Dr. A's weekly fantasy basketball risers and fallers: Jaden Ivey, Rudy Gobert make the list
Several unexpected players have been returning surprisingly solid fantasy value over the last two weeks while some huge names have been letting their fantasy managers down by struggling in multiple fantasy categories along the way.
Here’s a look at five risers and five fallers over the past two weeks of the fantasy hoops season.
Risers
Jaden Ivey, PG/SG, Pistons (39.7% rostered in ESPN leagues): Cade Cunningham (knee) is going to miss time and Ivey is suddenly back in the starting lineup and playing well for the Pistons. Ivey has scored in double figures in eight straight games and has been very good since the Cunningham injury, posting averages of 20.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.0 blocks and 2.0 3-pointers in 31.5 minutes over his last two games. Hopefully, this is the boost he needed after playing fewer than 30 minutes in his previous five games.
T.J. McConnell, PG, Pacers (33%): Andrew Nembhard has been starting at point guard in the absence of Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) but McConnell is still the point guard you want to roster in Indy. He has averaged 13 points, 3.0 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.0 steals over his last two games and is at 10.7 points, 7.0 assists and 1.7 steals in his six January games. I wish he was starting, but he should offer solid fantasy value for the next month as Haliburton recovers from his scary fall. Just don’t expect many blocks or 3-pointers from TJM, while he also doesn’t turn the ball over much.
Bennedict Mathurin, SG/SF, Pacers (24.9%): Mathurin is another player who should thrive in the absence of Haliburton and he was already hot, scoring in double figures in nine straight games and going for at least 20 points in three of his last six. And for the month of January, Mathurin has averaged 20.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.7 3-pointers over six games. He won’t block many shots but he shoots it well from both the field and the free throw line, and the minutes have been there.
Vince Williams Jr., SF, Grizzlies (3.4%): Both Ja Morant (shoulder, out for season) and Marcus Smart (finger, out several weeks) are away from the lineup and the Grizzlies are going to be trying to hold things together with duct tape in their absence. Williams is averaging 11 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.7 blocks and 2.3 3-pointers over his last three games and those numbers should be going up. It’s possible that third-stringer Jacob Gilyard emerges as a worthy pickup in Memphis, but we’ve yet to see him do enough to recommend him. Conversely, Williams may be getting ready to blow up.
Nikola Jovic, SF, Heat (0.9%): Jovic has been very good in two of his last four games and is putting up fantasy goodies even when he’s not scoring a ton. It helps that Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin and Kyle Lowry have all been banged up, but over his last four games Jovic has averaged 9.8 points and 6.3 rebounds, while he checks in with 10.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.5 blocks and 2.0 3-pointers over his last two games. The Heat play four times next week and Jovic is worth a flyer if he can stay hot.
Fallers
Austin Reaves, SG/SF, Lakers (89.1%): Reaves has returned just 10th-round fantasy value over the last two weeks and had 13 points, six assists and two 3-pointers in Thursday’s ugly loss to the Suns. Reaves was particularly bad in his previous two games, hitting just 5-of-15 shots with averages of 9.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.5 3-pointers. He’s going to likely finish the season on a high note and should have a solid second half of the season for the Lakers, but has not lived up to the preseason hype in most instances this season.
Michael Porter Jr., SF, Nuggets (85.3%): Porter has returned just 11th-round fantasy value over the last two weeks, his scoring has been hit or miss and he has not been blocking shots, stealing the ball, rebounding or assisting much over his last four games. In January, he has averaged 15 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.0 blocks and 2.4 3-pointers and will need to start scoring more consistently and producing across the board if he’s going to turn things around.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, SG/SF, Hawks (65.8%): Poor shooting has been a problem for Bogdanovic and he has been worthy of just a 12th-round fantasy pick over the last couple weeks. He has shot terribly over his last nine games and has hit just 38% of his shots in his four January games. He continues to score in double figures and has been producing modestly in most categories, but his shooting woes have wrecked his recent fantasy value. He’ll be looking to break out of his shooting slump against the defensively-challenged Pacers on Friday night.
Rudy Gobert, C, Timberwolves (90%): Gobert missed his last game with a hip injury and poor free throw shooting has been bogging him down over the last couple of weeks, resulting in 12th-round fantasy value. He’s doing some scoring, rebounding, stealing and blocking, but he has hit just 12-of-21 (57%) of his free throws in five January games. He was shooting it better than that in December, so fantasy managers just have to hope he starts making free throws again some time soon. If he does, his fantasy value should rebound.
Zion Williamson, PF, Pelicans (97.7%): Zion’s name continues to be bigger than his actual game, which has been a thing for his entire career. He has only been worthy of a 13th-round fantasy pick over the last two weeks. The big man’s numbers haven’t been terrible, but fantasy managers have to be hoping for more than the 17 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.8 blocks and 0.0 3-pointers he has averaged in four January games. And when you add in the 73.7% free throw percentage over that stretch, it’s easy to see why his value hasn’t been great of late. He’s big enough and athletic enough to average more rebounds and blocks, but it’s just not in his game. And the fact that he has hit just three triples on the season is a buzzkill.
