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As we approach the pivotal phases of both the NBA and fantasy basketball seasons, making the right lineup choices becomes increasingly crucial. Fortunately, this week’s schedule offers a wealth of teams playing five (the Nets) or four games, while the usual influx of late-season injuries and player absences presents us with plenty of hidden gems at each position to consider.
Weekly, we’ll spotlight two Start contenders for your fantasy lineups who may lead to difficult decisions, particularly focusing on players with a start or roster rate of 50% or lower in Yahoo leagues.
In addition, we’ll highlight a Sit candidate at each position who would typically not warrant a spot on your bench, often spotlighting those with limited playing opportunities in the upcoming week.
TEAMS WITH FIVE GAMES: Brooklyn Nets
TEAMS WITH FOUR GAMES: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards
TEAMS WITH THREE GAMES: Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings
With that said, let’s delve into some challenging start/sit choices for Week 21:
Start: Isaiah Collier, Jazz
34% roster rate
Collier remains the starting point guard for the Jazz, and while his backup, Keyonte George, sometimes outshines him, George’s roster rate exceeds our 50% threshold. However, Collier is a solid recommendation entering Week 21 with averages of 11.8 points, 7.7 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals over 30.2 minutes per game across his last six outings. With the Jazz likely to rest veterans like Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, and John Collins as the season winds down, Collier stands to gain significantly from increased playing time during this four-game week.
Start: Stephon Castle, Spurs
47% roster rate
Castle has been impressively effective off the bench for the Spurs in Week 20, and he enters this scoring period riding a hot streak over his last six games. The rookie has put up averages of 23.3 points (with 50.9% shooting), 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals in 29.2 minutes per game during that period, scoring under 20 points only once. Given his steady playing time from the season’s start, it’s no surprise he’s performing at this level as the season progresses, with four favorable home games on the horizon (twice against the Mavericks, plus the Hornets and Pelicans).
ALSO CONSIDER: Cole Anthony, Magic (23% roster rate)
Sit: Fred VanVleet, Rockets
95% roster rate
VanVleet remains in this category after being sidelined for all of Week 20 and missing 15 of the last 16 games due to a troubling ankle issue. He is currently listed as questionable for Monday’s matchup against the Magic, but skepticism around his availability is warranted. Even with a four-game week ahead for Houston, it would be wise for fantasy managers to explore alternative options at guard.
Start: Naji Marshall, Mavericks
45% start rate
If you can secure Marshall from your league’s waiver wire this week, consider yourself lucky. The former undrafted free agent is taking full advantage of the personnel challenges faced by the Mavericks this season and enters Week 21 playing the best basketball of his career. He achieved new personal bests in scoring in both games of Week 20 (29 and 34 points), averaging 25.8 points (shooting 52.6%), 10.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.8 steals over his last four games. With P.J. Washington still dealing with an ankle injury, Marshall has seemingly locked down the starting power forward role, making him a strong candidate for your lineup ahead of a busy week filled with three defensively soft matchups against the Spurs (twice) and the 76ers.
Start: Quentin Grimes, 76ers
45% start rate
In a similar vein as other players stepping up amidst roster changes, Grimes makes his second consecutive appearance this week. He has averaged 18.8 points, 5.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals over 34 minutes per game in four contests from Week 20. This performance includes a tough outing against the Celtics where he shot just 2-for-11. Tyrese Maxey remains questionable for Monday’s game against the Hawks due to back and finger injuries that sidelined him for the last three contests, but even with Maxey potentially returning later in Week 21—and Paul George (groin) confirmed out for Monday—Grimes should maintain a solid secondary role as Philadelphia finishes the season without Joel Embiid (knee).
ALSO CONSIDER: Ziaire Williams, Nets (9% roster rate)
Sit: Paul George, 76ers
59% start rate
As noted in Grimes’ section, George will miss at least one more game with the groin injury that has already sidelined him for three of the past four matches. It’s uncertain whether he will be fit enough to play Wednesday against the Raptors, either. While he’s expected to have more chances for usage when he returns, George’s performance has been lackluster, posting an average of only 13.7 points (with 43.2% shooting), 4.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.3 steals across 34.0 minutes over his last 11 games, even with Embiid’s absence.
Start: Alex Sarr, Wizards
47% roster rate
Sarr’s performance has experienced the usual ups and downs common in rookie seasons, but the second overall pick has shown signs of developing consistency following a three-game absence due to an ankle injury. He has averaged 14.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.0 steals in 26.8 minutes over the last five games, surpassing 20 points in two of those contests and producing one double-double. Also, he averages 1.5 blocks per game for the season and has knocked down multiple three-pointers in 22 of 47 games, showcasing his versatility as a fantasy asset during a four-game week.
Start: Andre Drummond, 76ers
37% start rate
Drummond has finally moved past a persistent toe injury and is starting to take advantage of Embiid’s absence, averaging 10.8 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.0 steals in the six games leading up to a Sunday victory against the Jazz, during which he was limited in the second half due to illness. His status for the upcoming game against the Hawks is worth monitoring. If he is ruled out and has only three opportunities to contribute in Week 21, consider Kyle Filipowski (listed as an alternative option below) as an appealing substitute. However, assuming a full schedule is in play, Drummond possesses plenty of potential as the starting center for the 76ers, with a double-double well within reach should he receive regular minutes.
ALSO CONSIDER: Kyle Filipowski, Jazz (38% roster rate)
Sit: Domantas Sabonis, Kings
50% start rate
The Kings have only three games scheduled in Week 21, and it seems nearly certain that Sabonis will sit out at least Monday’s game against the Knicks due to a Grade 1 hamstring strain, which sidelined him throughout Week 20. Sacramento certainly has reasons to rush Sabonis back given their postseason aspirations, but the coaching staff must also consider the long-term health of their star as they vie for a spot in the Play-In Tournament. With Jonas Valančiūnas effectively filling in for Sabonis, there is a possibility that Sabonis may have a limited week even under the best conditions.
