This article is part of our EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Picks series.
We are once again in the first leg of a double-game week, and after play ends Friday, we will have reached the halfway point of the regular season -- and also the halfway point of the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge.
Between Rounds 17 and 18 we will have unlimited trades, so in the next two periods we will focus on increasing our credits so we can add as many quality players as possible heading into the second half of the campaign.
If you have any questions or comments about strategy or the picks below, feel free to drop those at the bottom of this article or reach out on X via @RotoWireEuro.
And off we go!
Guard
Elie Okobo, AS Monaco (14.4 credits)
Before the double-game week, he only played 18 minutes in the domestic league, and since Monaco won the game comfortably, Okobo did not push hard. However, he is exactly the type of player who is a "break glass in case of emergency." If we evaluate his performance this season, it can be considered equal to that of Mike James (their Fantasy Points Averages are very close, with Okobo at 17.57 and James at 17.70). In the upcoming home game against Bayern, he will once again be one of his team's key players alongside James.
Carlik Jones, Partizan Mozart Bet Belgrade (15.9 credits)
It's no longer wrong to call him the "maestro of his team." He is one of the most in-form players in the Euroleague recently as well. During Partizan's 5-game winning streak, he played a huge role by producing 27, 25, 29, 18, and 33 PIR in sequence. All of Iffe Lundberg, Brandon Davies, Frank Ntilikina and Vanja Marinkovic could be out Tuesday, so Jones -- who averages 25.7 minutes per game -- has a good chance to play more than 30 minutes.
Kostas Sloukas, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (12.5 credits)
Great players emerge in tough times and Sloukas knows very well that winning both games in this double-week is crucial for Panathinaikos. In last week's game against Efes, he was his team's most effective player with a 20 PIR. He is gradually finding his form, and considering that Panathinaikos will play both games at home this double-week, it seems like a perfect opportunity for him to step up.
Tamir Blatt, Maccabi Playtika Tel-Aviv (9.2 credits)
Although he did not have a great game in the Paris match after returning from injury, Blatt bounced back in the last two games by producing 16 and 21 PIR. In Round 16, Maccabi will play against Baskonia, and both teams desperately need a victory. However, one thing is certain: if Maccabi is to win, they will need a high performance from Blatt.
Forward
Sasha Vezenkov, Olympiacos Piraeus (18.0 credits)
He showed a dominant performance with 38 PIR in the domestic league game over the weekend, and it's highly likely that he will maintain this form in the upcoming home game against Virtus. Besides, Vezenkov's toughest matchup in this game, Tornike Shengelia, will miss Round 16. As such, Vezenkov's job becomes much easier.
Jaylen Hoard, Maccabi Playtika Tel-Aviv (14.8 credits)
Hoard has become a vital player for his team, especially during Jasiel Rivero's injury period, where he significantly showcased his quality in the paint. Over the last two games, Hoard has produced 26 PIR, and in Tuesday's game against Baskonia, he will likely play over 30 minutes again, making him one of the best choices for his team.
Vitto Brown, AS Monaco (7.6 credits)
The injury of Alpha Diallo has worked out well for Brown; in Round 15 against Fenerbahce, he played over 22 minutes, the highest of the season. While not particularly effective defensively, he has a great offensive talent. If he gets around 20 minutes again on the court against Bayern as a power forward, there is no reason having a good game for him.
Alen Smailagic, Zalgiris Kaunas (7.5 credits)
A legendary win at Real Madrid last week, many Zalgiris players played their part and one of them was Smailagic who produced 12 PIR in 18 minutes. In the double-week, Kaunas side will face ALBA away and ASVEL at home, both games are expected to be favorites in, but still no room for mistakes. Therefore, head coach Andrea Trinchieri is likely to prefer keeping his most reliable and in-form players on the court rather than rotating. The Serbian player is currently in a good shape, and if he takes advantage of this opportunity, he can solidify his position in the team.
Center
Tyrique Jones, Partizan Mozart Bet Belgrade (12.7 credits)
If there were an award given in EuroLeague for Most Improved Player for the first 15 games of the season, it would have definitely gone to Jones. After starting to work with head coach Zeljko Obradovic, he has returned to the form which he showed two years ago with Turk Telekom in the EuroCup. Undoubtedly one of the most effective big men in the league this season. Over the last three games, he has produced 30, 19, and 23 PIR respectively and this week, with the uncertainty about whether Davies will play or not, Jones -- along with Carlik Jones -- will be one of the key players to help his team extend their six-game winning streak.
David McCormack, ALBA Berlin (8.8 credits)
We might have mentioned him every week, but the fact that only 4.6 percent of fantasy coaches have selected him is probably part of the reason for that. Since joining ALBA from Milan in Week 12, McCormack has been a serious threat in the painted area for his team. In the last three games, he has logged 16.0 points and grabbed 7.7 rebounds averagely, pushing Trevion Williams, who was considered a key addition for ALBA this season, into a reduced role.
Head Coach
Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (6.4 credits)
Especially last week, many of those who selected him likely had Round 16 in mind, and now it's time to reap the benefits. To be realistic, it may not be an easy game; ASVEL has caused a lot of trouble for many teams on the road this season (as seen on the game against Olympiacos), and they are a team that fights until the last moment. Furthermore, their recent domestic league win against Paris will boost team's morale heading into Belgrade. However, Partizan has no room for making a mistake before their second-leg away game against Efes in this double-week.
Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus (8.2 credits)
Almost two years ago, Olympiacos fell victim to the Dusko Effect. In that season when they finished the EuroLeague regular season at first place, they had lost 86-90 at home to the newly-appointed Dusko Ivanovic's Red Star. Now, Ivanovic has taken over another team, but he will be down his top producer in Shengelia, and Virtus will be playing in one of the toughest road environments on the continent.
Drop Candidates
Trevion Williams, ALBA Berlin (12.8 credits)
Since McCormack's arrival, his minutes in the rotation have dropped below 20, and in the most recent game against Partizan, he only played 8 minutes. While he has a nice playing style reminiscent of a baby Nikola Jokic, he is not an ideal fit at the center or power forward spots, so ALBA is going in a different direction for the time being.
Furkan Korkmaz, AS Monaco (12.1 credits)
He is back in the mix and should benefit from the addition of Nick Calathes, but Monaco will have a lot of players are worthy of getting the basketball, and it's tough to rely on Korkmaz to produce at this price point.
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