Scottie

Barnes

Barnes paced Toronto’s scoring attack, hitting 10-of-13 shots from inside the three-point line, as the Raptors raced out to an early lead and never took their foot off the gas pedal. It was encouraging to see the 24-year-old franchise building block get back on track from a scoring standpoint after delivering just 20 points combined over his last two contests. He’s delivered second-round fantasy value this season as a remarkable all-around contributor, averaging 19.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.6 blocks through 31 games.

After missing out on his second All-Star Game appearance last season, Barnes is putting together a good argument to make that happen this winter. He recorded his 14th double-double of the season on Thursday, and the final line included three defensive contributions. That said, Barnes’ fantasy value has slipped recently, due mainly to poor foul shooting. Over the last two weeks, he’s made 61.5 percent of his attempts, including a 2-of-5 night in Milwaukee.

Barnes’ stat line included his 13th double-double, halfway to his total during the 2024-25 season. Thus far, the Raptors forward has been one of the most productive players in fantasy basketball, regardless of league format. While many managers had high expectations for Barnes, few expected him to threaten first-round value in 12-team leagues as he currently is.

Shead, who played 22 minutes off the bench in Sunday’s loss to the Celtics, is dealing with a quad contusion. While Shead’s availability won’t impact Immanuel Quickley’s status as the starting point guard, the Raptors may need to look to Scottie Barnes to handle more playmaking responsibilities when Quickley is not in the game. Also, Ja’Kobe Walter may see his minutes increase if Shead can’t play. He logged 12 minutes on Sunday despite once again replacing RJ Barrett in the starting lineup.

Finishing two assists shy of a triple-double, Barnes recorded his 12th double-double of the season on Sunday. He continues to provide first-round value in 12-team, nine-cat formats while sitting a few spots outside of that threshold in eight-cat. Boosting Barnes’ fantasy value is the fact that he has not missed a game this season. He’ll look to help the Raptors advance to the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas when they host the Knicks on Tuesday.

Quickley has yet to miss a game this season, but there’s a chance that could change on Sunday. If he’s unable to play, the Raptors will most likely turn to Jamal Shead to fill the void. He would be worth streaming in deep leagues if allowed to start. Also, Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes may be asked to take on more playmaking responsibilities.

Barnes and the Raptors didn’t get the victory on Thursday, but he provided fantasy managers with another exquisite stat line. The forward/guard finished one assist shy of his first triple-double of the season, and he did so on excellent percentages. Over the past two weeks, Barnes has provided top-10 per-game value in eight-cat formats, slightly better than his season-long production. While it’s still early, he’s trending toward making the second All-Star Game appearance of his career.

Barnes, who was named Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month earlier on Tuesday, blocked two more shots against the Trail Blazers. And his defensive production is one reason why the Raptors forward ranks among the best players in fantasy basketball this season. Averaging 1.4 steals and 1.6 blocks per game, Barnes is providing first-round value in 12-team formats. And he’s shown no signs of slowing down, especially with the improvements he’s made offensively.

Barnes knocked down six of eight to score a game-high 16 first-half points, but was held to just two points in the second half as some fatigue seemed to set in for the Raptors on the second night of a back-to-back. The Raptors suffered their second straight defeat after their nine-game win streak was snapped earlier this weekend in an overtime loss to the Hornets. They’ve dropped nine straight games against the Knicks dating back to January 22, 2023. The 24-year-old playmaker has put together an outstanding season, delivering first-round value for fantasy purposes, averaging 19.9 points, eight rebounds, five assists, 1.4 steals and 1.6 blocks through 21 games. Toronto opens a four-game week on Tuesday against the Trail Blazers before matchups against the Lakers, Hornets and Celtics.

Barnes recorded an excellent stat line on Saturday, but his run of consecutive made free throws ended at 25. So, José Calderon’s franchise record of 87 consecutive made free throws remains safe. Overtime loss and free-throw streak aside, Barnes has been outstanding this season. And in fantasy, he has been a top-15 player in eight- and nine-cat formats. The Raptors play four games during Week 7, starting with Portland on Tuesday.