RADIO
Quick and important note: Week 18 goes from February 14th through February 27th for most people, so that's what we'll be using. The all-star break means that we'll be without games for several days. Boo, but also we can all use a little break. All leagues should be gearing up for the playoffs in a few weeks! If you aren't, then you need to tap your commissioner and ask them to change it next season. No one should be playing fantasy basketball during the final month of the season, aptly dubbed the "silly season."
Let's see how our top picks last week fared: Jaxson Hayes (FG%, unranked womp womp), Reggie Bullock (FT% & 3PTM, 10th-round total value), Chris Duarte (PTS, 12th-round value), Kevon Looney (REBS, 15th-round value), Patrick Beverley (ASTS, 7th-round value), Nerlens Noel (STLS, unranked womp womp), Hassan Whiteside (BLKS, 2nd-round value). Some big hits and 5 out of 7 guys who hit borderline standard league value. We'll take that all day!
Nine teams have five games during this extended period. The Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, and Cleveland Cavaliers all have three games during this period. We're going to fade 'em for this go around. Let's get to it!
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Week 18 Standard 9-Category Leagues
Columns are written based on H2H nine-category standard size leagues:
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
Brandon Clarke - SF/PF - Memphis Grizzlies (36% rostered)
Brandon Clarke has quietly been a fantasy monster for about a month now, and it's kind of puzzling why he is still available in a majority of leagues. He was a sixth-round value over the last week, bolstered by his field goal percentage, free throw percentage, points, and blocks. Those are all categories we're trying to win, so go pick him up dangit. The Grizz have a back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Other streamers:
- Udoka Azubuike - C - Utah Jazz (4% rostered, ONLY IF GOBERT IS STILL INJ)
- Chimezie Metu - PF - Sacramento Kings (6% rostered)
- Isaiah Jackson - PF - Indiana Pacers (31% rostered, IF HEALTHY)
- Moe Harkless - SF/PF - Sacramento Kings (10% rostered)
- JaVale McGee - C - Phoenix Suns (26% rostered)
FREE THROW PERCENTAGE
Jeff Green - SF/PF/C - Denver Nuggets (8% rostered)
Jeff Green is a career 80.5% shooter from the stripe and he gets there with real regularity. He's capable of putting up big lines every now and then, so on a five-game "week", I think you can roll the dice on him and hope he produces. He'll help you with free-throw percentage at the very least while providing some solid rebounds and scoring. He's locked into a 20ish minute role with room for more if he's playing well.
Other streamers:
- Danilo Gallinari - SF/PF - Atlanta Hawks (26% rostered)
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - PG/SG/SF - Washington Wizards (25% rostered)
- Jae Crowder - SF/PF - Phoenix Suns (23% rostered)
- Patrick Beverley - PG/SG - Minnesota Timberwolves (34% rostered)
- Jose Alvarado - PG - New Orleans Pelicans (2% rostered)
POINTS
Cameron Thomas - SG - Brooklyn Nets (29% rostered)
When will Ben Simmons join the Brooklyn Nets? It's really hard to say definitively, but if I had to guess I don't think there's much of a chance he joins the team before the all-star break, so you should have at least three games during this period to get maximum value out of everyone else. Even when Ben joins the team though, Cam Thomas looks to be locked in as a scorer for this squad. He's averaging an eye-popping 23.2 points per game over their last five games and putting up 17.6 shots per game in that time frame. He's shooting 50% over that span as well, which isn't sustainable, but 20 points per game is definitely within the realm of possibility.
Other streamers:
- Coby White - PG/SG - Chicago Bulls (43% rostered)
- Garrison Mathews - SG/SF - Houston Rockets (14% rostered)
- Brandon Clarke - SF/PF - Memphis Grizzlies (36% rostered)
- Darius Bazley - SF/PF - Oklahoma City Thunder (47% rostered)
- Oshae Brissett - SF/PF - Indiana Pacers (32% rostered)
- Jonathan Kuminga - SF/PF - Golden State Warriors (26% rostered)
THREE-POINTERS
Reggie Bullock - SG/SF - Dallas Mavericks (42% rostered)
His ownership went up 10 percent since I told you to stream him last week. He's going to wind up being a potential hold at this rate, but he's still hot from behind the arc, averaging 4.3 three-pointers per game over the last week. The time to snag him is now then leave the thinking for later. He just played 40 minutes in their last game, for crying out loud. Spencer Dinwiddie might cut into his opportunities a little bit, but I wouldn't worry too much about it.
Other streamers:
- Coby White - PG/SG - Chicago Bulls (43% rostered)
- Malik Beasley - PG/SG - Minnesota Timberwolves (42% rostered)
- Duncan Robinson - SG/SF - Miami Heat (48% rostered)
- Quentin Grimes - SG - New York Knicks (1% rostered)
- Garrison Mathews - SG/SF - Houston Rockets (14% rostered)
REBOUNDS
Oshae Brissett - SF/PF - Indiana Pacers (32% rostered)
I'm going to need you to stop what you're doing right now and run to see if Oshae Brissett is still available in your league. Without Isaiah Jackson or Myles Turner, he's been getting a ton of minutes at the power forward position and he's been killing it their last handful of games. There's no sense in leaving him on the wire if you have some dead weight on your bench. Snap him up and see if he can maintain anywhere close to the 18.3 points, 10 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game he has averaged over their last three games.
Other streamers:
- Hassan Whiteside - PF/C - Utah Jazz (44% rostered, ONLY IF GOBERT IS STILL INJ)
- Jae Crowder - SF/PF - Phoenix Suns (23% rostered)
- Darius Bazley - SF/PF - Oklahoma City Thunder (47% rostered)
- Kyle Anderson - SF/PF - Memphis Grizzlies (41% rostered)
- Kenrich Williams - SF/PF - Oklahoma City Thunder (5% rostered)
ASSISTS
Ayo Dosunmu - PG - Chicago Bulls (49% rostered)
Ayo Dosunmu has been crushing it in his expanded role, and while he does definitely throw up the occasional dud he has averaged 6.5 assists over the past week. Zach LaVine is also out with knee soreness, which he's getting checked out just to be sure that everything is okay. There's a little concern for LaVine's health, which should mean even more opportunity for Ayo potentially down the line. He was a solid 7th round value over the last week.
Other streamers:
- Killian Hayes - PG/SG - Detroit Pistons (8% rostered)
- Kemba Walker- PG - New York Knicks (43% rostered)
- Cory Joseph - PG - Detroit Pistons (4% rostered)
- Patrick Beverley - PG/SG - Minnesota Timberwolves (34% rostered)
- Terance Mann - SG/SF - Los Angeles Clippers (22% rostered)
STEALS
Matisse Thybulle - SG/SF - Philadelphia 76ers (36% rostered)
The Philadelphia 76ers are waiting to implement the newly acquired James Harden, but with or without The Beard, Matisse Thybulle's value should be safe. He's going to put up stocks in bunches, and just had a game where he snagged six steals! He's relied on heavily for perimeter defense and that won't change, so go get him if you need those defensive stats.
Other streamers:
- Justise Winslow - PF - Portland Trail Blazers (28% rostered)
- De'Anthony Melton - PG/SG - Memphis Grizzlies (41% rostered)
- Terance Mann - SG/SF - Los Angeles Clippers (22% rostered)
- Onyeka Okongwu - PF/C - Atlanta Hawks (21% rostered)
- Hamidou Diallo - SG/SF - Detroit Pistons (29% rostered)
BLOCKS
Alperen Sengun - C - Houston Rockets (36% rostered)
I haven't suggested everyone's fantasy darling this year, Alperen Sengun, mostly because I just don't think the opportunity is there for him this season with Christian Wood around. However, he's getting minutes in the mid-20's now and is putting up blocks in bunches. As long as you temper your expectations, you can stream him for now and perhaps keep him long-term if he can keep putting up assists and blocks.
Other streamers:
- Hassan Whiteside - PF/C - Utah Jazz (44% rostered, ONLY IF GOBERT IS STILL INJ)
- Aleksej Pokusevski - SF/PF - Oklahoma City Thunder (21% rostered)
- Brandon Clarke - SF/PF - Memphis Grizzlies (36% rostered)
- JaVale McGee - C - Phoenix Suns (26% rostered)
- Onyeka Okongwu - PF/C - Atlanta Hawks (21% rostered)
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