It is usually tough to draft rookies in fantasy, as there is no sample of how they will handle the NBA game. A keen eye on their play early in the season can result in easy value off the waiver wire, while an eye for growing trends throughout the season is just as critical, considering shifts in rotation or team focus could result in significant changes in playing time. In what marks the 14th week of action, it is a fair point to take note of the progress among the league's rookie class. In this article, we will first review the top-five picks from the draft, followed by two of the top-performing rookies.
Top-5 Picks
Zaccharie Risacher came off the bench for two games before stepping in as a starter for the Hawks in his third NBA appearance. He finished the game with 13 points, six rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block in a loss to the Thunder, and he has gone on to start in every game played since, averaging 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.8 steals on the campaign. He dropped a season-high 33 points on 11-for-18 shooting, including 6-for-10 from long range in a win over the Knicks on November 6, and he has topped 15 points on six occasions. He looks to be on track to close out the season in the same starting role, as his efforts on both ends of the floor have helped the Hawks move up to sixth
It is usually tough to draft rookies in fantasy, as there is no sample of how they will handle the NBA game. A keen eye on their play early in the season can result in easy value off the waiver wire, while an eye for growing trends throughout the season is just as critical, considering shifts in rotation or team focus could result in significant changes in playing time. In what marks the 14th week of action, it is a fair point to take note of the progress among the league's rookie class. In this article, we will first review the top-five picks from the draft, followed by two of the top-performing rookies.
Top-5 Picks
Zaccharie Risacher came off the bench for two games before stepping in as a starter for the Hawks in his third NBA appearance. He finished the game with 13 points, six rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block in a loss to the Thunder, and he has gone on to start in every game played since, averaging 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.8 steals on the campaign. He dropped a season-high 33 points on 11-for-18 shooting, including 6-for-10 from long range in a win over the Knicks on November 6, and he has topped 15 points on six occasions. He looks to be on track to close out the season in the same starting role, as his efforts on both ends of the floor have helped the Hawks move up to sixth place in the Eastern Conference. He is likely to build a better rhythm as the season goes on, and he continues to adapt to the competition.
Alexandre Sarr was thrown into the mix as a starter on day one, and he is slowly but surely turning out to be a strong producer across the board. He scored in double digits in seven of his first 14 games, including his first 20-point game of his career, when he clocked in 20 points, seven rebounds, two assists, four steals and three blocks in a loss to the Hawks on November 15. Beyond his 14th appearance, Sarr has scored double digits in all but three of 24 appearances. He is more than likely to close the season in the same role and will continue to have plenty of opportunity to test his game, especially while his squad is not showing big aspirations for the season. Sarr is struggling with his efficiency, as he is shooting just 39.9 percent from the field, but the rest of his game is solid, with 6.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.6 blocks per outing.
Reed Sheppard has not been able to claim a significant role within the Rockets rotation. He averaged 3.6 points on 32.2 percent shooting, 1.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 12.1 minutes per game over his first 28 appearances. After December 26, he has played in just four games, averaging 5.0 minutes per appearance. He was assigned to the G League in early January, and looks to be popping back in the lineup every so often. At this point, Sheppard is not a viable fantasy play, and he is unlikely to take on much of a role down the stretch of the season for a Rockets squad with a good amount of depth and their sights set on a playoff run.
Stephon Castle is off to an impressive start to his NBA career, averaging 11.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 0.8 steals over 40 games, including 23 starts. He has reached the 20-point mark seven times, and he delivered a season high of 26 points on 9-for-21 shooting in a loss to the Mavs on January 15. Castle has benefitted from additional opportunities throughout the early season as the Spurs dealt with a number of injuries, and his ability to step up when called upon looks to have earned him the credibility to handle a significant role. On the other hand, he could do a better job taking care of the ball, with 1.9 turnovers in his 25.2 minutes per game. It is a tough call whether he will become more established in his role or lose out to more experienced guys as the Spurs continue to battle for playoff position. Nonetheless, he is certainly worth keeping an eye on in leagues where he is not rostered.
Ron Holland is averaging 6.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 15.7 minutes per game through his first 43 appearances. He picked up one start, where he finished with 11 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal in 29 minutes during a loss to the Bucks on November 13, and he has not missed a game this season. He will likely maintain a similar role through the rest of the campaign, as he brings noticeable energy when he takes the floor and has been a positive contributor to a solid start to the campaign for his squad. However, his overall production is unlikely to make him a viable roster option in most fantasy leagues at this point.
Top Performers
Yves Missi spent the first five games of the season in a modest role but answered the call when his squad was struck by injury trouble. He then started in 35 of his following 36 appearances and is averaging 9.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.4 blocks in 27.1 minutes per game on the season. He topped the 20-point mark on two occasions, and he has 13 games with at least 10 rebounds, including a 23-point, 12-rebound effort in a losing cause against the Hawks on December 2nd. Whether starting or not, Missi is likely to hang onto a significant role down the stretch of the season, and he makes a solid option at center in most fantasy leagues.
Aside from a nearly month-long injury absence, Zach Edey has been strong through his rookie campaign. The big man is averaging 9.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 1.0 blocks in 20.6 minutes per game. He has started in 22 of his 29 appearances and should maintain the role, if he can stay healthy. Edey topped the 20-point mark twice and has five games with at least 10 rebounds, including a 21-point, 16-rebound effort in a win over the Raptors on December 26. Edey should be rostered in most leagues and can only be expected to get more comfortable as the season goes on.
