Fantasy basketball: Dr. A’s weekly risers and fallers
Welcome to this week’s roundup of the biggest risers and fallers in fantasy basketball!
As the season unfolds, player performances continue to shake up the rankings and impact fantasy rosters. Whether it’s a breakout star making waves or a struggling veteran losing ground, staying ahead of the trends is crucial for your fantasy success.
In this weekly breakdown, we’ll highlight the top performers climbing the charts and those whose value is slipping, helping you make smarter lineup decisions.
Risers
Kawhi Leonard, SF/PF, Los Angeles Clippers (87% rostered)
Leonard has quietly played in five of the Clippers’ past seven games and went off for a season-high 27 points with a full stat line on Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs. He’s played particularly well in his past six games and while he’s still likely to sit out in back-to-back situations, he appears healthy and is starting to look like his old self. The Clippers are a better team with Leonard on the floor and it looks like he’s going to have a strong finish as long as he can stay healthy. I’m actually starting to trust Leonard again.
Scoot Henderson, PG, Portland Trail Blazers (43% rostered)
Henderson went through a rough patch recently when he was benched and played limited minutes on Jan. 23 and 24. But his minutes are back up and he’s played well in his past three games, while the Blazers have won six of their past seven games. Henderson was a hero during the fantasy playoffs last season and I expect another strong finish in 2024-25, especially if players like Anfernee Simons or Jerami Grant are traded or shut down.
De’Andre Hunter, SF/PF, Atlanta Hawks (32% rostered)
Jalen Johnson (shoulder) is out for the season and Bogdan Bogdanovic is not playing for the Hawks as trade rumors abound. This opens the door for Hunter, a serious Sixth Man of the Year candidate who was already having an impressive season, to keep it going. He scored 25 points on Thursday and racked up 35 with four 3-pointers last Monday. The Hawks are reeling, losers of six straight, but it’s clear they’re going to lean on Hunter to play well the rest of the way.
Ty Jerome, PG, Cleveland Cavaliers (11% rostered)
Jerome has been cooking, partly due to Caris LeVert missing time with a hand injury, and is hot enough that LeVert’s eventual return might not even slow him down. He’s scored at least 15 points in five of his past six games, including a breakout 33-point performance on Jan. 24. With or without LeVert, Jerome has gotten meaningful minutes in Cleveland all season and they’ve spiked up to 26 MPG over his past six games. The Cavaliers are a better team when Jerome is involved and I expect him to keep playing at a high level, even when LeVert is back.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, SG, Minnesota Timberwolves (2% rostered)
Mike Conley missed his last game with a thumb injury and the Wolves still don’t seem to trust rookie Rob Dillingham enough for extended minutes, although Dillingham did play well off the bench on Thursday. Alexander-Walker started at point guard for Conley in that game and has playedwell lately, scoring in double digits in three of his past four, and has seen at least 30 minutes in three of his past five games. Conley is 37 and the Wolves Dillingham is still trying to prove himself, so NAW could be ready to take off in Minnesota.
Fallers
Stephen Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors (100% rostered)
Curry is healthy and getting big minutes in Steve Kerr’s bizarre rotations but has failed to live up to the hype for most of January. He hasn’t scored more than 21 points in five straight games, averaging just 22.8 PPG this month. He’s shooting it well, including 42% from beyond the arc in January, but too often is deferring to others like Andrew Wiggins on some nights. Draymond Green is out indefinitely and Curry no longer has Klay Thompson beside him. If he doesn’t get more aggressive in February, it could be a long second half for his fantasy managers.
Bradley Beal, SG/SF, Phoenix Suns (83% rostered)
Beal was demoted to the bench this month and has as a result. He hasn’t scored more than 20 points in seven straight games and has scored nine or fewer in two of those. Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are doing most of the heavy lifting for the Suns offensively and Beal appears to have become an afterthought. Maybe he’ll be traded and find a resurgence with a new team, but as long as he’s coming off the bench in Phoenix, he’s not an automatic fantasy play in most leagues. Make sure there’s not a more productive player sitting on your league’s waiver wire.
Khris Middleton, SF, Milwaukee Bucks (53% rostered)
Middleton played well when he initially returned from his ankle woes this season but has fallen off as of late. He’s failed to even score in two of his past three games and is consistently on the injury report as he continues to try to get back to full strength. Middleton has averaged just 10.1 PPG and fewer than 23 minutes in January and, while he’s probable to play on Friday night, there are surely more valuable fantasy players sitting on your league’s waiver wire.
Christian Braun, SG/SF, Denver Nuggets (53% rostered)
Braun is having a fine season in Denver but lost his starting job to Aaron Gordon on Wednesday, now that Gordon is fully recovered from his calf injury. He’s scored in double figures in eight straight games but scored just 13 points off the bench in Gordon’s return to the first unit. The rise of Russell Westbrook, who is also starting over Braun, and the return of Gordon’s health are both going to hurt Braun going forward. He’s still worth rostering in most leagues, but there’s no doubt his arrow is pointing slightly down with his role changing.
Ausar Thompson, SF/PF, Detroit Pistons (24% rostered)
While hopes were high that Thompson would break out this season, it’s just not happening after he dealt with blood clots over the past year. He simply doesn’t get enough minutes to be a viable fantasy option in most leagues. He’s played 20 or fewer minutes in six of his past 12 games and has played more than 25 minutes in only two of them. He does have some appeal given his two steals a night in January, but he doesn’t hit 3-pointers and isn’t getting enough run to score consistently. You can probably find a more productive and reliable player on your waiver wire.
Source: espn.com