NBA Fantasy Week 13 Start/Sit: Which Pacers will step up in the absence of Tyrese Haliburton?

Week 13 kicks off Monday with the NBA's signature MLK Day all-day slate of games and features a fairly even balance of four- and three-game teams overall. There's actually a trio of two-game schedules this week that ensnare some very big fantasy names as well, however, so we'll look to help fantasy managers fill those potential gaps in their lineups with some suitable alternatives that will enjoy more opportunity. 

Each week, we'll aim to highlight a pair of Start candidates for your fantasy rosters that may shape up as some of the tougher calls of the week to make, with the focus usually being on players with a start or roster rate of 50 percent or less in Yahoo leagues. We'll also typically hone in on players with four-game weeks in an attempt to maximize opportunities for production.

Likewise, we'll spotlight one Sit candidate at each position that would normally not be a consideration for a spot on your bench, with the focus often on players with fewer game opportunities during the coming week.

TEAMS WITH FOUR GAMES: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards

TEAMS WITH THREE GAMES: Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers

TEAMS WITH TWO GAMES: Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings

Without further ado, let's examine some of the tougher start/sit decisions for Week 13:

Guards       

Start: Andrew Nembhard, Pacers

17% roster rate 

Nembhard has a good chance of remaining Indiana's starting point guard for the Pacers' full four-game schedule this week, as Tyrese Haliburton isn't expected to be reevaluated for his hamstring strain for several more days. Nembhard had a dud of a performance in his first start in Haliburton's stead three games ago, but he's put up 11.0 points, 6.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals while shooting 57.1 percent over his subsequent pair of contests. With the Pacers typically playing at a frenetic pace, Nembhard should have no shortage of possessions to work with again in the next seven days.

Start: Donte DiVincenzo, Knicks

48% start rate 

DiVincenzo has been stellar across the stat sheet most of the season but particularly since the late-December trade of RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, averaging 16.6 points (on 50 percent shooting, including 43.3 percent from three-point range), 4.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.9 steals across 26.5 minutes per contest in his last eight games. That type of well-rounded production is naturally coveted in any fantasy format, and DiVincenzo figures to continue enjoying ample opportunity to provide it again out of his starting shooting guard role during the Knicks' four-game Week 13 schedule. It's also worth noting DiVincenzo's 43.3 percent success rate from deep on the season is a career high and could be a pivotal factor during a week where two of his games come against teams ranked in the bottom 10 of the league in three-point shooting percentage allowed (Raptors, Wizards).

ALSO CONSIDER: Lonnie Walker, Nets (9% roster rate)

Sit: Russell Westbrook, Clippers

76% roster rate

Westbrook still resides on plenty of fantasy rosters despite his reduced role on the Clippers' star-laden squad, but with just two games to work with this coming week, he's a pretty easy Sit recommendation. The veteran comes into the new week offering some very replaceable production thus far in January as well, putting up just 8.5 points, 4.8 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals across a modest 18.9 minutes per contest over an eight-game span.

Forwards          

Start: Duncan Robinson, Heat

44% start rate 

Robinson came through admirably as a Week 12 start suggestion except for one stumble, and he still averaged 14.8 points, 4.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals over 31.3 minutes per contest in that four-game span despite the one dud. With his start rate still well below 50 percent, he garners a second consecutive inclusion in this space, even with Jimmy Butler seemingly inching closer to a return from his toe injury. Miami now has valued rookie Jaime Jaquez out for at least the first two games of Week 13 due to a groin injury and Kyle Lowry is likely to miss at least one more game with a hand injury, so the opportunity for increased usage and minutes persists for Robinson.

Start: Obi Toppin, Pacers

48% roster rate 

Toppin is enjoying a career-best season across the board in his Pacers debut campaign and checks into the new week with averages of 12.8 points (59.7 percent shooting, including 54.8 percent from behind the arc), 4.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists across his last eight games, despite coming off the bench for all but one of those contests. The fourth-year pro's offensive efficiency (59.3 percent shooting for the season) is off the charts, and with a second-unit role that typically affords him minutes in the mid-20s on average – plus Indiana still looking to make up for the absence of Haliburton – Toppin is a firm Start option this week. 

ALSO CONSIDER: Kelly Oubre, 76ers (51% roster rate)

Sit: Khris Middleton, Bucks

87% roster rate

Middleton has stepped up his contributions the healthier he's gotten, but he's saddled with a two-game schedule this week and could even have trouble participating in at least one of those games. The veteran wing sat Sunday's game against the Kings out with a knee issue, and while that absence may well have been more of a maintenance-related one, it's unnecessary to take a risk with just a pair of games on tap for him anyhow. 

CENTERS          

Start: Isaiah Jackson, Pacers

17% roster rate 

Jackson is a third Pacer that we'll suggest rolling with this week, as the young big continues to flash some solid production off the bench. Jackson's production does have a volatile quality to it at times, but in the three games Haliburton has missed thus far, the third-year pro has taken on a bigger scoring role off the bench and averaged 12.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 2.3 blocks. Those numbers certainly fit the bill if you're thin at center or a forward spot this week, making him a consideration in deeper formats.

Start: Moritz Wagner, Magic

34% roster rate 

Wendell Carter opens Week 13 in danger of missing a sixth straight game due to knee tendinitis, which puts both Wagner and frontcourt mate Goga Bitadze into the starting mix again this week. Bitadze is listed below as an alternate option to contemplate, but Wagner is also firmly in play after averaging 13.1 points (56.7 percent shooting), 6.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals across his last seven games. Wagner is also able to benefit from the ongoing absence of brother Franz, who remains sidelined to open the week due to an ankle injury.

ALSO CONSIDER: Goga Bitadze, Magic (29% roster rate)

Sit:  Ivica Zubac, Clippers

82% roster rate 

Zubac heads into the Clippers' two-game week dealing with calf tightness that caused him to be a late scratch for Saturday's game against the T-Wolves, which is naturally a major red flag with so few opportunities for him over the next seven days. The big man has certainly been very productive when healthy, but if he's on the floor at less than full strength, he could certainly have trouble matching his usual rebounding and block production with that type of lower-body injury.