Week 21 is the first week of the playoffs in standard Yahoo H2H leagues.  Below are a mix of guys you want on your squad because a) they’re playing well or b) they have good schedules.  And you can be sure I’ll point out some guys who are playing on Thursday (only 2 NBA games on the schedule) that you might want to/have to pick up well before Thursday before your opponent scoops them.

First, make sure guys like George Hill (59%), Courtney Lee (60%) and Marcus Thornton (59%) aren’t still available.  Thornton is especially attractive next week as the Hornets play 4 times (with one game on the Thursday “Off-day”).  Beno Udrih (52%) deserves some attention as well, although I might rather own some of the sub-50% owned guys below (or at least the top one)…

No, I'm not a fantasy basketball genius. But I did stay at a Jrue Holiday Inn Express last night. (Getty)

Jrue Holiday (25%, 4 games)

Holiday makes a jump from my “Keep an eye on” list to the top of my pickups list for two reasons.  The first: He averaged 15.3, 4.5, and 6.5 last week with 1.8 treys/stl (and that was before going 4-for-5 from downtown on Sunday).  The second: He’s entrenched in that PHI starting backcourt with the 76ers jockeying for lottery position, and that’s a good thing when you face NY twice and NJ once this week.

Terrence Williams (16%, 3 games)

March splits: 15, 7, and 5.  He’s quietly filling the Yi Jianlian void in NJ and should continue to see around 30 mpg with Yi out.

Quentin Richardson (27%, 3 games)

Although MIA only plays 3 games this week, they happen to play on that Thursday Off-day.  Like I mentioned in last week’s column, Q has always been an “approach with caution” type of guy, but you can’t deny the stats: 4.2 treys per game so far in March, not to mention healthy contributions in pts, reb, and stl.  If Jermaine O’Neal and/or Michael Beasley continue to be slowed by nagging injuries, he might be worth a gamble as MIA will need to lean on his offense more.  (I already picked him up in my main H2H league for a Thursday spot start.)

Jason Maxiell (9%, 4 games)

As long as Ben Wallace is out, I’d be happy marching out Maxiell and his 12+ rpg (over the last 4).  The Pistons have a tricky schedule (4 games, but 1 against BOS and 2 against CLE), but if you need reb, he’s probably the best bet among FA pickups.  (I picked him up for a Monday spot start, and potentially more based on Big Ben’s status.)

Jonas Jerebko (24%, 4 games)

I’ll just copy and paste my blurb from last week: Posted near-1/1/1 stats last week and is getting plenty of touches as DET continues to jostle for lottery position.

James Johnson (1%, 4 games)

He’s averaging 16.5 and 4.5 over his last two games with 1.5 treys/stl/blk.  As long as Luol Deng is out, Johnson seems ready to play big minutes and contribute across the board.

C.J. Miles (5%, 4 games)

Doing his best Rasual Butler impersonation lately.

Toney Douglas (6%) and Bill Walker (6%, 4 games)

Speaking of jostling for lottery position, Douglas appears to have landed the coveted (at least in theory) starting PG job in New York, while Walker continues to post 20-pt games more consistently than Tracy McGrady.

Will Bynum (17%, 4 games)

20-assist games deserve attention.  With Rodney Stuckey nearing a return, Bynum doesn’t appear to have much long-term value, but he might be worth a spot start this week.

Delonte West (24%, 4 games)

Before Sunday’s dud, West had been on a very nice streak (although some of that was due to LeBron’s recent 2-game absence).  He might not have anymore monster games, but he’s an efficient source of across-the-board production (13, 4, and 4 over the last month).

Reggie Williams (2%, 4 games)

Williams has been doing his best Anthony Morrow (from last year) impersonation lately, hitting 3′s (and not much else) at a very efficient clip.  Anybody wearing a Warrior jersey is always a gamble, but he’s worth a look in deeper leagues.

Derek Fisher (11%) and Shannon Brown (4%, 4 games)

Fisher has been solid lately, and with games against GSW and SAC on Monday and Tuesday, Brown might even rediscover some of the scoring touch he displayed when Kobe was on the shelf last month.  They might be useful in deep leagues the first half of the upcoming week.

Keep an eye on:

C.J. Watson (39% — he’s been amazing the last month, but with Monta Ellis and Corey Maggette back, hello Inconsistency), Earl Watson (9%), Anthony Tolliver (18% — see last week), JaVale McGee (25% — see last week), Matt Bonner (6%).

Other Thursday 3/18 options:

If you consider your H2H league competitive, there's a good chance Wright will be picked up by Thursday. (Getty)

Julian Wright (6%)

Wright has gotten big minutes in Peja Stojakovic’s absence, and that has translated into solid albeit unspectacular fantasy lines.  If you’re looking for a spot start, you could do worse than an athletic SF getting 30+ mpg

Matt Barnes (22%)

Ditto from above, although Mickael Pietrus (ditto again) might be the guy to own if Barnes’ wrist injury is serious.

Johan Petro (1%)

If you could use an extra 6 or 7 rebounds this week, you might as well start Petro for the one and only time in your entire life.

And for those of you with bye weeks:

Rudy Fernandez (24%)

Portland has a pretty awful Week 21 schedule (only 2 games), but I’ll mention Rudy because he’s been on fire recently, and those of you with first round byes might be gearing up for Week 22 already, when POR plays on some of the slower days.

Jose Juan Barea (4%) and Rodrigue Beaubois (14%)

The fast-healing Jason Terry is on the verge of returning, but if he experiences any setbacks, keep an eye on these two for Week 22, when DAL has one of the most attractive schedules after only playing 2 games in Week 21.  Beaubois was better last week, but it sounds like Rick Carlisle prefers the veteran Barea.

Are you ready for your mug shot, or, er, close up, Mr. Arenas? (The Canadian Press)

Gilbert Arenas

Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to…  Oh.  That is a gun in your pocket.  Agent Zero made headlines for all the wrong reasons this week as he inexplicably brought/stored three guns at work.  In his defense though, he’s kind of a bonehead (and the guns were unloaded).  There are sources reporting everything from Hibachi trying to pull off a practical joke gone awry to Arenas and teammate Javaris Crittenton going Alien vs. Predator on one another over a gambling debt.  I have a feeling it’s a little closer to the former, but regardless of the intent, this doesn’t bode well if you own Arenas.

Some people, including Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo sports, think Arenas could be in store for an extended suspension.  David Stern is hard to predict, but if he decides to make an example of Arenas, Caron Butler and Randy Foye (in theory) would enjoy an immediate jump in value.  We should all know Arenas’ fate by Monday.  Keep your fingers crossed if you spent a third round pick on him.

Nate Robinson

KryptoNate came back down to earth on Sunday, but I think you can forgive him after his 41-pt, 6-reb, 8-ast effort on Friday night — single-handedly carrying the Knicks over the Hawks.  In his post-game interview, Robinson seemed genuinely humbled by his month layoff at the hands of Mike D’Antoni, and more importantly, in the game he seemed hungry.  He’s still available in 47% of Yahoo leagues.  (I added him in one league over the weekend.)

And on a side note, Larry Hughes hasn’t played the last 2 games.

Tracy McGrady

The Rockets finally (officially) announced that T-Mac is on the market, which has generally been understood for the past 12 months or so.  I haven’t wanted anything to do with McGrady on any of my teams this year, but if the right situation arises, he might be worth a pickup.  But unless you’re far out in the lead in your league and can afford to carry him, I’d personally stay away until some solid news comes along.

The more fantasy-relevant news concerns the rest of the Rockets though, as whoever comes back in return for T-Mac will certainly affect their fantasy values.  Some names that have been mentioned include Anthony Randolph (which could hurt Luis Scola and Carl Landry) and Kevin Martin (which would affect Trevor Ariza, for better or worse).  I wouldn’t panic if you own any of these guys, but just keep an eye on this situation.

ROY Race: Brandon Jennings vs. Tyreke Evans vs. Stephen Curry … vs. Omri Casspi??

Evans spent most of the week on the sidelines, Curry wasn’t able to do too much in limited minutes (See: C.J. Watson below), and Jennings put up some numbers while shooting sub 40% from the field.  But the fantasy rookie of the week was far and away Omri Casspi, with averages of 19 ppg, 8 rpg, and 2.5 threes per game while shooting 50+ FG% and 80+ FT%.

Casspi is still by far the least owned of these rooks (33% in Yahoo leagues), and while it’s anyone’s guess how Kevin Martin’s return will affect both him and Evans, you might as well enjoy these numbers until that happens.  If nothing else, both Casspi and Evans will likely be starting for the upstart Kings, with Martin, Jason Thompson, and Spencer Hawes filling out the starting lineup (and occasionally Beno Udrih, depending on matchups), so if Casspi is still available in your league, I’d recommend picking him up for some nice short-term gains with potential for a long-term impact.

And in other Week 10 news…

The Celtics are already in late season form, playing it safe with Paul Pierce (knee) and resting Rajon Rondo (hamstring) and Kevin Garnett (old).  Rasheed Wallace filled in nicely in one of those games for KG, but since he’s already owned in most leagues, keep an eye on Eddie House and Tony Allen, who are both worth spot starts in deeper leagues.

Week 10 also saw the continued reemergence of Derrick Rose.  Apparently he started off the season with a bum ankle (as opposed to being a sophomore bust).  While he still doesn’t get enough 3′s or stl from the PG spot for my liking, if you can make up for those categories elsewhere on your squad, he’s a nice play with his percentages from the PG spot a la Tony Parker.  (Much like Mo Williams or Lou Williams, who don’t get many ast from the PG spot, it’s all about expectations.)

With Troy Murphy out, Roy Hibbert got back to putting up great numbers (17 and 6, 25 and 13, 21 and 7).  Okay, so Tyler Hansbrough and Jeff Foster were out too.  And with Murphy expected to come back some time next week, this might not even be newsworthy… unless you’ve heard the trade rumors that have Murphy leaving Indy, in which case Hibbert becomes a must-own in all formats.

Likewise, with Ron Artest (tumble down the stairs) out, Lamar Odom had a very productive week despite a finger injury, reminding us once again of his value — as long as Artest, Pau Gasol, or Andrew Bynum are DNP’s, he’s a must start in fantasy.

And since I haven’t mentioned Mamba in a while… Kobe Bryant (37 ppg over his last 10 games) took over the league scoring lead from Carmelo Anthony, with Kevin Durant making up some ground as well with 7 30-pt games in a row and counting.

WEEK 11 PICKUPS

I’ve already mentioned Omri Casspi (33%), Roy Hibbert (52%), and Nate Robinson (53%), and since Yi Jianlian (59%) has probably already been snatched up in your league, here are some other guys:

Matt Barnes (16%)

When garbage men start draining threes, the result is fantasy gold. (Getty Images)

Barnes turned in a top 30 week last week, averaging 17 and 7 with 1.7 threes per game and excellent percentages as the new starting SF in Orlando.  Stan Van Gundy also praised him as the only member of the Magic who actually runs (as opposed to jogging) so it appears Barnes has replaced Mickael Pietrus as the SF to own in Orlando now.  Barnes has had some ridiculous fantasy stretches over the past few years, most notably in GS, so he is worth a roster spot in most leagues, even if he can’t keep up last week’s percentages.

Martell Webster (13%) and Rasual Butler (15%)

I’ll group these guys together because they provide similar stats.  Webster averaged 18 ppg and 2.5 threes in his last two games, while Butler averaged 14.5 ppg and 3.5 threes.  The Blazers have 4 games to the Clippers’ 3 next week, so those in weekly leagues might want to lean towards Webster.

C.J. Watson (20%)

People finally started noticing Watson after he totaled 5 threes and 9 stls in games against the Celtics and Lakers (which he followed up with an 0-8 dud against the Blazers).  Here’s the formula: Whenever Stephen Curry struggles, Watson gets additional minutes.  With games against DEN (with an iffy Chauncey Billups), MIN, and SAC this week, Curry could very likely get back on track, but at least Watson usually doesn’t hurt you (with the exception of that last dud).

Eddie House (7%) and Tony Allen (3%)

As long as Rondo and Pierce are gimpy, House (3′s) and Allen (stl) deserve looks.

Keep an eye on: Donte Greene (5%), Ersan Ilyasova (44% — he’s gradually adjusting to the returns of Michael Redd and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute), Zydrunas Ilgauskas (32%), Brandon Rush (22%), Jarrett Jack (41% — check Jose Calderon’s status), Ty Lawson (22% — check Chauncey Billups’ status).

Is Raymond Felton turning into a crafty veteran? Because here he sure looks like that old dude at the Y who somehow uses his off-elbow when he shoots. (Getty Images)

Danny Granger

I already posted an immediate reaction to Granger’s injury, and a lot of it holds true.  As a lot of you agreed, Mike Dunleavy is the guy to own, especially after a monster performance against the Wizards Friday.  Roy Hibbert indeed shifted into the starting lineup and has taken about 12 shots per game since DG went down, but he only hit those shots in one game where he went off for 20 and 9 (on his birthday).  Once those shots start falling, he’ll be a very useful fantasy C over the next month.  I’d expect somewhere in the neighborhood of 14 and 8 with 1.5 bpg.  And last but not least, Tyler Hansbrough has had three very solid performances, averaging about 18 and 7 with 1.7 spg.

Raymond Felton

It’s already almost been a month since Stephen Jackson was traded to Charlotte, and there are some clear patterns emerging.  First of all, I decided to play my “wild card” guess on Gerald Wallace, predicting that Jackson’s arrival would spark him, so I’ll pat myself on the back for that.  I also took an educated guess that Raymond Felton’s AST would go down, which was also true (barely), but I didn’t expect his value to skyrocket to the tune of a #57 ranking over the last month (Yahoo averages).

There’s a few things working in Felton’s favor here.  First of all, he’s enjoying what might be his most efficient stretch in his career, shooting 48% from the field (career 40%) with only 1.6 TO per game (career 2.7) over the last month.  A lot of that has to do with taking less shots because of Jackson, and also more efficient shots playing alongside another playmaker for once.  Over the last week in particular, he’s shooting 60% from the field with 3.7 spg, which probably qualifies him as a sell high candidate…

But here’s the problem with that.  He’s still, uh, Raymond Felton… so anyone who’s played fantasy for more than a couple years will probably not trust him.  But if he can knock down around 45% of his shots and average somewhere between the 2.2 spg he’s averaged the last month and his career average of 1.5 spg, there’s a good chance you have a top 60-70 player (the rest of the way) with a late round pick, or even a waiver wire add, as he’s still available in 31% of Yahoo leagues.

And by the way, the guy most hurt by Jackson’s arrival?  Boris Diaw.  You’ve probably already noticed this if you own him, but just be wary of Diaw if he’s offered to you in a deal, as his REB and AST are down over the last month — and a large part of Diaw’s value is/was his across-the-board production.

Brandon Jennings vs. Tyreke Evans

Jennings decided to re-join the fantasy ROY race, with his first career double-double against the Blazers and a nice 22-point outing with 4/2/2 3′s/stl/blk against the Raptors.  (Both of which came at home.)  Meanwhile, all Evans did was continue to produce 20, 5, and 5 games.  I personally value Jennings more, even though it seems like most people would rather have Evans right now (at least according to the latest poll).

I think Jennings will get his FG% back up to respectable levels with Michael Redd back and taking that much more pressure off of him.  It’s still to be seen what impact Kevin Martin will have on Evans when he returns, but Evans’ FG% is already pretty nice and doesn’t have much room to go up.  Also, Evans didn’t start his hot streak until Martin went down, whereas Jennings was already delivering pre-Redd’s injury.  Add in Jennings’ ability to hit they trey, and I prefer him, although they’re both going to be fun to own the rest of the way.  And yes, expect fireworks when the Kings visit the Bucks this Saturday.

Other Week 7 Highlights

Fact: Fantasy Hoopster has never looked so calm and under control when he has played basketball or ever in real life. (Getty Images)

It turns out Jose Calderon’s injured hip might be serious, and he’s at least going to miss Toronto’s upcoming road trip.  Jarrett Jack, who had been flirting with fantasy relevancy all year as Calderon struggled early, is worth a short-term pickup with potential long-term value.  In fact, he nearly posted a triple-double replacing Calderon against the Rockets Sunday.

Rip Hamilton and Michael Redd returned from injuries, with Rip posting a solid line (18 pts and 3 stl) versus the Warriors and Redd not hurting his owners as much as in his previous return.  It’s hard to get too excited about Rip, as Detroit still has Ben Gordon, Will Bynum, and Tayshaun Prince on the mend.  Redd, however, should be a solid play going forward.

Several guys who  rose out of obscurity the first month of the year to enjoy fantasy stardom have hit a wall in recent weeks, including Marc Gasol, Channing Frye, and Anthony Morrow.  I like Gasol and Morrow as buy low options if you can get them at the right price, and I am actively trying to snag both, while I’m slightly more cautious of Frye.  More on that in a post tomorrow.

Gilbert Arenas messed around and got his first triple-double of the year.  But he also might have lost the game with a late pair of missed free throws, not to mention losing his swagger.

Chris Duhon is quietly averaging 12 pts, 7 ast and 2.5 threes per game in 6 games this month.  His owners do not miss Nate Robinson one bit.  Meanwhile, Danilo Gallinari is still producing great stats as a super-sub.

And finally, Allen Iverson unretired, although at this point he just looks plain tired.  So far, it’s been Iverson who’s the one adjusting to everyone else, especially Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand, and Thaddeus Young.  Meanwhile, Samuel Dalembert continues to go on a rebounding tear, with about 13 rpg last week.  Yes, part of it is his increased hustle (as with the rest of the team) since AI arrived.  But Dalembert is traditionally a (somehow) streaky rebounder as well, so odds are he can’t keep this up.  But he’s a nice play this week with 4 games, two of them versus fantasy friendly GS and LAC, and two versus BOS and CLE.  If he can play well against the latter two, this latest tear might be legit…

WEEK 8 PICKUPS

I already mentioned Jarrett Jack (currently 29% owned in Yahoo leagues) Roy Hibbert (44%), Tyler Hansbrough (10%), or even Raymond Felton (69%) in more shallow leagues.  Here are some more:

C.J. Watson (15%)

This guy makes the top of my list for the second week in the row.  (Well, Jarrett Jack should probably be on top, but you get the idea.)  He put up another top 50 week with efficient, across-the-board production, including 1 3pg and 2.3 spg.  Yes, his emergence coincides with Anthony Morrow’s slump, but they have different enough roles on the team (Watson is much more of a distributor and doesn’t need a ton of shots to contribute) that I think Watson is roster-able in most fantasy formats, especially as he’s regularly becoming the first or second guy off the bench in GS.

Jameer Nelson (66%)

This is just a friendly reminder.  He is slated to resume practicing next Sunday and will likely be a popular add over the coming weeks.

Joel Przybilla (36%)

I’m surprised he’s only taken in 36% of Yahoo leagues.  If you need REB and BLK, he’s the best widely available option right now.

Mickael Pietrus (17%)

Pietrus has been inconsistent lately, alternating duds with monster games.  The Magic have 4 games this week, so his numbers should average out to being useful.

C.J. Miles (4%)

Miles returned from injury to post 3 very solid lines in 4 games.  Wesley Matthews (4%) is still the starter, but keep an eye on this situation.

Taj Gibson (6%)

Even with a recent demotion to the bench (in favor of Brad Miller), Gibson continues to put up decent numbers for deeper leagues.  Sure, some of those numbers came in blowouts, but the Bulls get blown out a lot.  Problem solved.

Josh Boone (5%)

If you need REB and BLK in deeper leagues, Boone is worth a look, averaging 9 and 3 respectively last week.  Plus, he doesn’t shoot enough FT for his horrid % to negatively affect you too much there.

Keep an eye on: James Harden (39%), Jonas Jerebko (7%), Earl Watson (4%), Donte Greene (3%), Omri Casspi (6%), Jose Juan Barea (6%), Maurice Evans (3%)

I'm so sad I can't even make fun of Oden's 58-yr-old face. Oops I did it again. (Getty Images)

Week 6 featured the return of Chris Paul and Troy Murphy Kevin Love, although the “return” on everyone’s minds doesn’t come until tomorrow night in Philadelphia.  It also featured the fall of one of my favorite sleepers on the year.  Greg “Sigh” Oden.

Chris Paul

In case anyone forgot, Paul returned to the lineup earlier than expected to remind everyone why he’s the most valuable player in fantasy with a near triple-double (the CP3 way): 16 pts, 15 ast, and 8 stl.

Some other immediate ramifications: Peja Stojakovic’s shot attempts sunk to 10 after enjoying about 13 per game during Paul’s absence (although in Peja’s defense he was returning from a minor injury).  Emeka Okafor saw an immediate boost in productivity, and I expect David West to follow shortly, in case you were looking to BUY LOW on either.  And Devin Brown (2% owned in Yahoo leagues) is emerging as a fantasy-viable player as the starting SG, totaling 11 treys in Paul’s last 4 (complete) healthy games.

Kevin Love (and Al Jefferson)

Love did his best impersonation of Troy Murphy in his first two games of action, averaging 14.5 pts and 10.5 reb to go with 2.0 3pg.  The 3′s were a pleasant surprise and after hitting only 2 all of last year, it looks like he’ll take at least 1 or 2 attempts per game this year.

Meanwhile, Al Jefferson enjoyed his two best rebounding games in a while, totaling 25 in Love’s first two games back.  It might seem a little counter-intuitive, but I like this trend to continue, even when Love is inserted into the starting lineup.  As I mentioned back when Love got injured, Jefferson doesn’t have to shoulder the entire rebounding load anymore, as the other team will actually have to box out another legitimate rebounder now.  The other contributing factor?  Jefferson has looked lackadaisical at times this year, but not the last two games.  Energy is contagious around Love, and even though the Wolves won’t be fighting for a playoff spot anytime soon, I like Jefferson to play with a little more fire now that their squad has a legit chance to win every most some nights.

If you can convince Big Al’s owner that Love will actually eat into his stats, he could still be a nice BUY LOW option if you can get him at a reasonable price.

Welcome back, Kevin Love. Especially because I own Al Jefferson in one league. (Getty Images)

Greg Oden

This is especially sad as he was really finding his rhythm the last few weeks, including a top 25 ranking in Yahoo (by averages) over the last month before his injury.  LaMarcus aldridge gets a nice bump in value (esp REB), while Joel Przybilla is now on one of my teams.  Przy isn’t exciting, but he’s going to get about 10 rpg and 2 bpg while not hurting your FT% too much with his low attempts.

Brandon Jennings vs. Tyreke Evans

If Jennings can get his FG% back up (just try to be patient if you own him), he’d be running away with this race.  But I’d give the slight nod to Evans last week, who was much more efficient even if he didn’t hit 2.7 threes per game like Young Money did.

Other Week 6 Highlights

Rashard Lewis returned to form, aided by two games against the Knicks and one against Golden State.  If he hadn’t torched those two squads, I’d be worried.  But since he did, I’m expecting the usual Lewis-like numbers now, although I wouldn’t be surprised by a slight down-tick in pts with VC’s arrival.

Meanwhile, after a solid Week 5, Dwight Howard fell back down to earth, mainly due to foul trouble.  I still think he’s a great BUY LOW option, especially in H2H leagues, but I’m starting to wonder if the exchange of defensive-minded Courtney Lee for Vince Carter is contributing to D-12′s foul woes this year.  Even if it is, I’d expect Stan Van Gundy and Howard to make the proper adjustments in time though.

Speaking of Courtney Lee, he looks to be fully recovered from his injury and has returned to the starting lineup.  He followed up a career night with a mediocre one against the Knicks, but could be a useful player, especially for steals.

Anthony Randolph had a huge game last night with , reminding his owners why they’ve been hanging onto him.  Once Andris Biedrins returns, who knows what will happen.  If you’re still hanging onto him, you know the drill.  Wait and see.

Amidst trade rumors, Andre Miller had his best game as a Blazer on Saturday night, although I think it might have more to do with Rudy Fernandez’s absence than anything else.  Then again, if Miller is being showcased for a trade, that would also probably be good news for his owners.

Nate Robinson’s loss is Larry Hughes’ gain.  Or vice versa.  They’re both really annoying to own right now.

And lastly, those 3-pt specialists (who actually contribute a little across the board) named Danilo Gallinari, Anthony Morrow, and Channing Frye keep producing, and at very efficient rates.  I know some of you are trying to trade these guys away — and if you can get a great return, I’m all for it — just beware that you might not get proper value because they’re not brand-name fantasy players yet.  Try to wait until mid-season if you can, as none of them show signs of slowing down (although I’d be impressed if Morrow can keep his %s up).

WEEK 7 PICKUPS

I already mentioned Courtney Lee (52% owned in Yahoo leagues) and Joel Przybilla (26%) for more shallow leagues and Devin Brown (2%) for deeper leagues.  Here are some other pickups for Week 7 and beyond.

C.J. Watson has been getting such consistent minutes from Nellie lately, my head might explode. (Getty Images)

C.J. Watson (7%)

All you really need to know is that over the past four games he’s a firm (and surprisingly steady) part of the Warriors rotations, getting 30+ min in each game and averaging 15, 4, and 3 with 1.5 rpg and 1.8 apg to go with great percentages.  I recently picked him up in two of my deeper leagues, although he comes with the usual Nellie disclaimer.

Ryan Gomes (37%)

Gomes was starting to heat up before Love returned, then kept it up the last two games.  He can’t keep shooting 60% but he’s rounding into the form many of us expected before the season started.

Luke Ridnour (37%)

As long as he’s owned in less than half of Yahoo leagues, he’ll keep making this list.  See last week’s post on why.

Erick Dampier (31%)

If you need REB and BLK, but Przybilla has already been snatched up, Dampier is back, while Drew Gooden is back to the bench.

Andres Nocioni (14%) and Vladimir Radmanovic (9%)

I’ll group these guys together because they’re both heating up from 3-pt range and they both continue to start and get big minutes on high-shot volume squads.

Mickael Pietrus (12%)

I mentioned Pietrus a couple weeks back, and he continues to start at SF.  He enjoyed a nice boost in stats against New York and Golden State last week, and continues to be useful in deeper leagues.  Although if you can SELL HIGH by, say, adding him as a freebie in a packaged deal to upgrade a position, maybe try it out.  (Note: Orlando also plays a couple easy games vs. LAC and GSW this week.)

Also, as long as Jameer Nelson doesn’t return early, I’m also looking for Jason Williams (27%) to have a nice week.

Wesley Matthews (3%)

He’s been starting opposite Deron Williams for a few weeks now, but Matthews gets his first mention on fantasyhoopster after posting two very solid lines last week (2 threes/stl in each).  He’s earning Jerry Sloan’s trust and getting big minutes and could be a nice addition in deeper leagues.

Willie Green (6%)

Green is slated to start opposite Allen Iverson, at least for now.  Coming off what might have been his best week as a pro, maybe he can carry some of that momentum forward.  He won’t average 20+ ppg like last week of course, but he could still be useful in deeper leagues and might at least be worth a spot start Monday if nothing else.

Jrue Holiday (5%)

In deeper leagues, keep a close eye on Holiday.  This might seems counter-intuitive with Allen Iverson on board, but Jrue seemed to play much better with the second unit earlier this year.  Less shots.  Less pressure.  Less competition playing against the other team’s second unit.  That being said, there’s talk Holiday could even start alongside AI, in which case the “less shots” and “less pressure” also applies.  I’m not rushing to own him, but he might still be valuable in deeper leagues.

Other possibilities: Nick Collison (5%), Quentin Richardson (14%), Carlos Delfino (7%), Nick Young (10%), Sergio Rodriguez (2%).

Don't call it a comeback, Brand's been here all year long. He's just finally making some noise. (Getty Images)

WEEK 4 RECAP

They’re Ba-aaack

Week 4 featured the return of several fantasy studs: Rashard Lewis, Devin Harris, Troy Murphy, and Pau Gasol.  (Thanks for playing, Ryan Andersen and Rafer Alston.  Here are some nice parting gifts…)

As for Murphy and Gasol, their fantasy impact is a little more complicated.  Murphy will definitely take away some of Roy Hibbert’s stats, but I think the young center will still be valuable contributing a near double-double with 2 bpg.  Meanwhile, if you didn’t sell high on Andrew Bynum before Gasol’s return, please don’t panic and let someone buy low on him these next few (or more?) games as he readjusts to Gasol.  19 and 11 might be a little much to expect, but he’ll be much better than 11 and 8 (his first game with Pau back).

On the flip side, Week 4 also saw some key injuries, including Jameer Nelson and Andrew Bogut.  If you’re looking for replacements, Jason Williams has had a couple decent games thus far, while Kurt Thomas/Hakim Warrick have each had a nice game (depending on the matchup) in Bogut’s absence.  (There are some more exciting pickups further below.)

They’re “Ba-aaack”

Week 4 also featured the “return” of two stud centers: Elton Brand and Al Jefferson. With Marresse Speights out of the way due to injury, Brand absolutely erupted, averaging 20 and 10 with 2.7/3.7 spg/bpg this week, good for the #2 ranking by averages in Yahoo leagues.  I’m not sure what to make of this unexpected outburst quite yet, as the 76ers lost two of those games and barely beat a new-look CHA team in the other game, but I’ll have my thoughts on whether Brand is a sell high or buy low guy shortly.

As for Jefferson, he put up back-to-back strong outings (in the form of 20 and 10 games) as well.  The most telling number here might be his 36 minutes played in a blowout loss to POR.  Looks like Big Al is finally getting his legs back.

ROY = Brandon Jennings.  Fantasy ROY = Not so fast…

Brandon Jennings has already bagged ROY honors, but Fantasy ROY is still up for grabs... (Getty Images)

In week 4, Tyreke Evans continued to give Brandon Jennings a run for fantasy rookie of the year.  Before missing his last game with a sprained finger, Evans was on a torrid 6-game run averaging about 24, 6, and 6.

WEEK 5 PICKUPS

First, just wanted to make sure I dotted my I’s and crossed my T’s.  These first six guys are likely not available in your leagues anymore, but before moving onto the pickups below, please make sure they’re already taken.  (Current % ownership in Yahoo leagues in parentheses)

Larry Hughes (68%)

Hughes has shown flashes of brilliance over the past few years, but they usually end after a week or so.  Under Mike D’Antoni, it looks like he’s flashed back to his fantasy prime back in WAS.  After 10 games, Hughes is flirting with that elusive 15, 5, and 5 status from the G-F spot, not to mention chipping in 1.3 3pg and 2.2 spg.  There are two stats that hint he might actually be able to keep this up (well, maybe everything but the 2+ spg): he’s averaging 34+ mpg, his most since his CLE days, and he’s hoisting 3.9 3-pt attempts per game, his most ever.

I keep waiting for Nate Robinson to eat into his minutes, and the addition of Allen Iverson would have certainly hurt Hughes as well, but neither seems to be happening for now, so unless you can score something great in a trade, I’d enjoy the ride.  (And by the way, if you already own him, I agree he’s a sell high candidate… but you have to own him before you can sell him.)

Chris Douglas-Roberts (60%) and Peja Stojakovic (69%)

Here are two guys at opposite points in their careers who are making the most of starting gigs due to injury.  Well, CDR had already posted a couple nice lines before Yi Jianlian got hurt, but he absolutely took over the offensive load for the Nets after Devin Harris’ injury.  Well, Devin returned Saturday night off the bench, and CDR still managed 24 pts on 19 shots.  This is scary, but it looks like CDR has a chance to at least maintain his 18 ppg this year.  Is it any wonder the Nets are 0-13?

Meanwhile, even though they obviously play different positions, Peja has been a huge beneficiary to Chris Paul’s injury.  Even though he doesn’t have CP3 setting him up anymore, the main reason is because Peja’s shot attempts have increased from below 10 per game to about 15 per game, translating into 20+ ppg over the four games Paul has missed.  I’m not exactly sure what will happen once CP3 returns, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Peja continuing to get at least 10 shots per game when that happens.

Rudy Fernandez (48%), Anthony Morrow (44%), and Stephen Curry (66%)

Just a friendly reminder, but here are three guys I mentioned in my last Pick Me Up post.  (You’ll notice Allen Iverson is no longer on this list.  And as long as AI isn’t a Knick — probably the only team desperate enough to start him — I’m not owning him.)  All three are benefiting from injury/trade, with Curry potentially benefiting from a Monta Ellis deal as well.

Now onto some more readily available guys…

Ben Wallace (47%)

Wallace is another guy (joining the ranks of Andrei Kirilenko and Jermaine O’Neal) who has seemingly found the Fountain of Youth this year.  He won’t help you on offense at all, but with his measly 1.7 FT attempts per game, he won’t hurt you as much as he did in the past.  And after a month of games, he looks like he has a legit chance at maintaining his 9+ rpg and 1.2/1.5 spg/bpg… especially if he can keep getting 30+ mpg.

Dahntay Jones (40%)

Here’s a guy who crushed the value of a popular preseason sleeper, Brandon Rush.  In 7 games as the starting SF, he’s averaging 19 and 5 with 1+ spg/bpg.  Keep an eye on this situation, as Murphy returned to action over the weekend, which will likely push Danny Granger to the SF spot again.  If Jones slides into that starting SG spot, Rush’s value drops even more (if that’s even possible), and Dahntay should probably be owned in more than 2/5 of leagues.

Mickael Pietrus (14%)

Pietrus is averaging 30+ mpg, 12.7 ppg, and 3.0 3pg in 3 games as the starting SF since Rashard Lewis returned.  Of course, he’s also shooting 9-13 from 3-pt range in that span, which is unmaintainable.  With Matt Barnes as a more-than-capable backup, it’s hard to recommend Pietrus with high confidence, but as long as he’s starting and getting minutes (it doesn’t hurt that the Magic are winning), he could be a nice play as he contributes a little everywhere.

James Harden (33%)

He's already on the Evite, but is James Harden finally ready to join the Class of '09 rookie PG party? (Getty Images)

Harden followed a 24 pt/6 3pm garbage time performance with a 25 pt with 4 3pm/stl performance in a more highly contested game versus WAS.  Maybe it’s just a hot 2-game stretch, or maybe Harden is finally turning the corner and playing up to the hype.  If he’s someone you’ve had your eye on, now is the time to pounce.  Although don’t be surprised if he’s back on waivers by week’s end.

Beno Udrih (40%)

While Tyreke Evans has gotten most of the attention post-Kevin Martin’s injury, Udrih has resurrected his fantasy career.  I’m not sure what happens to Udrih whenever Martin comes back, but he’s been very solid in his absence.  As a starter he’s quietly averaging 17 ppg and 5 apg with 1.3 3pg with great %s.  Martin is out at least 6 more weeks, so Udrih should probably be on more rosters.

Steve Blake (15%)

Blake was an unflashy yet highly productive fantasy play last season, and he’s slowly creeping back to that status, having averaged 2+ threes and 4+ assists in November (while average more mpg than Andre Miller).  He’s worth a look in deeper leagues if you need a PG.  Personally, I’d rather own him than Miller because of the threes.

Jared Dudley (19%)

Again, here’s another guy who’s not doing anything flashy, but he’s quietly a top 100 player (by Yahoo averages) because he hits 1.8 3pg and 1.2 spg.  His upside is limited with the talent on that team, but you could do worse on the end of your bench.

Ramon Sessions (33%)

I abandoned Sessions, one of my preseason sleepers before Jonny Flynn started impressing, in all my leagues long ago.  But if you’re looking for assists, Sessions has averaged nearly 5 over his last 5 games.

Luke Ridnour (7%)

With Michael Redd out of the lineup, Brandon Jennings has actually shifted over to SG much of the time with Ridnour running the point, including a 12-assist effort on Saturday night.  With Redd on the verge of returning, who knows what will happen to Ridnour’s minutes (Redd could spend more time at SF in the aforementioned arrangement, or he could squeeze Ridnour’s minutes altogether).  But if you’re desperate for a PG or are in a deep league, Ridnour’s worth a look.

Flip Murray (4%)

For some reason, Stephen Jackson’s arrival in CHA has caused Flip to catch fire, including a 31-point effort and a more well-rounded 17, 5, and 6 outing.  If anyone has theories, please let me know.  It’s most likely a coincidence, but keep an eye on the situation if it keeps happening.

Marco Belinelli (9%)

Before his latest goose egg, Belinelli had nailed 11 threes in a 4-game stretch.  He’s always been streaky, but if he can manage 24+ mpg like in that 4-game stretch, he might be worth owning in deeper leagues.

And finally, a look at some temporary rentals with long-term potential:

Will Bynum (42%) has been tearing it up lately with both Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince out.  Personally, I’d sell high if you can (by packaging him with someone else for an upgrade of that certain someone else).

Drew Gooden (25%) has been a double-double machine (even notching 3 blk against the Spurs) without Erick Dampier.  Once Dampier comes back, it will be interesting to see who starts, as Gooden was rumored to be the starter during the preseason.  Note: Both Gooden and Dampier’s strong play probably kills any (preseason) rumors of Dirk Nowitzki starting at C, gaining F-C status, and turning into the potentially most valuable player in fantasy this year.

J.J. Hickson (15%) has been a FG% machine with Anderson Varejao out of the lineup.  He’s certainly made the case for more playing time in CLE, but we’ll see what happens when both Varejao and Shaquille O’Neal return.

Ersan Ilyasova (13%) has made the most out of Michael Redd’s injury.  We’ll see if he can keep his spot in the rotation once Redd returns.

While most of the hype immediately after Chris Paul’s injury centered on Darren Collison (11%), Marcus Thornton (3%) has been slightly more relevant because of his 3-pt range.

It probably makes more sense to own Andres Nocioni (14%), but for those of you in deep, deep leagues, Omri Casspi (3%) and Donte Greene (1%) are worth a look after posting some solid lines without Kevin Martin.

Fantasy basketball draft rankings: 126-150

These rankings are based on a standard 9-category format, with a slight leaning towards H2H leagues, although differing strategies for roto leagues are noted when applicable.