RotoWire recommends starting Miami Heat guard Max Strus this week.
We have a very interesting schedule in Week 5. One team has a rare five-game week, which is partly offset by fewer teams than usual with four-game ledgers and four teams with just two games over the next seven days. It makes for some intriguing Sit candidates, but fortunately, there are some solid five- and four-game week players that have been coming on lately.
Each week, we’ll aim to highlight a pair of Start candidates for your Fantasy rosters – usually from teams with four games — that may shape up as some of the tougher calls of the week to make, with the focus generally being on players with a start rate (when available) or roster rate of 50% or less in Yahoo leagues.
Likewise, we’ll also spotlight one Sit candidate at each position that would typically not be a consideration for a spot on your bench, with the focus there often on players with fewer game opportunities during the coming week.
TEAMS WITH FIVE GAMES: San Antonio Spurs
TEAMS WITH FOUR GAMES: Charlotte Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns
TEAMS WITH THREE GAMES: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards
TEAMS WITH TWO GAMES: Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers
Without further ado, let’s examine some of the more challenging start/sit decisions for Week 5:
Guards
Start: Spencer Dinwiddie, Mavericks
35% start rate
Dinwiddie has taken over starting shooting guard duties and is serving as a dynamic complement to Luka Doncic’s usual otherworldly exploits, putting up 18.5 points, 4.7 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per contest. The veteran is also demonstrating career-best efficiency with 49.1% shooting, including a stellar 45.9% from 3-point range on 7.1 attempts from distance per contest. Despite sharing the floor with Doncic, Dinwiddie is also averaging the second-most shot attempts of his career overall (13.8). A four-game week gives him ample opportunity to continue contributing across the board.
Start: Max Strus, Heat
45% start rate
Strus, who’s been putting up career-best numbers while often coming off the bench, could open the Heat’s four-game week Monday with a starting assignment against the Suns if Tyler Herro remains out with an ankle injury. The four-year pro comes into the new week fresh off a career-best 31-point tally against the Hornets on Saturday night, and he’s averaging 18.3 points, 2.3 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals on 50% shooting, including 41.8% from 3-point range, over his last six games. With a minutes load that’s typically in the mid-20s at minimum, even when he’s on the second unit, Strus could offer you a boost in offensive categories with four games on his docket.
Sit: Tyrese Maxey, 76ers
68% start rate
Maxey’s two-game week and recent middling production despite James Harden’s absence with a foot injury makes him a clear Sit candidate this week. The third-year guard has recently taken a step back offensively with three sub-20-point efforts in his last four games, a stint during which he shot 35.1% overall. With no guarantee he doesn’t turn in at least another clunker and only two opportunities to take the floor, he’s not worth the risk.
Forwards
Start: Josh Richardson, Spurs
14% roster rate
Richardson is one of the beneficiaries of the Spurs’ aforementioned five-game week, putting him in play if you need a fill-in at either guard or forward. The veteran wing checks in with averages of 11.3 points, 2.9 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game thus far on the season, along with 40% shooting from 3-point range. Richardson’s production can be a bit uneven and scoring-dependent on occasion, but he’s already put up double-digit scoring tallies on seven occasions, including a pair over 20 points, and he’s also flashed with six- and 10-assist efforts early on. Given his five potential opportunities to take the floor, he could certainly provide some help if you’re in a pinch.
Start: Kenyon Martin Jr., Rockets
23% roster rate
Martin is rather quietly putting together career-best scoring (11.2 PPG) and assist (1.6 APG) numbers while also pulling down a respectable 5.0 rebounds per game and shooting 51.4% across a career-high 25.5 minutes per contest. The third-year pro primarily operates in a bench role. Yet, his playing time has been very consistent, and he can even make occasional contributions as a 3-point shooter (34% success rate from distance). A four-game week is on tap for Houston, and given the team’s tendency to get into fast-paced, high-scoring battles, Martin could have plenty of minutes to generate solid production.
Sit: LeBron James, Lakers
65% start rate
You’ll naturally only find LeBron saddled with a Sit designation under rare circumstances, but this week qualifies. Not only do the Lakers have just two games on their docket, but the future Hall of Famer isn’t guaranteed to play in either due to his ongoing adductor injury. James has been more cautious with his health in recent years given his advancing age, and it’s certainly a possibility he and the Lakers continue to play it safe on the two-game schedule.
CENTERS
Start: Mason Plumlee, Hornets
44% start rate
Plumlee continues to hold on to the starting role despite backup Nick Richards’ frequently solid play. The veteran big man has improved his numbers from his first Hornets season, putting up 9.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists, with a quartet of double-doubles already under his belt. Plumlee is a rock-solid facilitator in addition to his rebounding prowess, and even his scoring contributions can surprise at times — all traits that make him a solid start on a four-game week.
Start: Kevon Looney, Warriors
29% roster rate
Looney isn’t always the most exciting start candidate, but like Plumlee, the veteran is a steady presence on the stat sheet. Looney comes into the Warriors’ four-game week with averages of 7.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists over his last five games, a span during which he’s averaged a solid 26.8 minutes per game. The veteran’s two double-digit rebounding efforts thus far this season have come within the last three contests, and he’s also recorded back-to-back two-block efforts. While the rebounding contributions will always be the steadiest part of his game, Looney can occasionally throw a double-digit scoring effort up as a bonus.
Sit: Rudy Gobert, Timberwolves
74% start rate
Gobert has a two-game schedule this week and comes into it mired in a bit of a funk. The Stifle Tower has gotten off to a good start in Minnesota, but he’s put together three single-digit scoring tallies in his last six games and has scored no more than 15 points in any contest during that span. The rebounds and blocks are usually a lock with Gobert, but if you have similarly talented three- or four-game options – not to mention if you’re holding Jakob Poeltl, who has five games on his ledger – you’re better off pivoting elsewhere.
