Fantasy Basketball Stock Watch
Guest Blog by Brian Wagoner and Rob Shaw from FantasyFanatics.com
Just because a team has no hope at post-season, that does not mean that they are not worth watching, especially for fantasy players. You can often find a diamond in the rough, as some players finally get an opportunity to see some court time with teams looking toward the future. Not only can these previously ignored players pay dividends for the last month of the season, but it could preview a possible break-out next season. Let us go around the league and find some of those players that are getting their chance to shine:
On The Rise
Rodney Carney – Guard/Forward – Sixers – The Sixers are actually winning a few games, but do not be fooled, they are in rebuild mode and want to evaluate the young players on their roster. One of those players is the super athletic Carney. Although, he was selected just outside the lottery at pick 16, he has not managed to average over 23 minutes a game in any month in his two-year career. He is having his best month of his career so far in March, especially lately, averaging 14 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.3 three pointers over his last three games. Carney still has plenty of questions to his fantasy value, but he definitely bears watching.
Daequan Cook – Guard – Heat – Not only are the Heat having an atrocious season, but their star Dwyane Wade is shut down for the season. That should give 21 year old Cook a shot to show what he can do. In five starts this season, he is averaging 13.6 points, 4 rebounds, and 2.6 three pointers a game. Outside of Ricky Davis and Shawn Marion, there is not a lot of competition for shots in Miami.
Randy Foye – Guard – Timberwolves – Foye returned at the end of January with sporadic success. However, he has really come into form in March. His numbers in his first eight games this month: 14.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.3 three pointers. This is no fluke as Foye is a huge basketball talent and has a bright future the starting point guard in Minnesota.
Beno Udrih – Point Guard – Kings – With Mike Bibby in Atlanta, the Kings will find out exactly what they have in Udrih. So far, the results have been very positive. He is averaging 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists a game as a starter this season. There may be still some sentiment out there that his success is not quite for real. However, unless the Kings draft a point guard in the first round, Udrih appears to be a solid value pick in next year’s fantasy draft.
Charlie Villanueva – Forward – Bucks – Villanueva has been the definition of inconsistency this season so far, although, lately he has been playing absolutely great. In his first eight March games, he is averaging 17.4 points, 8 rebounds, and a three pointer a game. He faces another playing time challenge next year, with Yi Jianlian expected to be improved. Villanueva has all the tools that you look for in a basketball player, but may need a move to another team to blossom into the player that it appears that he can be.
On The Way Down
Shawn Marion – Forward - Heat – This guy went from fantasy stud to exposed role player when the Suns sent him to Miami. The poor guy thought it was a great thing, but it sure looks like the start to an ugly fall. As if Marion’s decrease in points, blocks, steals, and shooting weren’t bad enough, now it appears the former Sun has back pain, which will likely have him in and out of the depleted Miami Heat lineup from this point on.
Mike Conley – Point Guard- Grizzlies- Sure, the Grizz are bad, but I thought Mike Conley was supposed to be a solution, not the problem? Lately, Conley has earned nothing more than his backup Kyle Lowery. It seems like the Grizz might be questioning who is their future point guard. It’s hard to blame them, Conley has scored in double figures in just two of the past 10 games. He has only racked up 5 assists in one of those ten games. Conley looked sharp in the middle of the season when the team rid themselves of veteran Damon Stoudamire. At this point, it’s anyone guess who will get more minutes on a daily basis.
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