Fantasy Basketball 2016-17: A Dozen Dimes, Volume 24
Most fantasy hoops seasons have ended, but for those of you still battling, A Dozen Dimes is here for you with 12 quick nuggets of adding advice.
As usual, these are in relative order of importance. If you're looking for more advice, check the "related articles" section to cycle through other recent editions of this column. We try not to repeat ourselves too much from one week to the next, so you might find more ideas you like from previous weeks that are still valid.
Ok, let's get down to it.
Andre Iguodala
Kevin Durant won't be re-evaluated until later this week, so Andre Iguodala will continue to play big minutes in his absence.
Over the 17 games KD has been out of the lineup (15 of which Iguodala has played), Iggy has been the 40th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 11.8 points, 1.1 three-pointers, 4.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 0.7 turnovers in 28.9 minutes per contest, while shooting 59.5% from the field and 71.8% from the line. He's been even hotter over the past week, ranking 33rd in nine-category leagues over his last four.
Put simply, he should be owned in more than 50% of Yahoo leagues and 30% on ESPN.
Frank Kaminsky
Frank Kaminsky is owned in 50% of Yahoo leagues and 30% on ESPN, but if he's available in yours, he should be a priority add.
Over his last four games, Frank the Tank has been the 35th-ranked player in nine-category leagues for his averages of 18.3 points, 3.3 triples, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 0.8 turnovers in 25.1 minutes per contest. He's also produced a sterling shooting split of 56.8% from the field and 83.3% from the line.
You'd like to get more rebounds and defensive numbers from your big man, but the combination of points, threes, and solid efficiency makes him a must-own down the stretch.
Courtney Lee
Courtney Lee has been a top-100 player in nine-category leagues all season long, but he's been particularly hot over his last four games.
During that span, he's been the 40th-ranked player in nine-category leagues for his averages of 13.3 points, 1.3 triples, 4.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.5 blocks, and 1.5 turnovers in a solid 32.3 minutes per contest while shooting 45.0% from the field and a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line.
Lee is currently available in 50% of Yahoo leagues and nearly 90% on ESPN. However, he should be owned in any league that is still going at this time of year with the news that Derrick Rose is out for the remainder of the season with a torn meniscus, since Lee will likely be taking on a bigger load with Rose out of the lineup.
Richaun Holmes
With Jahlil Okafor (knee) ruled out for the rest of the season, Richaun Holmes is locked and loaded in the Sixers' starting lineup from here on out.
In his six games since taking over that role, Holmes has been the 76th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 13.3 points, 0.7 threes, 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.7 blocks, and 1.3 turnovers in 29.2 minutes per contest, while shooting 54.2% from the field and 80.0% from the line.
He's still out there in 40% of Yahoo leagues and 50% on ESPN and should be snatched up immediately if that's the case in yours.
Justin Anderson
Robert Covington, the Sixers' usual starting small forward, has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn meniscus in his right knee. Justin Anderson, Covington's understudy, has slotted into the starting five and has been fairly good in his three games since the switch.
Over that span, Anderson has averaged 9.3 points, 1.3 threes, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.3 blocks, and 1.0 turnover in 26.8 minutes per game, while shooting 47.6% from the field and 80.0% from the free throw line. The lack of defensive stats has dragged his overall ranking in nine-category leagues down to 122nd during that period, but he's still worth grabbing for his otherwise solid all-around line.
He's out there in 90% of Yahoo leagues and over 95% on ESPN.
Josh Richardson
Josh Richardson has been stuffing the stat sheet since entering the Heat's starting lineup eight games ago.
Over that span, he's been the 69th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 11.3 points, 1.6 threes, 2.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.6 blocks, and 1.4 turnovers in a solid 34.3 minutes per game, while shooting 42.0% from the field and 69.2% from the free throw line. The rebounds and field goal percentage leave a bit to be desired, but there are all kinds of goodies in that line when it comes to points, triples, assists, steals, and blocks.
He's still available in 65% of Yahoo leagues and over 90% on ESPN, so there's a good chance you can still grab him in yours.
Andre Roberson
Andre Roberson has been a top-100 fantasy asset in nine-category leagues for the last two months, but is still unowned in nearly 90% of Yahoo leagues and 95% on ESPN. He doesn't give you much in terms of scoring, threes, or assists and he's a terrible free throw shooter, but if you're fine in those areas, his combination of solid defensive numbers, rebounds, field goal percentage, and low turnovers is certainly worth snatching up.
Over his last five games in particular, Roberson has been the 50th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 6.4 points, 0.0 triples, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 2.2 steals, 1.4 blocks, and 0.4 turnovers in a reliable 34.5 minutes per contest. He's currently shooting 41.7% from the field and 66.7% from the free throw line.
Grab him if you need the defensive boost or boards from the wing.
Al-Farouq Aminu
Blazers' big man Jusuf Nurkic is out the next two weeks, so his production will filter down to other bigs on the roster as the team fights for their playoff life. Al-Farouq Aminu has been playing well lately and already deserved an add after a week of top-100 returns in nine-category leagues, so now he's a no-brainer if he's available (as he is in nearly 50% of Yahoo leagues and 70% on ESPN).
Over Aminu's last five, he's averaged 11.8 points, 1.0 three, 8.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.4 blocks, and 1.0 turnover in 27.6 minutes per game, while shooting 53.8% from the field and 60.0% from the line, making him the 88th-ranked player in nine-category leagues over that span.
Maurice Harkless
Maurice Harkless is another Blazer whose fantasy stock is on the rise due the absence of Nurkic.
He's had a roller coaster of a year, but he's been solid over his last two, averaging 15.0 points, 0.5 threes, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.0 steal, 2.0 blocks, and 1.0 turnover in 28.9 minutes per game, while shooting a blazing 61.9% from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 from the charity stripe over that span.
He's more widely available than Al-Farouq Aminu, as he's currently unowned in 70% of Yahoo leagues and 80% on ESPN.
Noah Vonleh
The final Blazer big that you should consider this week is Noah Vonleh. Vonleh has been a starter for more than two months now with little in the way of fantasy returns, but the absence of Jusuf Nurkic has clearly made room for him to get more minutes and goodies in the stat sheet.
In the Blazers' first game without Nurkic on Saturday, he went off for 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in a season-high 35 minutes (the first time he's even topped 30 all year). Vonleh is even more widely available than Harkless, as he's owned in less than 10% of both Yahoo and ESPN leagues.
All three of Aminu, Harkless, and Vonleh have inconsistency caveats attached to them, but they make for good adds (in that order) going into the homestretch of the season, as the Blazers will need to have all hands on deck for their playoff push without Nurkic.
Larry Nance Jr.
Larry Nance Jr. has started the last two games for the Los Angeles Lakers in place of the injured Ivica Zubac, who has been ruled out the remainder of the season due to a high ankle sprain. Over those two contests, Nance has averaged 10.0 points, 0.5 threes, 9.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.5 steals, 0.5 blocks, and 1.0 turnover in a healthy 31.5 minutes per game, with a shooting split of 44.4% from the field and 75.0% from the charity stripe.
He's available in 70% of Yahoo leagues and over 90% on ESPN if you're in need of some boards and defensive numbers.
Taurean Prince
Rookie Taurean Prince has started the last five games for the Atlanta Hawks while Thabo Sefolosha (groin) and Kent Bazemore (knee) have been in and out of the lineup with nagging ailments.
Over that five-game span, Prince has averaged 12.6 points, 1.0 three, 4.8 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 2.2 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 1.8 turnovers in a healthy 34.2 minutes per contest, while shooting 38.5% from the field and 69.2% from the line. He's only the 119th-ranked player in nine-category leagues over that span because of the uninspiring shooting split, but owners in need of the defensive numbers should look for him.
You shouldn't have any trouble finding him, either -- he's 85% available in Yahoo leagues and over 90% on ESPN.
