This article is part of our In-Season Strategy series.
With the Clippers, Kings, and Jazz on two-game weeks, make sure to be on the lookout for options to add off the waiver wire who are on four-game weeks. Players like Dennis Schroder and Jae Crowder should be available in plenty of leagues, and they make for viable starts for Week 3.
Let's see what decisions we have to make:
Teams with four games: ATL, CHA, GS, IND, MEM, MIL, MIN, OKC, PHI, POR
Teams with three games: BKN, BOS, CHI, CLE, DAL, DEN, DET, HOU, LAL, MIA, NO, NY, PHO, SA, TOR, WAS
Teams with two games: LAC, SAC, UTA
Point Guard
Consider Starting: Dennis Schroder, OKC
Opponents: ORL, SA, GS, MIL
The Thunder's offense slogged through the first two games of the season, scoring 95 points in the opener and 85 points two days later. But things have picked up since, and so has Schroder's play. Over the past three games entering Friday, he's averaging 20.3 points on 14.0 shots, 5.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals. OKC's offensive options are relatively limited, so Schroder will likely continue to play a significant role as the first guard off the bench. On a four-game week, he could rack up some nice totals.
Consider Sitting: Mike Conley, UTA
Opponents: PHI, MIL
Conley is starting to put things together after a horrendous start to the season — his first with a new team. However, he's still holding a relatively low-usage role in the Jazz offense. Over the past four
With the Clippers, Kings, and Jazz on two-game weeks, make sure to be on the lookout for options to add off the waiver wire who are on four-game weeks. Players like Dennis Schroder and Jae Crowder should be available in plenty of leagues, and they make for viable starts for Week 3.
Let's see what decisions we have to make:
Teams with four games: ATL, CHA, GS, IND, MEM, MIL, MIN, OKC, PHI, POR
Teams with three games: BKN, BOS, CHI, CLE, DAL, DEN, DET, HOU, LAL, MIA, NO, NY, PHO, SA, TOR, WAS
Teams with two games: LAC, SAC, UTA
Point Guard
Consider Starting: Dennis Schroder, OKC
Opponents: ORL, SA, GS, MIL
The Thunder's offense slogged through the first two games of the season, scoring 95 points in the opener and 85 points two days later. But things have picked up since, and so has Schroder's play. Over the past three games entering Friday, he's averaging 20.3 points on 14.0 shots, 5.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals. OKC's offensive options are relatively limited, so Schroder will likely continue to play a significant role as the first guard off the bench. On a four-game week, he could rack up some nice totals.
Consider Sitting: Mike Conley, UTA
Opponents: PHI, MIL
Conley is starting to put things together after a horrendous start to the season — his first with a new team. However, he's still holding a relatively low-usage role in the Jazz offense. Over the past four games, he's taking just 11.5 shots per game and averaging 4.3 assists, ranking as the 109th-best Fantasy player. Conley is definitely a hold, but he's not a start on a two-game week against tough Philadelphia and Milwaukee squads.
Shooting Guard
Consider Starting: Bryn Forbes, SA
Opponents: ATL, OKC, BOS
Forbes went undrafted in the vast majority of Fantasy leagues, as it seemed like his role might be reduced in the crowded backcourt of Dejounte Murray, Derrick White and DeMar DeRozan, not to mention the possibility of Lonnie Walker taking a step forward. However, Forbes has carved out a nice role, seeing 29.8 minutes per game. He's been incredibly active as a three-point shooter, attempting 6.3 shots from deep per contest, and he's averaging 14.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist overall. Forbes makes for a nice pick-up-and-start candidate for Fantasy owners who need some threes and points.
Consider Sitting: JJ Redick, NO
Opponents: BKN, TOR, CHA
Redick has been outside of the top-180 this season, as the veteran is seeing his role reduced on a Pelicans team with a loaded backcourt and wing. He's seeing only 23.8 minutes per game, averaging 9.0 points, 2.2 threes, 1.8 assists and 1.4 rebounds. The threes are solid given his limited minutes, but he's providing virtually no value elsewhere, and he saw a season-low 17 minutes Thursday against the Nuggets. Redick might still make for a streaming option on four-game weeks, but he shouldn't be started in most cases.
Small Forward
Consider Starting: Jae Crowder, MEM
Opponents: HOU, MIN, ORL, DAL
Undrafted in almost every league, Crowder has carved out a surprisingly active role with the rebuilding Grizzlies. He's averaging 31.5 minutes and posting 10.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.0 threes. Crowder is also shooting just 34.2 percent from the field and 26.7 percent from distance, suggesting his Fantasy value will increase once he positively regresses to the mean. Despite the awful efficiency, Crowder has still managed a rank of 138 through his first four games, and with another four on deck this week, he makes for a nice waiver add and start.
Consider Sitting: Joe Ingles, UTA
Opponents: PHI, MIL
Ingles has seen his role reduced to start the season, which we heard might be the case. But the drop-off has been significant. He's taking two fewer threes and four fewer shots per game compared to last season, and it's hard to see how those might jump back up. While his 37.9 percent shooting will increase, it probably won't be enough to offset the reduction in usage. He's not quite a drop yet, but Ingles shouldn't be started on this two-game week.
Power Forward
Consider Starting: Brandon Clarke, MEM
Opponents: HOU, MIN, ORL, DAL
Clarke has been a pleasant surprise so far this season. He was drafted with a last pick in many Fantasy leagues, and he's been a top-110 player. His 23.2 minutes per game are a little low for comfort, but he's blocking 1.5 shots and swiping 0.8 steals to go along with his 10.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist. With Jaren Jackson constantly in foul trouble and Jonas Valanciunas still working back to 100% from a foot injury, Clarke is a viable start on a four-game week.
Consider Sitting: Harrison Barnes, SAC
Opponents: TOR, ATL
Despite the absence of Marvin Bagley, Barnes hasn't been able to crack the top-140 so far this season, despite shooting 50 percent from the field. He's playing a solid 31.7 minutes, but is taking only 11.2 shots. The 5.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals aren't enough to make up for the lack of scoring. If you're in a shallower 12-team or 10-team league, it might be best to drop Barnes in favor of a streaming spot. There's especially no reason to start him with only a pair of games on the docket.
Center
Consider Starting: Aron Baynes, PHO
Opponents: PHI, MIA, BKN
Baynes has played well in Deandre Ayton's (suspension) absence. Despite seeing only 25.4 minutes per game over the past week, he's been the 48th-ranked player with averages of 16.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.8 threes and 1.3 blocks. While his 56.1 field-goal percentage will likely decline, it's encouraging that Baynes is launching 10.3 shots per game. Considering how thin the center position can be in Fantasy, Baynes is certainly worth an add until Ayton gets back, and he's in a good position to start this week with three games lined up.
Consider Sitting: Montrezl Harrell, LAC
Opponents: MIL, POR
This is probably the most difficult potential sit of the week, and may really only be viable in 10-team formats. Harrell has looked great, ranking as the 75th-best Fantasy player this season, largely due to an impressive 19.3 points per game. However, I think that will probably decline — I don't expect him to continue shooting 74.2 percent from the field. The main case for sitting Harrell is that he's playing just two games this week, and you might be able to find someone who can put up better totals. Again, this probably isn't a move for 14-team formats.
