This article is part of our Category Strategy series.
First and foremost: Joel Embiid has missed five of his last six games and has been dropped by some desperate owners. He should be grabbed in all formats.
There are slightly fewer games than usual this week. If you play in a league with unlimited games, try to arrange your roster to make sure that you can use every start this week. The Bulls and Jazz play only two games this week, limiting the waiver pool for a lot of leagues. Both teams have been featured heavily in this column throughout the season, but with only two games, are much less valuable in many formats. Only 10 teams have four games this week: the Celtics, Grizzlies, Magic, Nets, Nuggets, Pistons, Raptors, Suns, Timberwolves, and Thunder. Players on those teams receive a slight boost this week.
Points
Alec Burks
(Ownership: ESPN – 2%; Yahoo – 4%; CBS – 12%)
Burks has taken a long time to get (relatively) healthy. After missing the first 34 games recovering from ankle surgery, Burks averaged only 6.4 minutes in seven appearances out of nine games. Finally, he is well enough to see some consistent minutes. Over the past five games, he is averaging 13.0 points in 19.2 minutes. Burks was a 2011 lottery pick, and was 'young, up-and-coming' for several injury-plagued seasons. Now 25, we still don't really know what his ceiling is. But his potential ceiling only impacts deep dynasty leaguers right now, because with Jazz have enough guard depth that he's unlikely to
First and foremost: Joel Embiid has missed five of his last six games and has been dropped by some desperate owners. He should be grabbed in all formats.
There are slightly fewer games than usual this week. If you play in a league with unlimited games, try to arrange your roster to make sure that you can use every start this week. The Bulls and Jazz play only two games this week, limiting the waiver pool for a lot of leagues. Both teams have been featured heavily in this column throughout the season, but with only two games, are much less valuable in many formats. Only 10 teams have four games this week: the Celtics, Grizzlies, Magic, Nets, Nuggets, Pistons, Raptors, Suns, Timberwolves, and Thunder. Players on those teams receive a slight boost this week.
Points
Alec Burks
(Ownership: ESPN – 2%; Yahoo – 4%; CBS – 12%)
Burks has taken a long time to get (relatively) healthy. After missing the first 34 games recovering from ankle surgery, Burks averaged only 6.4 minutes in seven appearances out of nine games. Finally, he is well enough to see some consistent minutes. Over the past five games, he is averaging 13.0 points in 19.2 minutes. Burks was a 2011 lottery pick, and was 'young, up-and-coming' for several injury-plagued seasons. Now 25, we still don't really know what his ceiling is. But his potential ceiling only impacts deep dynasty leaguers right now, because with Jazz have enough guard depth that he's unlikely to consistently top-25 minutes without an injury. On the other hand, most formats can benefit from a backup guard scoring double-digits who has shot 60.5 percent from the field in his last five games, even if it is in limited minutes.
DeMar DeRozan (ankle) is sitting another two games after returning for one game Sunday. As long as DeRozan is out, Norman Powell is worth starting in any league 10 teams or larger.
Other suggestions: Norman Powell, Raptors; Austin Rivers, Clippers; Jameer Nelson, Nuggets
Deep Leagues: Shabazz Muhammad, Timberwolves
Three-Pointers
Courtney Lee
(Ownership: ESPN – 19%; Yahoo – 53%; CBS – 31%)
This feels like a hot streak, and not a permanent change, but with Derrick Rose (ankle) now out, Lee's odds of keeping it going are increased. Lee has at least two threes in four of his past five games and is averaging 37.4 minutes, 16.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 threes while shooting 52.6 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from three during that stretch. This marks, by far, his best five-game series this season. This run sort of coincides with Lee returning to the starting lineup, but even that explanation comes up short – Lee started in his first 37 appearances this season, and came off the bench for just three games. Furthermore, he was still coming off the bench for the first game of these last five games. Even if it is "just a streak", he still has significant fantasy utility as long as it last. As with all streaks, just don't hesitate to cut him when it ends.
Austin Rivers' ownership is just low enough to justify inclusion – but as a concession to his 85% CBS ownership rate, he doesn't get the billing. Since Chris Paul (thumb) went down – and remember, he should be out at least another four weeks – Rivers is averaging 18.6 points and 2.8 threes in 36 minutes per game. If Rivers is still available, he borders on must-add territory, even in shallower leagues.
Other suggestions: Austin Rivers, Clippers; Nick Young, Lakers; Robert Covington, 76ers; Arron Afflalo, Kings; C.J. Miles, Pacers
Rebounds
Ivica Zubac, Lakers
(Ownership: ESPN – 10%; Yahoo – 31%; CBS – 54%)
Here is an unprecedented streak with a more satisfying explanation than "he's hot right now". Zubac has played more minutes than starter Timofey Mozgov in the last two games -- and in three of the past five – something that had only happened once before. In all three games, Zubac played at least 26 minutes and double-doubled. Before this stretch, the 19-year-old rookie had only hit double-digit minutes three times. Zubac appears to be taking over Mozgov's role, and as the Lakers spiral towards the bottom of the standings, they have every reason to continue encouraging Zubac's development. Zubac is a true seven-footer, and he was already averaging 10.9 rebounds per 36 minutes in his limited role this season.
Maybe I'm just stuck in November of 2013, but I always perk up when Spencer Hawes starts getting minutes (he averaged 15.9 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 1.9 threes while shooting 51.2 percent from the field that month). He's averaged 27.3 minutes, 9.3 points, and 8.3 rebounds over his last three games. His perimeter shot hasn't looked good during this stretch, but he'll need it in order to stay in the rotation when Cody Zeller (quadriceps) returns. Hawes is a good three-point shooter, especially for a seven-footer, and he can provide some help in rebounds when seeing consistent minutes. Zeller did not play Tuesday, and the Hornets play again Wednesday.
Other suggestions: Spencer Hawes, Hornets; Patrick Patterson, Raptors
Assists
Jameer Nelson, Nuggets
(Ownership: ESPN – 14%; Yahoo – 18%; CBS – 30%)
In the past four games without Emmanuel Mudiay (back), Nelson has averaged 6.0 assists in 33.5 minutes. Earlier reports indicated Mudiay would not travel with the team Tuesday. Recent updates indicate that he is, in fact, with the team, but the fact that his health was so much in question makes it unlikely that Mudiay will return to full duty during the Nuggets' three-games-in-four-days stretch. With Mudiay out or limited, Nelson should get good minutes running the offense.
If T.J. McConnell is still available, it's probably time to fix that. He's averaging 10.8 assists in 32.3 minutes over his last six, and has taken firm control of the starting point guard role in Philadelphia. Reports that the 76ers have turned down trade offers for McConnell further imply that his value role is secure.
Other suggestions: T.J. McConnell, 76ers; Yogi Ferrell, Mavericks; Ty Lawson, Kings
Steals
Yogi Ferrell, Mavericks
(Ownership: ESPN – 3%; Yahoo – 8%; CBS – 8%)
Ferrell is a six-foot tall guard, dismissed by draft scouts, who was twice named to a major all-conference first team for a public, state school. So, too, was Isaiah Thomas. He hopes the similarities don't end there. In Ferrell's senior season at Indiana, I saw shades of Thomas' tenacious attitude and heads-up awareness, but I'm also a Celtics fan with a soft spot for NCAA upperclassmen (Ferrell stayed all four years). Ferrell has had a harder time finding his footing in the league than Thomas did during his 2011-12 rookie season, but he may have found a home. Ferrell is making the most of his run starting while Deron Williams (toe) and J.J. Barea (calf) are out, averaging 37.0 minutes, 14.0 points, 5.0 assists, and 3.0 steals in two games. A lot of those minutes will disappear when Williams is fully healthy, but Ferrell's play may have earned him a longer-term role in the rotation, assuming he sticks with the Mavs beyond a 10-day deal or two.
Other suggestions: Robert Covington, 76ers; Marquese Chriss, Suns; Garrett Temple, Kings
Blocks
Marquese Chriss, Suns
(Ownership: ESPN – 2%; Yahoo – 5%; CBS – 24%)
The blocks area of the waiver wire is still very much lacking – it's mostly a rehash of mediocre-at-best-options I've mentioned before, with the temporary addition of Hawes. Chriss is much more of a thief than a rim protector, but at least he's someone new. Chriss is the fourth-youngest player in the NBA, so it makes sense that his game has been a work-in-progress. But he is improving, and the last-place Suns are running out of reasons to keep him on the bench. He's recorded a block in five of six games, while averaging 2.0 steals in that time. He scored 20 points in 34 minutes on Monday and after Devin Booker, he's the most exciting young player on the team.
Other suggestions: Lucas Nogueira, Raptors; Kyle O'Quinn, Knicks; Danny Green, Spurs; Spencer Hawes
