Shooting Guards
Dion Waiters Cavaliers
Waiters should no longer be available in most leagues and is averaging nearly 17 points per game this season, along with 2.7 3-pointers. Bradley Beal is also hot and the two rookie shooting guards should be scooped up in all leagues.
Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, Leandro Barbosa Celtics
The Celtics play five games this week, making Terry a must-own player for the short term, while Lee and Barbosa are worth a look in deeper leagues for the extra games played. Terry is starting to play a little better, scoring 16, 13 and 15 points over his last three games, and hitting six 3-pointers over that stretch.
Lance Stephenson, Gerald Green Pacers
Stephenson started at shooting guard in his last game and had 12 points, four rebounds and two 3-pointers, and has played more than 20 minutes in all but two games this season. He’s not a must-own player, but the Pacers like him and he’s going to get run. And if he continues to start for the Pacers, he should be a nice deep-league addition. Gerald Green finally broke out in his last one, going for 15 points, eight boards and a 3-pointers in 28 minutes, and we still think he’s going to eventually get hot and stay that way for the Pacers. Danny Granger is going to be out for a long time and both of these players are going to do their part to pick up the slack.
Alan Anderson Raptors UPDATE: Anderson was injured on Saturday and it doesn't look like he'll play this week.
Anderson started at shooting guard for an injured Landry Fields on Saturday, and while he only scored seven points, he did play 27 minutes. Anderson has already hit eight 3-pointers on the season, and while he should score and hit threes going forward, he’ll only be a reliable fantasy player if he sticks in the starting lineup. Give him a look if you’re in a deep league.
Jared Dudley, Shannon Brown Suns
Dudley was dropped after struggling to start the season and finally had a nice game with 16 points, two steals, two blocks and two 3-pointers on Saturday. He’s averaging 27 minutes per game and while Shannon Brown is threatening to steal his job, it’s still Dudley’s to lose. He’s not a must-start player just yet, but it does feel like he’s about to turn it around. Brown scored 24 and 22 points in back to back games with eight 3-pointers, but had just four points on 1-of-9 shooting on Saturday. If Dudley continues to struggle and Brown takes his job, he’ll be the guy to own.
Others to consider: J.J. Redick (should be held in all leagues), Ben Gordon, Ronnie Brewer, Danny Green, Richard Hamilton, Randy Foye, Nick Young, Stephen Jackson, Mike Dunleavy, Jordan Crawford.
Small Forwards
Michael Beasley Suns
Beasley has been hit or miss this season, posting two monster lines along with several mediocre ones. He’s getting 29 minutes per game and has seven 3-pointers and seven blocks on the season, and I see no reason the Suns won’t keep going to him. I don’t trust him enough to start him over a good player in weekly leagues right now, but I’m going to hang onto him where I own him.
Chandler Parsons, Carlos Delfino Rockets
Parsons and Delfino have both been hit or miss all season, and will continue to get in each other’s way going forward. Parsons has scored in double figures just once since opening night, but did have 19 points, five boards and three 3-pointers on Friday night. He’s hit 10 3-pointers on the season, but has scored nine or fewer points in four of his last five. Delfino’s numbers are very similar to Parsons’ and he has scored eight or fewer in four of his last five, but did have 19 points and four 3-pointers on Wednesday. He’s hit 13 3-pointers on the season, but is only worth a look if you’re desperate for them.
Tayshaun Prince Pistons
Prince has quietly hit double figures in scoring in five of his seven games and is averaging 12 points, four boards and a 3-pointer on the season. He’s playing 33 minutes a night, so he should continue to put up similar numbers going forward.
Jeff Green Celtics
Green hasn’t been great for the Celtics, but is worth a deep-league look this week with five games. He’s hit double figures in three of his last five games and has blocked three shots in his last two. Again, I don’t love Green in fantasy this season, but with five games, starting him over Caron Butler (2 games) or a marginal player with three games makes some sense.
Harrison Barnes Warriors
Barnes is the starting SF for the Warriors but has scored eight or less points in five of his seven games. He doesn’t have more than five rebounds in any game and has blocked just one shot on the season. He has hit five 3-pointers though, and should only get better from here on out. He’s not a must-own player, but should be a nice guy to own a month from now.
Others to consider: Al-Farouq Aminu (should be held in all leagues), Corey Brewer, Marvin Williams, Trevor Ariza, Marvin Williams, Marquis Daniels, Tobias Harris, Matt Barnes, Jae Crowder.
Games Played for Week 3
5 games - Celtics
4 games – Bulls, Mavericks, Pistons, Rockets, Pacers, Heat, Knicks, Thunder, Sixers, Suns, Blazers, Raptors, Jazz.
3 games – Hawks, Nets, Bobcats, Cavaliers, Nuggets, Warriors, Lakers, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Bucks, Hornets, Magic, Spurs, Kings, Wizards.
2 games - Clippers
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Point Guards
Nate Robinson Bulls
Kirk Hinrich is day-to-day with a hip injury and Derrick Rose may or may not play this season. Robinson had 18 points on Saturday and is averaging 11.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, a steal and nearly a 3-pointer per game on the season. And with Hinrich banged up and four games this week, he looks like a must-start in weekly leagues.
A.J. Price Wizards
Price flirted with a triple-double on Friday and posted a double-double on Saturday with 12 points and 14 assists, while John Wall is still not ready to return from his knee injury. The clock is ticking on Price, but he’s obviously worth rolling with until Wall comes back.
Jarrett Jack Warriors
Jack hasn’t quite blown up like we thought he might when Brandon Rush went down, but there’s still a long way to go. He played 38 minutes on Saturday and finished with eight points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals, but played just 15 minutes on Friday night. Jack’s not a must-start fantasy player, and may not even be must-own in smaller leagues, but I think it makes a lot of sense to hang onto him in most leagues, until he starts getting a consistent role for Mark Jackson.
Luke Ridnour Timberwolves
Ridnour is averaging 12 points, three boards and three assists over his last three games and has hit four 3-pointers over that stretch. Ricky Rubio still isn’t expected back until some time in December, so Ridnour should continue to start and put up decent numbers until that happens.
Jose Calderon Raptors
Calderon has been starting for Kyle Lowry (ankle) and is averaging 10 points and five assists on the season. Even when Lowry returns, Calderon should still see solid minutes at both guard positions for the Raptors. He’s not a must-own player in all leagues, but should continue to see close to 25 minutes a night, meaning he will be an option in most leagues.
Others to consider: E'Twaun Moore (should be held in all leagues), Ramon Sessions, Jason Kidd, Aaron Brooks, Eric Bledsoe.
Shooting Guards
Dion Waiters Cavaliers
Waiters should no longer be available in most leagues and is averaging nearly 17 points per game this season, along with 2.7 3-pointers. Bradley Beal is also hot and the two rookie shooting guards should be scooped up in all leagues.
Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, Leandro Barbosa Celtics
The Celtics play five games this week, making Terry a must-own player for the short term, while Lee and Barbosa are worth a look in deeper leagues for the extra games played. Terry is starting to play a little better, scoring 16, 13 and 15 points over his last three games, and hitting six 3-pointers over that stretch.
Lance Stephenson, Gerald Green Pacers
Stephenson started at shooting guard in his last game and had 12 points, four rebounds and two 3-pointers, and has played more than 20 minutes in all but two games this season. He’s not a must-own player, but the Pacers like him and he’s going to get run. And if he continues to start for the Pacers, he should be a nice deep-league addition. Gerald Green finally broke out in his last one, going for 15 points, eight boards and a 3-pointers in 28 minutes, and we still think he’s going to eventually get hot and stay that way for the Pacers. Danny Granger is going to be out for a long time and both of these players are going to do their part to pick up the slack.
Alan Anderson Raptors UPDATE: Anderson was injured on Saturday and it doesn't look like he'll play this week.
Anderson started at shooting guard for an injured Landry Fields on Saturday, and while he only scored seven points, he did play 27 minutes. Anderson has already hit eight 3-pointers on the season, and while he should score and hit threes going forward, he’ll only be a reliable fantasy player if he sticks in the starting lineup. Give him a look if you’re in a deep league.
Jared Dudley, Shannon Brown Suns
Dudley was dropped after struggling to start the season and finally had a nice game with 16 points, two steals, two blocks and two 3-pointers on Saturday. He’s averaging 27 minutes per game and while Shannon Brown is threatening to steal his job, it’s still Dudley’s to lose. He’s not a must-start player just yet, but it does feel like he’s about to turn it around. Brown scored 24 and 22 points in back to back games with eight 3-pointers, but had just four points on 1-of-9 shooting on Saturday. If Dudley continues to struggle and Brown takes his job, he’ll be the guy to own.
Others to consider: J.J. Redick (should be held in all leagues), Ben Gordon, Ronnie Brewer, Danny Green, Richard Hamilton, Randy Foye, Nick Young, Stephen Jackson, Mike Dunleavy, Jordan Crawford.
Small Forwards
Michael Beasley Suns
Beasley has been hit or miss this season, posting two monster lines along with several mediocre ones. He’s getting 29 minutes per game and has seven 3-pointers and seven blocks on the season, and I see no reason the Suns won’t keep going to him. I don’t trust him enough to start him over a good player in weekly leagues right now, but I’m going to hang onto him where I own him.
Chandler Parsons, Carlos Delfino Rockets
Parsons and Delfino have both been hit or miss all season, and will continue to get in each other’s way going forward. Parsons has scored in double figures just once since opening night, but did have 19 points, five boards and three 3-pointers on Friday night. He’s hit 10 3-pointers on the season, but has scored nine or fewer points in four of his last five. Delfino’s numbers are very similar to Parsons’ and he has scored eight or fewer in four of his last five, but did have 19 points and four 3-pointers on Wednesday. He’s hit 13 3-pointers on the season, but is only worth a look if you’re desperate for them.
Tayshaun Prince Pistons
Prince has quietly hit double figures in scoring in five of his seven games and is averaging 12 points, four boards and a 3-pointer on the season. He’s playing 33 minutes a night, so he should continue to put up similar numbers going forward.
Jeff Green Celtics
Green hasn’t been great for the Celtics, but is worth a deep-league look this week with five games. He’s hit double figures in three of his last five games and has blocked three shots in his last two. Again, I don’t love Green in fantasy this season, but with five games, starting him over Caron Butler (2 games) or a marginal player with three games makes some sense.
Harrison Barnes Warriors
Barnes is the starting SF for the Warriors but has scored eight or less points in five of his seven games. He doesn’t have more than five rebounds in any game and has blocked just one shot on the season. He has hit five 3-pointers though, and should only get better from here on out. He’s not a must-own player, but should be a nice guy to own a month from now.
Others to consider: Al-Farouq Aminu (should be held in all leagues), Corey Brewer, Marvin Williams, Trevor Ariza, Marvin Williams, Marquis Daniels, Tobias Harris, Matt Barnes, Jae Crowder.
Power Forwards
Brandon Bass, Jared Sullinger Celtics
Bass and the Celtics play five games this week, making Bass a nice play in weekly leagues. He’s averaging 9.5 points and 6.3 rebounds, which should mean he racks up some decent production in a five-game week. He’ll block a shot every other night, but don’t count on him for them. Sullinger has started in three of his last for games, but has yet to score more than six points this season. He’s a decent rebounder and shot blocker, and is worth a deep-league look with the extra games.
Carl Landry Warriors
With Andrew Bogut currently shut down on his bum ankle, Landry is going to see plenty of minutes. He’s averaging 27 per game and has produced scoring nights of 22, 19, 23, 20 and 17 points already this season. He’s averaging nine rebounds over his last five games and the bad news is that the Warriors play just three games this week.
Jason Thompson Kings
Thompson came through with 17 points and six rebounds on Friday and had 13 points and four boards on Wednesday night. He’s quietly blocked at least one shot in every game, racking up nine of them on the season. He’s averaging nearly 30 minutes per game as the starting PF for the Kings, and is worth a look in all leagues. Think twice about starting him this week though, as the Kings play just three games.
Patrick Patterson, Marcus Morris Rockets
Patterson is over his early-season injury, but hasn’t been able to produce consistently. After nice lines of 12 & 6 and 18 & 5, he’s scored a total of 10 points with six boards over his last two games. That kind of inconsistency is disturbing, making Patterson a better guy to keep a close eye on than to drop a good player for. But he should be better this week for the Rockets. Morris is another deep-league prospect and is averaging nine points and five boards this season. Patterson should eventually ruin his value, but for now, he’s worth keeping an eye on in deeper leagues.
Brandan Wright, Troy Murphy Mavericks
Brandan Wright continues to start and play well for the Mavericks, hitting double figures in scoring in every game this season but his last one, when he had eight points and eight boards on Saturday. He’s averaging 11 points, five boards and a block through seven games, and while he’ll eventually take a hit once Dirk Nowitzki is healthy, he’s worth a deep-league look. Murphy is suddenly worth a deep-league look after scoring eight points with seven rebounds and two 3-pointers in 30 minutes on Saturday. I don’t trust him, but if you’re in a deep league and need a big man who can hit treys, he’s at least worth keeping an eye on.
Others to consider: Derrick Favors (should be held in all leagues), Byron Mullens (ditto) Jonas Jerebko, Amir Johnson, Derrick Williams, Taj Gibson, Trevor Booker, Markieff Morris.
Centers
Larry Sanders Bucks
Sanders is quietly averaging 12 points, nine rebounds and 2.6 blocks in five games this season despite not starting a game. With Samuel Dalembert really struggling, Sanders is taking advantage of his minutes and could eventually become the starter for the Bucks. But if he can keep producing like this off the bench, he’s a must-own player in all leagues.
Emeka Okafor Wizards
Okafor is averaging 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks over the last seven days, and while his free throw shooting is atrocious, he’s not shooting enough of them to hurt you too badly. It looks like good centers are hard to find off the wire this season, but Okafor is worth a look as long as he’s healthy.
Andre Drummond Pistons
Drummond had his breakout game on Friday with 22 points, eight boards, a steal and a block, hitting 8-of-10 shots in 21 minutes. However, in his six other games, he scored seven or less points. He’s all upside and the Pistons have yet to win a game this season. They’re still starting Jason Maxiell at PF, but it would make sense for them to start giving Drummond all the minutes he can handle going forward.
Spencer Hawes Sixers
Hawes keeps plugging away as Andrew Bynum remains MIA, Lavoy Allen struggles in starts, and Kwame Brown sits injured in street clothes. He’s averaging 9.5 points, eight rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 0.5 3-pointers on the season, and is worth a look in all leagues, at least until Bynum is finally playing basketball again.
Zaza Pachulia Hawks
Pachulia made a rare start last week but it looks like he’ll continue to come off the bench. He’s averaging seven points and eight rebounds in his four games, but has yet to block a shot. They’ll be coming, but unless Pachulia gets a regular starting job, he’s only worth a look in deeper leagues.
Kosta Koufos Nuggets
Koufos is averaging eight points, six rebounds and two blocks as the starter in Denver, but will have to compete with JaVale McGee and Timofey Mozgov every night. He’s hit double digits in scoring twice and has blocked eight shots in his last two games. I don’t like the three-headed monster George Karl is playing at center, but Koufos has been a relatively safe play up to this point.
Others to consider: JaVale McGee (should be held in all leagues), Omer Asik (should be held in all leagues), Nikola Vucevic, Jonas Valanciunas, Kendrick Perkins, Meyers Leonard, Greg Stiemsma, Samuel Dalembert, Bismack Biyombo.