Fantasy Basketball 2020: Ranking Sleepers for NBA Week 13

Going into most weeks, fantasy owners can pluck a productive guard off the waiver wire for streaming purposes. In that aspect, Week 13 isn't any different, but managers can also target a few forwards and centers with well-rounded skill sets. 

Owners should pay close attention to rotations at the midpoint of any campaign. We're going to see young talents play more minutes as teams begin to separate in the win-loss standings. Secondly, rookies and new acquisitions may look comfortable in stable roles for the latter half of the season. 

The New Orleans Pelicans and Cleveland Cavaliers have promising top-10 picks from last year's draft who've made strides in recent outings. One of those first-year players has a steady role with notable development in a particular area of his game. 

The Golden State Warriors have a new lead big man in the frontcourt. As the team shuffles through lineup combinations, we could see a new fixture in the starting unit.

We'll rank five viable sleeper options for Week 13 and go in-depth on the top three. All of the selections below are owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues as of Sunday 5 a.m. ET. 

Top 5 Sleepers for Week 13

5. SG/SF Trevor Ariza, Sacramento Kings (10 percent owned) 

4. PF/C Christian Wood, Detroit Pistons (18 percent owned)

3. C Jaxson Hayes, New Orleans Pelicans (36 percent owned)

2. PG Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers (38 percent owned)

1. PF Omari Spellman, Golden State Warriors (27 percent owned)

C Jaxson Hayes, New Orleans Pelicans (36 percent owned) 

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Derrick Favors strained his hamstring Friday, opening up more minutes for Jaxson Hayes. Prior to that contest, the rookie center had a solid stat line against the Chicago Bulls last Wednesday, logging 14 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks.

Favors lists as questionable for Monday's game versus the Detroit Pistons with the hamstring ailment. Even if he returns, the Pelicans may restrict his workload to about 20 minutes because the 10th-year veteran has dealt with multiple injuries early this season.

The Pelicans selected Hayes with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2019 draft. He's likely to play a decent number of minutes in the frontcourt while Zion Williamson continues to recover from a meniscus injury that will keep him out for an uncertain amount of time.

The 19-year-old has logged a double-double in two of the last three games with eight blocks over the previous three outings. Last week, he posted better numbers than Pistons big man Christian Wood, who played fewer than 15 minutes in two of his last three contests, which justifies their ranks at Nos. 3 and 4, respectively.

PG Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers (38 percent owned)

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

In nine-category leagues, Darius Garland isn't going to boost your defensive statistics, but he's become a reliable scorer in the Cavaliers' starting lineup.

The 19-year-old has recorded multiple triples and double-digit scoring totals in eight consecutive games. The rookie guard's ball distribution remains a work in progress, but he dished out 15 assists over the last two games.

If Garland finds his groove as a floor general, expect fantasy ownership numbers to steadily rise. For now, the Vanderbilt product seems to have a safe spot in the first unit under head coach John Beilein. 

In Week 13, the Cavaliers have a four-game slate, so he would be a solid pickup for triples, points and possibly assists if he continues to trend up in that category.

Because of his firm hold on a starting role, Garland edges Hayes for the No. 2 spot.

PF Omari Spellman, Golden State Warriors (27 percent owned) 

John McCoy/Getty Images

Omari Spellman is the fantasy waiver-wire gem of the week. Since the turn of the calendar to 2020, he saw an uptick in playing time, logging at least 20 minutes in five of the previous six games.

More importantly, the 22-year-old has looked impressive with more opportunities. He's recorded double-digit point totals in six consecutive contests, knocking down 10 triples over the previous three games.

When you read Spellman's averages from the past week, take note of the widespread production (2.5 triples, 13.3 points, five rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.8 blocks). Considering his field-goal (.454) and free-throw percentages (.789) for the season, the second-year pro out of Villanova should rank high on your acquisitions list. 

He has logged consecutive starts, which spikes his fantasy value for at least the short-term future. He offers more offensive firepower than Willie Cauley-Stein in the frontcourt, so the versatile big man could stick with the first unit while Kevon Looney remains sidelined because of abdominal injury. 

Spellman's growing role, impressive stat lines and contributions to multiple categories elevate him to the top spot among Week 13 sleeper pickups.