Muntradamus: FANTASY PLAYER UPDATE Prt.1 (Week 6)

FANTASY PLAYER UPDATE Prt.1 (Week 6)

BY: Muntradamus

(Read Part 2 Here)

Every fantasy player that has any implications on any lineup will be listed in this article.  This is my perspective of what is currently going with every player.  If you have a question about a player, and a player only I will share my opinion on him.

For those that are new to the site, I spend hours upon hours of research and I man handle multiple high stakes fantasy basketball leagues at once.  I am here to help you win your league.

Daily Show is coming soon along with 3 NEW ARTICLES!!

Also Coming in February is the new TIER RANKINGS for each position.

Let’s get to it..

ATLANTA HAWKS

Josh Smith- Had an up and down week, but most importantly he still remains an elite option at the forward position.  J Smoove will fill up the stat sheet with the best of them any given night.

Joe JohnsonHad a bad week for the most part.  When it seemed like he was back on track with his 30 Point game Friday night that led the Hawks to a victory against the Pistons.  Johnson digressed the next game scoring less than 10 Points for the second time this week.  Joe is still averaging 19 points a game on the season and there is no need to panic.

Jeff TeagueSuffered an ankle injury late in the week, but showed Sunday night he was well past the injury and led the team in scoring with 24 Points.  Kirk Hinrich is no threat to Teague when he is on his game.

Zaza PachuilaHad a decent week sandwiched with some nice double-double numbers.  He remains a low-end #2 Center who is a bit inconsistent.  The good news for Zaza, it is his job to lose.

Marvin WilliamsStarting to put together some games that reminded us of the beginning of the season.  He still has ways to go win over fantasy owners hearts.  For now keep a close eye on the former #2 overall pick.

BOSTON CELTICS

Rajon Rondo- Rumors are that he will be out until the All-Star Break.  Tough loss for his fantasy owners.

Paul PierceTook his game to a whole new level with no Rajon Rondo.  He is getting assists like a guard but is still getting all the usual numbers with more consistency than he has in the past.  With Rondo out, Paul Pierce is an elite option at the forward sport.

Kevin GarnettMay have had the biggest fantasy impact week of any player.  He is very close to qualifying for center eligibility in all leagues, which could happen by the end of next week.  He is also playing at a high level with no Rondo, and his fantasy potential as a center would make him a must-start player in all formats.

Ray AllenReturned from his injury to score 22 Points in 35 Minutes, in his first game back Sunday night.  With no Rondo the Celtics will need his scoring consistently, and he has the jump shot to fill the void.

Brandon Bass– Continues to see heavy minutes, and starts with the Rondo-less Celtics.  His numbers have been inconsistent, but when Bass is on you can count on the 13 Points 10 Rebounds type of night.  The Celtics need it, his fantasy owners need it.

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

Kemba Walker- Has really taken advantage of how terrible of a team the Bobcats are.  He is their future, which makes him a safe play in all fantasy leagues.  His 3×2 Saturday night is just the beginning of his fantasy potential.

D.J. AugustinIs rumored to be out 4 more games, keep him and make sure he is not in your lineup.

Boris DiawCame out of left field to make a couple starts, including one which he played himself into 20 Points, and 10 Assists.  I would wait for one more good game before dealing him away.  His value is not high enough/safe enough for other owners yet.

Gerald HendersonIs heading the wrong direction with his fantasy value.  He missed some time which allowed other players the chance to thrive.  Once D.J comes back, it is hard to imagine Henderson taking 10+ shots every game like he was to start the season.

Byron MullensHad a big game scoring 23 Points on Saturday night which could have played himself back into a starters role.  He will still have to battle the lottery pick Bismack Biyombo who has huge block potential, but simply not getting the minutes.

Tyrus Thomas- Had a huge week in blocks and steals, and is starting to build some consistency. For now he should not be on any waiver wire as he is the type of player that can single handily change your teams position in the intangible categories.

CHICAGO BULLS

Derrick Rose– Returned this week and despite having low assist numbers, his scoring was well above than what it usually was.  D.Rose should be an excellent fantasy option for the rest of the season, and still holds 1st round trading value.

Carlos Boozer– Is back to being more consistent than he has been at any point since being a Bull.  He usually gets double-doubles if not exploding for MEGA double-doubles.  His fantasy value should be even higher if Luol Deng misses an extended period of time.

Rip Hamilton– Is starting to shoot the ball a lot more with no Deng in the lineup.  He is a great fantasy basketball pickup during this time with no other mid/long range shooting threat in the starting lineup besides Rose.

Ronnie Brewer– Has taken advantage of the no Luol Deng chapter as well.  He will not be consistent in the scoring department, but he brings you the intangibles in the steal department with the best of them.  He will remain a good fantasy start as long as Deng remains sidelined.

Joakim Noah– Had one of his best weeks getting double-doubles in each game.  With this news some owners will sell high, I personally like the high energetic center to continue his success as he creates a lot of plays on his own.  The blocks and steals, will come with the minutes, which will come with the overall production.

Luol Deng– Tough situation for fantasy owners, if you waive him someone will pick him up.  I would wait until there is an official timeline released before releasing Deng.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Kyrie Irving- Remains a solid fantasy guard who at times plays like a 2nd round pick, but in reality is more of a consistent 4th round guard.  Once he starts getting 35+ Minutes a game, Kyrie will put up huge numbers.  Kyrie scored 32 Points earlier this week to tease us with his potential.

Antwan Jamison– Had a weak week only scoring 20 Points once, and the others he had 15,10,5.  Antwan is not as important to the team as he was to start the season, however he is still a great basketball player.  As long as Tristan Thompson does not make too much noise off the bench, Jamison will continue to get his minutes.  Not a bad time to sell high on the veteran.

Anderson Varejao– Is the most underrated fantasy center in the game.  He gets double-doubles almost every night, and there is no reason to believe that will stop anytime soon.  The Cavs have no other centers, and the 30+ Minutes will always be there.

DALLAS MAVERICKS

Dirk Nowitzki- Sat out the whole week, and returned for a solid double-double in his first game back Sunday night.  Hopefully for his owners, this is the re-birth of his season.  I would count on him bouncing back, as I am sure he was ashamed of his poor play.

Shawn Marion Was having a great week just to have it ruined by the return of Dirk.  However he continues to see 30+ Minutes a night, and Marion is the type of player who can do a lot of fantasy basketball stat filling in that time.

Lamar OdomShowed off that he could still play this week.  Once Dirk returned the Mavs threw him back on the bench, meaning he should go back on your bench if you used him for a plug-n-play.

Jason KiddWent down with a calf injury.  Who knows when he will return, my guess is he misses at least this week.

Rodrigue BeauboisIs a high potential fantasy player who is finally getting his chance this season.  After two starts, I am sold that if I need a guard in my league I would use him with confidence.  The intangibles are there in the steals, and surprisingly 3 Blocks Sunday night.

Jason TerryWho has now broken past Delonte West after a 34 Point game against the Spurs, should be ready to be the fantasy player owners drafted him to be.  This is the beginning of his new season, just like all the Mavs now that Dirk is revitalized.

Vince CarterNormally I would not write about players who should not be owned in fantasy leagues.  But it is hard to look past VC’s 30+ Minute, 21 Point start he had on Sunday.  Keep an eye to see if he builds off of that performance.

Brendan HaywoodRemains inconsistent, but his fantasy potential with rebounds and blocks could help you out if you are desperate for a center.  Very desperate.

 

DENVER NUGGETS

Ty Lawson- Lost more fantasy value than any player this week.  His absence with the ankle injury has allowed Andre Miller to demonstrate that he may be the best PG for the team.  However they did lose Sunday night to the Clippers without Ty.

Andre MillerSaw a huge boost in fantasy value and remains an elite option if you are looking for assists.  He should continue to see 30+ Minutes a game even when Ty Lawson returns.  Andre has had 10 Assists or more in every game dating back to Jan. 21st.

Danilo GallinariRemains a bit inconsistent, but is still showing the ability to score 15+ a night every game.  Fantasy owners/Nuggets fans are expecting a lot more.  He should continue to get better as the season rolls on as his confidence as a scorer grows.

Nene HilarioHas been a fantasy beast since playing at his comfortable position PF.  With center eligibility Nene is a great fantasy option in all leagues, and there is no reason to have him on your bench.

Al HarringtonHad a mediocre week that ended on a positive note scoring 16 Points Sunday.  His scoring will always be there, the question is will the minutes, and the rebounds keep up?

Rudy Fernandez Is looking like the option at SG for the Nuggets, however his minutes will take a hit once Ty Lawson returns.  So don’t get too excited.

DETROIT PISTONS

Austin Daye- Finally broke out this week after talking about him almost every Pistons game since the beginning of the season.  He will a great fantasy player down the stretch of the season, if not anytime soon.  Pick him up.

Greg MonroeIs starting to put together some monster lines consistently.  Greg is an elite option at the center position because of his rebounds, points, blocks, and steals.

Brandon KnightContinues to see 35+ Minutes almost every single night.  He is not doing that much on a minute per production type basis, but he will be a huge fantasy asset at the end of the season.  Trade for him, while you can.

Rodney StuckeyDid not take advantage of his fantasy opportunity with Ben Gordon out.  However there is no timetable when BG returns which should allow Stuckey the chance to continue to work on breaking 20+ Points consistently.

Tayshaun PrinceNot only lost a member of his family, but he lost a majority of his fantasy value.  It will be tough for him to keep his job/minutes for long with the way Austin Daye performed this week.

Ben GordonShoulder injury does not look good at all.  If you want to waive him for a good up and coming fantasy option, I do not blame you at all.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

Stephen Curry- Has finally returned for a full week, and he did not skip a beat.  Curry had some huge lines, and is in line for a big rest of the fantasy season.

Monta EllisHad a bad week as he readjusted to Curry returning.  I expect Monta to bounce back quickly, as he has proved in the past that playing with Curry is no problem.

Dorrell WrightHad a bit of a breakout performance this weekend knocking down 6 3PTM in one game.  However he will still have to battle Brandon Rush and Klay Thompson every single night.

David LeeHas been a great fantasy option all season, and that continued with Steph Curry returning.  The 10+ rebounds should be there every single night, and now the 15+ Points is looking like a real possibility.  David Lee is fully back to the David Lee the Warriors signed last season.

HOUSTON ROCKETS

Kyle Lowry– Had one of the worst shooting weeks from an elite fantasy option going less than 20%.  However he did have a 3×2 this week and is still Jason Kidd 2.0 in my eyes.

Kevin Martin– Was injured for the past two games, it opened up the door for Courtney Lee who did nothing with the opportunity.  Kevin Martin before the injury was lighting it up and even had a 30+ Point performance game to start the week.  Kev Mart is a great fantasy option when healthy.

Luis Scola– Has not done much to impress me, especially with his poor rebounding numbers still averaging around 6 per game.  He is not the fantasy player of a year ago, but at least he still has potential for 15+ Points every night.

Samuel Dalembert– Is a rebounding machine, it does not hurt when he gets the occasional 4 blocks to go along with his 10+ Rebounds.  At times he will give you 10+ Points, but you did not draft/pick-up Samuel for scoring.

Chase Budinger– Is a bit of a fantasy sleeper with his impressive play over the weekend.  Chandler Parsons has not done enough to keep the job from the high-flying 3PT shooting product out of Arizona.  Mr. Chase.

INDIANA PACERS

Roy Hibbert- Has taken his game to the next level, and there is no reason to believe he will slow down.  However it is worth noting that David West has been more aggressive in the offense, which at times has slowed down Hibbert’s scoring potential.

Danny GrangerIs still Danny Granger, and if you can snag him in a trade where you are not giving up an elite player you will come out on the other end very happy.  He is a bit inconsistent, but even when he plays poorly the numbers are still good enough to get you by.

Darren CollisonIs barely holding onto his starting PG spot.  Darren is doing a nice job running the squad but George Hill may be the better player.  As long as Collison is racking up those assists, he will remain the starter and get 30+ minutes a night.

David WestFinally David looks near 100%.  He has been a big part of the Pacers offense over the past two weeks, and he is getting the minutes consistently now.  Indiana is thrilled that they took the risk on the Xavier Beast.

Paul GeorgeContinues to get mediocre stats with huge minutes.  It would not surprise me if George Hill replaced Paul George at some point within the next two weeks.

George HillRead about Darren Collison, and Paul George.

Tyler HansbroughIs making himself a very comfortable spot on the bench, as there is no need for him to get big minutes with the way David West and Roy Hibbert are playing.

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

Chris Paul- Looks 100% now that he has played three games since his hamstring injury.  No setbacks, and his stats are looking good.  They will only get better with each game, as CP3 gets more comfortable with his team.

Blake GriffinContinues to hold his 1st round value of a player who will get monster double-doubles on the reg.  He is consistent, and most importantly he will be on every highlight reel in case you missed his game.  Blake however is shooting 50% from the FT line.

DeAndre JordanWill continue to block shots with the best of them, his rebounding is getting better, but DeAndre’s scoring has been on the low side.  His potential is through the roof, and I expect his numbers to have an increase as the season rolls on.

Caron ButlerIs a solid F who will do well in the steals, 3PTM, and Points department.  The problem is the Clippers are very deep, and his scoring will not be needed every night.

Chauncey BillupsIs a great guard demonstrated by his Sunday night performance with 32 Points that he is not on his last legs.  However he has been inconsistent because of Mo Williams and his deadly 3PT shot off the bench.

Mo WilliamsIf an injury occurred to CP3 or Chauncey, Mo would be an excellent fantasy plug-in.  Coming off the bench however, it is hard to trust him for consistent scoring nights.

24 Comments

  1. Hey Muntradamus,

    I was wondering if you could elaborate further on Roddy Beaubois and George Hill.

    I picked up Roddy B to start this week at SG. It seems to me that Roddy has taken over minutes from Dalonte West. I know you said he has high potential, but what kind of playing time do you think Roddy will get when Kidd returns, and do you think he’s capable of starting over a healthy Kidd? I would like to keep him after this week, but might be hurting if he doesn’t get the minutes to produce, and still don’t have the bench room to stash him.

    As for George Hill, how confident are you that he takes over for Paul George? Seems like Hill could be a good buy-low guy that I might get in exchange for Calderon.

  2. Roddy B- It is hard to say how many minutes he will get once J.Kidd returns because the Mavs love J.Kidd after taking them to the NBA Finals last season. On top of that the SG position is very deep for Dallas (Vince Carter (21 Points Sunday)/Delonte West/Jason Terry), however the game that Kidd got hurt Roddy was starting already while Delonte was inactive. I expect Roddy to come off the bench and play 20 Minutes a game once the Mavs are fully healthy again. However if Roddy dominates in this time, which he is capable of, he could play himself into the high 20+. For now I expect Roddy to be a one week filler.

    George Hill- You could make that trade for Calderon straight up, however it is going to take at least a full week of George Hill dominating Paul George to officially get that spot. I would hold off on the trade for now until George Hill proves himself at least one or two more times. Calderon is still going to start in Toronto, with Jerryd Bayless moving to the starting SG spot. Let’s see how it all plays out before making any moves.

  3. Awesome, thanks. By the way, love the new formatting of the daily show with the games underlined and bulleted list of the relevant stat lines. Makes it much easier to read, thanks!

  4. Hey M and SFD,

    I tried to look for Tyrus Thomas, but he wasn’t listed! Does this mean that you don’t consider him to be relevant? I thought he had a decent last week.

  5. Great Point Sarah. Somehow he fell out off the Player Sheet.

    Tyrus Thomas: Had a huge week in blocks and steals, and is starting to build some consistency. For now he should not be on any waiver wire as he is the type of player that can single handily change your teams position in the intangible categories.

  6. would you trade Humpries or Parker for M. Gasol? Or even a 2 for 1 since parker and kris will lose some value in the coming weeks? Do you think the person with M. Gasol will bite the trade?

  7. OK, the trade before did not happen. It got vetoed by the league. But now I am trying to give up David Lee and Roy Hibbert for Marc Gasol and grab Samuel Dalembert from Free Agency. I do not require the points as I can see that I am going to loose that in my league. I want better FG%, FT%, BLK, less TO and maybe good amount of REBS.

    Do you think that will be a good trade because Dalembert is a starter now and with Marc they can get me shot blocks. David lee does not give me BLKs at all. I know he is a good double double every night but so is Marc Gasol. Also Dalembert can give me more BLK as well as better FT% and FG%.

    I hate to give up hibbert too but his TO’s are way too much and he hasnt been consistent from the field.

    MY league is with 2 centers.

    My roster is:

    Chris Paul
    Jason Terry
    Monta Ellis
    Chauncey Billups
    Danny Granger
    Ryan Anderson
    Luol Deng
    Josh Smith
    Chris Bosh
    Al Jefferson
    Dirk Nowitzki
    David Lee
    Roy Hibbert

  8. You are giving up a lot in the 2-1 trade if you stand to lose Humprhies and Parker. However it is a good trade longer term, as I believe both players will be losing their consistency as the season rolls on.

    The person with Gasol will probably bite on that trade, and as long as you have depth to replace those assists go for it!

  9. You should grab Dalembert and not worry about losing David Lee and Roy Hibbert. Samuel is a must-own, must-start fantasy center in all leagues.

    Dalembert will eat the glass all game along, and give you high-end rebound numbers to go along with great block shot numbers. The player to drop on your team is Jason Terry despite how hot he is. He will probably give you more consistent rebound and block numbers than Gasol.

    Jason Terry has to battle Roddy B.,Vince Carter, and Delonte West for minutes once Jason Kidd returns.

    Your team has a lot of size, and as injuries happen throughout the year to other big men, that is the time to make trades.

  10. Terry will hit those 3s for me as I am leading the league in 3s, I am really good in that department. I will waive him when Eric gordon is healthy as he is still a FA in my league. I really want Marc for his BLKs, FG% and FT% as well as those boards and those nice steals for a Center.

    Like i said before PTS are not my priority here. Dalembert is a beast on the boards and BLKs too. I dont want to waive David Lee as someone will pick him up instantly so I wanted to trade him off.

    I might be short on the PG, SG and G spot if I let go off terry right now. I have a lot of bigs already…

  11. Marc been averaging 15 points, 10.5 rebs, 2.3 blks, 74% FTS and 52% FG as well as 3.1 asts here. Isnt he a must own player too??

  12. No doubt do not waive David Lee, that would be a terrible move.

    Try trading David Lee for Joe Johnson.

    Then drop Jason Terry for Samuel Dalembert who will give you more blocks and more rebounds than Gasol.

    Marc’s value is heading on its way down thanks to Zach Randolph returning in a few weeks.

    Your team does not need to trade a big man, for another big man. Especially when there are good capable big men like Dalembert sitting on your waiver wire.

    Hope that helps.

  13. Thanks a lot. I dont know if Ziggy will be with the team till late Feb. I really am contemplating about terry. Thanks anyhow…

  14. I want to pick up Evan Turner but I dont know who to drop?
    Mike Conley
    Dwyane Wade,
    Tayshaun Prince,
    Brandon Bass,
    DeMarcus Cousins,
    James Harden,
    Anthony Morrow,
    John Wall,
    Boris Diaw,
    Spencer Hawes,
    Jarrett Jack,
    Kawhi Leonard,
    Tiago Splitter,

  15. Kemba is a safer play this week, and for the future. Roddy B. should be solid, but who knows what will happen if he has a bad game this week. Kemba even with a bad game will get 30+ Minutes the next game guaranteed especially with D.J. Augustin out for the week.

  16. Kawhi Leonard is not worth owning in fantasy leagues anymore. He is not consistent as a starter, and when Manu Ginobili returns he will be delegated to the bench very quickly playing behind Richard Jefferson and splitting minutes with Gary Neal.

    Pick up Evan Turner and his upside for Leonard and his arrow pointing straight down.

  17. ” Al Harrington- Had a mediocre week that ended on a positive note scoring 16 Points Sunday. His scoring will always be there, the question is will the minutes, and the rebounds keep up? ”

    Would you still own Harrington ?

  18. Great Question.

    I would much rather own Austin Daye, or Tyrus Thomas, players with more upside. If either of those players are around I would snatch them up for Al.

  19. Hello,

    I am trying to trade the following:

    David Lee
    Roy Hibbert
    Chauncey Billups

    For:
    Marc Gasol
    Samuel Dalembert
    Jose Calderon

    Do you think it is a good trade??

  20. i need more boards, blocks, assists, FG% and FT%. Dont care about PTS..

    My team lineup currently is:

    Chris Paul
    Jason Terry
    Monta Ellis
    Chauncey Billups
    Danny Granger
    Ryan Anderson
    Luol Deng
    Josh Smith
    Chris Bosh
    Al Jefferson
    Dirk Nowitzki
    David Lee
    Roy Hibbert

  21. This trade is very debatable.

    I would rather own the duo of David Lee and Roy Hibbert. However you look to gain a lot of assists and blocks by acquiring Samuel Dalembert and Jose Calderon.

    If you are weak in those categories then you can make the trade, as Marc Gasol is also the most valuable player in this deal as well.

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