Week 8 is upon us and with it comes a very empty-looking schedule thanks to the NBA Cup heading into the pointy end. For that reason, our focus this week will be on teams guaranteed two games. Whether it’s targeting an offensive threat capable of delivering points and threes or a defensive-minded player who can help boost your blocks and steals numbers, narrowing your focus can prove vital as you battle for seedings. Let’s dive into six players rostered in fewer than 50% of Yahoo leagues.
Gradey Dick
, Toronto Raptors (41% rostered)
Dick returned from a five-game absence as a result of a calf injury, logging 23 minutes in a loss to the Thunder. While it wasn’t a spectacular performance by any means, he moved straight back into the starting lineup, tallying 15 points, two steals and four triples in 23 minutes. If that game had been remotely close, he may have found himself on the court down the stretch, which would have had him closer to 30 minutes played. It’s been a relatively strong season for Dick, who’s averaging 17.9 points and 2.4 three-pointers in 32.4 minutes per game. While much of his production came with Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and/or RJ Barrett on the sidelines, it is clear Dick has established himself as a key piece moving forward. There is no indication Quickley will return in the next seven days, giving Dick a little more wiggle room when it comes to fantasy upside.
Yves Missi
, New Orleans Pelicans (34% rostered)
After a slow start to his rookie season, Missi has established himself as the starting center in New Orleans, having scored double-digits in six consecutive games before Thursday’s victory over the Suns. Despite some pretty obvious fantasy flaws, Missi has delivered steady averages of 14.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game over the past two weeks. Although the Pelicans are starting to get healthy bodies back on the floor, Missi’s role feels relatively safe given his primary competition for minutes is Daniel Theis. Based on what we have seen from him recently, he appears to be adjusting to the speed of the NBA quite well and should be a consistent source of rebounds and blocks while scoring the ball efficiently, albeit on low volume.
Miles McBride
, New York Knicks (18% rostered)
Despite continuing to come off the bench, McBride has managed to carve out a meaningful role, typically resulting in borderline 12-team fantasy value. The Knicks are a very top-heavy team, limiting the playing time for anyone not in the starting five. However, McBride is in the fortunate position of being arguably the only scoring option in the second unit. This means his floor is safe enough to warrant holding, while an opportunity to raise his ceiling is only one injury away. He has played at least 25 minutes in three of the past four games, averaging 13.7 points, 3.0 three-pointers and 3.5 assists in that time. He should continue to be a somewhat reliable, yet unsexy asset, even more so given they have at least two games coming up this week.
T.J. McConnell
, Indiana Pacers (17% rostered)
McConnell continues to be an excellent per-minute producer, making him a viable fantasy asset, even in standard leagues. He has scored double-digit points in four consecutive games, shooting at least 50 percent from the field in all four. His value is largely reliant on assists and steals, however, he has long been an efficient scorer, albeit on low volume. Despite the recent return of Andrew Nembhard, McConnell has been able to maintain a relatively consistent role, logging at least 22 minutes in all four recent contests. The fact he is coming off the bench creates an element of risk, seeing as though his role could be reduced should the starters be firing on all cylinders. With that said, McConnell has developed a knack for finding a way to contribute, even when his playing time is in the mid to high teens.
Toumani Camara
, Portland Trail Blazers (13% rostered)
Camara has been somewhat of an unexpected find this season, playing as a starter for the Trail Blazers since Opening Night. Although his minutes from night to night have fluctuated, Camara keeps finding a way to do just enough to stay on the standard league radar. He scored a season-high 17 points in a loss to Dallas earlier in the week and has recorded at least one steal in all but three games this season. Despite there being no indication his starting spot is in jeopardy, Camara’s upside is seemingly capped, based on what we have seen throughout his young career. With that said, rostering a player who typically plays close to 30 minutes per night and can chip in across multiple categories makes a lot of sense.
Carlton Carrington
, Washington Wizards (9% rostered)
Carrington opened the season as a starter, an encouraging start to his rookie campaign. Typically playing upwards of 30 minutes per game, Carrington flashed some offensive upside while flaunting his playmaking skills. Rostered in the majority of standard formats, Carrington was proving to be a sneaky fantasy asset. However, the return of Malcolm Brogdon from injury sent Carrington to the bench, limiting him to about 20 minutes per night. As a result, he was subsequently dropped in a lot of leagues, with managers instead opting to stream his position. Perhaps to no one’s surprise, Brogdon has dealt with a couple of minor injuries over the past two games, the latest being a hamstring concern. Both Kyshawn George and Corey Kispert are currently sidelined with injuries of their own, potentially opening up more playing time for Carrington. He has now played at least 28 minutes in two straight games, averaging 14.0 points, 2.5 three-pointers and 4.5 rebounds. Despite some risk, he is once again worth taking a chance on given the favorable schedule.
Drop Candidates
Bilal Coulibaly
, Wizards
Julian Champagnie
, Spurs
Scotty Pippen
, Grizzlies
