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Here are 25 fantasy basketball players with low ownership, but either high value or high upside, that you might find useful to stream:
Robert Covington (29.6% ESPN ownership), SF, PHI
He’s simply one of the most versatile and valuable fantasy players right now. Pick him up while you can.
Nemanja Bjelica (47%), PF/SF, SAC
Currently fourth in minutes on the Less-Sad-Than-Usual Sacto Kings, he’s also fourth in shot attempts on the Kings. Not that impressive, but Bjelica has the 6th best true shooting percentage of players who average at least 25 minutes per game and take at least 9 shots per game, and he has the 2nd best offensive rating of that group (Steph Curry is 1st). I don’t know what the future holds for the Kings rotation, but Bjelica is shooting lights out right now.
Danny Green (6.6%), SG/SF, TOR
Only three Raptors are averaging 30+ minutes per game, and Danny Green is one of them (along with Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry). Out of players who average, at least, 4 rebounds per game, 1 steal per game, and 1 block per game (only 15 players total do this, btw), Green is 2nd in three point attempts at 6 per game (Josh Richardson averages 7.9 3PA). Out of all players who attempt at least five 3s per game, Danny Green has the 5th best 3PT%. He’s one-tenth as owned as Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who has a negative player rater value so far this season (I like RHJ, he just clearly hasn’t given as much value as Green).
J.J. Redick (45.7%), SG, PHI
Redick is 6th in 3PA so far this season at 8.6 per game. (Only 7 players total average more than 8 3PA per game.) Redick’s 3PT% has been 40+ the past three years (he’s sub-40% right now, so he’ll most likely improve). Last year, only Steph Curry and Klay Thompson had better three-point percentages than Redick while attempting more threes. He remains a sharpshooter, and he’s averaging more field goal attempts than at any time in his career (14.5 FGA per game), and the third-most assists of his career at 3.3 per game. Only seven other players are averaging 3+ APG and attempting at least 8 threes per game: James Harden, Steph Curry, Kemba Walker, Paul George, Bradley Beal, Tim Hardaway, Jr., and JJ Redick. C’mon.
Joe Ingles (49.6%), SF, UTA
Seven players are currently averaging 13+ points per game, 4+ RPG, 4+ APG, 1+ steal per game, and 5+ 3PA: Steph Curry, James Harden, Victor Oladipo, Kyle Lowry, Chris Paul, LeBron James, and...Joe Ingles. Once his shots start falling as they usually do, his ratios will improve, his PPG will ascend, and he’ll probably be unavailable to pick up. Acquire him while you can, cuz this guy is a gamer.
Taurean Prince (17.6%, down 23.4%!!!!), SF, ATL
I really don’t get this, almost to the point of the Robert Covington Mystery of our Times. Prince is second in FGA on Atlanta, second in points (15.4 PPG), and third in minutes. The country only knows that Trae Young plays for the Hawks, but Prince has been here, so don’t call it a comeback. Only 22 players in the entire NBA met or exceeded this line last season: 14 PPG, 4 RPG, 2 APG, 5 3PA per game. Guess what Prince’s line is this year? 15 PPG, 5 RPG, 3 APG, and 7 3PA. Only six other players are besting that so far: Steph, Dame Lillard, Harden, PG13, and Khris Middleton. All of those players are over 90% owned. So...why are people dropping Prince rather than RUSHING TO ACQUIRE HIM??
Pascal Siakam (11.7%), PF, TOR
Sooo, this dude is just The Man. His ADP on ESPN was in the 130s, and he’s presently one of the top 60 players on ESPN basic. Not a bad return! He’s currently fourth in minutes on the Raptors (Serge Ibaka at the 5 is working out nicely), and, while this is a fantasy column, Siakam’s looking like the real deal in IRL NBA: he has the same plus-minus as Kawhi (11.3), and that’s tied for 8th best in the league right now, behind KD, Giannis, Kyle Lowry, Steph Curry, BroLo (he is REALLY opening things up for Giannis, my goodness that was a good signing by Milwaukee), Khris Middleton, Kawhi and Pascal.
Pascal is 24, he’s 6’9”, and I feel like everyone in the NBA in five years will be 24 and 6’9”. Like, how long has Aaron Gordon been in his early 20s (and, also 6’9”)? It feels like forever. Fantasy-wise, Siakam is one of only 8 players in fantasy that has a line of 11 PPG, 7 RPG, 2 APG, 1 SPG, and is shooting 50 FG% or better. That sounds like a weird line, no? Perhaps it signifies nothing? Except, this is fantasy, and here are the other players who are meeting or exceeding Dr. Pascal’s line: LeBron, Kawhi, Giannis, Nikola Vucevic (who’s having a tremendous season so far, he’s currently a top 15 player on ESPN basic), Nikola Jokic (I believe you’ve heard of the Joker), Willie Cauley-Stein (who’s having a breakout year), Ben Goddamn Simmons (whose nickname is The Chosen One), and Doctor of Physical Sciences/Basketball Pascal Siakam. That’s a great goddamn list to be on, in my humble opinion.
Kent Bazemore (14.6%), SF, ATL
15 players equal or exceed Bazemore’s production of 14+ PPG, 4+ RPG, and 1.5+ SPG, and he’s 7th in that group in 3PA (4.8 per game, tied with Danilo Cincinnatus Gallinari). Here’s the thing, though: while that isn’t the most impressive thing you’ve ever heard, Bazemore is the only one on that list who does NOT average 30 minutes or more per game. He also has the least amount of shot attempts on that list (no kidding, it’s Harden, PG13, ‘Dipo, Lowry, CP3, and LeBron). Kent Bazemore (it’s a fun name to say, Kent Bazemore) is second in minutes on the Hawks, and third in FGA. If those averages go up even a little bit, KENT BAZEMORE will be rewarding his owners with found money. Oh, and he’s currently shooting under his career 3PT% average, so that should improve, too. He’s a good player on a bad team, which means volume (until, or unless, he gets traded). Regardless, he’s been better than Dario Saric, and that dude’s owned in over 60% of leagues. (Why is Dario Saric owned more than Bob Covington?)
Montrezl Harrell (19%), C/PF, LAC
He’s been dynamite with Lou Williams (they have the best shooting ratios of any two-man combo on the Clips thus far), and he will, eventually, get more minutes as LA’s strange logjam works itself out. He’s averaging more minutes than Gortat already, for instance. The Clips are a strange team, but Harrell costs you nothing to acquire, and he has big upside. Out of all the dudes who are averaging 12 points and 6 rebounds per game, Montrezl has the 5th best shooting percentage, AND he’s doing that with the second-FEWEST amount of minutes. If his MPG goes up, so will everything else. Stream while you can, cuz someone will buy eventually.
Ancient Taj Gibson (48%), PF, MIN
Thibodeau and minutes. Thibodeau and minutes. Thibodeau and minutes! THIBODEAU AND MINUTES!!!!
Malcolm Brogdon (28.2%), SG/PG, MIL
Brogdon, who was Rookie of the Year just two seasons ago, is currently giving you more value than Mike Conley, the 89% owned PG for Memphis. Brogdon gives you a bit of everything: 14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, a couple of 3PM. But, he’s definitely lower on the totem pole in Milwaukee than others, except, hang on, wait a second! He’s second in minutes? He’s shooting 50% from the field? Only 12 other players in the NBA are doing that right now? And, Brogdon’s doing that with the least amount of shot attempts, the 5th best 3PT%, and the, Holy God, 10th best plus-minus in the NBA right now??? Wow. He should probably be owned more.
Here are some more players who are under owned and can (will) give you value as streamers, or as fliers if you have the open roster spots. They’re all cheap (aside from BroLo, who is a Big who gets you 3PM but who infamously does NOT get you boards), and I’ve used five of them, so far, on my team. Just picked up Al-Farouq Aminu this morning, actually. Hey, did you know his name means, “The Chief Has Arrived?” That is wicked cool. I really hope the Portland PA says that at least once a game.
Top 100
- Josh Hart (12.8%)
- Brook Lopez (41.1%)
- Spencer Dinwiddie (11.8%)
- Jae Crowder (7.9%)
- E’Twaun Moore (2.7%)
- Darren Collison (38%)
- Malik Monk (2.3%)
Top 150 (with upside)
- Wesley Matthews (8.2%)
- Al-Farouq Aminu (2%)
- Kelly Oubre, Jr. (9.1%)
- Frank Ntilikina (6.3%)
- Bojan Bogdanovic (9.7%)
- Jaren Jackson, Jr. (24.7%)
- Cedi Osman (2.1%)