Welcome to Sleeper Picks. Sleeper’s newest offering promised plenty of entertainment and action, and they delivered. We will break down our top three picks for tonight’s NBA action. Sleeper is quickly becoming one of the most popular season-long fantasy platforms, and they are expanding into other areas based on demand. Each week in this space, we’ll talk about some strategy for the new platform while providing our favorite NBA more/less picks.
NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions (1/22)
Jaren Jackson Jr. (F/C – MEM): 26.5 points
JJJ has had to step up as the number one option for the Grizzlies due to injuries to every other starter. He has scored 26 or more points in four of his last six games and will face off against a Toronto Raptors team that will be without their starting center, and that just traded away their starting power forward. The Raptors allow 24.17 points per game to the power forward position and will have their hands full with an athletic big with range like Jackson. Jab the More on JJJ for Monday night.
Pick: More
Jalen Duren (C – DET): 14.5 points
Duren stepped it up for the Pistons in the month of January, averaging 15.8 points per game, boosting his season average to 14 a contest in the process. He has scored 15 or more points in six of his last seven games played and will look to do so again tonight against a Milwaukee Bucks team surrendering 22.88 points per game to the center position. 15 points should be easy to reach if Jalen can stay out of foul trouble this time (he had five fouls and played just 22 minutes against the Bucks on Saturday). Dap the More on Duren for Monday night.
Pick: More
Jaden Ivey (G – DET): 5.5 assists
Ivey continues to see an expanded role with Cade Cunningham sidelined, scoring 18 or more points in each of his last six games and recording six or more assists in six of his last seven. He plays on ball enough to consider him a point guard, especially when Killian Hayes (who is seeing fewer minutes and a decreased role) is off the floor. Tonight, Ivey will square off against a Bucks team allowing 8.56 assists per game to the point guard position and 5.16 assists per game to the shooting guard position. Ivey may look to shoulder more of the scoring load once again but should be good for at least the six assists he put up against the Bucks on Saturday. Hit the More on Ivey for Monday night basketball.
Pick: More
Writers note: The lines are constantly changing on Sleeper (and sometimes expiring), so there is a high probability that one or all of the numbers may no longer be the same when you open your app. There are excellent values when they are first posted, with the only catch being that they are not all released at the same time. Vigilance could provide a solid return on investment this season, literally.
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Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.
