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Fantasy Basketball Week In Review: Week 3

Spencer Aguiar looks back at Week 3 of the 2019-2020 NBA season, including fantasy basketball risers, fallers and takeaways from each night of action.

Welcome to the RotoBaller NBA Recap. In this feature, we will highlight one key fantasy basketball takeaway from each night during the past week. These viewpoints can be both positive and negative and will hopefully help to provide insight into different roster moves you should consider making.

Fantasy basketball has a lot of moving pieces with all the different scoring settings that are possible to play under, so I will always do my best to spotlight where players gain or lose value in certain game types.

Without further ado, let's get right into the third week of the season and try to figure out how to take advantage of what we saw transpire.

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!

 

Monday, November 4th

Eric Paschall Explodes For The Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors have been notorious for striking gold during drafts in recent years, and they appear to have done so again with the selection of Eric Paschall at the 41st pick this season. Paschall has had minutes open up in front of him with the plethora of injuries the team has taken on early in the year, and the former Villanova star has made the most of his opportunity.

Going into Monday night, Paschall had provided two 20-point games in his past three contests, but it was his career-high 34-point eruption on Monday that raised eyebrows around the league. Paschall was brilliant from the field, connecting on 11 of 19 shots and four of six three-pointers - adding 13 rebounds, one block and four three-pointers.

While Paschall has transformed into a must-add in virtually all formats, there are a few concerns I have with how much longevity we are looking at here. It is worth noting that Draymond Green and D'Angelo Russell both missed the game with injuries and could cut into the rookies' usage rate once they return, and there are some issues with how effective the 23-year-old can be in category-based leagues. He is currently sitting at 56th overall in nine-category settings, producing 16.7 points per game, but his totals of 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.6 blocks and 0.6 threes do make him feel a little one dimensional. I'd expect we see his three-point output increase with his added role and rebounds should follow with more on-court time, but his 60.3% field goal rate is going to be nearly impossible to maintain with his added workload. Points participants look to have found riches, as where category owners might want to shop him around and see what an eager league mate is willing to pay.

 

Tuesday, November 5th

Gordon Hayward's Bounce Back Is Real

Offseason hearsay about a player oftentimes doesn't end up coming to fruition, but there are occasions where you should listen to what personnel close to a situation are saying. Throughout the preseason, Gordon Hayward's name was consistently mentioned by his teammates and coaches as someone who might be in store for a huge campaign, and the early portions of the year are lining up with the talk.

On Tuesday, Hayward exploded for 39 points on 17 of 20 shooting from the field, adding seven rebounds, eight assists and one three-pointer on the night. I am a professional sports bettor, so I always try to look at things in an unbiased manner, but it is really difficult to not overemphasize this performance. We don't need to go down the long road and journey again, but I legitimately thought Hayward's career might have been over during his gruesome injury on opening night in 2017, so for him to be back playing at an All-Star level deserves all the admiration possible.

Gordon entered the season with an ADP of 76th overall on both Yahoo and ESPN leagues but has produced borderline top-25 value in nine-category settings early in the year. A regression will take place at some point when it comes to his field goal percentage, but I am not so sure we are in line for massive adjustments to where his current averages are in other areas. Sure, a small change may happen in his rebounding numbers from 7.5 a game to less, but if you drafted Hayward in 2019, it looks like you are going to get back at least top-50 production. Congratulations on your value!

 

Wednesday, November 6th

Jonathan Issac Continues To Stuff The Stat Sheet

There are a handful of players I can point to such as Malcolm Brogdon and Brandon Ingram, but it will be hard to find many options that have exceeded their draft capital more than Jonathan Issac's has early in 2019. Coming into the season, Issac was being taken 68th in Yahoo leagues and 117th in ESPN settings, but the former Florida State product has outperformed pretty much any expectation that was placed on him during the preseason.

In his eight games this year, the third-year pro is averaging 11.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 3.0 blocks, 1.6 steals and 1.3 three-pointers to go along with a free throw percentage of 94.1%. Those averages have placed him 15th overall in nine-category leagues, and his defensive prowess makes him one of the most unique players to own in fantasy.

During Issac game on Wednesday, he provided the ultimate collection of what he is capable of doing by posting 13 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, six blocks, four steals and one three-pointer on 62.5% shooting from the field and 100% from the charity stripe. His elite outputs defensively can help him to maintain top-40 value in category leagues, and if you are punting points, Issac becomes even more valuable.

 

Thursday, November 7th

BAMM-BAMM Is Far From Rubble

Bam Adebayo has been fantasy gold for managers in head-to-head points leagues and continued his strong early-season return against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday - delivering a stat line of 15 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, one block and five steals on 66.7% shooting from the field.

If you haven't been able to tell throughout this week's article, some of my favorite fantasy values come in the form of stat-stuffing players who aren't always respected the way they should be on the trade market. A lot of the reasoning for this stems from the fact that scorers receive much of the hype and recognition, but gamers can take advantage of this by understanding their settings.

Unlike Jonathan Isaac in the post above, Adebayo does have some flaws that will hurt his category league ranking, but the former Kentucky product has been a stalwart in points leagues this season due to his steady output at his position in blocks, steals, rebounds and assists. While his numbers in any one particular category will not blow you away, his consistent tabulation in those areas mentioned above has allowed him to generate the ninth-best scoring total for a player with power forward designation at 37.63 fantasy points per night. It is very important to understand the ins and outs of your league, and Adebayo could be a league-winner in the right settings - especially when you consider the fact that his cost to acquire may be worth the amount.

 

Friday, November 8th

A Change of Scenery Has Done Brandon Ingram Well

One of the most impressive players in the NBA has been Brandon Ingram, who has averaged 26.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.0 blocks and 2.5 three-pointers made while shooting and impressive 52.7% from the field and 44.4% from behind the arc.

Frankly, it doesn't matter how you want to slice it, Ingram has been exceptional in all game types this year. The former second selection in the 2016 draft is ranked inside the top-20 for both points and category leagues, and he extended his good fortunes on Friday with a 27-point display in New Orleans' losing effort at home against the defending champion Toronto Raptors.

The Pelicans talked up point guard Jrue Holiday during the offseason, but it doesn't surprise me to see that the team has decided to lean on Ingram instead to begin 2019. Holiday has never been a beacon of health and hasn't had a usage rate of over 25% since 2015-2016. Ingram, on the other hand, was never able to fully shine on the Los Angeles Lakers but still had his role increase in each of his first three years in the NBA. I am a big proponent of trying to pinpoint both positive and negative regression situations, but I have to be honest...this feels close to what we are going to continue to see from the 22-year-old this season, which makes Ingram one of the biggest steals of the draft at his ADP of 105th on Yahoo and 106th at ESPN.

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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Joe Burrow

to Undergo Surgery, Out at Least Three Months
Emil Heineman

Aiming to Take the "Next Step" This Season
Braeden Cootes

Good to Go for Camp
Ivan Fedotov

Blue Jackets Acquire Ivan Fedotov From Flyers
Aaron Jones Sr.

Injures Hamstring During Sunday Night Football
Darren Waller

Not Expected to Play in Week 3
Garrett Crochet

Punches Out 12 in Win
Cole Ragans

to Return on Wednesday
Jameson Williams

Records Long Touchdown in Week 2, Still Limited to Downfield Role?
George Kirby

Strikes Out 14 in Win
Jayden Daniels

Considered "Day-to-Day" with Knee Injury
Carlos Estévez

Carlos Estevez Exits with Back Tightness
Jonathan Taylor

Tops 200 Yards From Scrimmage in Week 2 Win
Joe Burrow

Could Miss Three Months if he Requires Toe Surgery
Davante Adams

Headlines Rams Receiving Corps Sunday
Wan'Dale Robinson

Explodes for 142 Yards, Touchdown in Overtime Thriller
Joe Flacco

Browns Not Considering Benching Joe Flacco After Week 2
Quentin Grimes

Still Not Close to a New Contract Agreement
Lamar Jackson

Throws for Four Touchdowns in Week 2 Win
James Cook

Scores Two Touchdowns in Rout of Jets
Joel Embiid

"Looking Slender, Spry and in Positive Spirits"
Rome Odunze

Scores Twice in Loss
Ja'Marr Chase

Snags 14 Receptions, Finds End Zone in Week 2
Russell Wilson

Throws for 450 Yards, Three Touchdowns in Loss
Jared Goff

Throws Five Touchdowns
Amon-Ra St. Brown

Scores Three Touchdowns
Joe Burrow

Suffers Turf Toe and Torn Ligaments in Win
Malik Nabers

Explodes for Two Touchdowns in Overtime Thriller
Joe Burrow

Seen with Boot and Crutches Postgame
Ty Gibbs

Has Arguably his Best Career Drive, but Only Finishes 10th
Chase Elliott

Despite Crashing Out at Bristol, Chase Elliott Advances to Round of 12
Austin Dillon

Misses Round of 12 After Extremely Mediocre Bristol Run
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Fails to Advance to Round of 12
Josh Berry

Finishes Last in All Three Round of 16 Races to Fail to Advance
Justin Fields

Diagnosed With Concussion Sunday
Luis Arraez

Takes a Seat on Sunday With Head Injury
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia Activated, Starting on Sunday
CFB

Ryan Williams Explodes In Return To Field
CFB

Drew Allar Plays Mediocre Game In Blowout Win
CFB

LaNorris Sellers Exits Game In Blowout Loss
CFB

DJ Lagway Tosses Five Interceptions In Loss
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Plays Game Manager in Saturday's Win
CFB

CJ Carr Remains Poised In Narrow Loss
CFB

John Mateer Leads Oklahoma In Rout
CFB

Arch Manning Struggles Against UTEP
CFB

Jeremiah Smith Impresses In Win
Bryan Woo

Records Career-High 13 Strikeouts
Max Muncy

Exits Early on Saturday
CFB

Sam Leavitt Shines As Arizona State Rebounds From Week 2 Loss
Salvador Perez

Reaches 300 Home Runs, 1,000 RBI
Jose Altuve

Exits Early With Foot Discomfort
Trey Yesavage

Heading to Big Leagues
Will Smith

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Ivan Demidov

Turning Heads in Rookie Camp
NHL

Calvin de Haan Signs With Swedish Team
Samuel Girard

Skates With Non-Contact Jersey
Mackenzie Blackwood

Dealing With Injury Ahead of Training Camp
Spencer Knight

Signs Three-Year Extension With Blackhawks
Chris Buescher

May have Another Solid Run at Bristol
Corey Perry

Out 6-8 Weeks Following Surgery
Kyle Busch

Should DFS Managers Roster Kyle Busch at Bristol?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Too Risky to Consider Rostering at Bristol?
Michael McDowell

Could be A Solid Value Option For Bristol DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

Probably Won't Factor in for Bristol Win
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not as Strong at Bristol as Other Short Tracks
Alex Bowman

Needs to Win to Make Round of 12
Ross Chastain

has Never Led at Bristol but Has Been Pretty Consistent
Austin Dillon

Richmond Speed Unlikely to Carry Over to Bristol
Josh Berry

Might Run Well at Bristol, but Almost Certainly Won't Win to Advance
Justin Haley

Bristol One of Justin Haley's Few Recent Bright Spots
Ryan Preece

Seems Slower on Concrete Than on Asphalt
NASCAR

Legacy Motor Club's Short-Track Speed Will Likely Hold John H. Nemechek Back
Erik Jones

Definitely Faster This Year, but Short Tracks Still a Liability
Daniel Suarez

Despite Poor Qualifying Run, Daniel Suarez Might Not Be a Great Choice
Noah Gragson

Unlikely to Be Fast at Bristol but Still Might Be Worth Considering for DFS
Tarik Skubal

Avoids Serious Injury, Expected to Make Next Start
CFB

Austin Simmons Listed As Game-Time Decision Against Arkansas
CFB

Nico Iamaleava Struggles In Fourth Straight Loss
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Dealing With a "Tweak"
BUF

Alexandar Georgiev Joins Sabres on One-Year Deal
Corey Perry

Injured During Pre-Camp Skate
Tanner Bibee

Fans 10 in Two-Hit Shutout
Zach Neto

Dealing With Wrist Soreness
Masyn Winn

Shut Down for Rest of Season
Tarik Skubal

to Undergo Imaging on Saturday
Tyler Soderstrom

Scratched on Friday With Groin Tightness
Tarik Skubal

Exits with Side Tightness
CFB

Antonio Williams Out Against Georgia Tech
Ketel Marte

Scratched From Friday's Lineup
CFB

CJ Bailey Flashes Again in Win Over Wake Forest
CFB

Jaxson Moi a Game-Time Decision for Tennessee on Saturday
Jean Silva

A Favorite At Noche UFC 3
Kyle Tucker

"Unlikely" to Return When Eligible on Tuesday
Diego Lopes

Set For Noche UFC 3 Main Event
Rob Font

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
David Martinez

Set For Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
Rafa Garcia

An Underdog At Noche UFC 3
Jared Gordon

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Dustin Stoltzfus

Looks To Return To The Win Column
Kelvin Gastelum

In Dire Need Of Victory
Diego Ferreira

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Alexander Hernandez

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Quang Le

Set For Noche UFC 3 Main Card Opener
Santiago Luna

Set For His Debut At Noche UFC 3
Malcolm Brogdon

Heading to Knicks on One-Year Deal
CFB

David Sanders Jr. Won't Play Against Georgia
Landry Shamet

Staying with the Knicks
CFB

Dylan Edwards Slated to Return on Friday
Adam Lowry

Aims for Early-Season Return
Charles Oliveira

Not Eyeing Retirement
CFB

Ryan Williams Expected to Play Against Wisconsin
CFB

Billy Edwards Jr. Unlikely to Play on Saturday
P.J. Washington

Officially Signs Contract Extension
CFB

David Sanders Jr. Questionable to Make Debut Against Georgia
Lauri Markkanen

Big at Both Ends as Finland Books Place in EuroBasket Semis
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Notches 39 Points in Losing Effort
NBA

Cam Reddish Expected to Move to Europe
NBA

Trey Lyles Joins Real Madrid
Charles Bassey

Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Hawks
Sacramento Kings

Terence Davis Waived by Kings
Matthew Knies

Ready for Bigger Role With Maple Leafs
Jack Eichel

Unbothered by Lack of Extension
Sidney Crosby

Not Thinking About Leaving Pittsburgh
SJ

Michael Misa Signs Entry-Level Contract With Sharks
Rutger McGroarty

Nursing an Injury
Cameron Champ

the Ultimate Wild Card at Procore
Cameron Young

Looks to Extend Momentum in Napa
Davis Thompson

Searching for a Spark at Procore
Sahith Theegala

Looking to Reignite Form at Procore
Mackenzie Hughes

Aims for Another Strong Showing at Procore
Luke Clanton

Brings Ball-Striking Upside to Napa
Seamus Power

Looking to Overcome Poor Course History at Procore
Joe Highsmith

Hoping to Find Form in Napa
Kristaps Porzingis

Reportedly Still Not Completely Healthy
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Reportedly on the Trade Block
Andre Drummond

Future in Philadelphia in Doubt
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Helps Greece Reach Semis at EuroBasket
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Posts Historic Triple-Double
Joel Dahmen

Finishes Tied For 15 at Wyndham Championship
Bud Cauley

Finishes Tied for 33rd at BMW Championship
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied for Seventh at Tour Championship
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied for 25th at Tour Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied for 19th at Tour Championship
Keith Mitchell

Misses Cut at Wyndham Championship
Ben Griffin

Finishes Tied for 10th at Tour Championship
Patrick Cantlay

Finishes Tied for Second at Tour Championship
Gary Woodland

Could Hang Around at Procore Championship
Karl Vilips

Ready for Napa Valley This Weekend
Taylor Montgomery

Heating Up at the Right Time
Jackson Koivun

May Be a Little Rusty at Procore Championship
Doug Ghim

Looking to Rise Up at Napa Valley
Josh Giddey

Re-Signs With Bulls for Four Years
Shakir Mukhamadullin

Joins Informal Skate
William Eklund

Skates With Sharks
Owen Power

Back at 100 Percent

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