Fantasy Basketball Week 11 Start/Sit: The Suns' Superstars Should Be Benched?

We're set for our second straight holiday week in Week 11 as the calendar flips to 2025. Injuries to key players abound across the league, and this week, we highlight a couple of players benefitting from those developments. We also have a favorable schedule to work with, as there is only one team with a two-game ledger.

Each week, we'll aim to highlight a pair of Start candidates for your fantasy rosters who may shape up as some of the 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: Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, Sacramento Kings, Uta Jazz, Washington Wizards

TEAMS WITH THREE GAMES: Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors

TEAMS WITH TWO GAMES: Phoenix Suns

Without further ado, let's examine some of the tougher start/sit decisions for Week 11:

Guards     

Start: Christian Braun, Nuggets 

37% start rate

Braun is enjoying a career-best season that includes elite 55.0 percent shooting on 9.6 shots per contest. The third-year guard is also contributing nicely in rebounds (4.9) and steals (1.2), making him less scoring-dependent for his fantasy production than during his first two seasons. Braun checks into the Week 11 scoring period with a well-rounded line of 11.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals per contest over his last 15 games, and with Aaron Gordon (calf) still out for Denver to start the week, Braun should continue to enjoy a bit of extra usage as the Nuggets embark on a four-game schedule.

Start: Kevin Porter, Clippers

9% roster rate

Porter missed Friday's game against the Warriors due to an illness but is off the injury report ahead of Monday's contest against the Pelicans. The veteran guard has proven a good fit in his first Clippers season, serving as a key source of second-unit production in multiple categories. Porter comes into the scoring period on a nice run as well, as he's put up 14.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.9 steals while also shooting 40.0% from 3-point range over his last seven games. He has a secure second-unit role that often affords him minutes in the mid-20s on average, adding to his appeal on a four-game week.

ALSO CONSIDER: Spencer Dinwiddie, Mavericks *three games* (19% start rate)

Sit: Devin Booker, Suns

50% start rate

Booker has now missed five consecutive games with a groin injury, and the Suns have only two games coming up this week. The first one is Tuesday, teeing up yet another possible absence for the talented guard. Considering the abundance of four- and three-game options this week and the possibility you only get one game at most from Booker, a one-week benching has to be given serious consideration.

Forwards        

Start: Rui Hachimura, Lakers        

48% roster rate 

Hachimura is in the midst of another solid season and is enjoying career-best success from behind the arc, draining 45.2% of his shots from distance through 26 games. The versatile big man is also benefitting from the occasional absences of Anthony Davis and LeBron James due to their lingering lower-body injuries, and he's been more active than usual on the rebounding front in December with 5.5 boards per contest. Hachimura has complemented that figure with 13.1 points, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals per contest – along with 53.7% shooting – over 12 games during the month. With four more games to work with this week, he's a viable option at either forward spot.

Start:  Jordan Clarkson, Jazz

35% start rate 

Clarkson, as has been the case for several seasons, is once again offering starter-quality production off the bench, averaging 15.8 points, 4.1 assists and 3.4 rebounds across 26.3 minutes per contest. The veteran guard has heated up on the offensive front of late, scoring 20 or more points in three of his last six games while shooting an outstanding 46.4% from deep over the entirety of that sample. Clarkson's second-unit role is locked in and Utah is often involved in high-scoring battles, making him a strong consideration with four games to work with.

ALSO CONSIDER: Kelly Oubre, 76ers (34% roster rate)

Sit: Jerami Grant, Trail Blazers

82% roster rate

Grant has had a bit of an up-and-down season, and additionally, he's at risk of potentially playing in only two of the Blazers' three games this coming week. The veteran forward is questionable for Monday's contest against the 76ers due to a facial contusion, and he already checks in averaging a full six points per game fewer than last season (15.0 PPG, down from 21.0) while posting his worst shooting percentage (38.2) since his rookie 2014-15 campaign in Philadelphia. Grant can still occasionally pop for a big game, but the inconsistency and playing time risk this week make him a solid Sit consideration.

CENTERS    

Start: Guerschon Yabusele, 76ers

10% roster rate 

Joel Embiid continues to shuffle in and out of the lineup due to multiple injuries and maintenance-related absences, while Andre Drummond enters Week 11 having missed multiple games due to a toe injury. Yabusele has been a beneficiary over the last three games in particular, recording 13.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.7 steals across 25 minutes per contest while shooting 58.3%, including 53.8% from downtown. The versatile veteran has scored in double digits in 13 of 29 games overall and has a pair of double-digit rebounding tallies as well, giving him enough upside to warrant consideration if you're thin at either center or forward this coming week.

Start: Trayce Jackson-Davis, Warriors

39% start rate 

Jackson-Davis is finally starting to put together extended stretches of consistent production, affording him appeal as a potential starter in Week 11. The 2023 second-round pick enters the Warriors' four-game week having averaged 14.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 blocks per 25.8 minutes per contest over the last five games. Jackson-Davis has scored in double digits in each of those outings, his longest such stretch of the season. While there won't be any contributions in three-point categories, that's about the only blemish on Jackson-Davis' profile when he's clicking. 

ALSO CONSIDER: Alexandre Sarr, Wizards (40% start rate)

Sit: Jusuf Nurkic, Suns

52% start rate

Nurkic is the slam dunk of Sit decisions this week, as he's guaranteed to remain out for both of the Suns' Week 11 games due to a suspension he earned for Friday's altercation with the Mavericks. He would've already been a strong candidate for this designation anyhow, considering the sparse schedule and the fact the big man's offensive production had taken a dive with three straight single-digit point totals and 38.5% shooting in that span, mirroring a season-long decline in that part of his game.