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Welcome to Rotation Watch, Rotoballers! Each week, this article will highlight the players that are gaining minutes in their team's rotation. Fantasy managers want to roster the players that are accumulating stats and racking up the playing time. They want to avoid the players falling out of favor and watching the action from the sidelines.
This NBA season is going to be a wild ride. It's a quarter of the way through the year, and there are only three teams in the ENTIRE league that are more than four games out of the eighth seed in the respective conferences. We will see what effect that will have on the trade and buyout markets when those deadlines approach in the next couple of months, but I am incredibly excited to see where the 2020-21 campaign goes from here.
So without further ado, let's start searching those box scores from Jan. 25 to Jan. 31 and look for those hidden gems that grabbed the minutes to help your fantasy basketball team achieve the ultimate prize: a championship. These suggestions are the cream of the crop, and if you ever need an extra slice of advice, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @EuanOrYouOut, and I'll happily talk about some fantasy basketball with everyone.
Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers received five total writing awards and 13 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, tops in the industry! Congrats to all the award winners and nominees including NBA Writer of the Year, Best NFL Series, MLB Series, PGA Writer and Player Notes writer of the year. Be sure to follow their analysis, rankings and advice all year long, and win big with RotoBaller! Read More!
NBA Playing Time Changes
Cole Anthony - PG, Orlando Magic
Season: 26.7 Minutes per Game
Week 6: 31.0 Minutes per Game
Aaron Gordon (ankle) will miss 4-6 weeks, and it will open the door for Cole Anthony to make his mark with the Orlando Magic. In Week 6, the rookie scored a career-high 21 points versus the Charlotte Hornets and then dropped another 16-point outing against the Toronto Raptors to close it out. The 20-year old isn't just contributing with his points, however. The point guard is averaging 4.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.7 threes in his previous ten matchups. Gordon was averaging 29.1 minutes and 11.2 shots per game this year, and Anthony is in a superb spot to absorb a lot of those chances left on the court by his teammate's absence.
Reggie Jackson - PG/SG, Los Angeles Clippers
Season: 17.5 Minutes per Game
Week 6: 31.5 Minutes per Game
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George missed a couple of games last week because of the COVID-19 health protocols, and Jackson's performances were impressive while they sat out. In his four games last week, Jackson averaged 16 points, six rebounds, five assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.5 triples. For the season, his limited role is positively impacting his shot selection. He's averaging career-highs with a 46.0 field-goal percentage, a 39.7 three-point percentage, and a 57.0 true-shooting percentage. He's been on such a torrid run of form, Clippers Head Coach Ty Lue admitted it would be hard to keep the veteran guard off the court. Patrick Beverley (knee) will return at some point, but, for now, Jackson is a must-roster player in any shape, format, or size of a fantasy basketball league.
Nassir Little - SF, Portland Trail Blazers
Season: 11.2 Minutes per Game
Week 6: 11.6 Minutes per Game
Recommending Little isn't about last week as much as the opportunity that sits in front of him for Week 7. On Monday, the 20-year old recorded an enormous stat line with 30 points, six rebounds, and five made threes. C.J. McCollum (foot) and Derrick Jones Jr. (foot) are both out for the Trail Blazers. Their absences will create some playing time for the second-year small forward. He is available in 97 percent of Yahoo leagues, which will rise if he continues to impress over the next few days.
Week 7 Update: Little missed Tuesday night's game against the Washington Wizards with a knee injury. Head Coach Terry Stotts has hinted the DJJ could return on the Blazer's road trip that continues on Saturday. If DJJ misses again, Little should return a provide some end-of-the-week value, but he could be a better "wait and see" player on your waiver wire for now.
Thaddeus Young - PF, Chicago Bulls
Season: 24.9 Minutes per Game
Week 6: 30.1 Minutes per Game
Young and the Chicago Bulls only played two games last week, but they were impressive performances nonetheless. I could rattle on about it here or let the Bull's Twitter account sum it up more efficiently.
Thad Young appreciation post.@yungsmoove21's last two games:
8 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists
16 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists. pic.twitter.com/0Jh03hXJFa— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 31, 2021
Wendell Carter Jr. (quad) remains day-to-do on the injury report, and Young is taking advantage of his chance to shine off the be bench. He's played at least 24 minutes in five of his previous six games, and his contributions to the team will be more than enough to keep him as a viable fantasy asset until the Bulls return to full health.
Week 7 Update: Young recorded 13 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists versus the New York Knicks on Monday while shooting 60 percent from the floor and going 1-for-1 from three-point range.
Jeff Green - SF/PF/C, Brooklyn Nets
Season: 25.4 Minutes per Game
Week 6: 31.0 Minutes per Game
Jeff Green is doing it again. The 13-year journeyman is providing incredible value to a team hoping for a deep playoff run. Last year it was the Houston Rockets, and now it's the Brooklyn Nets. The big man has scored double-digit points in 10 of his previous 11 games and is chipping in some rebounds, assists, and triples along the way. In Week 6, Green averaged 13.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 threes over their four games. Brooklyn is playing at one of the fastest paces in the league since the James Harden trade, and Green is benefitting enormously. He's inside the top-50 players in nine-category leagues yet is still available in 61 percent of Yahoo leagues. His position flexibility brings another dynamic to your fantasy roster, and he won't be sitting on your waiver wire much longer.
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