RADIO
Hello, RotoBallers! Welcome back to the Week 7 edition of my weekly fantasy basketball risers and fallers!
This has been an entertaining season so far, and we're done with the season's first quarter. If the first quarter of the season hasn't gone your way in your fantasy leagues, don't lose hope! Making smart decisions in the remaining 3/4 of the year is the key to victory, and hopefully, I can help you with my risers and fallers picks.
With that being said, let's look at the risers and fallers from Week 7 of the NBA season.
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Fantasy Basketball Risers: Week 7
Obi Toppin - F, Indiana Pacers
When Obi Toppin fell to the eighth overall pick of the 2020 NBA draft, everyone was surprised. The former National College Player of the Year was viewed as a consensus top-five pick by draft experts, and when the Knicks picked him, many fans considered him as one of the favorites for the Rookie of the Year award. Unfortunately for Toppin though, he couldn't get much playing time in New York as the Knicks somehow turned things around and made the playoffs twice in the three years he was with the team.
i would like to thank the Knicks for giving Obi Toppin away 🙂
— csb (@itsCSB__) December 3, 2023
Many wrote him off when he was traded to Indiana, but Toppin has been a revelation for Indy, as he has averaged 17.1 points per night while shooting 61.6% from the field and 44.4% from three over his last seven games. He also dropped two consecutive 20-point games last week and will hope to keep his momentum up until he faces the Knicks again in the Pacers' final game of the calendar year.
Malik Monk - G, Sacramento Kings
Malik Monk has always been a streaky player, but he usually gets better as the season progresses. Monk shot the ball well from three (39.3%) to start the season in his first 14 games, but he had a terrible two-point percentage, which caused his overall field goal percentage to plummet (38.9%). However, he has rediscovered his mojo from inside the arc while still retaining his three-point shooting ability over his last five games.
Monk has shot 50.8% from the field and 50% from three while averaging 20 points in that period. One thing you should consider is that Monk usually struggles mightily in January before picking things up again to end the season. So keep that in mind if you want to add him to your team.
Jalen Suggs - G, Orlando Magic
I've followed Markelle Fultz's career religiously as a superfan of his, and now I'm starting to believe that we've seen the last of him this season. But you could look on the bright side and look at the players who will benefit from this unfortunate injury. I've talked about how streaky Cole Anthony has been in the past, so let's focus on Jalen Suggs, who has been shooting the ball at a very consistent rate since Fultz's injury.
Jalen Suggs has the 2nd most stocks* by a guard this season with 47.
He’s leading all guards from the 2021 draft with 219 career stocks.#MagicTogether pic.twitter.com/jQBLqCUWav
— ORLmuse (@ORLmuse) December 6, 2023
Over his last eight games, Suggs has shot over 50% from the field six times, and if you combine that with his 42.4% shooting percentage from deep and his 2.1 stocks (steals + blocks) per game, you get a solid and consistent fantasy option with a lot of upside. His defensive ability could land him an even bigger role as the Magic continue to push for a playoff spot.
Fantasy Basketball Fallers: Week 7
RJ Barrett - G/F, New York Knicks
One of the biggest knocks on RJ Barrett's game has always been his efficiency, which is why fantasy managers have always been cautious with the 23-year-old Canadian. But Knicks fans were extremely optimistic after seeing him start the season by averaging 22.6 points on elite shooting splits in his first seven games.
Maturing as a Knick fan means you realize RJ Barrett doesn’t have what it takes to be a all star or more.
He’s a player who will give you 15-20 ppg and that’s about it
— lethal2K (@LethalPasquale) December 6, 2023
Then, he somehow missed three games due to a migraine, which made a lot of NBA fans question what was really wrong with Barrett. Since coming back, he has shot 35.1% from the floor and 25% from deep while only averaging 15.6 points per night. This is either the worst headache of all time or there's something else going on with him.
P.J. Washington - F/C, Charlotte Hornets
P.J. Washington was having a pretty good season before Miles Bridges came back. Most NBA fans (myself included) believe that Bridges shouldn't be anywhere near an NBA court, but that's beside the point. Washington was averaging 17.2 points on 48.3% shooting from the field in the 10 games before Bridges' return, but since then he has faltered and lost his starting job.
Washington is now averaging just 10.4 points on 33.8% shooting in his last seven games, though he did have a solid 18-point outing in the Hornets' game against the Timberwolves. The Hornets have had a bit of rest since then, so it'll be interesting to see if Washington can put a nice stretch together.
Jerami Grant- F, Portland Trail Blazers
I once said this before in my Week 4 risers and fallers piece, but Jerami Grant just seems to hate the third month of the NBA season. When he's playing in December, he averages 3.2 PPG less compared to November throughout his career. Last week, Grant shot 5-21 from the floor while just scoring 22 points in two games before getting concussed.
Concussions are no joke, and with Anfernee Simons looking ready to return, his role could decrease even more. So you should be very cautious with him until his role in the offense alongside Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Malcolm Brogdon, and maybe even Scoot Henderson becomes more clear. The good news is that he usually rebounds in January and especially in February.
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