This column can help you gauge which players may be worth targeting in a trade, some players that might be better off on someone else’s roster, as well as some that may just need to be scooped up off the waiver wire or dropped from your roster altogether. Jalen Johnson and Mikal Bridges are having breakout seasons, LeBron James is rounding into form and Zach Edey has been fantastic, while guys like Amen Thompson, Dyson Daniels and Kel’el Ware have been giving their fantasy managers some headaches of late. Here are some Risers and Fallers as we prepare to enter Week 9 of the fantasy season.
Risers
Jalen Johnson, PF, Atlanta Hawks (99% rostered in ESPN leagues)
Johnson made it through just 22, 70, 56 and 36 games in his first four seasons, respectively, but he has been a top-10 fantasy player this season and already has four triple-doubles. He’s averaging a ridiculous 23.4 points, 10.5 rebounds and 7.9 assists, and if he can make it through 70 games, he’s going to finish as one of the most valuable fantasy players this year. His last two campaigns ended early due to a torn labrum and broken wrist, but he’s fully healthy and rolling right now.
The missed-games risk is real, and a potential trade sending Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Hawks could hurt Johnson’s fantasy value, but I have a feeling he isn’t going to miss many games this year. He should continue to dominate the fantasy landscape, even with the potential arrival of Giannis. Sit back and enjoy the ride.
Mikal Bridges, SG/SF, New York Knicks (98% rostered)
Bridges is currently a top-10 fantasy player and is having a dream season. He has always had a fantasy-friendly game, but the community soured on him during his Brooklyn Nets years, and his 82-game campaign for the Knicks last season was a bit disappointing based on his averages of 0.9 steals, 0,5 blocks, 3.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists. However, he’s playing out of his mind this year, averaging 16.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.1 blocks and 2.3 3-pointers per game, along with fantastic percentages.
I don’t know if he can keep this kind of production going all season, but he’s off to an amazing start and is locked in as one of the key players for the Knicks. Congratulations are in order if you were able to draft him this year.
LeBron James, SF/PF, Los Angeles Lakers (100%)
James has played in just eight games this season due to a sciatic injury, and we have to pretend that he’s still in preseason mode as he plays his way back into shape. The first six games were highly disappointing, but he suddenly looks like the LeBron of yesteryear. He went off for a season-high 29 points with seven rebounds, six assists, a steal, a block and four 3-pointers on Sunday, then backed it up with 19 points, 15 rebounds, eight dimes and three blocks in Wednesday’s disappointing loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
James, who is 40 years old, got off to a slow start but has turned it on in his last two games. He’s going to be fun to roster the rest of the way, as long as he can stay healthy. As a sidenote, he’ll turn 41 on Dec. 30.
Ryan Nembhard, PG, Dallas Mavericks (17%)
Nembhard has emerged as the favorite to run the point in Dallas for the rest of the season, although he’ll still get some competition from both Brandon Williams and D’Angelo Russell. Nembhard went off for 28 points and 10 assists in a Dec. 1 win over the Denver Nuggets and has averaged 16 points, 3.0 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 2.5 3-pointers over his last four games while shooting an incredible 69% from the floor. Make sure he’s not sitting on your league’s waiver wire, especially if you’re struggling at point guard.
Jalen Suggs, PG/SG, Orlando Magic (70%}
Desmond Bane has been grabbing most of the headlines in Orlando, but Suggs has been fantastic, scoring at least 20 points in three of his last four games and racking up 18.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.6 steals and 2.6 3-pointers over his last five games. The assists are a bit lacking for a point guard, but the Magic are trying to win the in-season tournament, as well as get to the NBA Finals. If that’s going to happen, Suggs will need to keep producing and to stay healthy. He has had a lot of injury woes during his career, but he looks great and is rolling right now.
Jaylon Tyson, SG, Cleveland Cavaliers (19%)
Tyson wasn’t drafted in many leagues this year and is still not rostered in enough after scoring in double figures in 13 games, as well as five straight for the Cavaliers. In his four December games, he’s at 19.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.5 blocks and 2.0 3-pointers per game on 65% shooting. The lack of steals and blocks is a bit of a concern, but as long as he’s playing 33 minutes a night and scoring, the rest of his stats should follow. He’s an elite rebounder for a shooting guard, and it appears that he’s locked into a big role for the Cavaliers the rest of the way.
Jaylen Wells, SG, Grizzlies (6.1%)
Wells caught fire recently and has now scored at least 13 points in seven straight games, topping the 20-point plateau in three of those. In his three December games, he’s averaging nearly 18 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, a steal and 2.3 3-pointers on 61% shooting. The lack of rebounds, assists, steals and blocks don’t make him as attractive as a player like Tyson, but Wells is getting between 25 and 30 minutes per game and should continue to improve as the season progresses. He’s likely better than most of the other players on your league’s waiver wire right now.
Jay Huff, C, Indiana Pacers (21%)
Huff has taken over the starting center duties in Indy and the Pacers are 4-2 over their last six games with Huff in the first unit. Both his scoring and rebounding fluctuate like the wind, but he is leading the league in blocks and has played at least 22 minutes in eight of his last 10 games. He averaged 9.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals, 3.5 blocks and 1.3 3-pointers over his four December games and has made all eight of his free throws this month. He has a bum knee that makes me a little nervous, but if your league counts blocked shots and he continues to start for the Pacers, Huff is a must-roster player going forward.
Fallers
Amen Thompson, SG/SF/PF, Houston Rockets (99% rostered)
It appears Thompson was both overhyped and overdrafted this year, but we still have a long way to go. Thompson’s scoring, assists and free throw shooting are way up, but his field-goal shooting, rebounds and blocks are down. His shot blocking has fallen from 1.3 last year to just 0.5 this season and is having a big impact on his value.
He has to share the ball with players like Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun and Reed Sheppard, but it shouldn’t be too tough for him to shoot it better from the floor and start blocking shots. Even if he finishes the year as a disappointing player, I find it hard to believe he won’t end up with top-60 value in the end. It’s too early to panic. The Rockets are one of only three teams to play four times in the upcoming week.
Dyson Daniels, PG/SG, Atlanta Hawks (93%)
Like Thompson, Daniels was also overhyped and overdrafted by many of us. The steals are still there at 2.2 per game, but that’s not nearly the same as the 3.0 he averaged last season. His scoring is also down from 14.1 to 10.7 per game, and while his free throw shooting, rebounds and assists are all up, his blocks have also fallen from 0.7 to just 0.3 per game.
Despite the loss of Trae Young (knee), the Hawks have more mouths to feed with the rise of Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Onyeka Okongwu, along with the presence of Kristaps Porzingis. The good news is that Daniels’ minutes have remained steady, even slightly up this year. If the Hawks pull off a trade of Young, Daniels could really pick up his pace. And even if they stand pat and let the chips fall where they may, Daniels has nowhere to go but up from here.
Kel’el Ware, C, Miami Heat (64%)
I drafted Ware in almost every league I’m in this year, and he has been fantastic for much of the season. However, he still doesn’t have a defined role with the Heat, and now that they’re fully healthy with Tyler Herro and Norman Powell back from injury, his minutes have fluctuated greatly from night to night, making him frustrating to roster at times. And he might have been dropped in your league after playing just 12 minutes in Tuesday’s loss to Orlando. However, every time he plays low minutes, he tends to bounce back with more playing time and a solid line in the next game.
His minutes over his last five games reads like a Keno board: 12, 30, 22, 25, 16. Despite the weird minutes flow, he’s a solid source of rebounds, steals, blocks and 3-pointers, and his season numbers have him ranked as a top-40 player. Now is a great time to try to acquire Ware, as he not only played 12 minutes in his last game on Tuesday, but the Heat don’t even play again until Monday. Go get him and buckle up for the roller coaster ride. The Heat are one of only three teams to play four times in the upcoming week.
Paolo Banchero, SF/PF, Orlando Magic (99%)
Banchero has been a huge disappointment thus far due to a groin injury, limiting him to just 15 games, and a drop in his stats from last season. His minutes, field-goal percentage, 3-pointers, scoring, assists and steals are all down, he’s on a minutes limit and he still has to learn how to play with Desmond Bane (who is on fire). However, Franz Wagner is now out with a high ankle sprain and Banchero is working his way back up to full speed.
I still expect Banchero to get this figured out sooner than later, and even if he doesn’t blossom into a «fantasy gold» guy (steals, blocks and 3-pointers), the rest of his numbers should rise throughout the season, especially for as long as Wagner is out. He should turn things around over the next month with Wagner likely on the shelf until January.
Myles Turner, C, Milwaukee Bucks (88%)
Giannis Antetokounmpo may have played his last game for the Bucks (if they trade him), and it would make sense for Turner to become a focal point of the offense in his absence. However, Turner has been less than spectacular in his tenure with Milwaukee, and his four December games have been nearly forgettable.
He’s averaging just 12.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.5 steals, 1.3 blocks and 2.5 3-pointers on 41% shooting over that stretch. His free throw shooting has also been down this season, and his numbers are well down from what he did in Indiana last season. I think Turner is simply in a slump and trying to find his way in Milwaukee, and I expect him to be better than this going forward.
Jaren Jackson Jr. PF/C, Memphis Grizzlies (88%)
Jackson’s season got off to a slow start as he recovered from a foot injury that may still be lingering, and he has been really bad over his last three games, hitting just 11-of-28 shots for 8.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 0.7 blocks and zero 3-pointers. He has also hit just four of his seven free throws over that stretch. Jackson’s fantasy value mostly comes from his blocks and 3-pointers, and the fact that he’s not doing much of that is a bit disturbing, but maybe he’s just in a slump. On the season, he’s averaging five fewer points than last year, and his FG%, 3-pointers, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks are all down, some significantly.
It has been a rough season thus far, and I don’t see things turning around any time soon as the Bucks continue to stumble down the standings with a record of 11-13. Wait for Jackson to have a big game or two and then try to deal him for whatever you can get. I just don’t see him turning it around this year.
Ace Bailey, SF/PF, Utah Jazz (26%)
Bailey recently had a fun stat line of 13 points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals, three blocks and three 3-pointers against the Rockets on Dec. 1, but the stacked lines have been few and far between. Despite that loaded line, Bailey is averaging just 11 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.3 blocks and 2.3 3-pointers on 39% shooting over his four December games. I still think the Jazz will start tanking and allow some of the younger players, like Bailey, to take a starring role, but Bailey’s season is off to a rough start, as his season numbers don’t vary much from his December games.
His knees are shaky injury-wise and he’s getting just 23 minutes per game. He might end up being a silly-season hero later in the season, but it feels like it’s going to be a rough ride between now and March. In the meantime, you can probably find a more valuable player on your league’s waiver wire.
