Welcome to Sleeper Picks. Sleeper’s newest offering promised plenty of entertainment and action, and they delivered. We will break down our top three picks for tonight’s NBA action. Sleeper is quickly becoming one of the most popular season-long fantasy platforms, and they are expanding into other areas based on demand. Each week in this space, we’ll talk about some strategy for the new platform while providing our favorite NBA more/less picks.
NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions (11/2)
Victor Wembanyama (C/F – SAS): 16.5 points
Wemby is averaging 16.3 points per game through four contests but may finally be turning a corner in learning how to turn on the ‘aggression switch’ that superstar NBA players need to have to leave their imprint on both ends of the floor. After taking 10 or fewer shots in two of his first three games, Wemby put up 12 shots against Phoenix on Tuesday, scoring 18 points. Now, facing the same Suns squad just two days later, expect the Congolese big man to inch close to the 15 shot barrier. He should be more comfortable against a team he has seen before, so we may finally see him let loose on the floor. Wemby recorded 18 or more points in both games in which he took 11 or more shots, and that is what we are counting on tonight. Hit the More on Wembanyama for Thursday night action against the Phoenix Suns.
Pick: More
Victor Wembanyama (C/F – SAS): 1.5 first quarter rebounds
This is not the type of total I would normally have a lean on, but on a slow Thursday night of NBA action, it has some intrigue and potential value. Wemby has averaged two rebounds per first quarter through four games, grabbing two or more in three of those four. He grabbed three rebounds in the first against this same Phoenix team on Halloween and is expected to grab at least two tonight. It is not the most exciting total, but trends and head-to-head data suggest the value is on the More. Who are we to argue? Tap the More on Wemby.
Pick: More
Scottie Barnes (G/F – TOR): 18.5 points
Averaging 20.8 points on the season, Scottie Barnes is flourishing in his new role. He could stand to be more aggressive, but the results thus far have been encouraging. He scored just 17 in the opener but has drained 20 points or more in his four games since. The second night of a back-to-back will have some of his teammates lagging, so Scottie will need to step up and remain a focal point of the offense. Barnes scored a season-high 24 points against Philadelphia three games ago and will look to repeat his success against a team that no longer has its stopper in P.J. Tucker. Slap the More on Scottie for Thursday night.
Pick: More
Writers note: The lines are constantly changing on Sleeper, so there is a high probability that one or all of the numbers may no longer be the same when you open your app. There are excellent values when they are first posted, with the only catch being that they are not all released at the same time. Vigilance could provide a solid return on investment this season, literally.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts
Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.
