Week 6 Schedule
4 Games: DEN, DET, LAC, LAL, NOP, UTA
3 Games: ATL, BKN, CHA, CHI, CLE, DAL, GSW, HOU, IND, MEM, MIA, MIL, MIN, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHI, PHX, POR, SAC, TOR, WAS
2 Games: BOS, SAS
Back-to-back Schedule:
Mon-Tues: N/a
Tues-Weds: HOU, SAC, TOR
Weds-Thurs: DET, LAC, LAL, UTA
Thurs-Fri: NYK, SAS
Fri-Sat: DAL, DEN, MEM, NOP, ORL, PHX
Sat-Sun: N/a
Must-Own Players:
Dyson Daniels (35%)- What an absolute gem. If you read my Draft Guide this summer, you’ll remember that I predicted that Daniels would give McCollum a run for his money for the starting PG role, but obviously CJ’s injury threw Daniels into the fire much quicker than expected. But when CJ eventually returns, the Pelicans have a legitimate position battle on their hands.
Personally, I’d keep Dyson with the starters, because you’re going to have plenty of shooting on the floor when Trey Murphy gets back anyways. Plus, Daniels is a better playmaker in my eyes and is on another planet defensively. Daniels leads the NBA in total deflections with 64, and he’s averaging 8.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.7 triples over his last seven games. Those are 8th-roun numbers in 9-cat.
Goga Bitadze (35%)- We’ve yet to hear any clarity regarding Wendell Carter’s timetable, as the franchise continues to withhold any intel on him or Markelle Fultz’s knee. Goga’s window for fantasy value remains wide open in the meantime, and he’s actually leading the Magic in 9-cat value over the past two weeks. In his last seven contests, Goga is averaging 8.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.9 blocks in 25.1 minutes. Orlando is hot with six straight wins, so the coaching staff will have some tough decisions to make when Wendell gets the green light.
Bilal Coulibaly (17%)- Yes he’s raw, but the flashes that Coulibaly has shown (particularly on defense) has me all excited for his future in this league. The Wizards are pretty clearly the worst team in the NBA, and the good news is that it means we’ll see plenty of the rookie down the stretch. But he’s already getting plenty of run as it is, playing 27.7 minutes per game over his last eight. He’s been an 8th-round value in that stretch, averaging 10.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.6 blocks and 1.5 triples.
Check out these strong words from starting PG Tyus Jones. “Has all the tools and he knows that. It comes easy to him, he’s naturally gifted. Then when you mix in the fact that he’s a worker, the fact that’s he’s in the gym working. … That’s when you get something special. He’s not scared, he’s confident.”
Streamers with upside for more
Kyle Anderson (36% rostered)- He’s been bad lately. There’s no denying it. Anderson has the mobility of present day Boris Diaw and he struggles to score in the NBA, but he usually provides value elsewhere. Jaden McDaniels is still out a couple more weeks, so Anderson has a nice little window to find his form. I’ll spare you his recent averages because they are hilariously bad, but let’s not forget that this guy was a 7th-round value in 9-cat last season.
Jaden Ivey (35%)- What a difference a year makes. Ivey looked rough as a rookie, struggling to shoot at the rim and from beyond the arc. He still can’t hit 3s consistently, but Ivey is finding his groove everywhere else.
He’s shooting 77% at the rim compared to 58% as a rookie, and he’s hitting 57.9% on close range shots compared to 33% last season. Progress. Killian Hayes has fallen out of favor in Detroit with Ivey heating up, and I don’t think Ivey is going to let go of his minutes if his last several games are any indication. Over his last five, Ivey is averaging 14.6 points, 3.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.8 triples in 28.0 minutes. There are still holes in his stat profile, but he’s trending up quickly and getting better by the day.
Christian Braun (8%)- Coach Malone chewed out his entire second unit after the loss to Houston, but hopefully Braun isn’t affected because the dude always gives it his all. He hasn’t been the “Bruce Brown replacement” that everyone hoped he would be, but he’s been pretty solid with Jamal Murray missing a bunch of games due to a bum hamstring. Over his last six games, Braun is averaging 13.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.3 in 25 minutes. He has to add some defense or playmaking to his stat profile to be taken seriously.
Kelly Olynyk (32%)- Whatever situation the Lunch Lady finds himself in, he always seems to find a way to produce fantasy value. The Jazz just got Walker Kessler back on Saturday, only to lose Lauri Markkanen to a hamstring issue. The Jazz are 5-11 and don’t seem too interested in competing this season, and knowing Danny Ainge, he’s going to be wheeling and dealing. Olynyk is a proven veteran with an expiring contract, so I don’t think anybody will be surprised when he’s flipped elsewhere. Stream him in the meantime, and just hope he lands a role where he can keep his minutes north of 20+.
Moe Wagner (30%)- Goga has been the flavor of the month, but Wagner is the flavor of the day after his epic 27-point outing against the Celtics on Friday. He pops off like this every once in a while, but Goga is still the better fantasy asset for the time being with a more consistent workload.
Craig Porter Jr. (25%)- The Cavaliers have a serious talent on their hands. Porter Jr. excelled in the absence of Donovan Mitchell, and with Darius Garland becoming the Anthony Davis of point guards with yet another fluke injury, we may see Porter Jr. stay relevant. Over the last five games, Porter has averaged 7th-round fantasy numbers of 14.4 points, 4.8 assists, 2.6 rebounds, 0.8 steals, 0.8 blocks and 0.6 triples in 24.0 minutes.
Pure Streamers
Josh Richardson (13%)- I considered putting Richardson in the section above, but he gives me tired old man vibes and lacks the explosion he had during his previous stop in Miami. Jimmy Butler is still practicing daily at 3AM but will miss games for rest, and the Heat are still a little banged up with Tyler Herro on the mend.
Jordan Hawkins (25%)- He has really surprised me with how well he’s fared in the NBA after a lackluster offseason. The reality is that it’s hard to see him surviving the eventual returns of Trey Murphy and CJ McCollum. A great stream when the Pelicans are shorthanded.
Isaiah Joe (22%)- He will not shoot three-pointers like free throws for much longer, but ride him while he’s hot. Could be a big winner if the NBA/Thunder take the Josh Giddey allegations seriously.
Sam Hauser (16%)- Beware that this is a 2-game week for Boston. The Celtics are using a very tight rotation and Hauser has been a reliable source of 3-pointers.
Jabari Walker (9%)- Portland is going to be a breeding ground for streaming potential this season, depending on who is available and who is dealt at the deadline (Brogdon will be a goner). Walker has been the headline maker in deeper fantasy leagues, averaging 11.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.5 blocks and 1.3 triples in 21 minutes over the last two weeks.
My Favorite Stash
Jonathan Isaac (17%)- You probably saw this one coming. Isaac’s minutes are slowly creeping up, and he even played both games of a recent back-to-back. It was a total of 26 minutes, but it still counts!
Do I think you should stash Isaac if your fantasy team is struggling in the standings or if you have 4-5 injuries? Of course not, but if you’re sitting pretty and can afford to be patient I think you should absolutely consider it. In just 15.0 minutes per game over the last two weeks, Isaac has still managed to produce 11th-round value in 9-cat with 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks doing most of the heavy lifting.
Someone I’m Watching Closely
Jared Butler (0%)- As I said previously, the Wizards are the worst team in the NBA by a mile and there could be some major roster shakeups coming. It’s a shame they didn’t tank like this in the Wembanyama Draft, but their front office isn’t exactly the smartest in the NBA.
Butler was a stud back in college, and while he flopped with the Jazz as a rookie, he was actually very solid in limited minutes with the Thunder last season. Butler had 13 points, five assists, two boards, two steals, one block and two triples in 16 minutes Saturday with Jordan Poole sitting out with an ankle issue, and he could easily leapfrog an uninspiring Johnny Davis as a potential “silly season hero.”
Awesome column, thank you! How would you prioritize Jalen Green, ATL Bogdonavich, LeVert, Ivey, Gordon, Joe, & Jaquez?
Happy Thanksgiving weekend! 🦃