Risers and fallers: Filipowski and da Silva merit roster consideration, but what is the status of Mathurin and Johnson?

Tristan da Silva is on a roll, Matas Buzelis is stepping up, and Kyle Filipowski has finally made his mark this season in Utah. In contrast, Bennedict Mathurin and Cooper Flagg are facing challenges as the season winds down, while Cameron Johnson’s value has significantly declined.

Let’s analyze the situation in the latest installment of Risers and Fallers.

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Risers

Tristan da Silva, SF, Orlando Magic (19.7% rostered in ESPN leagues)

With Franz Wagner and Anthony Black sidelined in Orlando, da Silva has emerged as a fantasy asset, scoring a career-high 26 points along with seven rebounds, four steals, two blocks, and three 3-pointers in Thursday’s overtime victory against the Wizards.

This performance followed his second-best outing of the season, where he recorded 23 points and a comprehensive stat line against Cleveland on Wednesday. He has been productive this month, reaching double figures in five of his seven games in March while averaging over 30 minutes on the court.

The Magic have four games scheduled in each of the last four weeks of the season, and it is likely that Wagner and Black could miss a significant portion of Orlando’s remaining matchups. Given the favorable schedule and increased playing time, da Silva should be on rosters across the board.

Matas Buzelis, SF/PF, Chicago Bulls (72.2% rostered)

Buzelis was my top choice during drafts this season, and despite some teasing for selecting him in the fifth round, he is proving his worth. He has been a Top 50 fantasy player this season, primarily due to his health and substantial contributions while averaging 29 minutes per game for the Bulls.

Buzelis is peaking just in time for the fantasy playoffs, averaging 23.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, and 3.3 3-pointers in March prior to Thursday’s game. He achieved a career-high 41 points with six rebounds, two steals, two blocks, and five 3-pointers in Tuesday’s win over Golden State, followed by another strong performance against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night with 22 points and a complete stat line.

The only concern regarding Buzelis is that the Bulls are largely out of the playoff race and may lack motivation to utilize him extensively until the end of the regular season. However, he has been healthy for most of the year and, at 21 years old, they may continue to give him playing time. Regardless, if you selected Buzelis, it has been an enjoyable season. The Bulls have three games scheduled for the upcoming week.

Kyle Filipowski, PF, Utah Jazz (48.0% rostered)

Filipowski concluded last season strongly for the Jazz, enhancing his appeal in this year’s drafts. Although he was underwhelming for a significant part of the season due to limited playing time, he is finally finding his rhythm just in time for the fantasy playoffs.

Filipowski’s improvement coincided with Jusuf Nurkic’s season-ending nose surgery a few weeks ago, and he has been a valuable addition to rosters since then. He had a solid February, averaging 12.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game in just 22 minutes, and has excelled in March, raising his averages to 15.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.2 blocks, and one 3-pointer per game, while his minutes have increased to 28 per contest.

Even with the Jazz in a rebuilding phase, Filipowski is healthy and one of the few remaining healthy big men on the roster. It seems reasonable for them to continue allowing him to develop throughout the remainder of the season, and he could post impressive numbers over the final four weeks.

The only drawback is that the Jazz have only three games scheduled for the upcoming week and three in the last week of the season, but Filipowski should be on rosters in every league, regardless of the number of games the Jazz have each week.

Fallers

Bennedict Mathurin, SG/SF, LA Clippers (66.7% rostered)

After starting the season in Indiana, Mathurin has quickly become an important player for his new team, averaging 28.2 minutes per game and 18.3 points over the past two weeks.

While his role, minutes, and scoring are commendable, he is struggling in fantasy due to a lack of 3-pointers, assists, steals, and blocks, along with a subpar shooting percentage from the field. Over the last two weeks, he has averaged just 0.7 3-pointers, steals, and blocks while shooting only 43.6% from the field.

Mathurin is a decent option in points leagues, but if you are in a playoff race in a roto/categories league, he is not contributing significantly in other areas. The Clippers have four games scheduled in each of the next two weeks, but if you find yourself struggling to secure wins, his lack of peripheral stats may be the cause. Consider trading him for a more well-rounded player if one is available on your league’s waiver wire.

Cooper Flagg, PG/SF/PF, Dallas Mavericks (95.5% rostered)

Flagg has returned from the foot injury that sidelined him for eight games, but he has not been performing at his desired level as he competes with Kon Knueppel for Rookie of the Year. In his five games since his return, he has not exceeded 18 points and is shooting just 34.6% from the field.

His rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks have been satisfactory, but he has struggled with 3-pointers and is currently in a shooting slump. I am not suggesting dropping Flagg at this moment, as he could make a late push to distinguish himself from Knueppel and clarify the ROY race.

However, with Dallas in a rebuilding phase, Flagg is viewed as the future of the franchise, and Mavericks management may be concerned about ensuring his health as the season concludes. Continue to utilize him and hope he breaks out of his shooting slump soon.

If his poor shooting percentage is negatively impacting your playoff chances, it may be wise to consider replacing him with a more reliable option, as the Mavericks have only three games scheduled in each of the next two weeks.

Cameron Johnson, SF/PF, Denver Nuggets (20.1% rostered)

Johnson was a popular pickup when Aaron Gordon, Peyton Watson, and Christian Braun were all sidelined, but he has not lived up to expectations. Now that Gordon and Braun have returned, and Watson may be back next week, Johnson’s fantasy value has plummeted.

In his last six games, Johnson has averaged just 9.2 points, with 1.2 3-pointers, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.5 steals in 27 minutes per game. With his teammates returning to health, his situation could worsen moving forward.

Most leagues have players on the waiver wire who are currently better options than Johnson. Consider dropping him for da Silva (or another trending free agent) and move on without hesitation.