Dennis Schroder is a solid stash option down the stretch
As we near the end of Week 19, the fantasy playoffs are just about to get underway. Many leagues decide to start their postseasons off a week or so earlier than their standard counterparts, to try and avoid being affected by stars seeing late-season rest before the NBA playoffs. Therefore, the waiver wire should be a busy, bustling place. Owners, if they need to make improvements to their rosters, must frequently and vigilantly scan the wire for available talent. As more teams make that last-second push, it’s going to be ever more difficult to find a game-changing player, so check out our following suggestions. Hopefully your research will help you capitalize off of any uninformed opponents.
Ownership totals are in ESPN leagues.
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Dennis Schroder (PG – ATL) – 41.2%
Our point guard pick of the week is more of a stash option than anything else. If you happen to be in a deeper league, Schroder can provide steady starter’s value, but in standard leagues, he’s not quite there yet. Sure, over his last five games, the Hawks’ backup has been playing well, averaging 15.0 points, 6.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 three-pointers in just 23.2 minutes, but he has yet to take over the starting spot from Jeff Teague. In fact, even with his recent success, Schroder is unlikely to get the start for the rest of the season unless Teague gets injured. If he does go down, Schroder will immediately become a must-add across all leagues. If you are in need of a guard and have a player worth dropping, Schroder is worth considering as a player who could provide critical value when it’s needed most (in the playoffs). Also, since he’s always capable of putting up good spot value, stashing him on your bench isn’t as much of an opportunity cost as it is with other players.
Gary Harris (SG – DEN) – 23.9%
Since early December, Harris has been a rather consistent low-end fantasy option in standard leagues. He’s been able to score about 12 points per game while adding a few rebounds and assists, as well as one or more steals and three-pointers. None of those numbers are exactly spectacular on their own, and as a result, he’s probably been a favorite add/drop player in many leagues over the season. For owners that understood his value lied in his reliability, however, Harris has been a nice mainstay on many fantasy benches. With Danilo Gallinari (ankle) possibly out for the rest of the season, Harris’ usage should increase – meaning that his elevated play over the last four games (16.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.8 threes in 37.3 minutes) should continue rather than regress. The second-year guard is finally starting to show the potential that earned him a first-round pick in the 2014 draft, and he could be a valuable asset on your bench in the playoffs.
Bojan Bogdanovic (SG/SF – BKN) – 16.3%
Since the Nets waived Joe Johnson (who’s worth picking up if he’s still available), Bogdanovic has seen an immediate uptick in playing time and has made use of it so far. In that span (four games), he’s averaged 17.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 three-pointers in 32 minutes. He’s filled the hole left in the starting rotation by Johnson nicely, and he should continue to start for the time being. As long as he can manage to play around 30 minutes per game, Bogdanovic will hold value in most leagues (starter’s value in deeper leagues and specialist value in standard leagues). It’s worth noting that Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (ankle) is nearing a return and could be back in the next couple weeks. Since he was averaging 22 minutes per game when healthy, his return will undoubtedly cut into some of Bogdanovic’s playing time, but not enough to cause any changes in the depth chart. Bogdanovic’s been producing enough in categories other than three-point shooting to give him extra value than you would normally see out of a late-season waiver wire addition. For that reason, he’s worth adding in most leagues until his court time decreases.
Mirza Teletovic (PF – PHO) – 50%
Much like the Pelicans are doing with their stretch four, Ryan Anderson, coach Earl Watson has made clear his intentions for Teletovic, saying “I don’t really like starting Mirza because then who scores off the bench?” His playing time might take a bit of a hit as a backup, but as the second team’s primary offensive threat, Teletovic should regularly see time in the high 20s. That’s more than enough run to make him a must-add in all leagues. Over his last 11 games, Teletovic has averaged 17.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 three-pointers in only 24.5 minutes. He’s also managed to shoot above 45% from the floor and 82% from the line in that time, so not only has his offensive production been impressive but it’s been efficient as well. Anyone who can put up three threes per game while scoring more than 15 points and providing useful rebounding is a no-brainer pickup, but when you consider that his minutes have been increasing over the last week from the mid to high 20s, there really isn’t any reason he should still be available. Add him now.
Alex Len (C – PHO) – 42.3%
Len has now started in four of his last five games and, according to interim coach Earl Watson, should keep that starting position for the rest of the season. Even though Len hadn’t yet nabbed a true starting spot as of last week, he was still our top pick at the six spot. So, now that Watson has finally made the logical decision to focus on his young talent, the 22-year-old seven-footer is now a must-add in all leagues. Over his last five games, Len is averaging 15.8 points, 11.0 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 31.2 minutes. His field goal percentage over that stretch (39.4%) leaves a lot to be desired, but on a tanking Suns team, struggles like that shouldn’t affect his playing time much (if at all). He should remain a consistent double-double threat, and if the aging Tyson Chandler sustains any more injuries over the next few weeks, Len’s production will only improve. This will probably be the last week we see Len available in most leagues, so if he’s still on your waiver wire pick him up while you have the chance.
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George Haw is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from George, check out his archive and follow him @georgeWarfieldH.
