We didn’t really learn a whole lot from Matchup #4 in terms of waiver suggestions that we didn’t already know. All the prior waiver advice is still valid. And your league may even have some additional valuable picks from impatient owners who dropped players who have underwhelmed but still are good enough to own.
Instead, let’s shift our focus for more plug and plays. Matchup #5 is short, and the point potential seems to be less than the prior matchups, mostly because then-unscheduled ceremonies were added to Matchups 1-4 where I’m skeptical that Matchup #5 will get many, if any, additional ceremonies. This is a prime matchup to plug in some music to take advantage of the Oscar shortlists for Score and Song along with the nominations from the Society of Composers and Lyricists (SCL). You might get some bonus points from the other critics groups from these music categories.
And an additional note before we get into it: I’m not highlighting other technical categories because the Oscar shortlists are only worth a point apiece. Yes, there are a lot of technical players who will get points, but they are hard to predict and chasing one point here and there is a fool’s errand and could leave you burnt. Instead, plug your technical players you already have on your team. The Oscar shortlists inform FUTURE waiver suggestions.
Justin Timberlake
I would be shocked if Timberlake didn’t have at least three points in Matchup #5: Two from the SCL and one from the Oscars shortlist. His song (co-written with Amy Allen and Shellback, who are both worth consideration) “Better Place” from Trolls Band Together is a contender for nominations here.
Diane Warren
She has four songs, two of which are in contention. You can get two easy points for pluggin her in.
Michael Giacchino
In a HUGE snub for his The Batman score, Michael Giacchino returns with two scores from Next Goal Wins and Society of the Snow. The former has yielded no points, but Society of the Snow has gotten a little buzz, including Giacchino’s score.
Lenny Kravitz
His song “Road to Freedom” from Rustin has gotten him 10 points thus far, and he’s all but guaranteed to be shortlisted.
And that’s all I can muster right now. Good luck!
