Dillon

Brooks

Brooks, who has not missed a game since November 6, is dealing with a sore left Achilles tendon. If he’s unable to play on Monday, the Suns will likely turn to Ryan Dunn to fill the void in the starting lineup. Dunn would be worth a look in deep leagues, as the Suns won’t have Devin Booker available, either.

Brooks was Phoenix’s go-to scorer on Friday with Devin Booker (groin) sidelined, and he finished as the team’s only player to tally at least 20 points. He didn’t get there in the most efficient way, but Brook’s high volume allowed him to go beyond his season’s scoring average, even without making a three-pointer for the first time as a Phoenix Suns player. He tied a season-high in assists and was mediocre on the glass without collecting any stocks. Brooks has certainly turned out better fantasy performances, but Friday wasn’t a dud by any means. Still, he’ll look to be more productive on Monday against the Timberwolves.

Brooks carried the scoring load for the Suns on Monday, with Devin Booker (groin) being limited to 10 minutes of game action. He was aggressive in his approach, generating a season-high in field goal attempts along the way, but shot efficiently enough to log his third 30-point game as a member of the Suns. Brooks has brought both production and intangibles to Phoenix on both ends of the floor, which has the team playing far better than most predicted. He could be even more productive going forward, depending on the significance of Booker’s injury.

Brooks has taken big strides as a scorer this season. He’s averaging career highs in points and field goal attempts while also enjoying the best field goal percentage of his career. His offensive growth has been pivotal in helping the Suns start 12-9 despite dealing with multiple injuries early on. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, Phoenix only has two games next week, which will limit how much Brooks can produce.

Phoenix struggled to get anything going offensively in this one, committing a whopping 20 turnovers and shooting just 41.3 percent from the floor to finish with a season-low 92 points against a Rockets squad playing without Kevin Durant. Brooks was one of the few bright spots as he knocked down 11 of 22 shots, despite going 2-of-8 from three-point range and fell just shy of breaking the 30-point barrier for the third time this season. He’s performed at a fifth-round level this season from a fantasy standpoint, averaging 22 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and two steals in 12 games. The Suns are back in action on Wednesday night when they face the Kings.

Brooks continues to flourish in his new home, having scored at least 20 points in six games. The fit between the player and the team has been almost seamless thus far, which has positively impacted Brooks’ fantasy value. He’s been close to a top-50 player in nine-cat formats, exceeding his Yahoo! ADP (140) by a significant distance. Given Brooks’ career track record, it’s understandable why he’s rostered in 43 percent of Yahoo! leagues. But it may be time to hop onto the bandwagon, especially with the Suns having a four-game Week 6.

Phoenix finished Friday’s game without 40 percent of their starting five, as Brooks and Devin Booker fouled out. That said, the latter was on the court for most of the team’s 9-0 run to end the game. Brooks continues to provide surprisingly efficient offensive production to supplement his defense, and he’s providing top-50 fantasy value in nine-cat formats. Brooks is rostered in 42 percent of Yahoo! leagues, so there are still some non-believers out there. But he’s worth the risk, especially with Jalen Green and Grayson Allen out due to injury.

Brooks put on an offensive clinic during the first three quarters of Sunday’s game, going off for 30 points. While his shot selection can occasionally go off the rails, that was not the case against the Hawks. And with Jalen Green (hamstring) once again out for an extended period, Brooks will have more leeway within the offense to get his shots. Rostered in 37 percent of Yahoo! leagues, he’s been a fourth-round player thus far. Phoenix plays three games during Week 5, starting with Portland on Tuesday.

Brooks did most of his work in the first half, and he entered the break with 24 points, which was a career-best for any half for him. That led to a new season-high for scoring, even if it felt like it was going to be a bigger night. The lopsided score limited him to 28 minutes, so perhaps it could’ve been a bigger night if the game was closer. This was a strong game, but don’t expect this to be the norm for Brooks moving forward.

Brooks was one of the Suns’ most effective scorers on Wednesday. He shot well from three-point range on his way to finishing the game as one of six Phoenix players to score in double figures. In his first year with the Suns, Brooks is proving to be a reliable scorer when he’s healthy. As long as he’s available to play, he should continue to provide production.