As things continue to get sillier and sillier across the league, it is easy to get lost as a fantasy manager. There are already enough headaches managing back-to-backs and injuries throughout the season, but now during the playoffs, teams are playing their stars less minutes and less games. It’s easy to get frustrated, but these players can help you come out on top in your leagues despite not having your key pieces.
PG/SG Jared Butler (11% rostered in Yahoo! leagues), Philadelphia 76ers
Feel free to take a dart throw on anybody that is healthy in Philly, but Butler feels like the safest option to me. He has averaged 13.2 points, three rebounds, six assists, one steal and 1.8 threes over the 76ers’ last five games and scored 21 points on Monday. He ranks just outside the top-100 in nine-cat leagues during this five-game stretch as a starter, and it is unlikely that he will relinquish the starting point guard role over the final month of the season.
PG Tre Jones (25%), Chicago Bulls
Jones continues to start for Chicago and has provided top-50 value over the past two weeks with averages of 15.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He recorded an 18/4/12/3 line in Monday’s win over Utah. If you’re looking for dimes without sacrificing efficiency, Jones is the perfect pickup.
SG/SF Kevin Huerter (11%), Chicago Bulls
Huerter is newer to the starting lineup than Jones, but he has also been productive. He has started their last three games and averaged 14.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, three assists and 2.7 threes per game. He finished with 17 points, nine rebounds and five three-pointers against the Jazz.
SG Jordan Hawkins (5%), New Orleans Pelicans
Hawkins hasn’t been productive, but this is more about opportunity. Trey Murphy (shoulder) is done for the year, making Hawkins a candidate to take on even more minutes on the perimeter. When he’s been at his best, he has been a viable source of three-pointers. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened consistently this season.
SG/SF Gary Payton II (5%), Golden State Warriors
I’m not a huge fan of GP2 in fantasy basketball, but he’s playing too well to ignore. He has provided fifth-round value over the last two weeks in nine-cat leagues, and he tallied an 18/3/1/3/1 line with two triples on Monday. Plus, Stephen Curry may get a rest night on Tuesday, which only raises Payton II’s ceiling. Again, I don’t typically trust him, but he has been playing well.
PG/SG Jordan Goodwin (1%), Los Angeles Lakers
Head coach JJ Redick has raved about Goodwin recently, and it showed up in the box score on Monday, He finished with 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals, one block and three three-pointers in a big win over the Spurs. Goodwin should continue to start until LeBron James returns, which means that he should be a solid option for at least a few more games.
SG AJ Johnson (less than 1%), Washington Wizards
The rookie started for the first time in his career on Monday, and while the numbers weren’t great (8/7/4), it shows that Brian Keefe wants to see what Johnson can do. It may not be pretty all the time, but Johnson should continue to play a large role for Washington moving forward.
SG/SF Matisse Thybulle (less than 1%), Portland Trail Blazers
Thybulle had five steals and a block in 22 minutes on Monday after having two steals and a block in six minutes on Sunday, which was his season debut. It was a long injury layoff, but Thybulle has nine “stocks” in 28 minutes so far this season. If you’re desperate for some defensive stats, he’s a fun dart throw.
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