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 Risers and Fallers for NBA Week 23

Well actually, I think this one could be called "Who won/lost you your fantasy playoffs". These are mostly players that have served you well during the regular season and you counted on them to provide for you when the things get tough.

Some of them came through when needed, some of them didn't. Some of them you'll be picking out like a needle from a haystack come next years draft, and others, well... Let's keep things polite and just say we all learn from our mistakes.

So, let's take a look at who's been a valuable fantasy asset in the previous period, and who's been a disappointment. In other words, who's fantasy owners are smiling and are close to earning bragging rights for the next couple of months, and who's owners' throats have gone sore from swearing at their underachievers in these crucial times.

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!

Welcome to the Weekend 23 edition of fantasy NBA risers and fallers in the top-100 here at RotoBaller.

Weekend 23 Fantasy Basketball Fallers

FALLER - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (G, DET) – Now this is a case more curious than that of Benjamin Button. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hasn't really disappointed that much. Don't get me wrong, he hasn't been the same guy he's been for the most of the season, averaging just 13.2 PTS with 1.5 3PM on 34.1 FG% and 82.4 FT%, 3.3 REB, 1.3 AST, 1.o STL, no blocks and 1.5 TO in 33 minutes a game. But if you look around the league, even if you look just in his own Pistons, you can find a bunch of players who did a much larger number on their respective fantasy owners.

Now the main reason KCP is on this list is because he got pulled over for a DUI, and while we don't have the facts straight yet, a suspension might be coming. Furthermore, the Pistons don't play again until April 5, so no games for the rest of the week with the first one coming on Wednesday. So, KCP is a faller without really actually falling.

FALLER - Marcin Gortat (C, WAS) – With two of their starters, Marcin Gortat and our faller from last week Otto Porter, playing so poorly, it's amazing that the Wizards are still deep in the mix for the third spot in the East and have clinched their first Southeast Division since 1979.

Marcin Gortat hasn't double-doubled in 11 straight. Moreover, he has scored 10 points just once in that period, all of the other games - single-digits. In that time he is posting just 6.5 PTS on 48.6 FG% and an unrecognizable 36.4 FT%, 7.9 REB, 1.2 AST, 0.4 STL, 0.3 BLK and 1.2 TO in 22 minutes a game. All this from a guy who had 35 double-doubles in 65 games and averaged 11.5 points, 11.2 boards, 1.4 combined steals and blocks and was shooting 58.0% from the field and 67.4% from the line before this cold streak.

The Polish Hammer has gone rubber.

FALLER - Darren Collison (G, SAC) – After starting the fantasy playoffs with a double-double, posting 19 points with 13 assists, adding a couple of threes, steals and a block to the mix, back on March 13, Darren Collison has really taken a turn for the worst. He did have two decent performances since then, but he also sat out two games to cancel those out.

After the aforementioned great performance, his averages have spiraled down to 11.6 PTS with 0.3 3PM on 45.5 FG% and 86.4 FT%, 2.6 REB, 4.0 AST, 0.7 STL, no blocks and 1.6 TO in 28 minutes per game. Mind you, these are averages from his seven out of nine games Sacramento had played in that period. Those two rest days have additionally hurt his fantasy owners.

If you managed to claw your way to the fantasy finals with your sixth-seventh round pick (in standard leagues) playing like this during your playoffs, my hat is off to you good Sir!

Weekend 23 Fantasy Basketball Risers

RISER - Nikola Mirotic (F, CHI) - Nikola Mirotic got hot at just the right time for all his fantasy owners that have made the playoffs, or are in a close Roto league which is coming down to the last week-or-so. He's been decent for the entire playoffs, but we have to commend his last few performances even more.

In his last four games he has scored exactly 28 points three times and is posting a team-leading 24.8 points with team-leading 5.0 three-pointers on team-leading 68.5 field goal percentage along with team-leading 6.8 boards. He is also hitting 83.3% of his free throws, dishing out 1.5 assists, getting 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks and turning the ball over 1.5 times in 35 minutes a game. That's some great contribution to both his Bulls and all of his fantasy teams as well.

Furthermore, Chicago plays on Saturday and Sunday, so there are two more games this week for Nikola to make his owners smile.

RISER - Trevor Ariza (G,F, HOU) – Despite Houston losing three of their last four, two of which were against Golden State though, Trevor Ariza was magnificent in all of those games. His 17.3 PTS with 3.0 3PM on 55.6 FG% and 87.5 FT%, 4.3 REB, 3.0 AST, league-leading 4.3 STL, 0.3 BLK and 1.5 TO in 38 minutes per contest were enough for him to flirt with top-5 value in that span.

His owners must be delighted with his output as he has probably single-handedly won them the steals category, while contributing very selflessly in most of the other cats as well. If you're an Ariza owner and are close to winning your fantasy league, I have no doubt that you think very fondly of him and that he will be very high on your personal Pre-Draft Rankings next year.

RISER - Gorgui Dieng (F,C, MIN) – Another unexpected top-10 player in the last seven days, Gorgui Dieng has saved the best for last. And while his recent great efforts probably won't be enough for his Timberwolves to reach the NBA playoffs, they might just be enough for his fantasy teams to win their's.

In his last four games, the 27-year-old has averaged 14.3 PTS with 0.8 3PM on 51.2 FG% and 80.0 FT%, 8.8 REB, 3.0 AST, 1.5 STL, 2.5 BLK and 1.3 TO in 40 minutes a game. Those are some beautiful lines from the big man from Senegal. Supreme boost in boards, field goal efficiency and defensive stats, good contribution in points, free throw percentage, threes and assists, especially for a frontcourt player with a decent turnover rate. A Rotisserie league dream.


By popular demand, RotoBaller has aggregated all of our fantasy basketball NBA waiver wire pickups into a running list of NBA waiver options, so bookmark the page and check back often for updates.



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

Alexander Romanov

Islanders Retain Alexander Romanov on $50 Million Contract
Andrei Kuzmenko

Signs Up for One More Year with Kings
Morgan Geekie

Signs Long-Term Extension with Bruins
Ivan Provorov

Stays in Columbus on Seven-Year Deal
Alex Pietrangelo

Stepping Away From Golden Knights for Health Reasons
Matias Maccelli

Maple Leafs Bring in Matias Maccelli
Evan Bouchard

Inks $42 Million Contract with Oilers
Vladimir Tarasenko

Wild Acquire Vladimir Tarasenko From Detroit
Patrick Kane

Signs New One-Year Deal with Red Wings
Brad Marchand

Lands Six-Year Extension
Aaron Ekblad

Remains a Panther on Eight-Year Deal
Mitchell Marner

Heads to Vegas
Randy Arozarena

Homers Twice, Plates Four Monday
Shea Langeliers

Hits Three-Run Homer In Return From Injured List Monday
Wilyer Abreu

Belts Grand Slam and Hits Inside-the-Park Home Run
Philadelphia 76ers

Trendon Watford Lands in Philadelphia
Jordan Clarkson

Expected to Sign With Knicks
Zack Wheeler

Tosses Eight Shutout Innings, Punches Out 10
Santi Aldama

Remains with Grizzlies
Atlanta Hawks

Nickeil Alexander-Walker Lands in Atlanta
George Springer

Exits Early Monday With Neck Injury
Jalen Ramsey

Could Move Around in Pittsburgh
Los Angeles Clippers

Brook Lopez Strikes Deal With Clippers
Jonnu Smith

to be Used in Hybrid Role
Terry McLaurin

Commanders, Terry McLaurin Not Close on Contract Extension
Hunter Goodman

Likely Headed to Injured List
Chicago Bulls

Tre Jones Remaining in Chicago
Michael Mayer

Raiders Not Interested in Trading Michael Mayer
Houston Rockets

Dorian Finney-Smith Signing With Rockets
Trent Grisham

Exits With Hamstring Tightness
Atlanta Hawks

Caris LeVert Joining Pistons
Milwaukee Bucks

Kevin Porter Jr., Bucks Reach Agreement on a New Contract
Brooklyn Nets

D'Angelo Russell Heading to Dallas
Denver Nuggets

Bruce Brown Jr. Heading Back to Denver
Atlanta Hawks

Clint Capela Returning to Houston
Cameron Johnson

Traded to Denver
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Signs Massive Extension
Michael Porter Jr.

Traded to Brooklyn
Matt Chapman

Could Return for Start of Giants Homestand
Wyatt Langford

Expected to Return on Saturday
Yanquiel Fernández

Yanquiel Fernandez Called Up to Majors
Tyler Mahle

Dealing With Rotator-Cuff Strain
Brooklyn Nets

Ziaire Williams Expected to Return to Nets
Austin Wells

to Miss Next Two Games
Tre Mann

Set to Become an Unrestricted Free Agent
Bo Bichette

Scratched With Sore Knee
Cody Martin

to Enter Free Agency
Los Angeles Clippers

Nicolas Batum Staying with Clippers
Jurickson Profar

to Return on Wednesday
Jordan Clarkson

Jazz Finalize Contract Buyout for Jordan Clarkson
Aldrich Potgieter

Wins Rocket Mortgage Classic
Thorbjorn Olesen

Finishes Tied for 41st at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Denny McCarthy

Finishes Tied For 12th at Travelers Championship
Chris Kirk

Finishes Tied For Second at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Michael Kim

Finishes Tied for 26th at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Max Homa

Misses Cut at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Lucas Glover

Finishes Tied For Ninth at Travelers Championship
PGA

Nico Echavarria Finishes Tied For Sixth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Brooklyn Nets

Day'Ron Sharpe Staying with Nets
Colby Thomas

Called Up From Triple-A
Shea Langeliers

A's Reinstate Shea Langeliers From Injured List
Pittsburgh Steelers

Rumors Still Swirling Around Potential T.J. Watt Trade
Bryce Harper

Activated and Starting on Monday
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Lands on Injured List With Fractured Ribs
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Tyler Boyd

Interested in Playing for Steelers
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Now Looking to Acquire a Tight End
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
L'Jarius Sneed

Says he's Healthy
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Minkah Fitzpatrick

Heading Back to Miami
Jonnu Smith

Shipped to Pittsburgh
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Jalen Ramsey

Steelers Acquiring Jalen Ramsey
Kerry Carpenter

Leaves Game with Apparent Hamstring Injury
Jonas Brodin

Expected to Miss Start of Next Season
TB

Conor Sheary Placed on Waivers for Contract Termination
Dante Fabbro

Stays with Blue Jackets on Four-Year Deal
Joel Hofer

Commits to Blues for Two More Years
Kevin Bahl

Signs Long-Term Extension with Flames
Oneil Cruz

Smacks Two Homers
Jordan Spence

Traded to Ottawa
Petr Mrazek

Heads to Anaheim
John Gibson

Red Wings Acquire John Gibson
Matthew Knies

Inks Six-Year Extension with Maple Leafs
Aaron Judge

Blasts Two Homers, Dealing With Back Issue
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
NFL

NFL Won't Hold Supplemental Draft This Year
Damon Arnette

Getting Second Chance With Texans
Deommodore Lenoir

Arrested for Obstruction of Justice
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Expected to Make Second-Year Jump
Jalin Hyatt

Looking to Flip the Script in 2025
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
Ty Dillon

Could Benefit from Kaulig Speed
Dylan Sampson

Being Used as a Receiver
Carson Schwesinger

Figures to be in Full-Time Role in 2025
Cedric Tillman

Should Have Full-Time Role
Bryce Young

Looking More Comfortable, Showing More Intensity
Aaron Rodgers

Roman Wilson Could Fit Nicely With Aaron Rodgers
Charles Oliveira

Can Become A Two-Time Lightweight Champion
Ilia Topuria

A Favorite At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Alexandre Pantoja

Set For Fourth Title Defense At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Renato Moicano

Returns At UFC 317
Beneil Dariush

An Underdog At UFC 317
Payton Talbott

Looks To Bounce Back
Felipe Lima

Set To Open Up UFC 317 Main Card
Michael Thorbjornsen

Returns in Detroit at Rocket Classic
Adam Hadwin

Could Struggle Over the Weekend in Detroit
Cam Davis

Hopes Detroit Magic Can Spark Turnaround
Matt Wallace

a Boom-or-Bust Option at Rocket Classic
Joel Dahmen

Not Cutting it Lately
Michael Kim

Searching for Spark at Rocket Classic
Rasmus Hojgaard

a High-Ceiling Play in Rocket Classic
Matt McCarty

a Wild Card Heading into Detroit
Emiliano Grillo

Rolling into the Summer Season
Rickie Fowler

Looking for More Magic at Rocket Classic
Wyndham Clark

Brings High Upside to Detroit Golf Club
Max Greyserman

Could Make Noise at Rocket Classic
Akshay Bhatia

a Strong Value Play at Rocket Classic
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF