, Ramon Sessions and Roddy Beaubois have been the guys I've received the most questions about over the last 10 days. And as I wrote in a previous Dose, I've decided on a recommended order on them if you want to pick them up.

1. Roddy Beaubois – He's starting at shooting guard for the Mavericks right now and will continue to do so until further notice. He's played well in his two games this season, but we've still only seen the tip of the iceberg on what he might do the rest of the way. There are no easy answers to these questions, but if all four were available in my league, Roddy B would be my first choice.

2. Sam Young – Young was basically already worth owning before Rudy Gay's potentially season-ending shoulder injury occurred, and is even more appealing now that Gay could be done for the year. Young has been a nice source of points, rebounds and steals, doesn't turn the ball over, and occasionally racks up a block or two in a game.

3. Tony Allen – I had Allen at No. 4 on this list last week, but with news that Mo Williams was actually bothered by an ankle injury when Ramon Sessions led the Cavs to a win over the Lakers last week, I'm bumping Allen in front of him. Allen really doesn't have any competition for his job, and like Young, should be starting for the Grizzlies for the next four weeks, if not for the rest of the year. He's a steals and blocks specialist, can hit threes and score. Yes, O.J. Mayo may push him a little, but it will be off the bench.

4. Ramon Sessions – He could still end up unseating Mo Williams, who, to put it mildly, has had a weird vibe since the moment LeBron made his Decision. And then there's the trade deadline looming with the Hawks, Blazers and Knicks all possible destinations for Sessions. If he goes to the Hawks, he could easily start over Mike Bibby, but regardless of what happens, it still looks like Sessions is worth hanging onto in all leagues.

The Rest

Guards

Shaun Livingston – Bobcats

I'm sure you've heard about his big line on Saturday night by now, when he had a season-high 22 points while D.J. Augustin sat on the bench, kept his slump warm and watched the guy with one knee go nuts. Now Augustin and Livingston appear to be in a full timeshare, making both of them tough fantasy starts. But Livingston has been getting enough run to be worth a look in fantasy leagues. Like I said though, neither is a must-start as long as they are splitting minutes.

Will Bynum – Pistons

If Tracy McGrady goes down, Bynum is the guy you'll want to grab. He had six points in his last one, but scored 17 and 21 in his previous two. Just keep an eye on him and pounce if T-Mac drops.

Jermaine Taylor – Kings

With Tyreke Evans talking about shutting it down with plantar fasciitis, Taylor is worth a look after he posted a career-high 17 points to go along with three rebounds, five assists, four steals, a block and three 3-pointers in a loss to the Mavericks on Wednesday. Pooh Jeter is also worth a look, while Donte Greene could also be relevant down the stretch. None of these guys are must-own players, but all are worth keeping an eye on.

Ty Lawson – Nuggets

It now sounds like the Nuggets will try to acquire another point guard if/when they move Carmelo Anthony, in the form of Devin Harris or Raymond Felton. That is going to hurt Lawson and probably means he's no longer a must-own player. But there is still a sense that the Nuggets want to groom him as their point guard of the future, so if you want to hang onto him, it makes sense.

Forwards

Carlos Delfino – Bucks

Corey Maggette is back from his sore back, but Delfino could stick in the starting five. I don't know how many times I can say it, but I really don't trust anyone on the Bucks. Having said that, both Delfino and Maggette are worth owning, and both of them have been hitting threes.

Peja Stojakovic – Mavericks

He's starting at small forward and had 22 points and four threes on Saturday. He wasn't as great in his next two and will take a hit with Beaubois getting run, but is still worth a look if you need threes for as long as he's starting for Dallas.

Troy Murphy – Nets (for now)

Murphy is going to be traded or bought out, so we have no clue where he'll end up. But if he happens to find the right situation, he'll be worth owning. I still haven't picked him up anywhere, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't if you have room to hold him.

Omri Casspi – Kings

He's starting at small forward and has been doing a nice job of scoring and rebounding, although he was quiet just before the break. If Tyreke Evans is going to miss time with his plantar fasciitis, Casspi may be asked to score more. He's not a must-own player, but if you need boards and threes, he could be your man.

Anthony Randolph - Knicks (for now)

Rumors are that Randolph is going to Minnesota, which could be the ideal situation for him. Of course, he'd still have to fight with Kevin Love and Michael Beasley for minutes, but I am guessing David Kahn and Kurt Rambis won't hesitate to play him. Randolph is still not a must-own player, even if the trade goes down, but in a deep league, he could rack up so points, boards, steals and blocks for the Wolves.

Austin Daye – Pistons

Daye has shown some life lately, averaging 10 points, four boards, nearly a steal, a block and two threes per game in February. He'll have plenty of bad nights coming off the bench, but is getting enough run to be given a look in most leagues.

Brandon Bass – Magic

Bass returned on Sunday and had six points and eight boards. He should hurt Ryan Anderson and could be a decent source of double-doubles with some blocks once he's back in the flow. As for Anderson, I'm reluctant to drop him since he was playing so well when Bass was healthy, and he played better just before the break. Both players are worth owning in most leagues, although the Magic's playoff schedule isn't perfect.

Centers

DeJuan Blair – Spurs

Blair has finally arrived and should continue to log serious minutes as the Spurs roll into the playoffs. He's averaging 12.6 points, 10.1 boards, 1.4 steals, 0.8 blocks and is shooting 53 percent in February. At this point, he's as must-own as they come.

Chris Kaman – Clippers

Kaman played pretty well in his two games last week and is worth grabbing if you need a center. He'll split minutes with DeAndre Jordan, and is also a trade candidate. Either way, both players are probably worth owning in most leagues.

Chuck Hayes – Rockets

Hayes has somehow had value for a couple months and is averaging 9.8 points, 8.8 boards, 2.4 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.8 blocks in February. He's also shooting lights out and making some free throws, and is another guy who should be owned in most leagues. If Kaman is traded to the Rockets tough, Hayes will take a hit.

Greg Monroe – Pistons

Monroe is averaging 10.4 points, 7.0 boards and nearly a steal and block per game in February, despite the return of Ben Wallace. He's probably not available in your league, but is worth grabbing if he is sitting out there.

Kendrick Perkins – Celtics

Perk is back and is averaging 8.7 points, 9.3 boards and 1.3 blocks in February. He's the only healthy center the Celtics have right now and should get better as the season rolls to a close.

Samuel Dalembert – Kings

Sammy D continues to be unpredictable as Paul Westphal can't seem to make up his mind on a starting lineup. He started with DeMarcus Cousins in his last game and is averaging 9.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 1.1 blocks in February, making him worth a look if you need a center.

It's hard to believe, but we're already near the end of the season, entering week 18, which means we're only about three weeks away from the start of the fantasy playoffs in most leagues. And since players have only played one or two games since the last Waiver Wired ran, we'll kick things off with a look at playoffs schedules for you in weekly leagues.

Playoff Schedules

I consider four weeks – 21 (starts March 14), 22, 23 & 24 (starts April 5) – as playoff weeks. Your league may or may not use those weeks, but if you use playoffs, chances are at least three of those four weeks are used. At four games per week, sixteen games is the max, while the lowest number of playoff games is – gulp – 12 games. Also, take note of the Rockets, who have a 2-game week in the playoffs.

16 Games – Celtics, Nets, Suns, Kings, Wizards

This is as good as it gets, making guys like Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Steve Nash, John Wall, possibly Tyreke Evans and others nice owns in fantasy leagues.

15 Games – Bulls, Cavaliers, Pacers, Bucks, Knicks, Thunder

Obviously, these teams have great playoff schedules, although are just shy of perfection.

14 Games – Hawks, Bobcats, Mavericks, Nuggets, Warriors, Clippers, Heat, Sixers, Blazers, Spurs, Raptors

This is the "average" playoff schedule.

13 Games – Pistons, *Rockets, Lakers, Grizzlies, Magic, Jazz

The Rockets have a 2-gamer, going 4-2-4-3 in the playoffs, while this is not the ideal schedule for the owners of Kobe Bryant, Zach Randolph, Dwight Howard and Deron Williams.

12 Games – Timberwolves, Hornets

This is tough news for the likes of Kevin Love, Chris Paul, Michael Beasley, David West, and others. The Hornets had one of the worst schedules in the league this year, with only 10 4-game weeks, a decent first-half schedule, and then a mess in the second half and playoffs. If you own three or four of these guys in a playoff league, you might want to look at trying to pull off some trades.

Waiver Wired

The Big 4

Sam Young, Tony Allen, Ramon Sessions and Roddy Beaubois have been the guys I've received the most questions about over the last 10 days. And as I wrote in a previous Dose, I've decided on a recommended order on them if you want to pick them up.

1. Roddy Beaubois – He's starting at shooting guard for the Mavericks right now and will continue to do so until further notice. He's played well in his two games this season, but we've still only seen the tip of the iceberg on what he might do the rest of the way. There are no easy answers to these questions, but if all four were available in my league, Roddy B would be my first choice.

2. Sam Young – Young was basically already worth owning before Rudy Gay's potentially season-ending shoulder injury occurred, and is even more appealing now that Gay could be done for the year. Young has been a nice source of points, rebounds and steals, doesn't turn the ball over, and occasionally racks up a block or two in a game.

3. Tony Allen – I had Allen at No. 4 on this list last week, but with news that Mo Williams was actually bothered by an ankle injury when Ramon Sessions led the Cavs to a win over the Lakers last week, I'm bumping Allen in front of him. Allen really doesn't have any competition for his job, and like Young, should be starting for the Grizzlies for the next four weeks, if not for the rest of the year. He's a steals and blocks specialist, can hit threes and score. Yes, O.J. Mayo may push him a little, but it will be off the bench.

4. Ramon Sessions – He could still end up unseating Mo Williams, who, to put it mildly, has had a weird vibe since the moment LeBron made his Decision. And then there's the trade deadline looming with the Hawks, Blazers and Knicks all possible destinations for Sessions. If he goes to the Hawks, he could easily start over Mike Bibby, but regardless of what happens, it still looks like Sessions is worth hanging onto in all leagues.

The Rest

Guards

Shaun Livingston – Bobcats

I'm sure you've heard about his big line on Saturday night by now, when he had a season-high 22 points while D.J. Augustin sat on the bench, kept his slump warm and watched the guy with one knee go nuts. Now Augustin and Livingston appear to be in a full timeshare, making both of them tough fantasy starts. But Livingston has been getting enough run to be worth a look in fantasy leagues. Like I said though, neither is a must-start as long as they are splitting minutes.

Will Bynum – Pistons

If Tracy McGrady goes down, Bynum is the guy you'll want to grab. He had six points in his last one, but scored 17 and 21 in his previous two. Just keep an eye on him and pounce if T-Mac drops.

Jermaine Taylor – Kings

With Tyreke Evans talking about shutting it down with plantar fasciitis, Taylor is worth a look after he posted a career-high 17 points to go along with three rebounds, five assists, four steals, a block and three 3-pointers in a loss to the Mavericks on Wednesday. Pooh Jeter is also worth a look, while Donte Greene could also be relevant down the stretch. None of these guys are must-own players, but all are worth keeping an eye on.

Ty Lawson – Nuggets

It now sounds like the Nuggets will try to acquire another point guard if/when they move Carmelo Anthony, in the form of Devin Harris or Raymond Felton. That is going to hurt Lawson and probably means he's no longer a must-own player. But there is still a sense that the Nuggets want to groom him as their point guard of the future, so if you want to hang onto him, it makes sense.

Forwards

Carlos Delfino – Bucks

Corey Maggette is back from his sore back, but Delfino could stick in the starting five. I don't know how many times I can say it, but I really don't trust anyone on the Bucks. Having said that, both Delfino and Maggette are worth owning, and both of them have been hitting threes.

Peja Stojakovic – Mavericks

He's starting at small forward and had 22 points and four threes on Saturday. He wasn't as great in his next two and will take a hit with Beaubois getting run, but is still worth a look if you need threes for as long as he's starting for Dallas.

Troy Murphy – Nets (for now)

Murphy is going to be traded or bought out, so we have no clue where he'll end up. But if he happens to find the right situation, he'll be worth owning. I still haven't picked him up anywhere, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't if you have room to hold him.

Omri Casspi – Kings

He's starting at small forward and has been doing a nice job of scoring and rebounding, although he was quiet just before the break. If Tyreke Evans is going to miss time with his plantar fasciitis, Casspi may be asked to score more. He's not a must-own player, but if you need boards and threes, he could be your man.

Anthony Randolph - Knicks (for now)

Rumors are that Randolph is going to Minnesota, which could be the ideal situation for him. Of course, he'd still have to fight with Kevin Love and Michael Beasley for minutes, but I am guessing David Kahn and Kurt Rambis won't hesitate to play him. Randolph is still not a must-own player, even if the trade goes down, but in a deep league, he could rack up so points, boards, steals and blocks for the Wolves.

Austin Daye – Pistons

Daye has shown some life lately, averaging 10 points, four boards, nearly a steal, a block and two threes per game in February. He'll have plenty of bad nights coming off the bench, but is getting enough run to be given a look in most leagues.

Brandon Bass – Magic

Bass returned on Sunday and had six points and eight boards. He should hurt Ryan Anderson and could be a decent source of double-doubles with some blocks once he's back in the flow. As for Anderson, I'm reluctant to drop him since he was playing so well when Bass was healthy, and he played better just before the break. Both players are worth owning in most leagues, although the Magic's playoff schedule isn't perfect.

Centers

DeJuan Blair – Spurs

Blair has finally arrived and should continue to log serious minutes as the Spurs roll into the playoffs. He's averaging 12.6 points, 10.1 boards, 1.4 steals, 0.8 blocks and is shooting 53 percent in February. At this point, he's as must-own as they come.

Chris Kaman – Clippers

Kaman played pretty well in his two games last week and is worth grabbing if you need a center. He'll split minutes with DeAndre Jordan, and is also a trade candidate. Either way, both players are probably worth owning in most leagues.

Chuck Hayes – Rockets

Hayes has somehow had value for a couple months and is averaging 9.8 points, 8.8 boards, 2.4 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.8 blocks in February. He's also shooting lights out and making some free throws, and is another guy who should be owned in most leagues. If Kaman is traded to the Rockets tough, Hayes will take a hit.

Greg Monroe – Pistons

Monroe is averaging 10.4 points, 7.0 boards and nearly a steal and block per game in February, despite the return of Ben Wallace. He's probably not available in your league, but is worth grabbing if he is sitting out there.

Kendrick Perkins – Celtics

Perk is back and is averaging 8.7 points, 9.3 boards and 1.3 blocks in February. He's the only healthy center the Celtics have right now and should get better as the season rolls to a close.

Samuel Dalembert – Kings

Sammy D continues to be unpredictable as Paul Westphal can't seem to make up his mind on a starting lineup. He started with DeMarcus Cousins in his last game and is averaging 9.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 1.1 blocks in February, making him worth a look if you need a center.