Tomas Satoransky played 27 minutes in Saturday’s win over the Magic, posting a line of nine points (3-of-5 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), five rebounds, six assists, one steal, two blocks and two 3-pointers.
Satoransky had one of his best games of the season Saturday night, as in addition to the full stat line he did not commit a single turnover. What can help him in the short-term, when it comes to fantasy value, are the absences of Otto Porter (back) and Lauri Markkanen (shoulder). The latter injury shifted Denzel Valentine into a starting forward spot, which in turn freed up additional minutes for Satoransky. Tomas is worthy of a look in deeper leagues.
Patrick Williams finished Saturday’s win over the Magic with 16 points (7-of-13 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), 10 rebounds, one assist, one block and one 3-pointer in 33 minutes.
Based upon his production over the Bulls’ last two games, Williams must really like playing against the Magic. One night after scoring a career-high 20 points, the rookie posted his first double-double. Lauri Markkanen (shoulder) sitting out didn’t change much when it came to Williams’ shot attempts on Saturday, but he could be in line for more opportunities if Markkanen has to miss more game action. Williams, who’s rostered in 15% of Yahoo leagues, hasn’t been a great fantasy option but now is the time to consider jumping on the bandwagon.
Nikola Vucevic shot 7-of-17 from the field and 2-of-2 from the foul line in Saturday’s loss to the Bulls, finishing with 17 points, eight rebounds, one assist, one steal, two blocks and one 3-pointer.
Vucevic didn’t shoot the ball particularly well Saturday night, but at least he gave fantasy managers a full stat line. Chicago was much better defensively than it was the night prior, when Vooch torched the Bulls front line (more specifically, Daniel Gafford) for 43 points and 19 rebounds. For the season, Vucevic is providing top-20 value in both 8- and 9-cat formats, outperforming his Yahoo 9-cat ADP (30).
Jae Crowder (right foot soreness) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game vs. Boston.
Crowder did not play in Friday's game against Detroit, and his absence meant a start for Cameron Johnson and additional rotation minutes for Abdel Nader. While Johnson is worth rostering in most leagues, due in large part to his points and 3-pointers potential, Nader can be left alone.
Dario Saric (left ankle sprain) has been ruled out for Sunday's game vs. the Celtics.
Saric has had brutal luck when it comes to injuries this season. He hasn't appeared in a game since January 11, due to health and safety protocols and the ankle injury that he suffered while trying to get his conditioning up to par. There's no need to use up an IL spot on Saric, as he will likely be under a minutes restriction once cleared to play.
Cameron Payne (right foot sprain) has been ruled out for Sunday's game vs. the Celtics.
Payne will miss a seven straight game due to the sprained foot, and it is unknown when he will be cleared to play. He should already be on the waiver wire in all leagues.
Hassan Whiteside finished Saturday’s win over the Nuggets with 11 points (4-of-7 FGs, 3-of-4 FTs), 11 rebounds, one assist and four blocks in 18 minutes.
What an afternoon for Whiteside, who posted his first double-double of the season. Sacramento’s interior depth has done him no favors when it comes to fantasy value, but depending upon the matchup Whiteside is still capable of posting lines like this one. If there’s a concern moving forward (beyond the playing time), it’s that he took a shot to the head from Nikola Jokic during the fourth quarter. That’s something to keep an eye on for Sunday’s game against the Clippers.
Richaun Holmes finished Saturday’s win over the Nuggets with 21 points (9-of-13 FGs, 3-of-4 FTs), 10 rebounds, one assist and two blocks in 30 minutes.
Holmes had his hands full with Nikola Jokic defensively, but he still managed to put up a quality stat line. This was his third 20/10 game of the season, and first since January 27 vs. Orlando. Holmes is currently a top-30 player in 9-cat, outperforming his Yahoo ADP (89) by a significant margin. He should be rostered in more than 85% of Yahoo leagues given the production.
Tyrese Haliburton shot 8-of-12 from the field and 3-of-3 from the foul line in Saturday’s win over the Nuggets, tallying 23 points, four rebounds, six assists, two steals, one block and four 3-pointers in 35 minutes.
Haliburton has been the most consistent rookie in the NBA this season, and he had himself another quality showing on Saturday. He’s scored 21 or more in each of Sacramento’s last two games, shooting 16-of-27 from the field and 9-of-16 from three. At this point, it’s fair to wonder if Luke Walton will start Haliburton and move Marvin Bagley to the bench. Bagley played just 18 minutes, scoring three points (1-of-6 FGs) with two rebounds, one assist, one steal and one 3-pointer.
Grayson Allen (protocol) will play on Saturday against the Pelicans.
Allen hasn't played since January 18th, so he's expected to be eased back into the rotation. Don't expect him to play big minutes, especially with De'Anthony Melton on a roll.
Monte Morris accounted for 11 points (5-of-11 FGs), five rebounds, nine assists and one 3-pointer in 35 minutes Saturday vs. Sacramento.
Morris started Saturday’s game, as Jamal Murray was held out due to a left knee injury. While he wasn’t spectacular, Morris was solid and posted a new season-high in assists (nine). Denver returns to action Monday night vs. Milwaukee, and Morris would be a quality streaming option (especially if there’s a need for assists) if Murray has to sit for a second straight game.
RJ Hampton played 27 minutes off the bench in Saturday’s loss to the Kings, tallying seven points (3-of-6 FGs), 10 rebounds, two assists, one block and one 3-pointer.
With Jamal Murray, Gary Harris and Facundo Campazzo all sidelined due to injury, Hampton was thrust into the rotation for Saturday’s game. And the rookie played well, making half of his field goal attempts and grabbing a team-high (and career-high) 10 rebounds. Hampton’s fantasy value will hinge upon the availability of Denver’s main contributors on the perimeter, so he can be left on the waiver wire for now.
Michael Porter finished Saturday’s loss to the Kings with eight points (3-of-11 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), nine rebounds, three blocks and one 3-pointer in 34 minutes.
With Jamal Murray sidelined, this game represented a prime opportunity for Porter to step forward offensively. He failed to do that, shooting 1-of-7 from three and attempting just two free throws. The positives were the nine rebounds and three blocks, with the latter matching his season-high (12/23 vs. Sacramento). Porter remains a top-50 player in both 8- and 9-cat formats, so fantasy managers shouldn’t overreact to his poor showing in Sacramento.
Markus Howard posted a line of three points (1-of-6 FGs), one rebound and one 3-pointer in 16 minutes Saturday vs. Sacramento.
Howard was only in the rotation due to injuries suffered by Jamal Murray and Facundo Campazzo, and he didn’t make much of a case for himself moving forward. Leave the rookie on the waiver wire, even if Murray and Campazzo have to sit out Monday’s game against the Bucks.
Abdel Nader (left ankle soreness) is listed as probable for Sunday's game vs. Boston.
With Jae Crowder (foot) listed as doubtful, there may be a few more minutes available to Nader on Sunday. He played 17 minutes in Friday's game against the Pistons, so expect a similar workload. Nader isn't worth rostering right now, regardless of league format.
Seth Curry (illness) will play on Saturday against the Nets.
Curry left Thursday's game after going scoreless in 12 minutes and clearly wasn't himself. He recently returned from COVID-19. It's good news that he's back and ready to go on Saturday. Curry ranks in the top-100 of players in 9-cat leagues.
Kevin Durant can rejoin the Nets on Friday if he clears medical protocols.
Durant was in contact with someone on Friday who tested positive for COVID-19, which subjects him to a mandatory seven-game quarantine. So long as he continues to test negative, he could be back on February 12th.
Naz Reid will play on Saturday against the Thunder.
This was expected as Reid's played the last three games through the injury. Reid has an opportunity to feast against OKC, which will be without Al Horford (rest) and Isaiah Roby (foot soreness) in the paint.
Dejounte Murray (left ankle soreness) will play on Saturday against the Rockets.
Murray hadn't played well recently, likely due to the lingering effects of his ankle soreness, but scored 15 points with 11 rebounds and six assists on Wednesday. Hopefully, with an extra few days off, Murray will be able to replicate that performance.
Derrick Rose (illness, knee) is not on the injury report for Saturday's game against the Lakers.
Rose was expected to play on Friday but was then ruled out on game day. The Pistons probably opted to play him on the second night of a back-to-back instead. He's a fringe fantasy option, ranking No. 158 in 9-cat leagues. His success depends on his ability to play-make and gamble for steals.