# The Stretch Run Pickups That'll Save Your Fantasy Season
We're in mid-April and your fantasy playoffs are either happening right now or you're scrambling to lock up a spot. Either way, the waiver wire just got interesting.
Teams are shutting down stars. Rotations are getting weird. And if you're not paying attention to rest schedules and tanking timelines, you're cooked.
## Grab These Guys Before Monday
**Jalen Duren** is sitting there in 43% of leagues and I don't get it. The Pistons center just posted back-to-back double-doubles with blocks, and Detroit's playing six games this week. He's averaging 14.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks since the All-Star break. That's top-50 value in nine-cat leagues.
The Pistons have nothing to play for except development. Duren's getting 32 minutes a night. Do the math.
**Keyonte George** is another one. The Jazz are in full tank mode, which means the second-year guard is running the show. He's dropped 22, 18, and 25 points in his last three games with five threes in two of those contests. Utah plays four times this week, all at home. George is rostered in just 38% of Yahoo leagues.
Here's the thing: tanking teams are fantasy gold in April. They're not worried about winning. They're giving young guys the green light.
**Trey Murphy III** returned from injury last week and looked rusty. Two games, 9.5 points, 32% shooting. Everyone dropped him. That's the move you'll regret. Murphy was a top-60 player before the ankle injury, and the Pelicans need his shooting with their playoff hopes hanging by a thread. He'll be back to 18 points and four threes within a week.
Roster rate: 52%. Won't be there long.
**Amen Thompson** is the chaos pickup. The Rockets rookie is doing everything—7.8 assists, 6.2 rebounds, 1.8 steals over his last five games. The points aren't there (10.4 per game), but in points leagues where defensive stats matter, he's a cheat code. Houston plays five times this week including a back-to-back Wednesday-Thursday.
Real talk: Thompson's usage is all over the place. But when Ime Udoka trusts him, he produces. And right now, with the Rockets fighting for the six-seed, Udoka's riding the hot hand.
## Start 'Em
**Domantas Sabonis** against the Wizards and Hornets this week. Washington's giving up 118 points per game over their last ten, and they can't guard a traffic cone at center. Sabonis dropped 24-18-9 on them three weeks ago. The Hornets are even worse—dead last in defensive rating since April 1st. Fire up Sabonis with confidence.
**Mikal Bridges** is quietly having a monster April. He's averaging 23.6 points on 49% shooting with 2.8 threes per game this month. The Nets are playing for draft position, which means Bridges is getting 38 minutes and unlimited shots. Brooklyn faces the Pistons twice and the Wizards once this week. That's three games against bottom-five defenses.
**Alperen Sengun** even with the tough matchup against Denver on Tuesday. Yeah, Jokic is a problem. But Sengun's averaging 19-10-6 since March 15th, and the Rockets need him to produce if they want to avoid the play-in. The other three games this week are Portland, San Antonio, and Utah. All top-ten matchups for opposing centers.
## Sit 'Em
**Zion Williamson** is on a minutes restriction nobody's talking about. The Pelicans are capping him at 32 minutes, and he sat the entire fourth quarter in a close game last Tuesday. New Orleans is being cautious with the playoffs approaching. Zion's still producing—21.4 points, 7.1 rebounds—but the upside's capped. If you've got better options with full run, use them.
**Cade Cunningham** faces three elite defenses this week: Cleveland, Miami, and Milwaukee. The Cavs held him to 14 points on 5-of-17 shooting two weeks ago. Miami's switching everything and forcing him into tough shots. Cunningham's talented, but this schedule is brutal. He's a low-end WR2 this week, not the WR1 you drafted.
**Jaren Jackson Jr.** is dealing with a sore foot. He played through it Saturday but looked off—3-of-11 shooting, just six points in 26 minutes. The Grizzlies have already clinched the two-seed. There's zero reason to push JJJ if he's not 100%. Monitor the injury reports, but I'm benching him until we get confirmation he's healthy.
## Trade Targets for the Finals
If you're locked into the championship round next week, start making moves now.
**Anthony Edwards** has the best schedule in fantasy for the final week of the season. The Timberwolves face Portland, San Antonio, and Utah—three of the four worst defenses in the league. Edwards is averaging 28.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in April. His manager might be willing to deal if they're out of contention.
**Tyrese Maxey** is another one. The Sixers play four games in the final week, and three are against teams ranked 20th or worse in defensive efficiency. Maxey's been on fire since Embiid went down—26.7 points, 7.1 assists, 4.4 threes per game over his last nine.
Look, I know it's late to be trading. But if you can package two good players for one elite guy with a perfect schedule, you do it. Championships are won on volume and matchups.
**Bold prediction**: Jalen Duren finishes as a top-40 player in nine-cat leagues over the final two weeks. The minutes, the matchups, and the tanking timeline all line up perfectly. If he's available in your league Monday morning, you messed up.