Jaxson Hayes (C, NO): Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues

ROSTERED IN: 48% of leagues

ANALYSIS: I always believed in Jaxson Hayes making in this League, and I'm definitely not jumping off this man's train any time soon, folks. Hayes, who had played a ridiculously low 15 MPG from the start of the season to Jan. 29, has been gifted 26+ minutes in five of the last six games the Pels have played for a much healthier average of 29 MPG. Sadly, he went back to the pine and a low 17 minutes his last time out last Thursday, but here's hoping New Orleans gets back to his senses and gives this young machine more run.

With Valanciunas available and the Pelicans favoring upsizing rather than going the other way around (that is, Brandon Ingram/Herbert Jones manning the SF/PF slots), Hayes is obviously going to have trouble cracking the starting lineup--and the addition of C.J. McCollum won't help, either, as he will take on SG duties with the other two staying on the forward spots. Even then, though, Hayes has done more than enough to take on a super-sub role at least until Zion is back and healthy for good, which... (?)

Hayes' per-minute fantasy efficiency has been incredible posting up an average of 0.96 FP/min in his last 10 games. Can't call Hayes a floor-stretching player, but he's hit three-point shots here and there. No big deal when it comes to his shooting percentages, which are mostly coming from inside the paint and are at 63% from the field and 77% from the charity stripe through the campaign (he's at 69 FG% since the start of 2022). Hayes grabs tons of boards for his playing time and is fantastic on both the steals and blocks categories (0.9 steals and 1.5 blocks per 36). Not so great when it comes to avoiding turnovers, though, with 1+ TOPG in the past three weeks of play.

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