Dr. A's weekly risers and fallers: Grayson Allen, Paolo Banchero 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.
Isaiah Hartenstein, Vince Williams Jr., Devin Vassell and Derrick White all make the list. Here’s a look at five risers and five fallers over the past two weeks of the fantasy hoops season.
Risers
Isaiah Hartenstein, PF/C, Knicks (49.3% rostered in ESPN leagues): I’ve been on the Hartenstein bandwagon for over a month now and he’s crushing it, returning Top 20 fantasy value along the way. In January, Hartenstein has averaged 9.0 points, 14.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.9 steals and 2.1 blocks in his 10 games and there is no one else to play center in New York. If he’s available in your league, he shouldn’t be after this. Run, don’t walk, and go pick him up. The Knicks play three times next week and four times in the following scoring period.
Grayson Allen, SG, Suns (29.5%): Even with the Suns’ Big Three finally healthy and playing together, Allen refuses to go away. Allen has checked in with Top 30 value over the last two weeks and has averaged 16.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.1 blocks and 4.0 3-pointers in his eight January games and is hitting 50% of his shots and nearly 94% of his free throws. The guy simply isn’t going away and has become one of Phoenix’s favorite sons, so to speak. And as a special bonus, the Suns play four times in each of the next two weeks.
Vince Williams Jr., SF, Grizzlies (16%): Williams has been a Top 40 player over the last two weeks and racked up 10 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 1 block and 2 3-pointers on Thursday night. He has scored in double figures in three straight games and has averaged 13.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.7 blocks and 2.2 3-pointers in his seven January games. He’s shooting nearly 44% from the field and 86% from the line this month and he should be rostered everywhere at this point. But he’s not. Run, don’t walk, and pick him up. The Grizzlies are running out of healthy players and Williams should only get better as the season progresses.
Alex Caruso, PG/SG, Bulls (16.6%): Caruso has surprisingly been a Top 50 player over the last two weeks and is having a January to remember, averaging 9.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.3 blocks and 1.9 3-pointers for the month. He’s not shooting it great, checking in at 36.7% from the floor and just under 73% from the line, but he is still overachieving as one of a few healthy Bulls guards. If you can handle the poor shooting, he’s worth a look in all formats.
Bruce Brown, SG/SF, Raptors (18.1%): Brown made his debut with the Raptors on Thursday and racked up 15 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 3-pointer on 7-of-10 shooting in 25 minutes off the bench and has been a Top 80 player over his last six games. The Raptors are hurting to find players who can play forward right now and Brown fits the bill. If he’s available in your league, this is your sign to pick him up.
Fallers
Khris Middleton, SF, Bucks (82.3%): Middleton has been just a Top 170 player over the last two weeks and has scored 2 and 5 points in two of his last three games. In the last two weeks, Middleton has averaged just 12.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.6 blocks and 1.4 3-pointers in five games. The Bucks have lost three of those five games and Middleton has hit just 23-of-57 shots (40%) from the floor and 11-of-14 (78%) of his free throws over that stretch. He’s simply in a slump and should bounce back soon enough, but he’s also far from the player he once was. The lack of rebounds is a big concern, so let him get hot and think about dealing him for a better player.
Paolo Banchero, SF/PF, Magic (97.9%): Banchero has been scoring at will, but the rest of his numbers have been falling, leaving him as just a Top 180 player over the past two weeks. Over his last six games, Banchero has averaged a solid 24 points, but has also checked in with 6.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.8 blocks and 1.2 3-pointers. The shooting has been the real problem, as he has hit just 40% of his shots from the floor and 62.5% of his free throws over his last six games. If your team is slipping, Banchero might be the guy to blame. And the eventual return of Franz Wagner and recent return of Wendell Carter Jr. may not do him any favors.
Malik Monk, SG/SF, Kings (60.4%): Entering Thursday’s game, Monk was returning just Top 180 fantasy value over the last two weeks. In those eight games, Monk has averaged 15.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.1 blocks and 2.0 3-pointers. The shooting has been off, as in 39.7% from the floor and 64.5% from the line over his last eight games. And he’s a high-volume shooter from both places, meaning he’s hurting your team in both spots. He’s a career 43% shooter from the floor and an 85% shooter from the line, so this is probably just a slump. The Kings play just three times next week, but then play four times in each of the following two weeks.
Devin Vassell, SG/SF, Spurs (81.3%): Vassell has been just a Top 190 fantasy performer over the last two weeks, mixing in decent games with bad ones. He has averaged just 13.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.2 blocks and 1.2 3-pointers over his last six games. And he has been especially bad in his last four, hitting just 14-of-49 shots, ‘good’ for a dismal 29%, which is the key to his downfall. Hopefully, the slump is almost over. It’s not easy to play for Gregg Popovich right now, even for a player as good as Vassell. Don’t drop him.
Derrick White, PG/SG, Celtics (87.8%): White anchors the defense for the Celtics but has been just a Top 190 player over the last two weeks. He has played in seven games and has averaged just 10.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.4 blocks and 2.0 3-pointers over that stretch. He has hit just 36% of his shots over that stretch and is simply in a mid-season funk. On the season, White is still a third-round fantasy player so managers just need to ride this one out. But it’s clear that now is a great time to make a low-ball offer for White if you want to steal him in a trade, as he hasn’t been playing well.
