Each week, I’ll update my points or no 9 cats with a list of current cheats and cheats. Since it is the first, there are no previous orders to compare against. But here are the players whose production stood out the most through Wednesday, October 28th, for better or worse, with my full Yahoo Standard points at the bottom of the article. Fantasy points per game (FP/G) are from Yahoo as of Thursday, Oct. 29.
Mind you only about games 4-6 given this. My rankings project the rest of the season, so a few players are listed in the cheats than the numbers are now. I expect them to be better. And naturally, the player is now on fire, probably sliding in time.
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Risers: Breakthrough through Week 1
I play | team | Current Rank | FP/G | |
1. | you Hieronymus | MEM | 20 | 45.2 |
2. | Caleb Wilson | CHI | 39 | 38.9 |
3. | Yaxel Lendeborg | GS | 50 | 40.8 |
4. | Ajay Mitchell | OKC | 81 | 34.1 |
5. | Paul Reed | THE | 90 | 30.3 |
Ty Jerome – PG/SG, Memphis Grizzlies: 20th overall
After winning Western Conference Player of the Week honors, it’s only right that Jerome brings the laughs into fantasy basketball. He is averaging 29.8 points and 6.3 assists (45.3 fantasy points per game) through four games and is among the league’s scoring leaders for a week and a half on the season.
He put things in check on Monday, where he scored 15 points on 4-of-15 shooting. Given Jerome’s history of wrongdoing, it should be clear that I would offer an eighth-year vet hearing. His volume and usage are elite, but you could extract some serious value in the market given how well he’s playing right now. I ranked him 20th in the last grades because he will put up big numbers for the Memphite team as he performed above expectations.
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Yaxel Lendeborg – PF/SF, Golden State Warriors: 49 overall
This year’s rookie class is coming out on fire, starting with Yaxel. He plays like a vet, seamlessly integrating into the fighters system and providing a much-needed spark as both scorer and player. The rookie is averaging 22.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.6 steals over five games, good for 40.8 fantasy points per game. He went for 31 points, 12 boards and six assists in Monday’s win at Denver, followed with 26 points on 11-of-20 shooting and nine rebounds in 34 minutes in Wednesday’s 119-114 win over Minnesota. I don’t want to sell stocks; If anything, I’d like to ask for more because it’s the real deal.
Caleb Wilson – PF, Chicago Bulls: 51st overall
In No. 4 overall, averaging 20.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.4 blocks (38.9 fantasy points per game) through five games. Wilson is already one of the Bulls’ primary offensive weapons despite shooting just 40% from the field. Imagine what the numbers will look like when his shot drops. He had 30 points and 14 rebounds in Saturday’s loss to Washington, then had 20 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals in 38 minutes in Wednesday’s 133-127 loss to the Knicks — the third time he’s scored at least 20 points in the young man’s career. Turnovers are the only thing holding him back, but he’s firmly in the Rookie of the Year conversation.
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Ajay Mitchell – PG/SG, Oklahoma City Thunder: 81 overall
Jalen Williams (leg) and Cason Wallace (sprained lip) are expected to miss most, if not all, of the season, opening up the starting spot for Mitchell, who is averaging 15.8 points, 3.3 assists and 2.5 steals (34.1 points per game) through four games. He dropped 30 points on 10-of-16 shooting in 25 minutes Monday, then went through an ankle sprain Wednesday and had 29 points on 12-of-20 shooting with 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals in 27 minutes of a 120-96 loss at Dallas.
He could be a league-winning type of player if he stays healthy. In his first two seasons, he played only 57% of the games.
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Paul Reed – PF/C, Detroit Baker: 90 overall
The Pistons center pen with Duren out, averaging 15.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 rebounds and 0.5 blocks (30.3 fantasy points per game) through four games. I was not too violent with his order, because the injury of Durenius is of a short time; He will likely miss several weeks with a hamstring injury. However, the pen’s play has been recognized over a few games, including 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in 26 minutes in Tuesday’s loss to the Knicks and 16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals and a block in 38 minutes in Wednesday’s 97-89 win over Charlotte.
Reed has been a solid backup and will do enough to keep fantasy managers going after Duren returns. Nerve injuries can be tricky.
The Fallers: Players have a good early wall
I play | team | Current Rank | FP/G | |
1. | LaMelo Ball | MIN | 36 | 26.9 |
2. | Desmond Bane | ORL | 55 | 26.9 |
3. | Zach Edey | MEM | 76 | 23.2 |
4. | Joseph Giddeius | CHI | 77 | 26.7 |
5. | Rudius Gobertus | MIN | 123 | 23.5 |
LaMelo Ball – PG, Minnesota Timberwolves: 36 overall
I’m bullish on LaMelo, even though he’s struggling on the outside. Before Anthony Edwards suffered a knee injury, Ball still wasn’t putting up the numbers he was throwing. As of Thursday, Ball is averaging 13.4 points, 6.6 assists and 1.6 rebounds (26.9 fantasy points per game) over five games, and turnovers are a big part of that. I dropped it about a third into the order because it’s been a long time. He will have no choice but to release his scoring to keep the Wolves competitive without Edwards. Only a few games and compositions will be made. This would buy me a low price.
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Josh Giddey – PG/SG, Chicago Bulls: 77 overall
Whether it’s a wrist injury or just passive, I don’t like what I’ve seen from Gideon so far. The point guard is averaging a pedestrian 7.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 8.0 assists (26.7 fantasy points per game) through five games. While he still does a good job rebounding and making plays, his minutes (27) and turnovers (8 per game) are far below his career marks with the Bulls. His floor assist keeps him on the roster in league points, but I’d sell him after a big scoring night. The health care system and wrist injury are clearly impacting his confidence and ability to shoot the ball.
Desmond Bane – SG/SF, Orlando Magic: 55th overall
The Orlando Magic can’t seem to get hit by an injury bug. First, Paolo Banchero (groin) will miss 6-8 weeks and then Jalen Suggs is down with a knee injury for at least two weeks. That’s good news for Bane, because he’ll get a lot of use and convenience from that, but it hasn’t been translated yet. Bane started slowly last year and didn’t really take off until Paolo or Franz Wagner got bad.
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As a result, Bane averaged 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals (26.9 fantasy points per game) through four games. It has been inconsistent, but it is much more likely that he will see a positive regression and soon reach his 18-20ppg mark. I would like to continue.
Rudy Gobert – C, Minnesota Timberwolves: 123rd overall
Gobert was not the best at the time, but he is playing worse than I expected. Through five games, he is averaging 6.6 points and 12.2 rebounds (23.5 fantasy points per game). The rebounds are a safe area, but the lack of steals and blocks keeps the whole thing down. With Edwards out for two months, Minnesota’s offense will look different, but Gobert’s panhandling and lack of local awareness in the offense are problems. I’d like to watch Jonah Beringer closely, because with Gobert in the final year of his deal, the Wolves can give Gobert some bad offense with a bigger lip runner and lob threat to match up with LaMelo Ball.
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Zach Edey – C, Memphis Grizzlies: 76 overall
For as good as the Grizzlies looked, Edey was very overwhelmed. Averaged 6.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks (23.2 fantasy points per game) through three games. He played for 21 minutes in the match to recover from an ankle injury, so we have to wait for the average production until he is ready for a bigger workload. Given previous ankle injuries, Memphis should be careful with the big man. However, the patience of fantasy managers will run thin if the player is a player.