Week 3 is almost upon us and the Bobcats, Bulls, Pistons, Sixers and Raptors all play five times. The Magic have the dud this week with just two games, while the Celtics, Cavaliers, Clippers, Grizzlies, Heat, Bucks and Thunder only play three times. The rest of the league has four games in Week 3.
There are some pretty hot pickups this week, including Gary Neal, Iman Shumpert and J.J. Hickson. You’ll have to move fast to get many of these players, as I know the three above are already gone in all of my leagues. So let’s get to it.
Shallow leagues: 10 teams and fewer.
Standard leagues: 12 teams.
Deep leagues: 14 teams and larger.
The NBA Season Pass is up and running, so check it out! Weekly projections and rankings, exclusive live chats, the schedule grid and breakdown, customizable scoring, and much more is all there.
Do you miss football already? Didn’t get into enough hoops leagues? Check out SnapDraft, where you can draft a new team every night and win some cash.
Point Guards
Gary Neal Spurs– James Anderson’s starting gig lasted just one game, as Neal started at shooting guard for the Spurs on Thursday night in place of injured Manu Ginobili. He’s going to be out at least six weeks with a broken hand and those of you who jumped on Neal when news of the injury broke look to be sitting pretty. Neal had a full stat line last night that included four 3-pointers, five boards and two steals, and there should be plenty more where that came from over the next six weeks or so.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.
Jimmer Fredette Kings – With the coaching change in Sacramento, there’s a chance Jimmer gets more run than he did under Paul Westphal. But Keith Smart turned Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton loose on Thursday and they both responded with big games. If Evans is happy playing for Smart, and it looks like he is, Jimmer may have to continue to wait for his chance at big minutes. But he is still averaging 25 minutes and has hit a 3-pointer in every game but the season-opener. He’s still not must-own, and may not make it into the starting five any time soon, but he’s at least worth a stash in most leagues in case that changes.
Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues.
Luke Ridnour Timberwolves – Ridnour was huge on Monday with 19 points and nine assists and has scored in double figures in three straight. You have to think he’s eventually going to lose his job to Ricky Rubio (who should now be owned in all leagues), but it’s also possible that Rick Adelman is ready to roll with a two point-guard backcourt. Wes Johnson was bench on Wednesday, so we’ll have to see what happens on Friday night, but my guess is Ridnour will continue to get close to 30 minutes per game at least for a few more weeks.
Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues.
Brandon Knight Pistons – Rodney Stuckey is going to miss Friday’s game with a groin injury and Knight will start in his place. If he plays well, it could secure him more minutes going forward, but Stuckey was playing well and will likely keep the starting job when healthy. But you never know and if there was a time to take a flier on Knight, it’s right now. He had one big game of 23 points and six assists, but has been pretty quiet over the rest of the season. Maybe that’s about to change.
Recommendation: Worth a spot start while Stuckey is hurt, and could be worth hanging onto.
Ramon Sessions Cavaliers – The Cavs have just three games this week and Sessions is cooling off, scoring seven or less points in three of his last four games. Kyrie Irving’s minutes are on the rise, but Sessions will still get 20 minutes a night and mix in some big lines with some bad ones. If you’re desperate for a point guard, you could do worse.
Recommendation: Should be owned in deep leagues.
Norris Cole Heat – The Heat also have a three-game week, which isn’t ideal, and Mario Chalmers went nuts on Thursday against the Hawks. But I’d still rather own Cole over Chalmers, despite the fluctuating minutes and numbers. He’s scored in double figures in five of his eight games thus far and while he might never replace Chalmers as the starter, he could at some point. He’s not a must-own player, but is “nice to hold” at this point.
Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues.
Kirk Hinrich Hawks – He’s still recovering from shoulder surgery and is at least a couple weeks away from playing. Jeff Teague and Joe Johnson have a stranglehold on the starting backcourt jobs, but Hinrich should see plenty of run off the bench. If you’re in a deep league and need a guard, he’s probably worth stashing.
Recommendation: Worth a deep-league stash.
Shooting Guards
Gerald Henderson Bobcats – I don’t know how Henderson’s not owned in all leagues, averaging 16 points, five boards, two steals and .5 threes per night, but I got a lot of questions about him in Thursday’s chat. If available, he should be owned in my opinion.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.
Iman Shumpert Knicks – Shumpert has been the hot pickup for a couple days after exploding for 18 points, five boards, three assists, two steals, a block and four 3-pointers on Wednesday. I’m guessing he’ll start over Landry Fields before long, but he will come off the bench on Friday. Regardless, based on his potential and probable starting role, he should be scooped up in all leagues.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.
Marshon Brooks Nets – Brooks tweaked his left ankle pretty badly on Wednesday but the injury isn’t believed to be serious. He’s a game-time decision Friday night but should be owned in all leagues after scoring 17 or 21 points in five of his last six games. He also started on Wednesday and could be the starting SG from here on out.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.
Jared Dudley Suns – After a slow start Dudley has scored between 10 and 16 points in his last four games, tallying six 3-pointers along the way. He’s also a good rebounder for a guard and will grab a steal every other game or so. He’s heating up and worth a look if he was dropped.
Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues.
Marco Belinelli/Trevor Ariza Hornets – Eric Gordon received another dose of terrible news on Friday and will rest his knee for several more weeks. Marco Belinelli will start in his place, while Trevor Ariza is the starting small forward when healthy. Ariza has a groin injury and remains day-to-day, while Bello is healthy and should start on Friday. Despite starting in three of them, Belinelli has scored eight or less in his last four games, but should get hot at some point in the next few weeks. And with Gordon out, Belinelli is worth a look from any owner in need of help at shooting guard or with 3-pointers. Additionally, Jarrett Jack remains a must-own player and should continue to put up huge number with Gordon out. Ariza is out Friday, but should be a startable player once he’s back in action.
Recommendation: Should be strongly considered in all leagues.
Richard Hamilton Bulls – The Bulls play five times in Week 3 and Hamilton is still trying to get over his groin injury. He had 14 points, five assists and a 3-pointer on Wednesday, but is a game-time decision for Friday night. Once he’s healthy, he should start and see solid minutes for the Bulls. I like the thought of using him in leagues that count games played starting on Monday.
Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues.
Austin Daye Pistons – Daye will get the start on Friday because Ben Gordon is out for personal reasons. Daye is not worth owning right now, but maybe this will help his confidence and get him some minutes.
Recommendation: Worth watching over the weekend.
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Week 3 is almost upon us and the Bobcats, Bulls, Pistons, Sixers and Raptors all play five times. The Magic have the dud this week with just two games, while the Celtics, Cavaliers, Clippers, Grizzlies, Heat, Bucks and Thunder only play three times. The rest of the league has four games in Week 3.
There are some pretty hot pickups this week, including Gary Neal, Iman Shumpert and J.J. Hickson. You’ll have to move fast to get many of these players, as I know the three above are already gone in all of my leagues. So let’s get to it.
Shallow leagues: 10 teams and fewer.
Standard leagues: 12 teams.
Deep leagues: 14 teams and larger.
The NBA Season Pass is up and running, so check it out! Weekly projections and rankings, exclusive live chats, the schedule grid and breakdown, customizable scoring, and much more is all there.
Do you miss football already? Didn’t get into enough hoops leagues? Check out SnapDraft, where you can draft a new team every night and win some cash.
Point Guards
Gary Neal Spurs– James Anderson’s starting gig lasted just one game, as Neal started at shooting guard for the Spurs on Thursday night in place of injured Manu Ginobili. He’s going to be out at least six weeks with a broken hand and those of you who jumped on Neal when news of the injury broke look to be sitting pretty. Neal had a full stat line last night that included four 3-pointers, five boards and two steals, and there should be plenty more where that came from over the next six weeks or so.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.
Jimmer Fredette Kings – With the coaching change in Sacramento, there’s a chance Jimmer gets more run than he did under Paul Westphal. But Keith Smart turned Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton loose on Thursday and they both responded with big games. If Evans is happy playing for Smart, and it looks like he is, Jimmer may have to continue to wait for his chance at big minutes. But he is still averaging 25 minutes and has hit a 3-pointer in every game but the season-opener. He’s still not must-own, and may not make it into the starting five any time soon, but he’s at least worth a stash in most leagues in case that changes.
Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues.
Luke Ridnour Timberwolves – Ridnour was huge on Monday with 19 points and nine assists and has scored in double figures in three straight. You have to think he’s eventually going to lose his job to Ricky Rubio (who should now be owned in all leagues), but it’s also possible that Rick Adelman is ready to roll with a two point-guard backcourt. Wes Johnson was bench on Wednesday, so we’ll have to see what happens on Friday night, but my guess is Ridnour will continue to get close to 30 minutes per game at least for a few more weeks.
Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues.
Brandon Knight Pistons – Rodney Stuckey is going to miss Friday’s game with a groin injury and Knight will start in his place. If he plays well, it could secure him more minutes going forward, but Stuckey was playing well and will likely keep the starting job when healthy. But you never know and if there was a time to take a flier on Knight, it’s right now. He had one big game of 23 points and six assists, but has been pretty quiet over the rest of the season. Maybe that’s about to change.
Recommendation: Worth a spot start while Stuckey is hurt, and could be worth hanging onto.
Ramon Sessions Cavaliers – The Cavs have just three games this week and Sessions is cooling off, scoring seven or less points in three of his last four games. Kyrie Irving’s minutes are on the rise, but Sessions will still get 20 minutes a night and mix in some big lines with some bad ones. If you’re desperate for a point guard, you could do worse.
Recommendation: Should be owned in deep leagues.
Norris Cole Heat – The Heat also have a three-game week, which isn’t ideal, and Mario Chalmers went nuts on Thursday against the Hawks. But I’d still rather own Cole over Chalmers, despite the fluctuating minutes and numbers. He’s scored in double figures in five of his eight games thus far and while he might never replace Chalmers as the starter, he could at some point. He’s not a must-own player, but is “nice to hold” at this point.
Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues.
Kirk Hinrich Hawks – He’s still recovering from shoulder surgery and is at least a couple weeks away from playing. Jeff Teague and Joe Johnson have a stranglehold on the starting backcourt jobs, but Hinrich should see plenty of run off the bench. If you’re in a deep league and need a guard, he’s probably worth stashing.
Recommendation: Worth a deep-league stash.
Shooting Guards
Gerald Henderson Bobcats – I don’t know how Henderson’s not owned in all leagues, averaging 16 points, five boards, two steals and .5 threes per night, but I got a lot of questions about him in Thursday’s chat. If available, he should be owned in my opinion.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.
Iman Shumpert Knicks – Shumpert has been the hot pickup for a couple days after exploding for 18 points, five boards, three assists, two steals, a block and four 3-pointers on Wednesday. I’m guessing he’ll start over Landry Fields before long, but he will come off the bench on Friday. Regardless, based on his potential and probable starting role, he should be scooped up in all leagues.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.
Marshon Brooks Nets – Brooks tweaked his left ankle pretty badly on Wednesday but the injury isn’t believed to be serious. He’s a game-time decision Friday night but should be owned in all leagues after scoring 17 or 21 points in five of his last six games. He also started on Wednesday and could be the starting SG from here on out.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.
Jared Dudley Suns – After a slow start Dudley has scored between 10 and 16 points in his last four games, tallying six 3-pointers along the way. He’s also a good rebounder for a guard and will grab a steal every other game or so. He’s heating up and worth a look if he was dropped.
Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues.
Marco Belinelli/Trevor Ariza Hornets – Eric Gordon received another dose of terrible news on Friday and will rest his knee for several more weeks. Marco Belinelli will start in his place, while Trevor Ariza is the starting small forward when healthy. Ariza has a groin injury and remains day-to-day, while Bello is healthy and should start on Friday. Despite starting in three of them, Belinelli has scored eight or less in his last four games, but should get hot at some point in the next few weeks. And with Gordon out, Belinelli is worth a look from any owner in need of help at shooting guard or with 3-pointers. Additionally, Jarrett Jack remains a must-own player and should continue to put up huge number with Gordon out. Ariza is out Friday, but should be a startable player once he’s back in action.
Recommendation: Should be strongly considered in all leagues.
Richard Hamilton Bulls – The Bulls play five times in Week 3 and Hamilton is still trying to get over his groin injury. He had 14 points, five assists and a 3-pointer on Wednesday, but is a game-time decision for Friday night. Once he’s healthy, he should start and see solid minutes for the Bulls. I like the thought of using him in leagues that count games played starting on Monday.
Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues.
Austin Daye Pistons – Daye will get the start on Friday because Ben Gordon is out for personal reasons. Daye is not worth owning right now, but maybe this will help his confidence and get him some minutes.
Recommendation: Worth watching over the weekend.
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Small Forwards
Brandon Rush Warriors – Dorell Wright has failed to score in two straight games and many folks are calling for Rush to replace in him in the starting lineup. Rush, Klay Thompson and Wright are all interesting guys floating around on waivers right now. If Rush gets the job he’ll become a must-own player, while Thompson should continue to see plenty of minutes off the bench, especially with Stephen Curry currently shut down with a severely sprained right ankle, as usual. Wright is the toughest guy to call. He averaged 16 points and 2.4 3-pointers last season, but has been one of the biggest fantasy busts this year. If he’s on waivers in your league, I’d recommend stashing him and seeing what happens.
Recommendation: Rush, Wright and Thompson should all be considered in all leagues.
Nicolas Batum Trail Blazers – Batum was awful on Thursday after missing all his shots, but has racked up nine 3-pointers and seven blocks this season. I still think he’s going to get it going and should be a nice player to own going forward. Just don’t look for him to score a lot of points.
Recommendation: Should be owned in deep leagues.
James Johnson Raptors – The Raptors play five times in Week 3 and owners will have to have a lot of patience and will power to roll him out there. He started off hot, fell off the map, and then bounced back with four points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks on Wednesday. I have no idea if he’ll do that in Week 3, but if he has a good week and is in your lineup, he’ll put up threes, boards, steals and blocks, which is fantasy gold. Do ya feel lucky?
Recommendation: Should be considered as a potential fantasy starter for Week 3.
Josh Howard/Alec Burks/C.J. Miles Jazz – Howard is hurt but his quad injury doesn’t sound too serious. Raja Bell has been useless at small forward and the thought was, before Howard’s injury, that he was about to take over the starting job from Bell. Given Howard’s injury history, he could go down again at any time, with Burks and Miles next in line for the job and minutes. None of these players are must-own right now, but all are worth keeping an eye on until we see how things shake out for the Jazz.
Recommendation: All three players should be monitored closely in case Bell is benched.
Power Forwards
Marreese Speights Grizzlies – Speights is now playing for the Grizzlies and despite having yet to appear in a game this season, is a popular pickup due to Zach Randolph’s knee injury. He’ll be sidelined for a couple months and there’s a decent chance Speights starts in his place. He has conditioning issues and has never been a consistent NBA player, but has probably never seen an opportunity quite like this one, either. I think guys like Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol will step up their games in Z-Bo’s absence, and I really don’t trust Speights. He’s also not much of a shot blocker for a big man, but should still be grabbed in all leagues until we see how this shakes out. You should also keep your eye on Dante Cunningham and Josh Davis, who will also get run at power forward for Memphis.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues for now.
Tyrus Thomas Bobcats – The Bobcats have five games in Week 3 and Thomas is due back from a sprained ankle on Friday night. He’ll still have to win his job back from D.J. White, who has played very well in his absence, but Thomas should eventually reclaim the gig. Thomas will have to stay healthy to make it happen, but if he gets the job back, he should rack up very solid numbers with points, boards, steals and blocks, and is also a good free throw shooter for a big man.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.
Brandon Bass Celtics – The Celtics only play three games in Week 3 so Bass isn’t a great option in leagues that benefit players with a lot of games. Bass is averaging 14 points and close to seven boards a game thus far, and had 15 & 13 in his last one. If Kevin Garnett goes down at some point, Bass will become a must-own player, but for now he’s someone worth using in deeper leagues.
Recommendation: Should be owned in deep leagues and considered in all.
Kenneth Faried Nuggets – Faried had the dunk of the night on Wednesday when he had seven points, four rebounds and four blocks. Nene is iffy for Friday with his lingering foot injury and his absence was the reason for Faried’s opportunity on Tuesday. If Nene is healthy Faried is probably best left on waivers unless you’re in a very deep league.
Recommendation: Should be monitored in deeper leagues, along with Nene’s foot injury.
Tristan Thompson Cavaliers – Thompson broke out on Tuesday with 18 points, nine rebounds and two blocks, but then disappeared in his next one. The talent is there and he should get better with each month that passes, but he’s not yet a must-own player. But if he puts up a couple big lines in the next 10 days, don’t hesitate to go get him.
Recommendation: Should be monitored in most leagues.
Markieff Morris Suns – Much like Thompson, Morris broke out on Monday with 18 points, nine boards and a 3-pointer before falling back to earth in his next one. Unlike Thompson, Morris has to battle with Channing Frye and Hakim Warrick for minutes, meaning he’s going to be inconsistent all year. But the potential is there for big numbers and owners deep or keeper leagues will want to keep a close eye on him.
Recommendation: Should be monitored in most leagues.
Centers
J.J. Hickson Kings – Chuck Hayes went down with a separated shoulder on Thursday and it sounds like he’ll miss three weeks or so with the injury. Hickson made the most of the extra minutes last night with seven points, 11 rebounds and two blocks. And there should be plenty more where that came from going forward, at least for three weeks. He’ll hurt your free throw percentage, but could be a double-double machine until further notice.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.
Drew Gooden Bucks – The Bucks only play three games next week and I’m assuming Andrew Bogut will be back after missing the last couple games due to personal reasons. In two starts for Bogut (so far) Gooden has posted very nice lines. He had 24 points, 12 boards and a block on Tuesday and then 18 points, nine boards and two steals on Thursday. He’ll take a pretty severe hit once Bogut is back, but may have earned the starting power forward job with these two games. Despite not knowing his role once Bogut is back, Gooden is worth a flier and stash for now.
Recommendation: Should be owned in most leagues, at least for now.
Brendan Haywood Mavericks – Haywood is starting to come on a bit after a slow start, blocking six shots and racking up 30 rebounds in his last four games. He’s only scored six or less points in each of those, but he at least looks like a serviceable center if you need boards and blocks. And once he gets in game shape he should be even better. Haywood is not a must-own player in most leagues, but is worth a look in many of them.
Recommendation: Should be monitored in all leagues.
Byron Mullens Bobcats – The Bobcats play five games in Week 3 and Mullens is on fire, relatively speaking. He’s scored 10, 6, 12, 6, 14 and 16 points in each game this year, with season highs of five boards and two blocks. Outside of the scoring, he’s not doing much else. But if you’re in a deep league, given the Bobcats’ lack of depth at center, Mullens is worth a look, and should continue to get better as the season progresses.
Recommendation: Should be monitored in deep leagues.
Timofey Mozgov Nuggets – Mozgov had 11 points in his last game and continues to start for the Nuggets. He also had five blocks on the year, but four of them came in one game. Nene was out with a foot injury but could return on Friday. Mozgov’s value will get a boost on nights when Nene is out, but when the Nuggets are at full strength, Mozgov is a borderline fantasy player at best. Just keep an eye on him in deeper leagues.
Recommendation: Should be monitored in deep leagues.