This year is already interesting. A few teams have had huge winning or losing streaks. Many are not what we thought they would be, and some younger teams are struggling to take leaps forward. Let’s examine the Rockets and Pistons in this regard, both were top-5 pick teams last season (and the season before). Houston signed two veterans to take their younger players to the next level, defensive compliments to their free-flying youngsters. The Pistons used their cap space to get valuable contracts in trades with other teams, but not the level of success so far the Rockets have. You can trace the differences to rookie minutes too, and overall fantasy viability.
Amen Thompson/Cam Whitmore are playing a combined total of 90 minutes, while Ausar Thompson and Marcus Sasser have 581. When drafting rookies, you have to consider where they are going to be playing and available starting time minutes. As soon as the Rockets signed Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, it was apparent that minutes for Amen and Whitmore would come at a premium. We will break this down by rookie in this week’s fantasy basketball report.
Weekly Fantasy Basketball Rookie Report – Week 3 Woes
This was also the first week in the G League schedule. Basically, there have been one or two games. That is not enough of a sample size, but they will be included in the report as risers and fallers. Although, playing and playing well in the G League is important. If the player played, they will be featured in a category of risers/fallers/fence-sitters to make note of who is getting legroom to compete and develop.
DISCLAIMER: Take the G League stats with a grain of salt. Their inclusion is strictly for monitoring purposes. Drafted players SHOULD be lighting up every game, not the opposite.
Risers
- Chet Holmgren (PF/C, Oklahoma City Thunder)
- 2 x Riser
- Continued Shooting Ridiculousness (55% FG/50% 3P/89.5% FT)
- Continued sustained counting stats. (16.4 PPG/7.6 RPG/2.6 APG/3.2 Steals+Blocks Per Game)
- Stock: Buy
- Ausar Thompson (SG/SF/PF, Detroit Pistons)
- 2 x Riser
- Averaging a double-double in points and rebounds with 3.5 assists per game. 3.1 Stocks per game.
- Stock: Buy
- Jordan Hawkins (SG/SF, New Orleans Pelicans)
- 2 x Riser
- 3P% up since last week. 12.6/3,8/1.6 on 36.3%/35.1%/81%
- Stock: Buy Low, Sell High
- Marcus Sasser (PG/SG, Detroit Pistons)
- 2 x Riser
- Called for starts. 10.2/2.8/3.1 on 49.4/43.2(!)/100.
- Buy before starts. Sell after Starts.
- Bilal Coulibaly (SG/SF/PF, Washington Wizards)
- 1 x Riser, 1 x Faller
- Breakout November. 10/3.9/2.0 on 58.1%/50%/53(!)% this month.
- Stock: Sell relatively high, buy relatively low.
- Trayce Jackson-Davis (PF/C, Golden State Warriors)
- 1 x Riser
- Good minutes with Golden State, 28 Points, 12 Rebounds in G League Game 1.
- Stock: Buy low
- Emoni Bates (SF/PF, Cleveland Cavaliers)
- Newcomer!
- G-League 1 Game: 29 Points/6 Rebs on 62.5% FG /58.3% 3P.
- Stock: Buy Low
- Brice Sensabaugh (SF/PF, Utah Jazz)
- 1 x Fence-Sitter
- G-League 2 Games: 26 Points/6.5 Reb/6.5 Asts/2 Steals on 53%/50%.
- Stock: Hold
- Cam Whitmore (SF/PF, Houston Rockets)
- 1 x Faller, 1 x Fence-Sitter
- G League 2 Games: 22 Points/7 Reb/2.5 Asts/2 Stocks Per Game
- Stock: Hold
- Leonard Miller (SF/PF, Minnesota Timberwolves)
- 1 x Riser, 1 x Fence-Sitter
- G League 2 Games: 23 PPG/10 REB/2.5 Stocks on 58.1/45.5 3P
- Stock: Buy low!
- Brandin Podziemski (SG/SF, Golden State Warriors)
- 1 x Riser, 1 x Fence-Sitter
- G-League Game 1: 24 Points/7 Reb/4 Asts
- Stock: Buy low
- Olivier-Maxence Prosper (SG/SF, Dallas Mavericks)
- Off Injury!
- Negligible stats, but off injury.
- Stock: Buy Low
- GG Jackson (F, Memphis Grizzlies)
- Newcomer!
- 3 G League Games, 26 PPG/7.3 Reb/3 Stocks on 50%/44%/71.4%
- Stock: Buy real low.
- Kobe Brown (SF/PF, Los Angeles Clippers)
- 2 x Riser
- Not much going on at the moment. Good shooter in low minutes so far. Files the stat sheet when he gets over 10 minutes.
- Stock: Buy low.
- Dereck Lively II (C, Dallas Mavericks)
- 2 x Riser
- Every minute with him is a plus except for one game. Has not logged over 5 rebounds since November 5th.
- Stock: Hold, Buy low.
- Kris Murray (SF/PF, Portland Trailblazers)
- 1 x Fence-Sitter
- 2 G League Games: 17 PPG/6.5 RPG/3 APG/4.5 Stocks on 42.3%/37.5%.
- Stock: Buy low
Fallers
- Brandon Miller (SG/SF, Charlotte Hornets)
- 1 x Riser, 1 x Faller
- Recently injured, started to play well again. Overall not shooting great but has added stats to the card in Points, steals and rebounds as a wing.
- Stock: Buy lower. Do not sell.
- Gradey Dick (SG/SF, Toronto Raptors)
- 1 x Riser, 1 x Faller
- Finally made his first two threes in over a week.
- Stock: Buy low.
- Taylor Hendricks (SF/PF, Utah Jazz)
- 2 x Fence-Sitter
- Lack of time and efficient scoring. 4 Stocks per game though!
- Sell high/buy low.
Fence-Sitters
- Victor Wembanyama (PF/C, San Antonio Spurs)
- 2 x Riser
- Hasn’t improved, shooting has gotten slightly worse again.
- Stock: Buy! Still one of the best rookies.
- Keyonte George (PG/SG, Utah Jazz)
- 2 x Riser
- Stagnated slightly.
- Stock: Sell High if needed.
- Jaime Jaquez Jr. (SF/PF, Miami Heat)
- 1 x Riser, 1 x Fence-Sitter
- Same as George, doing the same thing. Getting experience but hasn’t taken off.
- Stock: Buy low.
- Jordan Walsh (F, Boston Celtics)
- Newcomer!
- 2 G League Games, 15.5 PPG/6.0 RPG/3.5 APG/2.5 Stocks on 52.6%/36.4%
- Stock: Buy Low
- Noah Clowney (F/C, Brooklyn Nets)
- Newcomer!
- 3 G League Games: Need more blocks. 12.3 PPG/10 RPG/3 Stocks on 48.3/30/60.
- Stock: Buy low.
- Toumani Camara (F, Portland Trailblazers)
- 2 x Riser
- Has not played in the G League but has one game in the lasst week.
- Stock: Buy low still.
- Anthony Black (PG/SG/SF, Orlando Magic)
- 1 x Riser, 1 x Fence-Sitter
- Has not played in three days. Up and down in minutes and production. Still shooting well.
- Stock: ?
- Hunter Tyson (PF, Denver Nuggets)
- 1 x Riser, 1 x Fence-Sitter
- G League 1 Game: 24 Points/9 Reb on 36.8/37.5.
- Stock: Hold. Do not buy.
- Keyontae Johnson (SG/SF, Oklahoma City Thunder)
- Newcomer!
- 3 G League Games: 14 PPG/7 RPG on 43.3/42.9/66.7
- Stock: Hold. Do not buy.
Injured
- Scoot Henderson (PG, Portland Trailblazers)
- Jett Howard (PG/SG, Atlanta Hawks)(DNPS)
- Dariq Whitehead (PF, Brooklyn Nets)
- Amen Thompson (PG/SG/SF, Houston Rockets)
- 1 x Faller, 1 x Fence-Sitter
- Only 4 Games played. Suffered an Ankle Sprain
- Mouhamed Gueye (F/C, Atlanta Hawks)