It’s Sunday, and you know what that means.
It’s time to get ready for another week of fantasy hoops. We are already heading into Week 6, as this season has been flying right out of the gate.
Each and every week, we’ll look at players that you should consider picking up who are rostered in four different ownership tiers:
- 50-60%
- 30-49%
- 15-29%
- 0-14%
What’s more, we’ll give you a breakdown of how many games each team has for the upcoming week so that you can maximize the minutes of your streamers.
Without further delay, let’s get to it, starting with the schedule and offensive pace ratings, thanks to our friends at Razzball.
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Four games:
ATL, BOS, CHA, CHI, DET, IND, LAL, MEM, MIL, MIN, NOP, ORL, PHX, SAC, UTA, WAS
Three games:
BKN, CLE, GSW, HOU, LAC, MIA, NYK, OKC, PHI, POR, SAS, TOR
Two games:
DAL, DEN
Rostered in 50-60% of leagues:
Noel returned to action Saturday night for the Knicks, and while the traditional line wasn’t great (2/6/1), Noel did contribute three blocks, which is exactly what you want from him. He’s a per-game, per-minute specialist, maximizing his time on the court. His ceiling is capped when everyone is healthy, but he does enough defensively and on the boards to be rostered in more than 60 percent of leagues. If and when Mitchell Robinson misses time, Noel’s value will skyrocket.
In his last game against the Pacers, Hart played 24 minutes, but before that he played 33 or more minutes for the Pelicans in five straight games. In two of those five games, Hart had a double-double with points and rebounds and then notched 11 assists in another. He’s been a top 100 player for the past month, and he’s been a top 80 player over the last two weeks. He should go past the 60 percent threshold by next Sunday’s column.
Rostered in 30-49% of leagues:
Larry Nance Jr. (PF/C – POR) 49%
Nance is by the far the pickup of the week. He’s increased his role on the team and with that, he’s earned more minutes. It takes away from Jusuf Nurkic a bit, but we are focusing on the good here. He’s the 68th ranked player over the last week, and a lot of that has to do with his 72 percent shooting from the field. Is it a sustainable pace for Nance? Well, no, but the increased usage will increase his fantasy value.
Devin Vassell (SG/SF – SAS) 48%
“Wasn’t Vassell in this exact spot last week?” Yes, random reader, he was, and he’s only gone up 12 percent in ownership since then. Granted, the Spurs only played two games last week, but he needs to be rostered in all 12-team leagues at this point. He’s been the 102nd ranked player in fantasy so far, with an upside to be top 70. Your window is closing to acquire him for free.
Kevin Huerter (SG/SF – ATL) 30%
With no De’Andre Hunter through the rest of 2021, Huerter should be rostered in far more leagues. He’s inconsistent, yes, but on any given night he can drop 20-plus points and catch fire from behind the arc. Expect top 100 value while Hunter is out.
Rostered in 15-29% of leagues:
Shake Milton (PG/SG – PHI) 23%
We’re in deep-league territory here, but as long as Joel Embiid is out, Milton will have fantasy value. The Sixers cut his minutes in half last time out, and the stat line reflected it. You’re counting on him to maintain the pace that he’s had the last two weeks with 13 points, 3 boards, and 3 assists to matter.
Isaiah Hartenstein (PF/C – LAC) 18%
Hartenstein’s ceiling is still capped as he doesn’t get enough minutes to matter in standard leagues, but the talent is obviously there for the big man. He’s recorded 11-6 lines in his past two games, and with those, he’s added five total blocks. There’s value here in deeper leagues and he should be monitored for standard leagues if his minutes jump.
Rostered in 0-14% of leagues:
White made his season debut last Monday against the Lakers, and while he’s done nothing of note yet–he’s only played 31 minutes in three games–White has immense upside and can help run the Bulls’ second unit. He’ll require patience, as he’s getting back up to speed after labrum surgery. Try to pick him up or trade for him in dynasty while you can.
Avdija has quietly been a top 100 player over the last two weeks. The sophomore has posted a 6.4/6.3/1.6. Not too impressive, no, but he’s playing more and more minutes for the Wizards, and his overall offensive game and usage are continuing to trend upwards. He’s a watchlist guy in 12-team leagues, but he should be rostered in 15-team leagues for the upside alone.
Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros
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Michael Waterloo is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Michael, check out his archive and follow him @MichaelWaterloo.
