By Noah Rubin, Rotoworld.com
In head-to-head leagues, it all comes down to the weekend. You can have a comfortable lead in multiple categories or by a bunch of points, but if you don’t make the most of the weekend, you can walk out with a loss.
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Ten teams play once this weekend, including the Hawks, Hornets, Mavericks, Warriors, Rockets, Pacers, Bucks, Timberwolves, Thunder and 76ers. Avoid those teams if you’re looking to maximize your games played.
That’s often what it comes down to in standard points and category leagues, but that’s not always the case. Leagues with some sort of games cap or best ball formats like Yahoo High Score leagues aren’t just looking for volume, though having two chances at a big night is a good strategy in best ball leagues.
Absolute must-start: Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics
Pritchard has enjoyed a fantastic season in Boston with the team looking drastically different from last year. He’s averaging career highs in points and assists despite a slight drop in efficiency due to a bump in minutes and usage. He’s gone from an electric scorer off the bench to a high-level point guard for one of the best teams in the East.
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This weekend, he gets to take on the Kings and Bucks, with both teams posting bottom-five defensive ratings over their last 10 games. On top of that, Jaylen Brown is doubtful due to a right knee contusion and left hamstring tightness, meaning there will be plenty of extra shots for Pritchard as the focal point of the offense. He should be in for two big nights, but in three games without Brown this year, Pritchard has averaged 25.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 3.3 triples per game. Friday night should be a monster outing.
Guards
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta Hawks
NAW has become a regular on this list. He has scored at least 20 points in three straight games and, entering a matchup with Indiana on Saturday, that should continue. The Hawks and Pacers are sixth and seventh in pace over their last 10 games, meaning this should be a high-scoring affair. NAW has been a beast all season, which makes him worth starting despite only playing one game this weekend.
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Cam Spencer, Memphis Grizzlies
Ty Jerome (calf) is getting closer to making his season debut, but for now, Spencer will remain the starting point guard in Memphis. That isn’t to say Jerome will start over him when healthy, but Spencer will certainly lose out on some minutes. This weekend, they take on the Pelicans and Timberwolves, with New Orleans struggling on defense lately and Minnesota playing at a top-five pace over their last 10 games. Spencer has averaged 10.8 assists over his last six starts.
Dennis Schröder, Sacramento Kings
Russell Westbrook has been ruled out for a second straight game with a foot injury, which should lead to another start for Schröder. As a starter on Thursday, he finished with 27 points, four rebounds and five 3-pointers in 31 minutes. He’ll start against the Celtics on Friday and could remain in that role if Westbrook remains out against Washington on Sunday. Schröder hasn’t done much this year, but this weekend should be productive.
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Forwards
Ace Bailey, Utah Jazz
Bailey has been on fire recently and should be in for a productive weekend. The Jazz take on the Nets on Friday without Lauri Markkanen, who is getting a rest night. Toronto is a tougher matchup on Sunday, but Bailey has been playing well enough that one difficult matchup shouldn’t deter fantasy managers. The top-five draft pick should be a fantasy star to close out this season, with high-level production already seeping in over the past week.
Kyshawn George, Washington Wizards
George has been playing at a high level recently, and with matchups against two teams that have bottom-five defensive ratings over their last 10 games, he should keep that going. Over his last eight games, George is averaging 19.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.9 blocks and 2.4 triples per game. He’s entering fantasy superstar territory, and should shine against the Lakers and Kings.
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Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami Heat
Jaquez is another regular on this list, largely because he’s still only rostered in 39% of Yahoo leagues. With Tyler Herro still out with a rib injury, Jaquez should continue to shine. He just had 19 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals against the Bulls on Thursday, and he gets two more matchups against them on Saturday and Sunday. Jaquez has shot at least 60% from the floor in three straight games and should be able to stay hot against a subpar defense.
Centers
Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons
This may be an obvious one, but it’s to stress just how favorable this weekend is for Duren. The Pistons take on the Warriors and Nets. Golden State ranks 26th in rebounding percentage over the last 10 games, and Brooklyn is 23rd during that same stretch. Duren is currently sixth in the league in rebounds and is ninth in rebounding percentage among players who have played at least 25 games. He has been a beast all season and should own the paint twice this weekend.
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Sandro Mamukelashvili, Toronto Raptors
Mamu was pushed to the bench for Toronto’s last game, but he’ll continue to play big minutes whether he’s starting or not. This weekend, the Raptors take on the Magic and Jazz, with Orlando ranking 24th in defensive rating over their last 10 games and Utah ranking last during that same stretch. Mamu has had some big nights recently and should remain productive this weekend.
Jalen Smith, Chicago Bulls
Josh Giddey (hamstring) missed Thursday’s game and could certainly remain out on Saturday and Sunday. Smith started in his place on Thursday prior to an early exit with a calf injury. If Smith plays, he should continue to start and be productive in that role against a fast-paced Heat team. He had 11 points and five rebounds in 15 minutes prior to leaving the game.
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Note that Smith could miss time with the calf injury, so if he is out, Ayo Dosunmu should start in his place as he did for the second half of Thursday’s game. Dosunmu would be a must-start if Smith is out after scoring 23 points off the bench on Thursday.
Christian Koloko, Atlanta Hawks
Onyeka Okongwu (mouth) will remain out against Indiana on Saturday, which means another start for Koloko. The Pacers have struggled to defend the paint for most of the season, so Koloko should be more productive, especially with both teams playing at a fast pace recently. He doesn’t have much upside as a scorer, but he should be effective on the glass and as a shot-blocker.