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With starting point guard Fred VanVleet once again out due to illness, it felt safe to assume that Scottie Barnes would once again slide over into that role. But he’s struggled, and the opinion of some is that he’s still limited by the sprained right ankle suffered during an October 22 game against the Heat. Nick Nurse took a different approach for Tuesday’s game against the Pistons, moving Dalano Banton into the point guard role and Barnes to shooting guard (Gary Trent Jr. was also out due to injury). And it worked.
Banton, who is rostered in 2% of Yahoo leagues, had the best game of his NBA career in Toronto’s 115-111 victory. In just 25 minutes, he put up 27 points, four rebounds, four assists, three steals, two blocks, and three 3-pointers. While there may have been some fantasy managers that benefitted from adding Banton, it’s likely that his promotion and resulting stat line had a greater impact on DFS tournaments. Can fantasy managers still get value out of Banton, or has that time passed? The answer largely depends upon whether or not VanVleet is available for Wednesday’s game against the Heat. But Banton made a good case for more rotation minutes with his play Monday night.
Below are a few more low-rostered players of interest from Monday’s slate.
Derrick White (33%)
Malcolm Brogdon (hamstring) is making strides in his recovery, but his absence means that White is the first guard off the Boston bench. He played 33 minutes in Monday’s comeback win over the Thunder, providing a needed defensive spark while also posting a line of 16 points, one rebound, five assists, four steals, and two 3-pointers. White is worth picking up after Monday’s performance and Brogdon’s continued absence.
Marvin Bagley (24%)
Here we go again. To the surprise of many Bagley was in the starting lineup Monday night, with Saddiq Bey being demoted to the bench. Playing 29 minutes, Bagley accounted for 16 points, five rebounds, one steal, and one 3-pointer. A decent effort for Bagley in his second appearance of the season, but what may increase the value even more is the sprained foot suffered by Isaiah Stewart. If Beef Stew is shelved for an extended period, rostering Bagley would be justified.
Jalen Williams (18%)
After coming off the bench in Sunday’s win over the Knicks, Williams started and played 36 minutes in Boston. The rookie finished with 14 points, six rebounds, two assists, one block, and two 3-pointers. Williams isn’t a must-have fantasy player right now, but he’ll get there at some point this season. It would be a bad idea to get ahead of the rush, especially in your more competitive leagues.
Jeremy Sochan (11%)
Tre Jones sitting due to a stomach ailment resulted in Sochan being moved to the point in Monday’s game against the Lakers. The rookie forward did not dish out any assists, but he did accumulate 12 points, seven rebounds, and one steal in 25 minutes. Even if Jones is available for Tuesday’s game in Portland, the Spurs are in the midst of a five-game week. Now would be a good time to roll the dice on Sochan.
Caleb Martin (8%)
Martin shot 5-of-6 from three and finished with 15 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocked shots in 37 minutes. Being fifth in Miami’s offensive pecking order when the team is healthy has kept Martin’s value low, but he’ll be starting until the front office finally fills the void left by P.J. Tucker in the offseason.
MarJon Beauchamp (1%)
Beauchamp scored a career-high 20 points in Milwaukee’s loss to the Hawks while accounting for eight rebounds, one assist, one block, and three 3-pointers. Grayson Allen leaving with a sprained ankle meant more opportunities for Beauchamp, and the first-round pick took full advantage. Beauchamp’s value depends on the availability of Milwaukee’s marquee players, as he’ll be back on the bench once Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton are cleared to play.
