We’ve hit the third quarter of the NBA season and Hoops Rumors is examining the fantasy basketball landscape in order to help you dominate the competition. Check back weekly for more fantasy basketball analysis.
Breaking Down Dallas’ Backcourt
Something very interesting is happening in Dallas. A rookie has taken control of the team and elevated them just as everyone thought the franchise was done for the season. No, we’re not talking what Dak Prescott just did for the Cowboys and we’re not talking about their running back Ezekiel Elliot either (although, you could find out the latest on those two at our sister-site Pro Football Rumors). We’re talking about what undrafted point guard Yogi Ferrell has done for the Mavericks.
If Pierre Jackson doesn’t injure his hamstring nearly two weeks ago, Ferrell isn’t on this team. If J.J. Barea doesn’t remain sidelined with a calf strain and Deron Williams‘ toe injury doesn’t linger, Ferrell never gets to start. Yet, all of those things happened and it’s led to an incredible opportunity for the former Indiana Hoosier.
Ferrell has seen the most court time on the team since arriving in Dallas. His 36.7 minutes per game ranks 15th in the league since his first start on January 29th. He’s scoring 16.3 points per game and he’s shooting 47.1% from behind the arc. The team has gone 4-2 in Ferrell’s six starts, but they were a missed C.J. McCollum floater away from being 5-1.
The 23-year-old has become a nice asset in fantasy and he’ll remain one as long as injuries keep the team’s regulars on the sideline. Barea is a few weeks away from returning and Williams’ toe injury may keep him out until the All-Star break. The Mavs have four more games before the break, so if Ferrell is available (owned in roughly 45% of ESPN leagues), he’s worth adding.
Once Williams is healthy, there’s a chance that he’ll be dealt. The Cavs were considering him as a trade acquisition, though for the time being, Dallas appears reluctant to deal the veteran point guard. If the team were to move him, Ferrell becomes a must-own in all leagues.
Ferrell isn’t the only Mavs guard worth rostering while the team gets healthy. Seth Curry, who signed a two-year, $6MM deal with Dallas over the summer, is having a nice season. Over his last 12 games, he’s shooting 51.0% from the field, a figure that ranks fifth in the league among players seeing at least 32 minutes per game. However, he now finds himself on the injury report after hurting his shoulder in Tuesday’s game against the Blazers. As of this writing, it doesn’t appear to be serious, but if he’s not back up and running for Thursday’s game against the Jazz, Devin Harris should see more opportunity. Harris could be a nice low-cost option in daily fantasy if Curry is out.
My end-of-season rankings for the backcourt are as follows: Williams, Ferrell, Curry, Barea, Harris. Keep an eye on this situation for the rest of this season, as Dallas guards have ever-changing fantasy values due to a number of injuries on the team.
Here’s more fantasy analysis and notes from around the league:
- Rudy Gay ruptured his Achilles in mid-January and since he was sidelined, DeMarcus Cousins has become even more involved in the offense. The big man is averaging nearly six assists per contest since the small forward’s injury compared to 4.4 per game before it. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Cousins is suspended for tonight’s game against the Celtics as a result of picking up his 16th technical of the season and if he picks up two more technicals, he’ll be suspended for another game.
- Since MLK day, only Stephen Curry and Isaiah Thomas have made more three-pointers than Otto Porter. The small forward has made 54.9% of his shots from behind the arc over that stretch. Porter can become a restricted free agent after the season and he’s playing like he wants to get paid. He’s a top-40 fantasy option for the rest of the season.
- Joel Embiid has missed nine of the Sixers’ last 10 games, including tonight’s tilt with the Spurs, because of a knee injury. Coach Brett Brown said that the team is simply being cautious with Embiid and the big man is expected back on the court soon. I implored fantasy owners to trade Embiid in a recent edition of Fantasy Hoops since his fantasy value was at an all-time high. I would still consider trading him in the right deal due to his injuries woes and the Sixers propensity to be “cautious” with injuries.
Fantasy questions? Take to the comment section below or tweet me at @CW_Crouse.
Statistics are current through Wednesday afternoon.