Here we are again, now 12 weeks into the season and, believe it or not, just about two-thirds of the way through most fantasy regular season. Now, while I prefer to keep this series fresh by mentioning new names whenever possible, I quickly realized that that would be difficult to do this time around. I could have chosen to focus more on deep sleepers or players only relevant in deep leagues, but ignoring all of the talent currently out there just because they were mentioned in previous weeks would be doing a disservice to you, the reader.
Therefore, we have a few guys this week who may seem a bit familiar to anyone who’s been keeping up with us throughout the season. If that’s the case for you, hopefully you’ll still get something out of this publication, but given that these players are still unowned in most leagues, I’m guessing that a good number of you may still be unaware of their availability.
If I’ve learned anything from playing fantasy basketball, it’s that we owners are a fickle breed willing to turn on players after the slightest sign of trouble, so never assume anything and always do your research! And, with that in mind, let’s go to why we’re all here.
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Ownership percentages are for ESPN leagues as of January 5.
Taurean Prince (SF – ATL) 37.6%
We mentioned him a few weeks ago, and he’s been fairly consistent since then, yet the Atlanta forward is still available in more than 60 percent of leagues. I’m not sure how that breaks down into points versus category leagues, but regardless, he should be much more widely owned.
Prince offers mid to low-end production in the points, rebounds, assists, and made three-pointers categories. His turnover rate (2.2 per game over the last month) is a little high, so that could be an issue with some in category leagues, but it’s by no means a disqualifier. There are plenty of owners punting that category or simply able to absorb the hit to obtain the production in other aspects of the game, and for those of you in points leagues, turnovers aren’t as detrimental to a player’s overall value.
Prince has had some rough nights, but for owners who’ve had him for weeks, he’s no doubt been a positive fantasy force. He has a pretty firm grip on the starting job and should continue to gain experience throughout the rest of the season, so if his current averages are at all appealing, add him now and enjoy.
Caris LeVert (PF/SG/SF – BKN) 36.1%
Another pickup we’ve suggested in recent weeks, Caris LeVert is still recording steady production much like Prince (if not more so). In fact, that production is quite similar across the board to that of Prince except that LeVert is going to put up a few more assists and steals and slightly fewer rebounds and made threes.
Also, while Prince may have a higher ceiling, LaVert has been able to minimize his down nights as he’s put up double-digit points in 15 of his last 16 games. Averaging 14.3 points, 5.5 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.6 made threes in 28.2 minutes over the last month, LeVert is worth owning in most standard leagues.
Gerald Green (SF – HOU) 24.7%
Gerald Green has been a beast since signing with the Rockets just over a week ago. In fact, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, league sources claim he’s done enough to expect a guaranteed rest of the year contract sometime this week. With James Harden out, Green has played in five games and, over his last four, averaged 21 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 1.3 and an insane 5.3 threes in 27.6 minutes.
Harden is expected to miss another two-to-three weeks, if not more (some sources suggesting up to six), as he deals with a hamstring injury, and you can bet that while he’s out, Green will continue to see plenty of time on the floor. Green should be picked up by anyone in any league who’s currently in need of scoring and should probably be owned in all deeper leagues no matter what. It is worth mentioning, however, that while Green is an exciting fantasy story at the moment, there are a couple reasons fantasy owners should temper expectations just a bit.
Firstly, the veteran is 31 years old, and while age doesn’t always predict success, it’s worth keeping in mind. Secondly, Green has always been a streaky shooter, and what we’re currently witnessing is obviously his ceiling. Over his 11 seasons as a professional baller, Green has only averaged more than two made threes per game once.
That happened during his 2013-14 season with Phoenix and was by far his most successful year as a pro. Since then, he’s had his moments with different teams, but never managed more than 22.6 minutes per game. As I said earlier, playing time shouldn’t be a problem for Green as long as Harden is out, so he’s worth riding as long as that’s the case, just try to keep things in perspective.
Trey Lyles (PF – DEN) 25.6%
Back for a second week is Trey Lyles, who has averaged 17.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.2 threes in 29.2 minutes per game over his last five games. There’s absolutely no reason he should be available in as many leagues as he currently is, yet here we are.
Last week, I suggested you pick him up. However, I also provided some caveats pointing to how his success is linked to that of Paul Millsap’s health (or lack thereof) and that he may regress a little considering how exceptionally he had been playing, but now may be a good time to walk back that skepticism a little.
It’s still true that Millsap will eventually return and reclaim some minutes, but that won’t happen until after the all-star break. And even then, the Nuggets will probably want to play it safe by gradually bringing him back. That means Lyles will have at least 21 more games with minimal competition for playing time.
On top of that, it’s hard to see why he can’t maintain his current pace. Over the 21 games since Millsap’s wrist injury, Trey Lyles has averaged 13 points and 1.9 made threes per game while shooting 51.8 percent from the floor and 46.5 percent from beyond the arc.
He’s scored in double-figures in nine straight games and done so at an efficient pace. If he’s still on the wire, stop second guessing yourself and just pick the guy up now. You won’t regret it.
Bismack Biyombo (C – ORL) 15%
Bismack Biyombo is another backup experiencing extended playing time due to injuries, and he appears to be making the most of it. Orlando’s starting center, Nikola Vucevic (broken hand), went down two weeks ago, leaving a gaping hole in Orlando’s frontcourt. Besides Biyombo, the Magic don’t have another true center, so other than the nights they elect to play small ball and go with Aaron Gordon at the five, Biyombo should be their man.
While he’s never been much of a fantasy asset in years past, he’s also rarely seen more than 20 minutes for any extended period, and as we all know, opportunity can cure most fantasy disorders. His most recent game was a dud against Houston, caused by early foul trouble and an unfavorable game flow, but over the preceding four games, Biyombo averaged 9.5 points, 13 rebounds and 3.3 blocks in 31 minutes per game. As long as he sees around 30 minutes, owners should feel confident in expecting similar production, and that should continue until Vucevic returns, which shouldn’t happen for another four-to-six weeks.
George Haw is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from George, check out his archive and follow him @georgeWarfieldH.
