Note: Yahoo roster rates (%) are accurate at press time and are subject to change.
Kris Dunn, Chicago Bulls (44%)
At this point in the season, those in competitive 12-team leagues have a difficult job in extracting sustainable value off of the waiver wire. It’s surprising to see Dunn still floating around with such availability, especially after he started the second half of Sunday’s matchup in place of Paul Zipser.
It’s a matter of when, not if, Dunn will become a permanent member of the first five, and things are trending in the right direction with almost 30 minutes nightly over his last few outings. During that stretch, Dunn has averaged 13.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and a whopping 3.0 steals on 18-of-35 (51.4%) shooting. It wouldn’t be a total shock to see Dunn flirt with two steals per game for the rest of the way, and that would put him in elite territory as a specialist with immense potential for so much more.
Kyle Anderson, San Antonio Spurs (21%)
Slo-Mo is coming on, and while most are continuing to steam about Kawhi Leonard’s absence—as well as his unknown timeline to return—Anderson has taken advantage and is emerging with real short-term value without The Claw available.
Since the start of November, Anderson is averaging a very roto-friendly 8.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.2 blocks and just 1.0 turnover on a ridiculous 61.1% from the floor. Surprised? Don’t be. The power of conditioning is real. We’ve become so accustomed to the idea of disappointment when discussing Anderson’s fantasy contributions that most are overlooking what’s right in front of them, and that can be challenging when trying to honestly evaluate the landscape.
The knock on the UCLA product is that he doesn’t shoot the 3-pointer, but Anderson’s versatility across the stat sheet is providing enough where that categorical absence isn’t a deterring factor. Anderson makes sense as an add in 12-team leagues for those clubs in need of defensive stats, but there will be some inconsistency on a night-to-night basis.
J.R. Smith, Cleveland Cavaliers (23%)
As a math teacher, there are certain things that I like to do during class to keep my students engaged. One of them is J.R.’s famous buzzer-beating celebration—done in celebration after the conclusion has been successfully well defended by the process—and it’s possible Smith could be doing more of those in the near future as the Cavs look to use Monday’s comeback win in order to help turn around their season.
Even with an eight-point effort vs. Cleveland, Smith has averaged 14.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 3.5 triples and just 0.8 turnovers over his last four contests. That’s a cheap source of production for both 3-pointers and steals, and it’s also worth noting that Smith has launched a ridiculous 31 3PA during those four games. Smith should be considered when he’s running hot in most standard formats, especially given the fact that he’s been able to be nearly immaculate in the turnover department.
Courtney Lee, New York Knicks (35%)
I thought Lee was as good as gone upon the Knicks signing Tim Hardaway, Jr., but the veteran wing has not only carved out a very nice role, he’s playing an important part in New York’s surprising start in what many believed would be a different type of season.
There is a lot going on inside Madison Square Garden’s walls, so it’s understandable that Lee’s contributions are dampened by the noise. Kristaps Porzingis shoving it into Phil Jackson’s face, proving to everyone that he was more than ready to carry the torch and dominate the competition in the process. Enes Kanter is a walking soundbite, the intrigue has grown around Frank Ntilikina, and Hardaway’s second act on Broadway is garnering a much bigger audience than his debut.
As for Lee, he’s been rolling along over his last three in favorable matchups vs. Orlando, Sacramento, and Cleveland—averaging 15.7 points, 2.0 steals and 2.7 3-pointers during that time—but the next four games will be a test vs. Utah, Toronto (twice) and the L.A. Clippers. For now, Lee should be rostered in deeper 12-team formats.
John Henson, Milwaukee Bucks (37%)
There should be a John Henson club that meets for a weekly airing of the grievances, and I would be happy to serve as a founding member. While the inconsistency in his game is a time-honored tradition, Henson is in an excellent position to take advantage of the new opportunity that has been presented to him.
Greg Monroe’s departure took a major cog out of the mix, and Thon Maker—despite the Bucks repeatedly attempting to force the issue—is just not there yet. Barring injury, it’s unlikely that Henson comes out of the starting five at any point in the near future, and the potential easy looks available around the rim with the Eric Bledsoe pick-and-roll is mouth-watering to consider.
Since the calendar flipped to November, Henson has averaged 8.3 points, 8.0 boards, and 1.0 block on an efficient 24-of-42 (57.1%) shooting.
