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 Week In Review: Week 11

Spencer Aguiar looks back at Week 11 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 11th 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, December 30th

Gary Payton II Fizzles On Monday 

Gary Payton II received the start again on Monday but was only able to produce five points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals in 14 minutes of action.

All things considered, the stat line was robust with his reduced playing role, and owners that rushed and picked up Payton last week have been rewarded with averages of 11.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 4.3 steals, 0.6 blocks and 1.7 triples in 31.6 minutes over his previous three games before Monday.

However, even though category owners might have a literal steal on their hands with the way Payton can swipe the ball away from his opposition, the Wizards feature one of the deepest and most inconsistent rotations in the NBA. The eventual return of Bradley Beal, which should come before long, will only further reduce Payton's upside, and I don't believe there is enough playing time available for him to carve out a role that can produce fantasy value. I'm fine holding onto him and seeing how he does to close the week, but I am not missing out on waiver talent if someone with more concrete value becomes available.

UPDATE: Payton provided four points and three rebounds on Wednesday night in 10 minutes. It was a fun week-long stretch from 'The Glove 2.0,' but Payton is exposable to the waiver wire once again.  

 

Tuesday, December 31st

Kevin Porter Jr. Continues To See Increased Role

Make that four straight games that Kevin Porter Jr. has contributed double-digit points after the rookie rendered 13 in total on Tuesday night against the Toronto Raptors. His increased role of 25.8 minutes per contest over his previous five games has allowed KPJ to add a little more substance and quality to his fantasy totals, and there is no reason to believe that we don't see the Cavaliers give the former USC product more playing time as the year progresses.

Cleveland's roster is in a state of flux currently, and other than Porter Jr. and Darius Garland, everyone seems to be expendable for the right price. KPJ's lack of defensive statistics does hurt his fantasy value somewhat, but the fact that he has added at least one three-pointer in 12 of 14 games during December does indicate that there is some hidden category league potential available.

Porter Jr. is currently only owned in six percent of Yahoo groups, but I'd consider adding him in settings as low as 12-man leagues. The Cavaliers are going to start selling off pieces shortly, so it is vital to be ahead of the market in terms of KPJ in this situation.

 

Wednesday, January 1st

Jonathan Isaac Goes Down With Left Knee Injury

While the news around Jonathan Isaac's left knee injury is terrible, it could have been much worse. Isaac was diagnosed with a severe sprain and bone bruise and will be re-evaluated in eight to 10 weeks.

The rising star from the Orlando Magic was putting together averages of 12.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.6 steals, 2.4 blocks and 0.9 threes per game over the season, and that production loss in category leagues will be a big blow for rosters to handle.

Unfortunately, there is no direct pickup here to salvage the loss of Isaac, as players such as Khem Birch, Wes Iwundu, Terrance Ross and Amile Jefferson will all see an expanded role during his absence. Look for Aaron Gordon to also take on an enlarged position when he is able to return from injury, making this a tough situation to gauge. If you own Isaac, I believe he is droppable if you don't have an IR spot on your roster. An early-to-mid March return isn't guaranteed, and it is too long to stash the 22-year-old on the end of your bench with no real timetable currently presented.

 

Thursday, January 2nd

What To Do With Jordan Clarkson?

Jordan Clarkson scored 12 points on Thursday night against the Chicago Bulls, adding three rebounds and three three-pointers in 23 minutes of action.

Owners of Clarkson were put in an awkward position after the guard was traded from the Cavaliers to the Jazz just before Christmas, but he hasn't exactly given anyone a reason to drop him if they were happy with his production levels before.

There is no arguing that the Jazz's new acquisition doesn't have the same sort of upside on his new team as he did in Cleveland, but Clarkson remains a player that can provide points in bunches and three-point potential. The lack of additional statistics probably makes him someone that is best left on the waiver wire in 12-man settings, but deep-league participants that are looking to add a boost in either of those two areas might want to give him a second look.

 

Friday, January 3rd

Kevin Huerter Is Beginning To Regain Form

After a slow start to the month of December, Kevin Huerter has quietly put together a strong past eight games, averaging 14.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.2 shots from behind the arc.

A lot of his improvement can be credited to his increased playing time, but the ability Huerter has shown to stuff the stat sheet has made him more than a one-dimensional option for points and threes.

At less than 50% ownership in Yahoo settings, Huerter is still owned in the majority of competitive leagues, but owners might want to see if they can acquire the sharpshooter for a reduced price tag.

More Fantasy Basketball Analysis




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

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
Ranger Suárez

Ranger Suarez Strikes Out 12, Earns 12th Win on Tuesday
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
Christian Watson

Agrees to One-Year Contract Extension
Patrick Fishburn

a True Wild Card at Procore Championship
Josh Giddey

Re-Signs With Bulls for Four Years
Eric Cole

Attempts to Start Fresh in Napa Valley
Shakir Mukhamadullin

Joins Informal Skate
William Eklund

Skates With Sharks
Owen Power

Back at 100 Percent
Tyler Seguin

Cleared for Action
Mathew Barzal

Good to Go for Season Opener
Will Smith

Returns to Dodgers Lineup on Tuesday
Dustin Wolf

Signs Seven-Year Extension
Kyle Stowers

Dealing With Strained Side
Kyle Tucker

Placed on Injured List With Calf Strain
Jauan Jennings

Considered Day-to-Day, has a Chance to Play in Week 2
Russell Henley

to Get Final Ryder Cup Prep in at Procore Championship
Sam Burns

Hoping to Keep Quality Form Going This Week in Napa Ahead of Ryder Cup
Jalen Carter

Receives One-Game Suspension, Will be Eligible for Week 2
Maverick McNealy

Will Show U.S. Team What They're Missing This Week at Procore
Scottie Scheffler

Making Unusual Start at Procore Championship for Ryder Cup Prep
Bo Bichette

Goes on Injured List With Knee Sprain
George Kittle

Placed on Injured Reserve
Max Homa

A Good Week at a Favored Silverado Resort is Desperately Needed for Max Homa
Tyreek Hill

Accused of Domestic Violence
Davis Riley

Has a Ton of Question Marks Ahead of Procore Championship
Jauan Jennings

Avoids Serious Shoulder Injury
Garrett Crochet

Shuts Out the Athletics
Royce Lewis

Launches Two Homers Monday Night
NBA

Mason Jones Takes His Talents to Australia
NBA

Talen Horton-Tucker Joins Reigning EuroLeague Champions
New York Knicks

Malcolm Brogdon on Knicks' Radar
Andrew Wiggins

Attracting Interest From Lakers
Miami Heat

Heat Interested in Reunion With Precious Achiuwa
Tyler Glasnow

Fans 11 in Seven No-Hit Innings Monday
Slade Cecconi

Takes No-Hitter Into Eighth Inning Monday
Max Muncy

Batting Cleanup in Return to Dodgers
New York Knicks

Ben Simmons Reportedly Declined Knicks' Contract Offer
Younghoe Koo

Falcons Auditioning Kickers, Could Replace Younghoe Koo
Denver Broncos

Sean Payton Says Broncos Need to be Better With Run-Pass Balance
Tank Bigsby

Eagles Acquiring Tank Bigsby From Jaguars on Monday
George Kittle

Likely Out 3-5 Weeks, Could Land on Injured Reserve
Chase Burns

to be Activated on Friday
Brock Purdy

Dealing With Multiple Injuries, Could Miss Week 2
Tyler Glasnow

Cleared to Start on Monday
Logan O'Hoppe

Placed on Concussion Injured List
Christian Yelich

Returning on Monday
Elias Pettersson

Feeling "Good" Ahead of Season
NHL

Alex Formenton Rejoins Swiss Team
NHL

Grigori Denisenko Heads Back Home
CAR

Kevin Labanc Joins Hurricanes for Tryout
Ross Colton

Healthy for Start of Season
Daniel Palencia

Cubs Place Daniel Palencia on Injured List With Shoulder Strain
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Returning on Monday
Sean Murphy

Done for the Year With Hip Labral Tear
Alec Bohm

Lands on Injured List With Cyst in his Shoulder
Trea Turner

Going on Injured List, Phillies Hope to Have him Back for Playoffs
Brock Bowers

Considered Day-to-Day With Knee Injury
Jonathan Taylor

is "Good" After Taking a Hit to his Neck in Week 1
Caio Borralho

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Kyle Stowers

Suffers Setback on Rehab Assignment?
Nassourdine Imavov

Extends Win Streak
Mauricio Ruffy

Gets Submitted
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Taps Out Mauricio Ruffy
Michael King

Expected to Return on Tuesday
Russell Wilson

Remains the Giants Starter
Paul Craig

Retires After UFC Paris Loss
Denny Hamlin

Earns his First Cup Victory at Gateway
Kyle Larson

Damage Ruins Kyle Larson's Chance At a Top Finish at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Scores his Third Top-10 Finish at Gateway
Joey Logano

Maintains his Perfect Top-Five Streak at Gateway
Ryan Blaney

Struggles and Recovers for a Top-Five Finish at Gateway
Modestas Bukauskas

Scores First-Round Knockout
Bolaji Oki

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
Xavier Worthy

Week-to-Week with Dislocated Shoulder
Mason Jones

Scores Comeback Win
Rhys McKee

Suffers Third-Round TKO Loss
Axel Sola

Successful In His UFC Debut
Robert Ruchała

Robert Ruchala Unsuccessful In His UFC Debut
William Gomis

Bounces Back In The Win Column
Derrick Henry

Scores Twice but has Costly Fumble on Sunday
Lamar Jackson

Shines With Three Total Touchdowns in Loss to Bills
Keon Coleman

Leads the Team With 11 Targets on Sunday
Josh Allen

Totals Four Touchdowns in Win Over Ravens
Chase Elliott

Gets Lucky but Still Has Best Run at Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Wins Stage 2, but Was Let Down by Strategy
Tyler Reddick

Despite Bad Luck, Tyler Reddick Does What he Needed to Do
Chase Briscoe

Recovers from Incident with Daniel Suarez to Finish Second
William Byron

Late Caution Foils William Byron's Shot at Gateway Victory
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Dominates Targets in Seattle, Records 124 Receiving Yards in Week 1
Puka Nacua

Leads Rams in Targets, Catches, and Receiving Yards in Week 1
Jayson Tatum

"Moving Around Way Better"
Ryan Blaney

Should Contend at Gateway
Denny Hamlin

Fastest in Qualifying, the Favorite to Win at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Looking for Redemption at Gateway
Joey Logano

Has Been Elite at Gateway
Austin Cindric

Should Be On Your Radar at Gateway
AJ Allmendinger

Could Be a Sleeper Again at Gateway
Tyler Reddick

Southern 500 Near-Miss Makes Tyler Reddick a Stronger Option for Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace a Likely Gateway Contender
Alex Bowman

a Long Shot to Advance in Playoffs
Austin Dillon

Richard Childress Racing Looks Slower at Gateway, Which Will Hurt Austin Dillon
Shane Van Gisbergen

Starts 18th in Gateway Debut
Jeremy Swayman

Ready to Get Back on Track
Connor McDavid

Aiming for More Goals
NJ

Luke Glendening Signs Tryout Deal With Devils
Dylan Harper

Hoping to be Ready for the Opener Versus Dallas
EDM

Derek Ryan Retires From Hockey
Connor Zary

Agrees to Three-Year Deal With Flames
Carey Price

Canadiens Trade Carey Price to Sharks
Caio Borralho

Set For A Title Eliminator Bout
Nassourdine Imavov

Looks To Earn A Title Shot
Mauricio Ruffy

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Set For UFC Paris Co-Main Event
Modestas Bukauskas

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Paul Craig

In Dire Need Of Victory
Mason Jones

Set for Main-Card Bout
Bolaji Oki

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Rhys McKee

Set To Open Up UFC Paris Main Card
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Close to Triple-Double Versus Serbia
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Fills Box Score Against Turkey
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Shakes Off Minor Injury
E.J. Liddell

Inks Two-Way Deal With Nets
NBA

Ben Simmons Reportedly Considering Retirement
P.J. Washington

Agrees to Four-Year, $90 Million Extension

RANKINGS

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