>On the Rise
Nick Collison – Power Forward/Center – Sonics – Collison has thrived since Chris Wilcox went down with a sprained knee in late December. Collison has averaged 13.3 points and 13.4 rebounds in his last seven games. The real test will be what happens when Wilcox comes back full strength. Unfortunately, Collison’s strong play has not translated into wins for the Sonics, as they have lost seven straight games, signaling that more changes may be on the way. Collison seems to be more of the solution than the problem, especially his knack for offensive rebounding.
Kevin Martin – Shooting Guard – Kings – Martin came back from a groin injury and did not miss a beat. He scored 25 points in his first game back and scored 39 in the game after that. I am going to go on a limb and guess that the 84% field goal percentage he shot in those two games will not last. However, it is nice to have one of the league’s top scorers back.
Gerald Wallace – Forward – Bobcats – Wallace shifted to the starting power forward spot in late December and has been on an impressive tear ever since. His January numbers: 26.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.1 steals, 1.3 blocks. Those are fantasy first rounder type statistics. He will not probably not be able to maintain those numbers for the rest of the season, but enjoy the production while you can.
On the Way Down
Ricky Davis – Shooting Guard/Small Forward – Heat – Davis has had a very “un-Ricky Buckets” type run of late. He is on his fourth single digit game and counting. What stings most for those that have him on their fantasy team is that prior to this cold spell, Davis was putting up some great games. So what happened? A losing streak, that is what. The Heat made some changes in their rotation, resulting in a couple games of playing time in the mid twenty minutes for Davis. Coincide that with a shooting slump and your have Davis’ fantasy stock taking a hit.
Raymond Felton – Guard – Bobcats – The ascent of
Gerald Wallace and
Jason Richardson in Charlotte has left Felton as the odd man out a little in their offense. His scoring, field goal percentage, and steals have gone down in each month so far this season. On the bright side, he is pumping out assists like a mad-man, averaging nine a game in January. However, you probably drafted Felton with more in mind than assists, so he has so far disappointed to some extent.
Brad Miller – Center – Kings – Do not get me wrong, I like Miller as a fantasy option at center. He is one of the best passing big men, if not the best, in the league and his three point range also comes in handy. However, the boat is now full in Sacramento with the return of
Ron Artest,
Mike Bibby, and Kevin Martin. These players do not play Miller’s position, but they do have a direct affect on his fantasy production. Miller will see fewer shot attempts with the returning players in the mix on offense. This could not only affect his point and three point production, but his field goal percentage, as he will not have the opportunity to find his rhythm on a nightly basis. Miller may be a great sell high candidate.
Skimming the Free Agent Pool
Jordan Farmar (15.3% owned) – Guard – Lakers – Farmar has earned more playing time. However, the backcourt is crowded in Los Angeles.
Derek Fisher has been playing great and the Lakers want to get
Javaris Crittenton as much exposure to the NBA game as they can. That leaves Farmar having to settle for about twenty minutes a game. However, he is making the most of that limited time. His averages in his first seven January games: 11.0 points, 2.7 assists, 1.9 three pointers, and 1.3 steals on 51% from the field. The downside here is his struggles from the free throw line.
Nazr Mohammed (38.3% owned) – Center – Bobcats – Mohammed went from a hot free agent pick-up to a quick drop to worthy of another pick up in less than a month. In his last seven games, Mohammed’s averages are 14.6 points and 9.3 rebounds. His other numbers do not stand out and is a liability at the free throw line. Still, he is a nice second center option if you need rebounding with a little scoring.
Nate Robinson (70.5% owned) – Guard – Knicks – Robinson has been posting impressive numbers lately, despite inconsistent minutes coming off the bench. His January numbers: 16.1 points, 3.9 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.1 three pointers on over 50% from the field. The questionable return of
Stephon Marbury and current winning streak (hmmmm . . . . coincidence?) has seemed to solidify Robinson’s role in the rotation. The January shooting percentage is a little misleading as he was sub-40% going into the month.
Chris Webber (2.7% owned) – Power Forward/Center – It is becoming more and more likely that Webber will play this season. The question is: where? The Pistons and the Lakers seem to be the front-runners. If he were to land in Los Angeles, he would be worthy of a pick-up in most leagues. He could even improve on the 11.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists he posted last season in Detroit, at least until
Andrew Bynum returns.
The Deep End:
Ronny Turiaf (3.3% owned) – Forward – Lakers – Speaking of the Lakers frontcourt, Turiaf is another option. If the Lakers can not find help elsewhere, Turiaf may be in line for some more minutes. He is a good rebounder and a great shot blocker. He also possess some scoring ability, especially around the basket.
Percentage owned based on espn.com.
