It’s Saturday. You know what that means.
It’s time for another edition of the category analysis.
If you’re new to this column, here’s what we will be looking at each and every week.
Every week, we’ll be looking at players who are widely available and rostered in fewer than 60 percent of fantasy leagues on Yahoo. We’ll be focusing on 8-cat leagues because turnovers are a waste of a category, to be honest. We’ll be looking at players who can help you in each of the eight categories who you can get before your league-mates catch on.
Check out today’s NBA Shot from FanDuel 
The eight categories we’ll focus on each week are:
- Points
- Rebounds
- Assists
- Steals
- Blocks
- Threes
- Field-goal percentage
- Free-throw percentage
Let’s get to it.
Points
Ayo Dosunmu (PG – CHI): 46%
When the Bulls were dealing with having multiple players in health and safety protocols, the rookie got to audition and show off for a larger audience.
With Lonzo Ball and Zach LaVine out for a while, it’s time for the rookie to step up once again on the big stage.
So far, so good.
Dosunmu struggled in the scoring department Friday night against the Bucks, but he still played 39 minutes for Chicago. But prior to that game, he played 39, 38, and 40 minutes, respectively, in his previous three games, totaling 54 points.
He’s a must-stream guy right now until LaVine gets back on the court. V
Rebounds
Goga Bitadze (C – IND): 25%
The Pacers would love to trade one or both of their star big men, but Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis are both out with potentially long-term injuries.
That means it’s Goga time.
Bitadze has slid into the starting lineup, and the returns have been immediate. He’s flirted with a double-double in two of his last three games, and he would assuringly have recorded one Friday night (he was at 13/9/5) before getting ejected for mixing it up with Gary Payton II.
Bitadze won’t be Turner or Sabonis. He won’t even be half of one of them. But he can be a plug-and-play option for those who need big man help.
Assists
Jalen Suggs (PG – ORL): 59%
Suggs remains here, but if his rostershp climb is any indication, it won’t be for long.
The rookie has played well since his return, filling the stat sheet across the board.
He recorded a career-high nine dimes Friday night, but what impresses me more is that Suggs is averaging 34.5 minutes per game in his last two contests. He could be that second-half piece that carries fantasy managers to a title.
Steals
Herb Jones (SF/PF – NOP): 53%
Sorry, but my foot is planted. I’m leaving Jones here every week until we get him over 60 percent. I just don’t get the hesitation. Does someone want to tell me what I’m missing?
Top 26 value over the last month. Top 60 over the last two weeks. Fifty-third ranked played on the year. Ninth in the NBA in steals on the season.
Help me mix up the names in this column by picking him up in more leagues.
Blocks
Thomas Bryant (C – WAS): 24%
Bryant is back for the Wizards, which is bad news for Daniel Gafford and his fantasy value.
Washington is taking it slow with Bryant, but he should be fully ramped up in the next week or two. I like him more as a scoring big man than an interior defensive big man, but he can chip in with a block or so per game.
Threes
Max Strus (SG/SF – MIA): 20%
Like Jones, Strus is going to just live here, I guess.
Tyler Herro is in protocols, and Kyle Lowry just missed a game for personal reasons. Even with Jimmy Butler back, Strus is getting his in the offense.
Over the last month, he’s made the sixth-most three-pointers (37) in the NBA, and that’s with him missing time.
The Heat trust Strus, and it’s time for fantasy managers who need three-point help to do the same.
Field-goal percentage
Amir Coffey (SF – LAC): 37%
Coffey is still seeing big minutes for the Clippers, and even with some of their, umm, guys back, Coffey is staying in the starting lineup.
Over the last two weeks, Coffey has averaged 13.4 points, 4.4 boards, 3.6 assists, 1.4 STOCKS, and 2.5 made threes per game.
This doesn’t seem like a player who is getting just a cup of Coffey in the rotation.
Free-throw percentage
Kessler Edwards (SF – BKN): 7%
You know the drill by now with this category. We find someone who can knock down free throws, yes, but it’s also to highlight a player who we can’t quite squeeze into any of the above categories. This week, we’ll talk about Edwards.
With Kevin Durant set to miss significant time, Cam Thomas was the first player I thought of, and I don’t think I was alone in that.
Instead, it’s been Edwards who looks to be the player who is going to benefit the most from KD’s absence.
Over his last four games, Edwards has been averaging 35.5 minutes per game, and he’s doing … fine. His scoring has dipped in each of those games, but you know what a sucker I am for opportunity. I’m grabbing Edwards to see how this plays out.
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Michael Waterloo is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Michael, check out his archive and follow him @MichaelWaterloo.
