RADIO
As the third month of the 2014-15 NBA season winds down, it is time to dive back into the fantasy basketball waiver wire. Today, the focus is on sleepers of the “Category Specialist” variety that can each help out in different areas during Week 13.
Position Eligibility & Ownership Rate Based on Yahoo! Fantasy Basketball Player List
Field-Goal Percentage Specialist
Amar'e Stoudemire (NYK, PF/C) - 37% Owned
This is both a recommendation and a condemnation of Stoudemire’s fantasy skill set. Amar`e makes an excellent short-term streaming option – even in limited minutes – when it comes to FG%. His contributions are right along the lines of those of another notable bench warrior and top of the line FG% streamer, Brendan Wright. Amar`e makes up for a lower percentage by taking more shots at a well above average rate, while his added scoring and rebounding offsets Wright’s better numbers in blocks and turnovers.
That’s the recommendation part – keep Stoudemire on the top of your list as a FG% specialist. The condemnation is this – despite being 37% owned in fantasy leagues (thanks to name value and playing in New York), he is basically Brandan Wright (17% owned) at this stage in his career. He is firmly on the bench, where minutes and production in the counting stats will be extremely erratic. Plus he has the usual injury concerns. Stoudemire is not a guy to add for rest of season production. But he definitely deserves attention in H2H leagues on an as-needed basis for his very nice FG shooting.
Blocks Specialist
John Henson (MIL, PF/C) - 24% Owned
For a true, pure specialist when it comes to blocks (and who you are likely stuck with, since Alex Len has been snatched up in most competitive leagues), Henson fits the bill.
Over the last month (since 12/23/2014), only five players have averaged as many blocks per game as Henson with 2.4 – Rudy Gobert, Anthony Davis, Hassan Whiteside, Gorgui Dieng, and DeAndre Jordan – none of whom you’ll be finding on any competitive waiver wire. Henson’s problem is he has been doing much less of almost everything else than those guys – scoring only 7.6 points per game, rebounding only 4.7. The only other stat where he can compete with those guys – adding insult to injury – is turnovers, where he is somehow coughing up the ball 1.7 times a game in only 19 minutes (the same rate as Gobert in 27 mpg, and less than Jordan averages in 33 or Davis in 38).
However, blocks are blocks. Since they are so limited, they are often one of the closest categories in H2H weekly fantasy matchups. An extra two blocks is often enough to swing the outcome of the entire category. Even if Henson is not going to provide much of anything else, 2.4 blocks per game is a big deal if you are heading into the last day of the week trailing your opponent by one block.
Three-Point Specialist
Patty Mills (SAS, PG) - 11% Owned
After offseason shoulder surgery kept Mills out of the lineup for the Spurs first 31 games, he has returned to his role as a key spark plug off the bench for the Spurs as if nothing happened. After only a handful of games showing a little bit of rust (in his first five games back he only shot .378 on FGs including .217 from three), Mills has caught fire. In the seven games between 1/9 and 1/20, Mills has averaged 11.9 points and 2.3 threes with a .476 FG% (.533 from three!) and .875 FT%. He has relegated the less dynamic Cory Joseph back to the third point guard role, reclaiming his spot as the first point guard off the bench for the Spurs.
In the short term, his prospects are very nice. Since fellow reserve guard Marco Belinelli is currently out with a groin injury, there have been plenty of minutes at both guard spots for Mills to find playing time behind starters Tony Parker and Danny Green. Even if when Belinelli returns to health, Mills should continue to find a role on fantasy teams as a quick plug and play source of threes.
