🦃 BLACK FRIDAY - TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE THANKS
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
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Fantasy Basketball Hype Train: Florida Man Shoots, Blocks, and Steals

CHOO CHOO! This is a new season-long fantasy basketball feature where I can just have fun and write about the players me, you, and everyone else already wants to talk about. Are you ready for a ride on the fantasy basketball hype train?

There's something about a "1/1/1" guy -- a player who can post at least 1 three, 1 steal, and 1 block per game -- that really sends hearts racing in the fantasy basketball community. Sure, it's no better than having 0/0.6/2.6 guy like Rudy Gobert. But for some reason it's much sexier. The versatility, well-rounded game, and underappreciated fantasy value from these three small numbered categories -- the only positive categories where getting to 1 per game means you're really good -- gives these 1/1/1 guys a special place in the fantasy pantheon.

Today we're going to look at a few potential 1/1/1 guys, but with the restriction that we're not leaving the state of Florida. The hype train has pulled into station, and we're somewhere deep in Florida. If hype was a swamp, we'd be in the Everglades. Watch out for snakes.

Black Friday Special! Save 50% on any Premium Pass using discount code THANKS. Win more with our DFS, Betting and Season-Long Premium Pass, get expert tools and advice for NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL from proven winners! Dan Palyo leads the team with exclusive picks for DFS picks, Props, betting. Enhance your game with industry-leading tools like our Lineup Optimizers, Team Sync Platform, DFS Cheat Sheets and more. GAIN ACCESS

 

Is Josh Richardson the Best Wing in Miami or Stuck in a Crowd?

Josh Richardson was extremely impressive during the stretch run last year while both Dion Waiters and Justise Winslow were injured for the Heat, and he was just as awesome in Saturday's preseason game against the Magic in a similar situation where he could get a lot of usage and playing time, as the defacto starting point guard with Goran Dragic and Tyler Johnson sitting out. He was a dynamic source of defensive stats as always with 4 steals and a block. Meanwhile his shot was falling to the tune of 7/13 shooting including 3/4 for downtown, leading to 19 points in 29 minutes.

If JRich gets playing time, he's as much of a nightly 1/1/1 threat as anyone outside of elite stat-stuffing superstars like Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins. How much fantasy value he can actualize out of that threat depends on two things.

First, how much playing time will he get with logjam at the wing in Miami? Waiters, Winslow, versatile veteran James Johnson, sharpshooter Wayne Ellington, and (I'm not sure why) Rodney McGruder will be given opportunities throughout the year to contribute. Can Richardson stay ahead of the pack and consistently retain a good number of minutes per game in the wing rotation without an injury? The good news there is that he does seem too talented to keep on the bench if healthy. Plus, his role as third string point guard combined with Johnson's dual role as a PF means that any injury on the Heat 1 through 4 would realign the rotation in such a way that it would lead to more minutes for JRich. Someone's bound to get hurt. The only bad news on that front is that Richardson himself doesn't have a squeaky clean injury history, with injuries reducing his effectiveness for much of the first half of last season, so there's some chance the guy that gets hurt is Richardson himself.

The second factor may be even more important, since it will not only determine a big chunk of his fantasy value in its own right, but it will also affect how much time he spends on the floor. So he can get a steal, a block, and a three... what else will he do? He's never been a big time rebounder. Even playing the starting "point guard," he only managed 4 assists. He's shot about 41% for his career, because most of his shots come from three, and he's not been particularly effective as an interior scorer in the chances he does get. He's only shot 44.5% from 2 in his career. Meanwhile, he's only gotten to the line 1.9 times per 36 minutes, where he's shot .729. Even in this preseason outing where he was hot, he still only went a mediocre 4 of 9 from 2 while only taking 2 foul shots when given an opportunity to stretch out his game and attack more. If he doesn't contribute much in AST, REB, FG%, or FT%, his 1/1/1 ability will be nice, but still leave him as a relatively limited fantasy player who's better off as a fit on punt teams than as a true fantasy breakout option.

Still, he's got some ball handle and he's improving his game on offense. He doesn't need to turn into Giannis Antetokounmpo with the rest of his stats. Just a bit of Khris Middleton would do.

Hype Diagnosis: Take a look at my fantasy portfolio and call me JRichie Rich.

 

Can a Rookie Cast Some 1/1/1 Magic?

Meanwhile, let's take a begrudging look over to the less fortunate half of Florida basketball. The Magic are sure to have some lowlights this year, and aren't exactly full of guys I'm excited to have on my fantasy team, outside of Aaron Gordon (who has the look of a potential fantasy superstar, and remains a steal in fantasy drafts) and Elfrid Payton (who is must-own if you are punting FT% and/or 3PM). So let's look past the rest of their boring, low-upside roster and get hyped about a more long-term 1/1/1 threat in rookie Jonathan Isaac.

Isaac, who Magic coach Frank Vogel has already called NBA-ready on defense at the tender age of 20, has been a force in stocks thus far in the preseason, recording at 1 steal and 1 block in every game, with a couple of 2 block efforts thrown in. Where he's extremely raw is on offense, where he needs to refine his skillset and adjust to the NBA game. He's not much of a passer (he has 1 assist in 3 preseason games) and his shot, while projectable, will need to improve -- he's 2 of 8 from three and 6 of 11 from the free throw line. Finally, he may still be too slight at this point to really attack the boards as much as a guy of his height and length should be able to -- he only has 3.7 rebounds per game in the preseason.

All that aside, the stocks are there, he's taking three point shots, and he should be able to keep up a respectable FG% even if his long range shot isn't falling, by using his size and athleticism to generate efficient shots on the interior, like transition dunks. He's been a dominant 10 of 15 from 2 in the preseason to date. If he's on the floor, he should be a fantasy-friendly contributor in a lot of categories.

There's the rub, though -- is he going to get on the floor? He'll have his ups and downs as a rookie, but he's versatile enough that he'll find ways to generate playing time. He was initially expected to begin as a backup SF able to play at the 3 alongside guys like Evan Fournier, Terrence Ross, and Jonathon Simmons. However, a promising development out of the Magic-Heat preseason game was that coach Vogel used Isaac primarily as a 4 behind starter Aaron Gordon in trying out some more defensively minded lineups (he didn't bother playing Marreese Speights at all in the game). If Isaac can become the primary backup at both forward spots -- a role I believe he will solidify as the year goes on -- he can get enough minutes to make a fantasy impact even if he doesn't win one of the staring spots.

Hype Diagnosis: An incredible dynasty prospect who could turn into a 1/1/1 threat as soon as the second half of this season. He could become a hype train regular.

 

Bonus: A Requiem for Super Mario

Meanwhile, I'll add one note about a guy who was super hyped a couple years ago. Mario Hezonja finished with a very different sort of 1/1/1 in the Magic-Heat preseason game -- 1 point, 1 assist, and 1 rebound, on 0/4 shooting in 12 minutes where he was essentially non-existent on both sides of the ball. He somehow had a plus/minus of -14 in a game the Magic won by 3. RIP, Super Mario's fantasy hype. It was nice hyping you up while it lasted.

 

More Fantasy Basketball Draft Sleepers




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Amon-Ra St. Brown

Questionable to Return in Thanksgiving Game
Daniel Jones

Dealing With Fractured Fibula, Will Play Through it
Jonathan Kuminga

Hoping to Return on Saturday Versus Pelicans
Stephen Curry

to Undergo an MRI
Josh Jacobs

Feels Close to 100%
Brady Tkachuk

Aims to Return Friday
Matthew Tkachuk

Resumes Skating
Jakob Chychrun

Stretches Point Streak to Nine Games
Matej Blumel

Expected to Miss Some Time
Marcus Foligno

Exits With Injury Wednesday
Jaden Schwartz

Suffers Lower-Body Injury Wednesday
Trendon Watford

to Sit Out at Least Two Weeks
Gradey Dick

Injured on Wednesday
RJ Barrett

to Be Re-Evaluated in One Week
Anthony Davis

on the Cusp of Returning
Gary Payton II

Hurt in Wednesday's Loss
Stephen Curry

Diagnosed With Quadriceps Contusion
Alvin Kamara

Doesn't Practice on Wednesday
Lukas Dostal

Out Wednesday Night
Sean Durzi

Available Against Canadiens
Thomas Chabot

to Remain Out Wednesday
Jared McCann

Expected to Rejoin Kraken Lineup Wednesday
Andre Burakovsky

a Game-Time Decision Wednesday
Zach Edey

Good to Go Versus New Orleans
Mikko Rantanen

Returns to Stars Lineup Wednesday
J.K. Dobbins

Could Return Later This Season
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Available on Wednesday
Mark Stone

Ready to Return Wednesday
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Good to go on Wednesday
Dylan Cease

Agrees With Blue Jays on Seven-Year, $210 Million Deal
Norman Powell

Back in Action Wednesday
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Ruled Out on Wednesday Evening
Andrew Wiggins

Will Suit Up Against Milwaukee
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

a Game-Time Decision on Wednesday
Terry McLaurin

Plans to Play on Sunday Night
Dru Smith

Available Versus Bucks
Miami Heat

Jamie Jaquez Jr. Available for Wednesday's Matchup With Milwaukee
Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Upgraded to Probable Against Bucks
Pat Connaughton

Sidelined on Wednesday
Dylan Harper

Set to Suit Up Wednesday
Jonathan Kuminga

Sent to G League on Wednesday
Anthony Rendon

Angels Could Buy Out Final Year of Anthony Rendon's Contract
Brandon Aiyuk

49ers Won't Open Brandon Aiyuk's Practice Window This Week
Joe Burrow

Bengals Officially Activate Joe Burrow for a Return on Thanksgiving
C.J. Stroud

Practicing Wednesday
Trey Benson

Spotted at Practice on Wednesday
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Back at Practice Wednesday
DeVonta Smith

Missing From Practice Again on Wednesday
Josh Hader

Says his Shoulder is "Back to Normal"
Ketel Marte

Diamondbacks "Actively Listening" on Ketel Marte
Jaxson Dart

to be a Full Participant at Wednesday's Practice
Dalton Kincaid

has "a Chance" to Play in Week 13
Drake London

"Doubtful" to Return from Knee Injury in Week 13
Jayden Daniels

Could Return in Week 14
Aaron Rodgers

Slated to Return in Week 13
Baker Mayfield

Could Play This Week
Josh Jacobs

"Good to Go" in Pivotal NFC North Matchup on Thanksgiving
George Pickens

Expected to Play Thursday Against the Chiefs
J.J. McCarthy

Not Expected to Play Sunday in Seattle
Josh Norris

Nearing Return
Kevin Lankinen

Not Traveling With Canucks
Zach Werenski

Escapes Serious Injury, May Play Wednesday
Auston Matthews

Could Be an Option Wednesday
Jason Robertson

Scores in Seventh Consecutive Game
Wyatt Johnston

Ends Dry Spell With Four-Point Performance
Vinnie Hinostroza

to Miss 4-6 Weeks
Pyotr Kochetkov

Dealing With Undisclosed Injury
J.T. Realmuto

Red Sox Showing Interest in J.T. Realmuto
Sonny Gray

Red Sox Acquire Sonny Gray From the Cardinals
CFB

Jeremiah Smith, Makai Lemon, Skyler Bell Named Biletnikoff Award Finalists
Shohei Ohtani

to Play for Team Japan in 2026 World Baseball Classic
Colorado Rockies

Warren Schaeffer to Stick Around as Rockies Manager in 2026
CFB

Chris Bell Out for Rivalry Matchup Against Kentucky
Ryan Helsley

Tigers Eyeing Ryan Helsley as a Starter
Dan Hooker

Suffers Second-Round Submission Loss
Marcus Semien

Shipped to the Mets on Sunday
Arman Tsarukyan

Gets Submission Win
Brandon Nimmo

Traded to Texas
Belal Muhammad

Loses Back-to-Back Fights
Belal Muhammad

Ian Machado Garry Outpoints Belal Muhammad
Alonzo Menifield

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Volkan Oezdemir

Gets Back In The Win Column
Jack Hermansson

Gets Knocked Out
Jack Hermansson

Myktybek Orolbai Knocks Out Jack Hermansson
Shamil Gaziev

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Shines At UFC Qatar
Tagir Ulanbekov

Suffers Third-Round Submission Loss
Kyoji Horiguchi

Makes Triumphant UFC Return
Adolis García

Rangers Non-Tender Adolis Garcia on Friday

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP