It was a slow Saturday with only four games, but that doesn’t mean nothing is going on.
Kelly Oubre was hit by a car and is expected to miss a significant amount of time. Will fantasy managers be able to take any action in the wake of his injury? Are there any other notable players worth adding for the final day of the week? Let’s get started!
Nicolas Batum 2%, Robert Covington 5%
Over the past two games, RoCo has averaged 4.0 points, 1.5 boards, 1.0 triples and 3.0 steals in 14.5 minutes. Although his playing time is limited, he is doing his best and racking up defensive stats. Batum is averaging 4.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.5 blocks, and 1.0 triples in 26.0 minutes, and while his playing time has increased significantly, that upside is no longer there. Both are worth a look as Covington is a risk-reward option and Batum has a lower ceiling and can play higher on the floor. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait too long to find out what the rotation will look like without Oubre, as Philadelphia plays Indiana on Sunday.
Cam Payne 4%
He filled in for the injured Damian Lillard on Saturday and had 14 points, two dimes and two swipes in 26 minutes. Payne started two games for Milwaukee, averaging 10.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.5 triples in 28.0 minutes. These numbers aren’t necessarily thrilling, but they’re enough to pique our interest if Dame is forced to miss more games in the future. The Bucks play Chicago again on Monday, but Payne should remain in the first unit if Lillard is out.
Jalen Suggs 51%
Now, is Suggs really only 51% of the roster? Did he finish this season after all? The young guard had 20 points, two rebounds, two assists, one steal and two triples in 38 minutes against the Bucks on Saturday. He has been phenomenal over the last two games, averaging 20.5 points on 12-of-21 shooting, including an incredible 6-of-9 shooting. It is. For the season, he averaged 2.3 swipes per game, fourth-best in the association. His continued improvement as a scorer, 3-point shooter and rebounder puts him squarely in must-have player territory in the 12-team league. He’s available in half of all Yahoo leagues, so pick up the phone now and see if you can pick him up.
Sam Hauser 11%
Hauser is a 3-point specialist who had 12 points, four boards and four triples in 18 minutes in Saturday’s win over Toronto. He’s had four straight games with at least 11 points and three triples, and over the last four games he’s averaged 12.8 points and 3.5 3-pointers on an impressive 15-of-30 shooting. Hauser has been a great offensive starter off Boston’s bench, playing nearly 20 minutes a night, giving him more than enough playing time to be a viable option going forward.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. 9%
The rookie had 20 points (8-of-17 FG), three rebounds, four assists, one steal and two triples in 38 minutes in Saturday’s win over the Hawks. This was his best game of the season, giving him a career-high point total that matched his full stat line. Tyler Herro is expected to be out for at least the next two weeks, and Jimmy Butler’s absence contributed to Jaquez Jr.’s strong performance, but Miami’s rotation is very thin and he still has many opportunities going forward. There should be. His JJJ from the East continues to rise in “Heat Culture” and is worth picking up in most formats.
Heywood Highsmith 17%
Double H had 11 points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks in the Heat’s game against Atlanta on Saturday. His 3-of-13 shooting from the field and 0-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc left a lot to be desired, but other than his poor shooting, he was great. . He has started four consecutive games, averaging 9.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.5 blocks, and 1.3 triples during that time. Highsmith averaged just under 25 minutes in his past three starts, but he logged 34 minutes in this game with Tyler Herro and Jimmy Butler out. Butler should be back soon, but with Herro facing several weeks out, Highsmith will likely remain in the starting five until he returns. As long as he’s a starter, he’s worth keeping an eye on in the 12-team league.
Bismack Biyombo 24%
Through three starts for the Grizzlies, Biyombo averaged an impressive 10.0 points, 12.7 boards, and 1.0 swt in 30.0 minutes per game. With Xavier Tillman in doubt for Sunday’s game against the Clippers, Biyombo should get at least one more start before his return. If Tillman is forced to sit out after Sunday, or if Biyombo remains the starter, he could be a great option going forward. He’s worth adding and retaining if you can afford it, but Memphis’ schedule for next week calls for the team to play on Tuesday and then not play until back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday. Please keep that in mind before adding.
Other additions: Caris LeVert 58%, Kyle Lowry 51%, Killian Hayes 50%, Jeremy Sochan 46%, Goga Bitadze 24%, Dario Saric 20%, Duncan Robinson 18%, Skyler Mays. 9%