October 15, 2017

Jake Finnen calls out the nine wing players he's targeting as breakouts in fantasy basketball leagues

In the next installment to my fantasy guide, we look towards wings -- Shooting Guards, Small Forwards, and the various combinations thereof. Some of these players' position eligibility varies depending on the site, so it’s best I keep it simple and use names with explanations.

The following players, in a sense, “have my blessing,” (whatever that matters) as reliable year-long options for DFS and standard leagues. The list consists of sleeper options and breakout candidates that might get overlooked by owners.

Please resort to my first article if you are looking for a comical intro. It’s all business here on out.

Wings - Targets for Your Teams

Jeremy Lamb, Charlotte Hornets

With Nic Batum out, look for Jeremy Lamb to eat up those minutes Even better is the fact he’s a high-flying rebounder with touch. If he heats up, he’s capable off piling it on in the high-20s, usually accompanied by a dozen or so rebounds. Keep an eye on him for a late-round pick, but don’t pick him ahead of players like Will Barton, Evan Turner, and Evan Fournier.

Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks

This is obvious but expect a productive year, especially if Jabari Parker is out until February. With the Bucks offense, Giannis Antetokounmpo is running the offense but still struggles with range. When teams start to game plan, they will likely slack on Middleton before they slack on Antetokounmpo. Expect points and an increase in rebounds, especially in the Eastern Conference.

Victor Oladipo, Indiana Pacers

This one should come as a bit of a surprise, but Victor Oladipo is in a good situation. He can score and his role next to Russell Westbrook was iffy towards his previous fantasy outllok. Most importantly, he has the chance to be the primary scoring option in the Indiana backcourt. His stat line favors points but his ability to get the rim opens easy passes. High usage for players like Oladipo produce stats. It’s just science.

Jonathon Simmons, Orlando Magic

Another hustle player that produces is Jonathon Simmons. In the playoff series with the Warriors, he showed out and put his range on display. He might be in a crowded backcourt, but it is only a certain amount of time before he emerges.

Alex Abrines, Oklahoma City Thunder

At first thought, you’d think Alex Abrines would be buried behind newly acquired superstars Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, but on the contrare mon frere. Hear me out, Abrines is specifically for situations where you need points. The ball will move in OKC and expect Abrines to be open and on the receiving end of that extra pass.

Tony Snell, Milwaukee Bucks

It might not be a super-productive year for Snell compared to other top-tier wings, but expect Snell to find consistency for the first time in his career. His defense has always been top notch and last year he started to develop a knack for scoring and scoping out an impressive number of rebounds. Look for Snell to..uhh…break out of his shell. Gotcha.

Harrison Barnes, Dallas Mavericks

Harrison Barnes hasn’t necessarily gone under the radar, but he might not slip off the tong when thinking of most productive SFs. Well start putting him in that conversation because the Mavericks are going to look him over and over and over again. With Dirk Nowitzi’s career slooowwllly coming to a halt, expect these next two years to revolve around Barnes, Seth Curry, and Dennis Smith Jr.

Justin Holiday, Chicago Bulls

The Bulls are going to struggle. It’s not going to be pretty. But that doesn’t mean you can’t capitalize of the few players that might thrive in Chicago. Justin Holiday was greatly overshadowed by Carmelo and now he can carve out a role in the Bulls offense with his incredible length, defensive presence, and ability to hear up from deep. He might not be posting nightly double-double, but I expect at least 15 this season.

Caris LeVert, Brooklyn Nets

The youngest player on the list, Caris LeVert is hidden behind the Nets new acquisitions, DeMarre Carroll and Allen Crabbe, but his “point forward” ability and length puts him above the both. He is going to get minutes and if he can continue to improve his outside game, this could be an early breakout for one of the league’s most underrated young players.

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