5 days agoOrlando Magic point guard
Markelle Fultz was very close to his first double-double of the season on Monday, finishing a 110-101 loss to the Bucks with 13 points and nine assists. It's the second time this month that he's fallen just short of picking up a double-double. Fultz shot 4-for-14 in the game and picked up one steal on the defensive end. He's now had two bad shooting performances on the bounce, but things should go easier for him on Wednesday. Orlando are set for a matchup with the Lakers, who are a great defensive team but they have struggled against point guards this year. Frank Vogel's team has given up 23.8 points per 48 minutes to point guards, which is the 10th-highest mark in the league.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoOrlando Magic power forward
Aaron Gordon struggled to score on Monday against Milwaukee, but he put up a decent line that included his fourth double-double of the season. He went an ugly 1-for-6 from deep and shot 3-for-12 overall from the field on his way to 10 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block. Gordon has disappointed so far this season with his 42 percent shooting. He likely won't be able to improve in the next matchup either when the Magic host the Lakers on Wednesday. They have been the best defensive team against power forwards this season, limiting them to below 41 percent shooting.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoOrlando Magic guard/forward
Evan Fournier scored a team-high 26 points in Monday's loss to Milwaukee, shooting 4-for-8 from three-point range and 7-for-17 overall from the field. The Frenchman also had four rebounds, two assists, and one steal. Fournier has demonstrated some superb outside shooting this month, nailing 55 percent of his attempts from downtown. This has helped him average 25.6 points per night. He gets a pair of home games next against the Lakers and Rockets to continue the hot streak. Fournier has shot 50.7 percent from deep at home this year compared to 38.2 percent on the road.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoMilwaukee Bucks small forward
Khris Middleton posted his first 20-point game since Nov. 8 on Monday, shooting 8-for-18 from the floor and 4-for-10 from three-point range in an easy win over Orlando. He added nine rebounds, four assists, and one steal in 29 minutes of action. The Bucks have looked as dominant as ever, which has led to Middleton averaging only 27 minutes per night for the year. He's stayed around the same numbers as last year, so he's done well despite the drop in playing time. Middleton will be in a prime spot to post another good-looking fantasy line on Wednesday when the Bucks host New Orleans, who are a bad defensive team and who like to run a lot.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoMilwaukee Bucks forward
Giannis Antetokounmpo continued his great year with another dominant performance on Monday, finishing a 110-101 win over Orlando with 32 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists, one block, and one steal. He also had just two turnovers in 35 minutes, while shooting 12-for-22 from the field and 2-for-5 from downtown. The Greek Freak is averaging 31-13-5 for the season and making it look effortless. Expect him to post a monster line next time out on Wednesday when the Bucks face another up-tempo team in the Pelicans.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves shooting guard/small forward
Andrew Wiggins once again had his status in doubt for Monday’s game versus the Phoenix Suns, but he not only suited up, he saw his largest minutes total since Nov. 10. Wiggins utilized that time on the floor to collect 23 points on 8-for-18 shooting, packing the stat sheet with four rebounds, four assists and two blocks for good measure. While his scoring has proliferated as it did in early November, Wiggins has still averaged 22.5 points per game over his last eight contests, a mark that puts him in rarefied fantasy air. He looks to keep that scoring pace up Wednesday versus a stout Jazz defensive unit.
--Jesse Borek - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves center
Karl-Anthony Towns reeled off his second straight dominant performance versus the Suns during Monday’s contest. Shooting 12-for-18 from the field overall, Towns notched 33 points to go along with 15 rebounds, two assists and two blocks across 35 minutes. The Suns had little answer for Towns’ array of offensive moves, as the big man also added a pair of made triples to keep him near the top of the league in makes from long range. He goes from a porous Phoenix frontcourt to a collision with two-time reigning Defensive Player of the Year
Rudy Gobert on Wednesday, although Towns has collected a double-double in both prior matchups versus the Jazz this season.
--Jesse Borek - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoPhoenix Suns power forward
Dario Saric has established himself as a nightly double-double threat in 2019-20, with Monday’s victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves no different. He accrued 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting, marking just the second time all year that he has reached the 20-point plateau. Saric finished one rebound shy of a double-double, although he now boasts nine games this season with at least nine boards compiled. His role with Phoenix seems set in stone moving forward, giving him solid season-long appeal in most formats.
--Jesse Borek - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoPhoenix Suns point guard
Ricky Rubio is dishing out assists at a career-best rate as of late, adding 14 more during Monday’s victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Rubio added 16 points on 6-for-16 shooting, giving him three consecutive double-doubles. While shooting percentage (38.4 percent) has never been Rubio’s forte, having averaged 12.2 assists over his last six contests will squelch any shooting concerns. There is yet another fortuitous matchup on the horizon for Rubio on Wednesday when he takes on the Grizzlies and rookie
JA Morant, which should feature a pace conducive to Rubio’s rapid assisting ways.
--Jesse Borek - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoPhoenix Suns shooting guard
Devin Booker paced his squad with 26 points during Monday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Shooting 11-for-20 from the field overall, Booker continues his excellent campaign as it pertains to field-goal percentage, now sitting at 51.4 percent through his first 23 games, which is on pace for a new career best. In addition to the scoring, Booker dished out seven assists and grabbed four rebounds, continuing his excellent play versus Minnesota. He has another favorable matchup Wednesday against the Grizzlies, who are allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to opposing two guards this year.
--Jesse Borek - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoIndiana Pacers point/shooting guard
Malcolm Brogdon was far from a sure thing to suit up Monday as he dealt with right hand soreness, but after being cleared to take the floor, he notched a team-best 20 points across his 30 minutes. While the scoring was right in line with Brogdon’s usual output, he failed to corral a rebound for the first time all season and tied his season low in assists with two. He remains the unquestioned catalyst on offense for Indiana, although he draws a difficult matchup Wednesday versus the Celtics, who are holding opposing point guards to the fewest fantasy points on a nightly basis.
--Jesse Borek - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoIndiana Pacers power forward/center
Domantas Sabonis has established himself as one of the premier rebounders in the league this season, a point that he further reinforced with a career-best 22-rebound effort in Monday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. As has become old hat for Sabonis, he also finished in double figures in the points column with 18, giving him nine straight double-doubles. His performance on the glass Monday vaults him up to third in the league on a nightly basis with 13.5 rebounds per contest, as he also pitched in four assists. His double-double streak will be tested Wednesday when he faces a Boston squad who kept him without one in four matchups last season.
--Jesse Borek - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoLos Angeles Clippers power forward/center
Montrezl Harrell recorded his second game of the season in which he attempted more than 20 shots, aiding his team to victory with a 26-point effort in Monday’s win over the Indiana Pacers. Harrell shot 12-for-22 from the field, in addition to snatching eight rebounds across his 30 minutes. The star bench ace for Los Angeles has now surpassed the 20-point plateau in four of his last five contests, averaging 19.1 points on a nightly basis, firmly entrenching himself in the Sixth Man of the Year conversation. He next faces Toronto on Wednesday, whom he recorded a double-double against in their prior meeting this season.
--Jesse Borek - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoLos Angeles Clippers point/shooting guard
Patrick Beverley was up to his usual stat sheet stuffing ways during Monday’s win over the Indiana Pacers, collecting 11 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals in his 39 minutes. The rebound total ties for his second highest this season, as he continues to establish his fantasy value through his multi-category contributions. After having opened the season with just seven made threes in his first 11 games combined, Beverley has now knocked down a triple in 12 straight outings. He’ll look to extend that streak Wednesday versus Toronto, whom his other 12-rebound game of the season came against back on Nov. 11.
--Jesse Borek - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoHouston Rockets guard
Russell Westbrook tallied 34 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two triples, and two steals in a 119-118 loss to the Sacramento Kings. Westbrook started strong and finished strong for Houston in this one, racing to the basket and making a layup with one second left in the game. The former MVP has had to sacrifice in nearly every stat category as a result of playing with
James Harden, though he remains a nightly triple-double threat. Westbrook could put up big numbers against a 5-18 Cleveland Cavaliers team on Wednesday night.
--Tim Capurso - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoLos Angeles Clippers small/power forward
Paul George was greeted back to Indiana with a chorus of boos, which seemed to only motivate the former Pacer as he dropped a game-high 36 points in his team’s win Monday. Without
Kawhi Leonard available, George was uber-aggressive offensively, firing up 26 shots overall, including going 7-for-16 from long range, setting a new season high in makes from deep. In addition to the gaudy scoring numbers, he also added nine rebounds, five assists and two steals, furthering his elite fantasy value when Leonard does not take the floor alongside him. George may be ticketed for a decreased workload with three games in four days beginning Wednesday, but he still represents an upper-echelon fantasy asset.
--Jesse Borek - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoHouston Rockets guard
James Harden scored 27 points with 10 assists, four rebounds, three triples, two steals, and a block in a 119-118 loss to the Sacramento Kings. It wasn't the best night by Harden's standards, though he made up for it by making all eight free throws and dishing out double-digit assists for the fifth time this year. The former MVP has somehow topped last year's scoring average with an absurd 38.5 points per game, thanks to increases in three-point attempts and made free throws. Harden will look to bust out of his December shooting slump against a bad Cleveland Cavaliers team on Wednesday.
--Tim Capurso - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoUtah Jazz center
Rudy Gobert dominated the boards once again on Monday night in a 104-90 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Gobert had 19 points, 17 rebounds, and one assist in 33 minutes. Monday night marked the 17th consecutive game that Gobert has gobbled up double-digit rebounds and looks to be well on his way to setting a new career-high in that statistic by averaging 13.4 per game on the season. He currently sits as the eighth-best center in ESPN due to his lack of scoring, but he is so good in the rebounding category that it almost doesn't matter. Gobert will look to continue to his rebounding streak against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors during Week 8 of the fantasy basketball season.
--Euan Leith - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoUtah Jazz guard
Donovan Mitchell did not have the most efficient night of his career on Monday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Mitchell had 26 points, six rebounds, and three assists, but need 25 shots to get those 26 points. His problem on Monday was the three-ball, as he only hit one of his eight three-point attempts. He is now 9-for-31 in December on three-point shots and has been in a bit of funk recently, despite shooting a career-high 37.6 percent from deep this year. Mitchell will look to get back on track against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night before taking on the Warriors on Friday to close out Week 8 of the fantasy basketball season.
--Euan Leith - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoOklahoma City Thunder center
Steven Adams recorded his third double-double of December, and sixth of the season, against the Utah Jazz on Monday night. In his 28 minutes of action, Adams tallied 11 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, and four blocks. It was his fourth double-double in his last six games and the he seems to be getting stronger as the season goes on. His points, rebounds, blocks, and field goal percentage have all risen from November to December and he is now averaging 10.8 points and 9.1 rebounds on the season. Adams and the Thunder hope to continue their three-game win streak against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.
--Euan Leith - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoHouston Rockets center
Clint Capela recorded scored 13 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in a 119-118 loss to the Sacramento Kings. It's Capela's 14th double-double of the season, which puts him in a tie with
Joel Embiid for ninth in the NBA. He also ranks in the top 10 in rebounds with 14.7 and blocks with 1.9. Capela is a beast down low and should continue to be a nightly double-double threat as well as a stout defensive presence. He could be in for a big defensive night in his next game on Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have allowed the second-most blocks per game in the NBA.
--Tim Capurso - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoOklahoma City Thunder guard
Dennis Schroder scored 27 points off the bench in Monday's 104-90 win over the Utah Jazz. Schroder's final line of 27 points, three rebounds, and two assists leaves a lot to be desired for fantasy managers in anything other than the points category, but at least it's a lot of points. Schroder scored 27 of the Thunder's 45 bench points and continues to thrive in his sixth-man role he seems to have found. In December. he is averaging 21.6 points per game and has now scored at least 20 points in three-straight games. Schroder takes his talents to Sacramento on Wednesday night as he looks to continue his solid December.
--Euan Leith - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoOklahoma City Thunder guard
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored at least 20 points for the third consecutive game on Monday night against the Utah Jazz. SGA added six rebounds, three assists, and two steals to his box score on Monday, but is still having his least productive month of the season so far. His assists per game have gone from 3.2 in October to 3.1 in November and have dropped down to 2.5 in December. Luckily for fantasy owners, he is contributing in other ways to keep his fantasy stock afloat. The Thunder and SGA continue their Week 7 schedule with games against the Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets.
--Euan Leith - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoHouston Rockets forward PJ Tucker scored 10 points and pulled down 19 rebounds with two triples and an assist in a 119-118 loss to the Sacramento Kings. It was a career night for Tucker on the boards, who did a yeoman's work in his 35 minutes of floor time. Unfortunately, the 34-year-old was caught sleeping on the last play of the game and couldn't recover to contest
Nemanja Bjelica's 35-foot, game-winning three. Still, Tucker has reaped the rewards of playing with
Russell Westbrook and
James Harden, posting career highs in minutes, points, rebounds, assists, field goal percentage, and three-point percentage. He may find a few more scoring chances on Wednesday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have allowed the 11th-most points per game in the NBA.
--Tim Capurso - RotoBallerSource: Cayleigh Griffin
5 days agoThe Philadelphia
Eagles Defense didn't do much in a Week 14 overtime win over the New York Giants. They allowed 17 points, all in the first half, and recorded two sacks, both by Vinny Curry. They were unable to record any interceptions or force any fumbles. It was a pedestrian performance against a stone statue resembling
Eli Manning. Another good matchup awaits the Eagles defense with Washington up next on the schedule, but they're getting more and more difficult to trust in fantasy lineups.
--David A Marcillo - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
5 days agoPhiladelphia Eagles kicker
Jake Elliott made just one of his two field goals in Week 14, but he made both of his extra point attempts. Elliott was perfect through the first few games of the season, but he's been in a bit of a slump lately despite recently signing a contract extension. Still, with a good matchup coming up in Week 15 against Washington, Elliott should be a solid fantasy kicking option then.
--David A Marcillo - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
5 days agoPhiladelphia Eagles rookie wide receiver
J.J. Arcega-Whiteside made two catches in Week 14, gaining 29 yards. He was targeted three times but was a near every-down player, especially after
Alshon Jeffery was forced to leave the game with a foot injury. Arcega-Whiteside showed some huge upside in the preseason but hasn't really been able to do anything in regular season play. Even if Jeffery is forced to miss Week 15, Arcega-Whiteside will be nothing more than a dart-throw in most fantasy formats.
--David A Marcillo - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
5 days agoPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver
Greg Ward came up with four catches on nine targets in Week 14, gaining 34 yards. Ward had the chance to come up with a few big plays, but was unable to do much with his opportunities. Ward was thrust into a bigger role after
Alshon Jeffery was forced to leave the game due to an injury in the second quarter, but Ward quickly showed why he was so far down on the depth chart. Regardless of Jeffery's recovery, Ward won't be a great fantasy option despite a good matchup against Washington in Week 15.
--David A Marcillo - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
5 days agoPhiladelphia Eagles tight end Josh Perkins made five catches in Week 14, totaling 37 yards. He was targeted five times and caught all five balls thrown his way. Perkins entered the game without a catch since the fourth game of the preseason, but with the Eagles struggling mightily to field a group of healthy wide receivers, Perkins was thrust into a significant role. Even with a favorable matchup against Washington next week, Perkins won't be a recommended fantasy option.
--David A Marcillo - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
5 days agoPhiladelphia Eagles tight end
Dallas Goedert made three catches on six targets in Week 14. He gained 41 yards on his three grabs, including one crucial catch near the end of the game that helped lead the Eagles to an overtime win. With
Alshon Jeffery forced to leave in the second quarter due to a foot injury, Goedert and fellow tight end
Zach Ertz ended up becoming the receiving corps for quarterback
Carson Wentz. With another good matchup in Week 15 against Washington, Goedert will be a low-end TE1 again.
--David A Marcillo - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
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