With three weeks in the books, hopefully your fantasy team has been able to carve out more wins than the Washington Wizards’ real team. Just in case you haven’t, there is still plenty of time left in the season to invest wisely and turn this ship around. Which is more than can be said of the Wizards. Let’s take a look at some blue chip investments and some junk ones to dump as quickly as possible.
Buy:
Chandler Parsons: Not only is Parsons starting for the Rockets, he’s playing about 40 minutes each game. Though his signature three-point shot has been pretty inconsistent, he is averaging 13 PPG and 6.5 RPG with a few assists to boot. Definitely a big “Buy” opportunity since he is still available in 50+% of fantasy leagues.
Harrison Barnes: Some rookies take some time to adjust to the NBA. Those rookies are not Harrison Barnes. The seventh-overall pick has started all of the Warriors’ eight games and has significantly improved in each one of them. He even played 40 minutes on Wednesday against the Hawks, putting up 19 points and 13 rebounds. He’s averaging 12 PPG and 6 RPG over his last four games and should only continue improving.
Ramon Sessions: Though he’s not starting and he’s not dishing out the assists he did for the Lakers and Cavs, Sessions’ has found a nice scoring role for the Bobcats. He has scored double-digits in all seven games so far and is averaging 17 PPG and 5 APG since the first game of the season. Shockingly he’s still available in half of fantasy leagues.
Jose Calderon: He’s getting to start while Kyle Lowry recovers from his ankle injury and is definitely making the most of it. He is averaging over 40 minutes per game over four games as a starter with 14.5 PPG and 11 APG. Don’t expect those numbers when Lowry returns but he will remain a solid option of the bench with an increased role.
Carl Landry: Frankly, Landry’s inconsistent shooting makes me want to write him off but he has been cleaning up that glass off the Warriors’ bench and looks to be a decent fantasy producer. With 15.5 PPG and 8 RPG, Landry has managed to play over 25 minutes per game despite not starting.
Luke Ridnour: Already a starter, Ridnour’s role and time is increasing with the rash of T’Wolves injuries. He is averaging 36 minutes on the court over the last five games with 13.5 PPG and 5.5 APG with nine steals over that time. Expect Ridnour to continue playing some serious time in the Minnesota backcourt.
Alexey Shved: Did we mention the Wolves’ backcourt troubles? Joining the mix of Ridnour, a banged up Brandon Roy, and an unimpressive Malcolm Lee, Shved looks to be in line for anywhere between 25-30 minutes per game. over his last four games Shved is averaging 11 PPG, 5 APG, and a few rebounds here and there.
Sell:
Andrea Bargnani: Though he continues to score double-digits and occasionally pulls down some rebounds, his shooting percentages have been miserable. The former first-overall pick doesn’t seem like the guy that shot 21 PPG just two years ago and is now shooting just 35.7% from the floor. I wouldn’t expect more than the 16 PPG he has now, factoring in the 20+ point games and 6 point games.
Jason Terry: Many guys struggle with a change in scenery and it looks like Terry’s move to Boston is not doing him any favors. While he’s had a few double-digit games, he has no other value other than his scoring. Not good considering his drop from 15 PPG last year to 10.8 PPG so far. Although he is now starting, he is actually playing less minutes and managed just one field goal attempt over 22 minutes against the Jazz on Wednesday.
Mario Chalmers: His steals look good with 15 through nine games but the overall body of work leaves much to be desired. Aside from two 11 assist games, he is managing less than 5 APG thus far with a few rebounds and more turnovers than you’d like. With only one double-digit scoring effort so far, there is absolutely no reason to keep him on your team unless you are truly desperate for steals.
Michael Beasley: For a guy owned in most leagues solely for his shooting, he has an awful lot of seven-point games. The former second-overall pick is shooting a miserable 35% from the floor and has pulled down more than four rebounds in just three of his nine starts so far with no other production to speak of.
