X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Fantasy Basketball Dynasty Risers - Week 5

Andrew Ericksen analyzes four players who have risen in fantasy basketball dynasty rankings in Week 5 of the 2021-22 NBA season.

Welcome back fantasy basketballers! We’re four weeks into the season now. Hopefully, your teams are sticking in the race. Or if you’re using this year to plummet in the standings for a top pick next year, then hopefully they aren’t!

In this weekly column, I will be highlighting four players whose dynasty stock has risen over the past week. It will include both young players breaking out and veterans who are fighting off father time and keeping their fantasy relevance alive.

While dynasty formats are the primary focus of this piece, the rise of each of the four players covered each week should also be noted by fantasy gamers in season-long leagues. So whether or not your league rolls over from year to year, this piece should still have plenty to offer on a weekly basis.

Upgrade To VIP: Win more with our NBA and DFS Premium Pass, get expert tools and advice from proven winners! Jamie Calandro and Dan Palyo lead the RotoBaller team in 2024-25 with exclusive DFS picks, Prop picks and more. Gain VIP access to our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, DFS Cheat Sheets and VIP Chat Rooms. Go Premium, Win More!

 

Talen Horton-Tucker (SG/SF, LAL)

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel gave third-year wing Talen Horton-Tucker quite the vote of confidence this past weekend. THT missed the start of the year while recovering from offseason surgery to repair torn ligaments in his thumb. In his first game back, he was included in the starting five and he went on to log 27 minutes. The game after that, on Monday, he remained in the starting lineup and logged a team-high 37 minutes.

While the ample playing time gives plenty of reason to be excited about THT, what the 20-year-old did with the opportunity is what should really have fantasy managers excited.

Over the two-game stretch, Horton-Tucker averaged 22.5 points, 2.5 three-pointers and 5.0 rebounds per game while shooting 48.5% from the field and knocking down all eight of his free throw attempts. In Monday’s game against the Chicago Bulls, he dropped a career-high 28 points while scoring the rock in a variety of ways.

THT is a versatile scorer who can make himself useful both on the ball and off the ball as well as both on the perimeter and in the paint.

The biggest question surrounding him for now might be his fit amongst the current Lakers roster. The team has all kinds of offensive firepower through their big three of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook (James is currently sidelined – which opened up the increased minutes for THT – but it sounds as if he could be back soon). THT’s main competition for playing time will be Carmelo Anthony, Malik Monk and Wayne Ellington. All four players are very offensive-minded, but THT might be the most versatile offensively at this point, giving him a potential edge at least over Monk and Ellington. We may see his minutes go down a good amount once LBJ returns, but Vogel made it clear this past weekend that the former Iowa State Cyclone will be a key component of the rotation going forward.

 

Chimezie Metu (PF, SAC)

Sacramento Kings big man Chimezie Metu has made two consecutive starts for the team and he certainly hasn’t disappointed. He’s shown a great deal of range on both ends of the court and could be another strong game or two away from being a must-add in all fantasy formats.

Metu’s first start came this past Friday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He logged 24 minutes in the game and scored 14 points while knocking down three three-pointers and adding five rebounds and a block.

He followed the game up with a stat-stuffing performance against the Detroit Pistons on Monday. In the game, he shot 6-for-11 from the field while racking up 16 points, 10 rebounds, two three-pointers, two steals and one block.

The 24-year-old was a second round pick of the San Antonio Spurs in 2018, but he saw very little playing time in his two years with the franchise before joining the Kings last year. He has a great deal of potential as a rim-runner with his phenomenal leaping ability and his knack for finishing strong at the rim, as seen on this rim-rocker from last year:

However, one thing that’s been new so far this year has been his three-point shot. He knocked down a total of 13 three-pointers over 36 games last season. This year, he’s already hit nine three-pointers over just five games. If Metu can continue to see solid minutes, he’s most certainly going to help fantasy managers in field goal percentage, rebounds and blocks. If he can add consistent three-point shooting to his arsenal, he has the potential to be a top-50 type of player in the mold of a P.J. Washington.

 

Dejounte Murray (G, SA)

Ever since entering the NBA out of the University of Washington in 2016, San Antonio Spurs guard Dejounte Murray has been a bit of a fantasy enigma. Once he began earning regular playing time, during his second season, it became clear that he was a superb rebounder for a guard and that he could also dish out a decent amount of assists while also racking up sturdy steals totals.

The big questions for him over the years have been in regards to his scoring, both in terms of his ability to put up solid point totals and whether or not he could be efficient while doing so.

Well, so far through the 2021-22 season, we’ve seen the best scoring output of Murray’s career. Through 14 games on the year, he’s averaging a career-high 18.9 points per game. His scoring average has increased lately as he’s notched 20-point outings in three of his last four games, including a season-high 26 points in two of those three games.

Murray’s scoring increase hasn’t come with a decrease in any of his previous stellar attributes. He notched his first triple-double of the year against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, compiling 22 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds while hitting two three-pointers and also adding three steals and a block. He followed the game up with a near-triple double in which he posted a 26-12-9 line and added another three steals.

The 25-year-old is currently delivering elite fantasy production. It could be a legitimate breakthrough for a guy who was already a strong fantasy asset to begin with. In addition to his career-high scoring pace, he’s also averaging career-best per-game marks in assists (8.1), rebounds (8.1), steals (2.1) and three-pointers (1.3). He could be playing his way into top-20 territory come fantasy drafts next year.

 

Devin Vassell (SG, SA)

We’re sticking in San Antonio for our final member of this week’s list. Second-year Spurs shooting guard Devin Vassell has made some major strides on the court over the past few weeks. He’s been seeing an increase in playing time and it’s come along with drastically improved efficiency on the offensive end.

Over 14 games on the year, Vassell is shooting 46% from the field, which is up from just 40.6% last year. He’s also increased his three-point percentage from 34.7% last year to 40.3% this year while doubling his three-point attempts per game from 2.4 last year to 4.8 this year. He had a three-game stretch this past week where he went 12-for-20 from three-point range, clearly showing that he won’t be shy to hoist the ball from outside this year.

Vassell is supremely talented on the defensive end of the floor. He stands 6’7” and has a 6’10” wingspan. He’s quick and long, giving him the ability to match up adequately against the majority of the players he’ll come across. That defensive prowess has resulted in him averaging 1.1 steals and 0.7 blocks per game so far this year. We could definitely see both of those numbers – especially the steals – go up as he continues to gain confidence on the defensive end.

Vassell is emerging as one of the potential core players on a Spurs team that’s still mostly lacking for an identity. His defensive value is clear from both an NBA perspective and a fantasy perspective. Just how good he’ll become depends on how consistently he can help the team out on the offensive end.

 



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy basketball mobile app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, lineup notifications & DFS articles. All free!

More Fantasy Basketball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Austin Riley

Leaves Game Early on Friday With Abdominal Tightness
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Rafael Devers

Dealing With Back Inflammation
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Returning on Friday
Sauce Gardner

Wants to be Highest-Paid Cornerback
Rhamondre Stevenson

Heading into an Important Season
Minnesota Vikings

Josh Metellus, Vikings Have Mutual Interest in Extension
Tua Tagovailoa

2025 Could be Tua Tagovailoa's Last Season in Miami
Rashawn Slater

has "Full Confidence" a Deal Will Get Done
Byron Buxton

Returns on Friday
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Jake Meyers

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Calf Strain
Brandon Lowe

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Oblique Tightness
Kodai Senga

Reinstated to Start on Friday
Alex Bregman

Officially Activated and Starting on Friday
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Chicago Bears

Bears Extend General Manager Ryan Poles
Dalton Knecht

Avoids Serious Injury
MarShawn Lloyd

in a "Much Better Spot" Heading Into Training Camp
Javon Small

Signs Two-Way Deal
Dustin Hopkins

Browns Still Counting on Dustin Hopkins
Demarcus Robinson

Sentenced to Three Years of Probation
Jalen Nailor

In Line for WR3 Role in Minnesota
Andrew Thomas

Could Miss Start of 2025 Season
Alex Bregman

Expected to Return on Friday
Julio Rodríguez

Julio Rodriguez Won't Suit Up for Midsummer Classic
Trey Smith

Chiefs, Trey Smith Expected to Work Out Long-Term Extension
Bernhard Raimann

a Candidate for an Extension This Summer
C.J. Stroud

Could Sign Multi-Year Deal Before 2026 Season
Kyle Juszczyk

Says Christian McCaffrey Looks Healthy, Explosive
Kyren Williams

Showing Improved Explosiveness
Christian Barmore

"Dominant" this Spring
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Homers Twice, Drives in Three
Brice Matthews

Joining Astros
MLB

White Sox-Guardians Postponed on Thursday
Brandon Aiyuk

Likely to Begin Season on PUP List, but Not Ruled Out for Week 1
Jameson Williams

Not in the Team's Long-Term Plans?
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Micah Parsons

Plans to be Present for Start of Training Camp
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Ikem Ekwonu

Next Up for Extension in Carolina?
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Alex Bregman

Will Return to Red Sox This Weekend
Chris Sale

Braves Won't Consider Trading Chris Sale
Clarke Schmidt

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery on Friday
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF