Roundtable: Which players should fantasy managers target for the playoffs?
Eric Karabell explains why Shaedon Sharpe is a budding superstar for fantasy managers who invested in him. (0:41)
With the fantasy basketball playoffs still continuing, who are there are still plenty of players managers can add to rosters to help them win a championship? Consider players like Damian Lillard and other have also become droppable in recent days? Who are players who could help fantasy managers in production?
Here are Eric Moody, Eric Karabell, Jim McCormick and Steve Alexander with more on that.
Karabell: Blazers SG Shaedon Sharpe hasn’t done much in his rookie season but hey, he’s still only 19 years old. Now that the team is sitting all its stars, Sharpe is getting big minutes, and he is producing. Fantasy managers should invest. Sharpe is certainly getting enough shots and usage to score more than 30 fantasy points per game with the crew around him, and there is upside in points, steals and 3-pointers. In addition, Portland’s schedule features several defenses Sharpe can exploit, and several likely high-scoring affairs.
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Alexander: Karabell took my guy, as I was also going all in on Sharpe. However, there is only one team in the league that plays three times between Thursday and Sunday and that’s the Denver Nuggets (Thur., Fri., Sun.). Bruce Brown, who’s rostered in fewer than 20 percent of ESPN leagues, went off for 18 points, four boards, five assists, a steal and two 3-pointers on Monday night and has scored in double figures in five of his past seven games. And with the first-place Nuggets sitting on a 3.5 game lead over the Grizzlies, I could see some stars sitting against the Pelicans or Suns on Thursday or Friday. If it happens, guys like Zeke Nnaji, Christian Braun, Deandre Jordan or Ish Smith could go off in one of those games. But, if nothing else, grabbing Brown for an extra game this weekend makes sense. The Heat only have one game left this week, so dropping one of your Miami players for Brown can gain you two games, which could be critical if you’re in a championship battle.
Moody: One player who comes to mind is Detroit Pistons power forward Marvin Bagley III. He’s only rostered in 16.1% of ESPN leagues and has averaged 18.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.8 blocks per game the past four games. The Pistons have three fantasy-friendly matchups left this week against Rockets, Thunder, and Magic. Bagley III is a solid option for fantasy managers, especially those in deeper formats.
McCormick: Lillard’s absence proves pivotal in that Shaedon Sharpe, Matisse Thybulle, and Nassir Little have all secured valuable high-minute roles in the rotation. Another lottery-bound team claims an emergent fantasy force in Deni Avdija of the Washington Wizards, as he’s excelled as a playmaker for a team with some prominent injuries. Lastly, the Utah Jazz offer value in the likes of Kelly Olynyk, who is somehow mimicking his robust production last season with Houston. The lottery-bound theme continues with Marvin Bagley III thriving for a Detroit team intent on featuring him down the stretch.