Derik

Queen

While Yves Missi (7/2/1/2/4 in 16 minutes) received the starting nod on Thursday, Queen and Karlo Matković (9/9/2 with three blocks and one three-pointer) wound up playing more. In Queen’s case, a near double-double was accompanied by five assists in a solid offensive performance for the rookie. However, lapses in attention remain an issue on the defensive end of the floor, which will limit Queen’s playing time until he addresses them.

Saturday’s game will be the fifth that Murphy has missed with a right shoulder contusion. With Dejounte Murray also out, for injury management reasons, it’s possible that Derik Queen returns to the starting lineup. However, fellow rookie Jeremiah Fears is another option for the Pelicans if they prefer to start a point guard.

Murray is making his season debut on Tuesday, and he’ll do so as a starter. He will be under a minutes restriction, so fantasy managers should not expect too much too soon from the guard. Even more surprising is who he replaces in the starting lineup. Jordan will get another start, with Derik Queen being moved to the bench. If you’re confused by this, you aren’t the only one, even with Queen’s defensive struggles.

Queen made good use of his 28 minutes against the Bucks, nearly flirting with a points-rebounds double-double while being disruptive on the defensive end. His five stocks led the Pelicans, and he was also the team’s most productive rebounder on the evening. The rookie center shot very well from the floor in what ended up being his highest-scoring game of February. Queen could build off this momentum Saturday against the Sixers.

Queen finished Wednesday’s defeat with a modest stat line, but he did play 31 minutes. Given where the Pelicans are in the standings going into the All-Star break, it would be unsurprising if the rookie played even more once the team returns to play. Rostered in 51 percent of Yahoo! leagues, Queen goes into the All-Star break having been a seventh-round player in eight-cat formats over the past two weeks.

After making no more than two three-pointers in any game this season, Queen got hot on Friday. The rookie made all four of his attempts, which is a season-high, as part of a solid overall line. Consistency has been an issue recently for Queen, but his role is such that fantasy managers should continue to stick with him. Rostered in 51 percent of Yahoo! leagues, managers in 12-team formats seeking silly season potential should strongly consider adding Queen if he’s on the waiver wire.

Queen’s production has come inconsistently, and most of January was rough for him. However, he has been able to provide some reminders that he can be a fantasy superstar when he gets the chance. He still has a lot of growing to do as a player, but his game translates well for category leagues. He typically shines when he gets to play at least 30 minutes, like he did in this game, though he has to earn those minutes. He hasn’t been force-fed minutes, though that could change as we get closer to the end of the season.

Queen had been quieter over the past few games for New Orleans, but he was able to have a strong performance in this one. He approached triple-double territory and had his first 20-point game since December. Queen has oozed upside as a rookie and will continue to pour in the counting stats, though it may come inconsistently. He’ll look to stay hot in Philadelphia on Saturday to wrap up this week.

After starting for most of his rookie season, Missi has primarily been an afterthought in his second year due to the arrival of Derik Queen. However, since the calendar flipped to 2026, the 6-foot-11 center has averaged 22.3 minutes per game. While Missi’s fantasy value hasn’t been great during this stretch, the increase in playing time gives him more chances to do what he did on Sunday: record a double-double with a few “stocks.” Due to foul trouble, Queen (four points, four rebounds and one assist) played 17 minutes, which opened the door for Missi.

While fellow rookie Jeremiah Fears (two points, three rebounds, two assists and one block) has hit a rough patch recently, shooting 40.2 percent from the field over the past two weeks, Queen’s production has been consistent. During these two weeks, the rookie center has been close to a top-50 player in eight-cat formats. Fears was limited to ten minutes, with Queen sharing the frontcourt with Yves Missi (10/7/4/1/2) to begin the second half. That’s something fantasy managers should watch during the Pelicans’ three-game Week 14.