Fantasy Basketball 2021: Waiver-Wire Advice for Injured NBA Players After Jan.20

The guard position took another injury hit in the last few days with C.J. McCollum going down with a small hairline fracture in his foot. 

McCollum's long-term injury is one of the many knocks that have set back fantasy basketball players at the position. Darius Garland, Lonzo Ball and Killian Hayes were among the notable names to suffer injuries at guard recently. 

The good news is there are plenty of quality options on the waiver wire you can attempt to fill the void with while McCollum is on the mend. 

Delon Wright has not produced the high scoring totals that McCollum can, but he has chipped across the stat sheet to fill in a solid role for the Detroit Pistons. 

Nickeil Alexander-Walker has scored at a higher volume for the New Orleans Pelicans with Ball sidelined, and he could be viewed as a decent replacement at guard as well. 

Very few of the waiver-wire options will be 20-point scorers on a nightly basis, but if they chip in across the board, they can fill supporting roles alongside the other stars in your lineups.

Wright will not be added in any league solely for his scoring prowess.

The 28-year-old has a single double-digit point performance for the Pistons, but he has made up for the lack of points with contributions across the board. 

On Wednesday, Wright totaled seven points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals against the Atlanta Hawks. 

Wright produced at least four rebounds and four assists in three of his last four games. His high-water mark was a 10-assist output versus the Miami Heat on January 16.

Wright should continue to average around 25 minutes per game for the next month or two with Hayes out with a hip injury. The Athletic and Stadium's Shama Charania reported Hayes will "be re-evaluated in eight weeks." 

Hayes' injury provided a direct path to playing time in Detroit for Wright and McCollum's four-week absence with a small fracture in his left foot, per ESPN.com, leaves a spot open at shooting guard on some fantasy rosters. 

Wright is eligible at shooting guard and small forward in Yahoo leagues, so he brings some flexibility with him that could be beneficial on nights where some roster maneuvering is needed. 

As long as Wright continues to chip in at most offensive stat categories, he should be a solid depth option at shooting guard, which is why he is worth the pickup at the moment with a handful of guards sidelined.

Alexander-Walker captured the spotlight with a 37-point performance on January 13 against the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Over the next three games, Alexander-Walker totaled 30 points, but he is still worth a pickup because of the consistent playing time he has received in New Orleans. 

Alexander-Walker was initially viewed as a replacement for Ball, who dealt with knee soreness, but he played more minutes than his teammate in Tuesday's matchup with the Utah Jazz.

Even if the playing time levels out in favor of Ball in the next few weeks, Alexander-Walker could be viewed as a solid second option to any shooting guard on your fantasy roster. 

Just like Wright, the 22-year-old chipped in at numerous stat categories. He had five rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals to go along with his nine points on Tuesday. 

If he contributes around 10 points and a handful of rebounds and assists every night, the Virginia Tech product can put up a decent fantasy point total in every game. 

If anything, Alexander-Walker will be a nice secondary option to have until a new shooting guard captures our attention, or until McCollum returns to the hardwood. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Basketball Reference.