Week 2 of the NBA is coming to a close and there have been a few players who have gotten off to a hot start. The usual suspects of Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant et al. have been producing as expected; however, it is the players who surprise that add the value to your fantasy roster.
Last week I gave you three fantasy sleepers from the Western Conference and three from the Eastern Conference who were flying well under the radar in terms of recognized fantasy potential. Five out of the six identified players all had solid games again and solidified their status as draft worthy sleepers.
This week I’m giving you five players who have out-performed their preseason expectations. While each player mentioned here is an established NBA player, their play thus far can be seen as a rebirth.
Capitalizing on players when they are hot, getting the minutes and producing on the court is key to winning your fantasy league. Buying low and selling high gives you increased salary cap flexibility for your roster. If you are playing in a keeper league, look to get these guys into your lineup now while they are hot.
For the purpose of referencing the player fantasy rankings, the ranking system being used is from ESPN’s fantasy basketball leagues.
Anderson Varejao - Cleveland Cavaliers
This eight year pro is playing with the energy and enthusiasm of a 22 year old rookie, he is running the floor, scoring easy baskets and rebounding with veracity. Despite a current knee ailment that sidelined him for the last game, Varejao has been playing 35 minutes a night.
Through four games he is posting averages of 14 ppg, 15 rpg, 3 apg, 1 steal per and .80 blocks per game. If the rebounding can keep up, the scoring will stay and double doubles will become a nightly occurrence. Varejao is currently ranked as the 3rd best fantasy option at forward behind only Kevin Durant and Lebron James.
Marcin Gortat - Phoenix Suns
Most people pegged Gortat as a top ten fantasy talent in the center position. Critics pointed to the frequency of Gortat’s pick and roll hoops and chalked up much of his success to the presence of then Suns point guard Steve Nash. With Nash out of town and new point guard Goran Dragic calling the shots; Gortat has not experienced a drop off at all. Through five games Gortat’s stat line is 15 ppg, 11.8 rpg, and 4.2 blocks per game. It might come as a surprise but it is Marcin Gortat who is holding down the number 1 rank as the league’s best center.
Jrue Holiday - Philadelphia 76ers
Entering his third season in the NBA, Jrue is no longer competing with Andre Igoudala and Lou Williams for playing time or the basketball. Jrue has shown that he is willing and able to fill the void left by those two player. A downside to his game so far has been the high turnovers; however, with experience at the point guard position those will come down. Through four games Jrue’s stat line is 39 mpg, 18 ppg, 9.5 apg, 4 rpg and 1.5 steals per game. Jrue’s current fantasy ranking is as the 8th best point guard and the 19th best guard overall.
OJ Mayo - Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks singed Mayo in the off season in hopes of him providing a little scoring punch to the roster. Little did they know that O.J. Mayo would be their best scorer so far this season? For the first time on Mayo’s NBA career his is averaging over 20 points per game. Through five games Mayo is averaging 34.2 mpg, 21.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.2 apg, shooting .500 from the field and a ridiculous .636 percentage from beyond the arc. Mayo is currently ranked 4rth among all guards for fantasy production.
Jamal Crawford - Los Angeles Clippers
Jamal is serving notice to the league that his Portland years were an anomaly and that he is still as effective as his days in Atlanta. In bouncing back from an off year with the Blazers, Crawford is staking an early claim to the sixth man of the year award. Even with the Clippers roster depth, Jamal has been getting consistent minutes in the 27-30 range and during his court time he has been producing. Unfortunately, aside from scoring, fantasy owners don’t get much else in the way of stats out of Crawford. Through five games he is averaging 21.8 ppg. Crawford’s fantasy ranking is currently 6th among shooting guards.