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 Starting Lineup Changes - Week 5

Euan Leith looks at fantasy basketball starting lineup changes for Week 5 of the 2021-22 NBA season. These players are seeing increases in minutes and playing time.

Welcome to Rotation Watch, Rotoballers! Each week, this article will highlight the players that are gaining minutes in their team's rotation. Fantasy managers want to roster the players that are accumulating stats and racking up the playing time. They want to avoid the players falling out of favor and watching the action from the sidelines.

Here's how Week 4 played out for the Rotation Watch with their player ranking over the last seven days:

Oh boy! After Week 2's success, I wasn't sure how we could get any better. However, grabbing the No. 1 player in fantasy over the last seven days surely tops it. Add another top-35 player on top of that, and I'm starting to feel the pressure to keep it up. Somehow, we are already one-fifth through the season, and injuries are beginning to pop up all over the court.

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!

So without further ado, let's start searching those box scores and look for those hidden gems that grabbed minutes to help your fantasy basketball team achieve the ultimate prize: a championship. Of course, these suggestions are the cream of the crop, and if you ever need an extra slice of advice, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @EuanOrYouOut.

 

NBA Playing Time  Changes

Dennis Schroder - PG, Boston Celtics

Yahoo: 78% rostered

Week 4: 36:00 Minutes per Game

Schroder is above the usual roster percentage for this article. Yet, when I saw he wasn't at 100 percent, I had to make an exception. Jaylen Brown (hamstring) is getting closer to an on-court return. However, this year, he's already picked up a hamstring and knee injury, so the Celtics will be cautious with their star's health once he returns. Therefore, Schroder will continue to get more run even after Brown's return.

The German guard has outperformed Marcus Smart and Josh Richardson during Brown's absence and should be third in the pecking order for offensive opportunities when Boston is at full strength. Since Nov. 6, the 28-year old averages 24 points on 18.8 shots, along with 4.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.6 threes. Schroder's making 51.1 percent of his field goals and is averaging over 36 minutes per game. He's a valuable fantasy asset on a team looking to kick start their season and get into the East's top-six for an automatic playoff spot. Plus, Marcus Smart is involved in every Celtics trade rumor, and it would remove one less mouth to feed at the basketball table.

Duncan Robinson - SG/SF, Miami Heat

Yahoo: 59% rostered

Week 4: 34:30 Minutes per Game

Kyle Lowry, Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, and Tyler Herro are grabbing all the headlines on South Beach, while Duncan Robinson remains on the three-point line waiting for his moment. Well, since Jimmy Butler (ankle) went down, the moment has arrived, and Robinson's delivering. Since Nov. 9, he's averaging four three-pointers per game, but he's reached NBA Jam "He's on fire" status in the last two contests.

Against the Jazz and Thunder, respectively, the 27-year old sharpshooter averaged 21.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 5.5 three-pointers. So while Butler will return, fantasy managers will hope this recent uptick in threes will return Robinson to the type of value they drafted him for before the season started. Meanwhile, if you're in one of the 41 percent of leagues where he's on the waiver wire, and you need points and threes, he's going to be your best option moving forward.

Franz Wagner - SG/SF, Orlando Magic

Yahoo: 59% rostered

Week 4: 34:00 Minutes per Game

Rotation Watch welcomes Franz Wagner as its first repeat customer for the 2021-22 campaign, as the rookie makes his second appearance in the article in just four weeks. The reason he's back is because the minutes are not going away for the eighth overall pick in this year's draft, and he's providing top-100 value in nine-category leagues. In addition, he does a little bit of everything most nights and at a reasonably efficient rate to boot. Plus, he's already shown managers that he can break out and pop off some spectacular performances, despite his NBA career being less than 20 games old.

On Nov. 1, he scored 28 points and drained five three-pointers versus the Timberwolves. On Nov. 11, he swiped six steals against the Nets. And finally, in his last game, he added another 19 points, five rebounds, three assists, two threes, and a block in Atlanta. There's just too much potential and workload here to be left on the waiver wire. Jonathan Isaac (knee) is still without a timetable, and until he gets back on the court, I'm not sure Wagner will be limited in any manner by this Magic coaching staff.

Eric Bledsoe - PG/SG, Los Angeles Clippers

Yahoo: 55% rostered

Week 4: 33:15 Minutes per Game

Bledsoe is in his second stint with the Clippers and is rising from the ashes like a phoenix. Fine, that's a little dramatic on my part, but it is excellent to see Bledsoe turn back the clock in Los Angeles and put together some fantasy-useful performances. In Week 4, he scored 21 points in two of his three outings, and they sandwiched a 14-point, nine-assist evening against Minnesota.

Bledsoe's rise coincides with Nicolas Batum's fall (a Week 3 Rotation Watch write-up), and it goes to show how up and down this Clippers team can be outside of Paul George's superhero efforts. Reggie Jackson, Bledsoe, and Batum will all have valuable stretches in fantasy this season, and we managers need to be on the ball as to who to play and when. Right now, it's Bledsoe, but stay tuned because I could have Batum back in here as early as next week.

Talen Horton-Tucker - SG/SF, Los Angeles Lakers

Yahoo: 46% rostered

Week 4: 32:00 Minutes per Game

The man known as THT around Lakers circles made his season debut this week and thrived in a LeBron-less Lakers team. First, he provided 17 points, four rebounds, an assist, a steal, a block, and a three-pointer in 27 minutes against the Spurs. Then, as an encore, Horton-Tucker played 37 minutes and erupted for 28 points, six rebounds, four threes, two assists, and a steal versus the Bulls. It's made him a top-15 play over the last seven days, and his roster percentage is sky-rocketing.

However, what goes up, must come down. Therefore, with LeBron James' imminent return, THT's days as a top-15 option will likely be coming to an end. Still, he's come out strong on a Lakers team looking for answers on how they fix a dysfunctional roster. Horton-Tucker may not be the whole answer, but he can be a part of the solution. I'll be watching the Los Angeles rotation closely over the next 10 days to see how THT fits into this team with a healthy James on the court.

 



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

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?
Jalen Thompson

Heading into Last Year With Cardinals?
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Najee Harris

Suffers Eye Injury in Fireworks Mishap
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
Nick Nash

Unlikely to Make Falcons Active Roster
Lane Johnson

in No Rush To Retire
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Blake Corum

has "Gotten His Speed Back"
Jarquez Hunter

Picking Up Rams Offense Quickly
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Kirk Cousins

Feels Misled by Falcons
Bijan Robinson

Says Falcons Have "Outlandish Goals" for the Running Game
Luther Burden III

Bears Expect Luther Burden III to be Ready for Training Camp
Cole Kmet

an Unlikely Trade Piece
Tony Pollard

Titans Hope to Balance Rushing Attack With Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Quentin Johnston

Not Assured of Starting Role
Cordarrelle Patterson

on the Roster Bubble in Pittsburgh?
Shedeur Sanders

Not Assured of Roster Spot in Cleveland?
Wan'Dale Robinson

Hoping For More Downfield Opportunities
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
Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome on the Trade Block?
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Zach Tom

An Extension Candidate in Green Bay
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Expected to Return on Friday
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
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
Chet Holmgren

Agrees to Rookie Max Extension
Alex Bregman

Not Returning Wednesday
Jhoan Duran

Unavailable Due to Illness
Shane McClanahan

Tosses Clean Frame in First Rehab Appearance
Jacob Wilson

Day-to-Day After HBP
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. to be Reassessed Wednesday
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Malaki Branham

Traded to Washington
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Blake Wesley

Moves to Washington
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Kelly Olynyk

on the Move Again
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
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