Cameron Payne will be a popular add once he returns from a right wrist sprain.
It’s time to get ready for another week of fantasy hoops. We are already heading into Week 20.
Each and every week, we’ll look at players that you should consider picking up who are rostered in four different rostership tiers:
50-60%
30-49%
15-29%
0-14%
What’s more, we’ll give you a breakdown of how many games each team has for the upcoming week so that you can maximize the minutes of your streamers.
Five games:
TOR
Four games:
BKN, CLE, HOU, IND, MEM, MIA, MIL, MIN, OKC, ORL, SAC
Three games:
ATL, BOS, CHA, CHI, DAL, DEN, DET, GSW, LAC, LAL, NOR, NYK, PHI, PHX, SAS, UTA, WAS
Two games:
POR
Rostered in 50-60% of leagues
Daniel Gafford (C – WAS): 55%
The biggest post-All-Star break news for me is that Gafford started for the Wizards Friday and Saturday night.
Hell yeah.
We’ve talked about him a lot since the trade deadline, as he’s one of the players who can carry you to a title with his path to minutes. He didn’t disappoint, as he scored 31 points with 13 boards in 53 minutes in the two games.
I’m expecting minutes around the 28 mark each night, and around 10 rebounds per game. Don’t let him stay on your waiver wire.
Terance Mann (SG/SF – LAC): 53%
We really learned nothing from the latest Paul George update, and for those who have Mann, that’s good news.
Mann has been hot of late, hitting double figures in scoring in six of his last seven games, and scoring at least 19 points in four of his last five outings.
What’s more, he’s been playing major minutes for the Clippers, and he should continue to get every opportunity as one of the focal points in the offense moving forward. Scoop him up if he’s available in your league.
Rostered in 30-49% of leagues
Cameron Payne (PG/SG – PHX): 42%
February is going to come and go without Payne playing a single minute for the Suns due to a right wrist sprain.
But he’s close to returning, and with Chris Paul out likely through the rest of the regular season, Payne is someone to pick up and sit on as he’s the best option the Suns have to run the offense in Paul’s absence.
Don’t wait until he gets healthy. Beat the rush and grab him now.
Isaiah Jackson (PF – IND): 41%
It’s I-Jax szn, folx. It’s also Alec Burks szn, but of the two, I’m going for the home run and high-ceiling play here with Jackson.
He got the start Friday night, and he didn’t disappoint. As a matter of fact, he came through in a big, big way.
He only played 23 minutes as it was just his second game since the end of January. But even in limited time, Jackson posted 17 points, six boards, and five blocks.
He’s must-roster. He’s must-start. And he’s a player who can lead you to a title if the Pacers don’t screw this up.
Rostered in 15-29% of leagues
Marvin Bagley (PF/C – DET): 22%
I was excited for Bagley to go somewhere where he could get a fresh coat of paint. And I was doubly excited for Cade Cunningham to finally have a rim-running lob threat in Detroit.
Over the last two games, we’ve seen glimpses of the possibilities.
Bagley has 30 points and eight boards over his last two games, which in Bagley terms is phenomenal.
He’s still a deep-league option who doesn’t offer much outside of points, and he’s also dealing with an ankle injury. But, I’m encouraged and think there can be 12-team production here with Bagley by season’s end.
Tre Mann (PG/SG – OKC): 16%
Mann has quietly played 31-plus minutes in four straight games, and while he’s made a mark in the scoring category (scoring 22-plus points in three of those games), he’s also getting it done on the defensive side of things.
Over the last month, he’s 13th in the league in total steals. We know the Thunder will start limiting the minutes of their, umm, stars, so expect Mann to see more run down the stretch.
The question is how well – or much – Mann will play in the short term once Lu Dort returns from injury. The hope is that Mann has shown enough over this recent hot stretch to earn more rotation minutes in general but to also fill in when the Thunder rest SGA, Dort, and Josh Giddey.
Rostered in 0-14% of leagues
Aleksej Pokusevski (SF/PF – OKC): 13%
The 🦄 makes another appearance in this column. He’s simply so fun to watch, even if he’s a tad inconsistent.
But in similar fashion to Mann, the Thunder could just let Poku be Poku for the rest of the season to continue to allow him to develop his NBA game.
Believe it or not, he’s been the 91st-ranked player over the last month of the season, and there’s top 75 potential here based on opportunity and volume alone.
Tomas Satoransky (PG/SG – WAS): 1%
As someone with a few shares of Raul Neto and Ish Smith – as well as recommending them as volume plays – this signing makes me sad. But with Satoransky agreeing to a buyout with the Spurs and signing with the Wizards, it should make fantasy managers happy.
He instantly becomes an upgrade over both Neto and Smith, and he should find his way into the starting lineup and starting minutes in short order. I’m not quite grabbing him in 12-teamers yet, but he is well on the radar in deeper leagues.
