We are now in the fantasy hoops version of March Madness, the month when most leagues have their playoffs and even their championship. As we’ve discussed in this space before, injured players on teams headed for the lottery are more likely to get “season-ending” designations that lead to opportunities for players off the bench to produce.
Also, rookies and young players are getting more and more time for teams leaning into their youth movement. All told, you can set your squad up to succeed during the madness by keeping both eyes on your free agency wire to identify lightly rostered players that can make a difference down the stretch of the fantasy season.
Resources:
| | |
| | | |
, PG, (6.8% rostered in ESPN Leagues): Small has proven himself a solid scorer and all-around contributor in his role off the bench, averaging roughly 15 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists in 25 minutes in his last six games off the bench before joining the starting lineup. He has started the last few games with and out, and so far his minutes and production have remained similar though he does have more upside.
, (8.6%): Williams has bounced back and forth in and out of the starting lineup with all of the injuries on the Mavericks, but whether starting or a sixth man his production has remained a solid 16.0 PPG, 6.0 APG and 3.2 RPG in about 25 MPG for the last three weeks.
, SG/PG, (44.5%): Murray made his season debut last week after recovering from tearing his Achilles last season. He came back in a starting role, with a minutes limit of about 25 minutes in his first two games before sitting out the first half of a back-to-back on Saturday. Murray is an impact player when healthy, and even playing limited minutes down the stretch of the season he could be a difference-maker.
, SG/PG, (45.5%): Podziemski has been playing a larger role with out, and he has moved into and out of the starting lineup as other players have dealt with injury. Whether starting or coming off the bench, he has been a consistent mid-teens scorer, a borderline dominant rebounder and a solid source of assists, 3-pointers and steals in over 30 minutes per game.
Naji Marshall sinks a mid-range jumper and draws the and-1 for the Mavericks.
, SF/PF, Dallas Mavericks (42.0%): Marshall has been the primary scorer for the Mavericks for the last month with battling injury along with most of the rest of the frontline. He had four 30-plus point scoring efforts since Jan. 22, and averaged 23.2 PPG in the six games leading up to last Friday. He suffered a finger contusion in that game, and missed Sunday’s game, but if the injury isn’t serious he should be back putting up big numbers again soon.
, SF, (12.5%): Champagnie has been a strong source of 3-pointers off the Spurs’ bench all season, but he has particularly picked it up of late with 14 3-pointers over three games last week.
, PF/C, (32.7%): Diabate was coming on strong before his fight with led to a four-game suspension. But he immediately picked up right where he left off and has double-doubles in each of his last two games.
, PF/C, (21.2%): Achiuwa has moved into the starting power forward role for the Kings and is thriving. He has double-digit rebounds in four of his last five games, including two 22+ point, 12-rebound double-doubles.
, C, (4.1%): Potter has grown into a role as a sixth man off the bench for the Pacers, notching around 16 points, 6 rebounds and almost three 3-pointers since the game before the All-Star Break.
., (23.1%): Carter has been solid as a starter all season for the Magic, but in the last week he has stepped up both his scoring and rebounding to the tune of a 17-point,10-rebound double-double average last week.
