The Trail Blazers’ Donovan Clingan posted three double-doubles in Week 11.
We have our first full week of games in the new calendar year, and it shapes up as a very fantasy-friendly one in terms of team schedules. It’s an ideal scenario – the majority of teams have four games on their ledgers, and there are no two-game weeks to deal with.
Each week, we’ll aim to highlight a pair of Start candidates at each position for your fantasy rosters who may shape up as some tougher calls of the week to make, focusing on players with a start or roster rate of 50% or less in Yahoo leagues.
Likewise, we’ll spotlight one Sit candidate at each position who would normally not be a consideration for a spot on your bench, often focusing on players with fewer game opportunities during the coming week.
TEAMS WITH FOUR GAMES: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards
TEAMS WITH THREE GAMES: Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings
Without further ado, let’s examine some tougher start/sit decisions for Week 12:
Guards
Start: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Hawks
25% start rate
Trae Young has already been ruled out for Monday’s game against the Raptors, which will be the star guard’s fifth straight absence. That naturally affords Alexander-Walker at least one more start, and it’s certainly possible Young’s absence extends further. NAW has averaged 23.8 points, 3.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals while shooting 42.9% from 3-point range during the first four games of Young’s current absence, and he’s contributed 21.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.0 steals across 33.5 minutes per contest in 28 total turns with the first unit. With the possibility of plenty more minutes on a four-game schedule, Alexander-Walker could make significant contributions to your roster this week.
Start: Collin Gillespie, Suns
38% start rate
Gillespie is enjoying a breakout season for the Suns, taking over the starting point guard role back in late November and subsequently averaging 16.7 points, 5.3 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.8 steals across his last 16 games while shooting a blistering 44.9% from 3-point range in that span. Gillespie’s shooting from in front of the arc remains a work in progress, but a four-game week that includes a favorable matchup against the Wizards makes him a very appealing option.
ALSO CONSIDER: Stephon Castle, Spurs (33% start rate)
Sit: Trae Young, Hawks
55% start rate
As just mentioned in Alexander-Walker’s entry, Young is confirmed for another absence Monday against the Raptors, and there’s certainly no guarantee of his availability for Wednesday’s game against the Pelicans. There’s even a possibility of a week full of absences for the star guard, considering he’s played all of five games since Oct. 29. While there’s always plenty of upside when Young is on the floor, you’re likely safer with other similarly talented options this week.
Forwards
Start: Santi Aldama, Grizzlies
39% start rate
Aldama continues to rotate between the first unit and the bench, but the fifth-year veteran is finding ways to contribute at a career-best level irrespective of where he slots in. Aldama went into Sunday’s matchup against the Lakers already averaging career highs in points (14.3), rebounds (6.7), assists (3.0) and steals (1.0), and he proceeded to register a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double that included seven assists and a steal across 31 minutes off the second unit. Aldama has averaged a solid 26.5 minutes in games he’s come off the bench, so he’s a safe option regardless of how the Grizzlies deploy him.
Start: Shaedon Sharpe, Trail Blazers
40% start rate
Sharpe posted a dud in a tough matchup against the Spurs during his most recent game Saturday, but he’d been on a month-long heater coming in that saw him average 22.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.7 steals while shooting 46.6% shooting, including 42.0% from behind the arc, in a 15-game sample. The fourth-year wing has come into his own this season, putting up career-best averages in points (21.3) and steals (1.5). Sharpe will start his four-game Week 12 slate with a highly favorable matchup against the Jazz, and although he’ll also have to deal with the Rockets during the week, he already has a 19-point, eight-rebound, three-assist, one-steal effort against Houston this season.
ALSO CONSIDER: Tari Eason, Rockets (14% start rate)
Sit: DeMar DeRozan, Kings
83% start rate
DeRozan is saddled with a three-game schedule this coming week, and his inconsistent production coupled with the recent return of Zach LaVine make him a bit less appealing than usual. DeRozan posted just 11 points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal in a loss to the Bucks on Sunday night, and he’d come into the contest having posted 13 points or fewer in three of the previous five contests as well. There’s certainly a chance of a continued ebb and flow, and with only a three-game sample to work with, whatever DeRozan could offer you is very likely surpassed by a comparable three- or four-game option.
Centers
Start: Kel’el Ware, Heat
47% start rate
Ware makes an encore appearance this week after delivering handsomely in Week 11, posting a pair of double-digit rebound tallies, one double-double and three double-digit scoring efforts overall. The second-year big went into Sunday’s game against the Pelicans – during which he recorded 16 points, 12 rebounds, one assist and one block – already averaging 16.0 points, 11.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks over his previous nine games. He’ll have a good chance to contribute at a similar clip during a four-game week that includes particularly appealing matchups against the Bulls and Pacers.
Start: Donovan Clingan, Trail Blazers
32% start rate
Clingan is back for another week after providing three double-doubles in four Week 11 games. There simply isn’t a reason to move off the second-year big for the time being, considering he’s averaged 14.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 blocks on 67.9% shooting, including 55.6% from distance, across his last 10 contests overall. Clingan is doing a relatively good job staying out of foul trouble most nights and effectively spacing the floor, affording him plenty of appeal on a four-game week that includes matchups against the vulnerable Jazz and Knicks frontcourts.
Sit: Jalen Duren Pistons
97% roster rate
The Pistons have only a three-game schedule in Week 12, but there’s a chance Duren doesn’t see the floor in any of those games. The big man suffered an ankle sprain New Year’s Day against the Heat and was given a one-week recovery timeline at minimum, so it sounds like Duren would be available only for Saturday’s game against the Clippers in a best-case scenario.
