Peyton Watson's steals and blocks make him a 9-cat add in Cleveland

Eight of the nine blocks Cleveland recorded in Monday's 127-125 overtime win over Minnesota came from three players, and the one who sits outside our top 100 was not Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen, who had two each. Peyton Watson started at forward, played 37 minutes and finished with four blocks and three steals to go with 15 points and eight rebounds, according to ESPN's box score, on a night when the attention went to Anthony Edwards' 47 points for the Timberwolves. Through three games with the Cavaliers he has six steals and six blocks.

The argument for adding him is narrow, and it is a categories argument. Watson arrived in an August sign-and-trade from Denver on a four-year, $88 million deal, according to ESPN and the Associated Press, and the Cavaliers have started him in all three games he has played, at 32.7 minutes a night against the 31 our preseason projection assumed. Those minutes are the reason a defensive line like Monday's can carry weight in 9-cat. In points leagues the same line is worth much less, and the shooting is the reason.

Every player in this story is on the fantasy basketball rankings and the 2026-27 projections, and the NBA depth charts show where each one stands in his team’s rotation tonight.