Welcome to your midweek guidance for week 10! It’s time to identify the competitive categories in your matchup and fortify the categories in which you already have an advantage. Based on various punt strategies, I’ll be profiling a few stream options that will increase your chances of winning the week.
Last week’s recommendations featured some players who boosted your win probability (Robert Williams III, Saddiq Bey, Jae’sean Tate) along with a dud (Grayson Allen), so hopefully you were able to find the players that helped your specific situation.
The players listed below players have two or more games remaining in the current week and are rostered in 50% or less of Yahoo and/or ESPN leagues.
Strategy 1: Punt Threes, Assists, FT%
Saben Lee (ESPN 9%, Yahoo 17%): Lee is the surprise beneficiary of a Delon Wright injury. The sample size is small, but he is scoring efficiently, dishing out assists, and getting steals. If you’re already in a punt FT% situation, take a flyer on him (Plays Fri & Sun).
Robert Williams III (ESPN 21%, Yahoo 39%): If you streamed Williams in on the final two games of last week’s slate, he rewarded you with a combined 20 rebounds and 8 blocks. Minutes volatility is inevitable, but those are week-winning numbers if you are close in these categories (Plays Fri & Sun).
Jae’Sean Tate (ESPN 30%, Yahoo 46%): Another repeat offender from last week’s midweek guidance, Tate should be rostered in all twelve-team leagues by now. With the Rockets’ backcourt taking turns resting and getting injured, he’s in for continued big minutes and will provide you with points, rebounds, and steals on solid percentages. (Plays Fri & Sun).
Bruce Brown (ESPN 3%, Yahoo 5%): In deeper leagues, Brown is worth an add for teams with a streaming spot. Kevin Durant is likely out through the end of the week, which should give Brown at least two more games of solid playing time. He’ll pitch in points, rebounds, and steals (Plays Thurs, Sat).
Jarred Vanderbilt (ESPN 4%, Yahoo 6%): Lineup changes are in store for the Timberwolves as Chris Finch finds his footing in Minnesota. Vanderbilt went for 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals on Wednesday in 34 minutes against the Bulls. Past performance is no guarantee of future results given the fluid situation, but keep him on your watch list for the back-to-back this weekend. He’s worth an add in deeper leagues if you’re hurting for rebounds, steals, and good FG% (Plays Sat & Sun).
Strategy 2: Punt Assists, Steals, FT%
Saddiq Bey (ESPN 28%, Yahoo 46%): Bey deserves consideration as a short to mid-term fixture on your roster. He’s the 32nd ranked player in six games since receiving the starting nod, and is averaging 15.5 points, 3.5 threes, 7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals on 50% shooting over that span. Keep in mind that the points are skewed higher by a 30 point outing, but with the Pistons’ backcourt further thinned out by an injury to Delon Wright, Bey’s role appears cemented for now (Plays Fri & Sun).
Garrett Temple (ESPN 29%, Yahoo 47%): It’s difficult to trust the 57% shooting and 1.5 blocks per contest over the past six games, but if you’re feelin’ lucky, add him and see what happens. He’s going to get run and put up points and threes even when regression rears its head (Plays Fri & Sun).
Strategy 3: Punt Threes, Steals, and FT%
Ivica Zubac (ESPN 40%, Yahoo 38%): You already know what Zubac will do for you. Grab boards, get a block, and hit a finite amount of shots from the field and line. While none of these things will typically move the needle over two games, his ceiling is higher this week due to the Clippers having three remaining games (Plays Thurs, Fri, Sun).
Strategy 4: Punt Rebounds, Blocks, FG%
Theo Maledon (ESPN 5%, Yahoo 13%): It’s probably time to accept the fact that big minutes are not going to turn Maledon into a top 75 player while George Hill is out. However, he can still help you with assists, steals, and threes for the time being. If you’re using him as a streamer, the Friday-Saturday back-to-back set will allow you to free up his spot for Sunday (Plays Fri & Sat).
Saddiq Bey
TJ McConnel (ESPN 40%, Yahoo 40%): Assists and steals. Steals and assists. Two categories that are hard to find on the wire. Go get him if you still can (Plays Thurs & Sat).
Facundo Campazzo (ESPN 6%, Yahoo 11%): Aside from the dud he put up against Portland on Tuesday, Campazzo has been a reliable and efficient source of points, threes, assists, and steals during the string of games that Gary Harris has missed (Plays Thurs & Sat).
Strategy 5: Punt Points, Assists, Rebounds
Jae Crowder (ESPN 28%, Yahoo 39%): Crowder’s playing time dipped in the Suns’ previous two games, but both were 30-point laughers. If the two upcoming games against Chicago and Minnesota are closer, expect him to get back to his solid production in points, rebounds, threes, and steals (Plays Fri & Sun).
Facundo Campazzo
Pat Connaughton (ESPN 3%, Yahoo 3%): If you’re struggling with counting stats in a deep league, take a look at Connaughton for Thursday’s game against the Pelicans. He’s providing threes, steals, and blocks. His minutes are heavily dependent on Jrue Holiday’s return to game action, but this likely gives him at least one more game of relevance (Plays Thurs & Sun).
Matisse Thybulle (ESPN 3%, Yahoo 8%): The minutes are limited, but Thybulle is a great addition if you’re hoping to win ugly. He provides elite defensive numbers while committing minimal turnovers. The Sixers’ schedule allows you to drop him after Saturday’s game in order to maximize your streaming spot (Plays Thurs & Sat).
Strategy 6: Punt Points, Assists, Steals
Marc Gasol (ESPN 14%, Yahoo 22%): After some fluctuation in minutes over his previous games, Gasol contributed a pair of threes, five rebounds, four assists, two steals, and three blocks in an overtime loss to the Wizards on Monday (Plays Fri & Sun).
Jae Crowder
Keep in mind that the following teams have three remaining games this week: Clippers, Grizzlies, Knicks, Kings, and Wizards. Check the available players in your league from those teams if you’re streaming and looking to pick up extra games.
There are hundreds of matchup scenarios, so hit me up in the comments section if you want more feedback on your team’s direction for the week. Best of luck!
