Ty Jerome Scored 45 and Changed the Waiver Wire Overnight

Ty Jerome is the starting point guard in Memphis now, and Wednesday night he played like a star. Jerome scored a career high 45 points in a 123-103 win over Utah, breaking the Grizzlies franchise record for an opener that Ja Morant held at 44. Morant was traded to Portland in the offseason and Jerome owns the job.

That is not a stream line. That is an add line in every format where he is still sitting out there. Jerome's career high 45 as the unquestioned starter in Memphis is exactly the kind of breakout our fantasy basketball HQ page moves to the top of the adds list on the morning after. If he is gone in your league, the lesson is the role, not the name: a starting guard with the ball in a fast offense is never a wait and see.

The second line lives in Los Angeles. Walker Kessler scored 26 points on a perfect 12 of 12 shooting with 10 dunks against Golden State. Centers who finish everything and protect the rim win you field goal percentage, rebounds and blocks in the same week, and Kessler just announced his role next to Luka Doncic in the loudest way possible.

Atlanta gave us the third. Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 31 points with two clutch threes late in a 132-125 win at Orlando, on a night Paolo Banchero went for 35 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists for the Magic. Add in Kevin Durant's 30 and Jabari Smith's 30 for Houston, with Alperen Sengun at 23 points and 10 rebounds, and Wednesday was a night where the real breakouts were easy to spot. The full fantasy basketball HQ page carries every one of these lines on its breakouts board, with an Add, Watch or Stream call on each name and the schedule watch for a two game Thursday. Thursday has only two NBA games, so your Friday adds matter more than your Thursday streams. Spend the day winning Jerome and Kessler, not chasing a one night rental.

By Kingston O'Neal. Fantasy is my desk, and a career high in an opener is never an accident.