Fantasy Basketball 2014: Deep Sleepers Who Could Be Hidden Keys to Success
As the 2014-15 NBA season gets set to tip off, fantasy owners are rightfully brimming with optimism regarding their newly assembled teams.
But those familiar with the fantasy owner's plight are well aware that optimism can quickly morph into pessimism.
Injuries will crop up, high draft picks will underperform and frustration will quickly set in.
However, there's a way to prevent that inevitable irritation from cropping up.
In order to stay ahead of the curve, owners have to keep an eye out for deep sleepers who can contribute in a variety of categories.
Whether that means taking a gamble on players who failed to meet expectations last season or finding a reserve who's filling in for an injured starter, quality contributors can be found late in drafts or on the waiver wire.
To prep for the upcoming season, we've assembled a list of seven deep sleepers who can help give you an early edge.
But what defines a deep sleeper? Using ESPN's live draft results as a guide, we only considered players with average draft positions below 115 who were owned in fewer than 75 percent of leagues.
All average draft positions and ownership percentages courtesy of ESPN.com and current as of Sunday, October 26.
Steven Adams, C, Oklahoma City Thunder
1 of 7
Average draft position: 140.0
Ownership percentage: 5.4
If the preseason has been any indication, Steven Adams and his perfectly manicured mustache will soon be starting at center for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Appearing in 81 games (20 starts) as a rookie, the rough-and-tumble Adams proved capable of posting double-figure totals as a rebounder and supplementary scorer.
According to Basketball-Reference.com, Adams averaged eight points, 10 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.2 steals per 36 minutes last season.
While Adams likely won't function as an explosive screener and roller the way Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan do, he possesses the strength necessary to feast on the blocks. Oklahoma City might not even call a regular dose of plays for Adams with his back to the basket, but with a seven-foot, 250-pound frame, Adams can turn second-chance opportunities into gold for fantasy owners.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, Detroit Pistons
2 of 7
Average draft position: 140.0
Ownership percentage: 2.4
Now that Jodie Meeks is sidelined at least two months with a stress reaction in his lower back, the Detroit Pistons are begging for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to step up and fill the void at shooting guard.
And while his rookie season didn't provide much in the way of optimism, the former No. 8 overall pick flashed plenty of promise down the stretch.
Although he shot worse than 40 percent from the field and 32 percent from three during his inaugural campaign, Caldwell-Pope came on strong in April, knocking down 41.2 percent of his triples over the course of eight games.
After finishing the year with a flourish, Caldwell-Pope envisions more prosperity on the horizon.
"I just feel," Caldwell-Pope said, according to MLive.com's David Mayo, "like this is my breakout year."
Now presented with the opportunity to bomb away in a system that's historically been friendly to complementary shooters, Caldwell-Pope has a chance to burst on the scene and leave his early struggles in the past.
K.J. McDaniels, SG, Philadelphia 76ers
3 of 7
Average draft position: 119.4
Ownership percentage: 32.9
Fantasy owners don't generally consider a shooting guard's defensive impact when filling out their rosters, but K.J. McDaniels is ready to flip conventional wisdom on its side.
Projected as the Philadelphia 76ers' starting 2-guard, the rookie proved throughout the preseason why he possesses fantasy intrigue in spades.
A freak athlete with a knack for contesting shots, McDaniels blocked two shots per game during the Sixers' exhibition slate, making him one of two guards (Giannis Antetokounmpo was the other) to finish in the top 30, according to CBSSports.com.
While that gaudy average may dip a bit during the regular season, it's worth noting McDaniels did lead the ACC in blocks last year while topping the conference in defensive win shares (3.1), according to Sports-Reference.com.
One of 11 college players to reject at least 100 shots last season, according to Sports-Reference, McDaniels' defensive instincts should make him a late-round target in 12- and 14-team formats.
Playing in an offense that loves to push the pace and create in transition, owners shouldn't fret over McDaniels' scoring prospects in the half-court game.
At the bare minimum, blocks, steals and fast-break opportunities galore should be enough to buoy McDaniels' fantasy stock.
Khris Middleton, SG/SF, Milwaukee Bucks
4 of 7
Average draft position: 122.3
Ownership percentage: 62.4
The Milwaukee Bucks' rotation isn't set in stone just yet, but head coach Jason Kidd would be crazy to marginalize Khris Middleton's role in the months ahead.
Milwaukee's best three-point shooter last season (41.4 percent), Middleton primarily made hay at small forward, where he amassed 70 percent of his total minutes, according to Basketball-Reference.
However, Middleton may be able to boost his stock in the months ahead thanks to a bit of positional versatility.
To that point, we saw Middleton garner a preseason start at power forward in place of a sick Ersan Ilyasova and stretch the floor to the tune of 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting.
Capable of playing the 2 in bigger lineups, small forward in balanced situations and power forward in smaller rotations, Middleton and last season's 12.1 point-per-game output shouldn't be hurt too significantly by Jabari Parker's arrival.
Otto Porter, SG/SF, Washington Wizards
5 of 7
Average draft position: 140.0
Ownership percentage: 3.9
Otto Porter is a riskier proposition in that his season-long offerings may be dependent on how he performs in the absence of Bradley Beal.
Thus far, though, the signs have been purely positive.
In eight preseason appearances (three starts), Porter averaged 13 points on 48.7 percent shooting.
And in his last start against the New York Knicks, Porter dropped 22 points (9-of-15 shooting, 4-of-7 from three) in 31 minutes to go with two rebounds, three steals and one assist.
As Glen Rice Jr. nurses an ankle injury and Beal remains sidelined after undergoing wrist surgery, Porter is the clear-cut favorite to accrue minutes at the 2.
And if he can replicate his preseason production when the regular-season lights shine brightest (and continue to refine that three-point stroke), head coach Randy Wittman will have no choice but to carve out regular rotational minutes for Porter when Beal returns.
Henry Sims, C, Philadelphia 76ers
6 of 7
Average draft position: 140.0
Ownership percentage: 11.7
Believe it or not, the Philadelphia 76ers are going to produce a few viable fantasy options this season.
Among them is Henry Sims, who's penciled in as the Sixers' starting center with Joel Embiid sidelined.
As Nerlens Noel gets acclimated to life at power forward, Sims represents a sneaky-good value for owners who decided to wait on bigs.
In 26 appearances (25 starts) with the Sixers last season, Sims averaged 11.8 points and seven rebounds while shooting 48.9 percent from the field.
With a larger role presumably on the way, it's also worth looking at Sims' per-36 averages of 15.6 points and 9.2 rebounds as a sort of idyllic ceiling for the 24-year-old.
He's rarely going to block shots, but Sims proved last season that he's comfortable knocking down shots at the free-throw line and surrounding areas. Specifically, 15.7 percent of Sims' shots with the Sixers last season came between 10-16 feet, and he converted 50 percent of them, according to Basketball-Reference.
Worth a late-round flier in deeper leagues and a waiver claim in standard formats, Sims could wind up representing one of the better late-round values in fantasy.
Mirza Teletovic, SF/PF, Brooklyn Nets
7 of 7
Average draft position: 116.0
Ownership percentage: 56.6
After Kevin Garnett averaged a career-low 20.5 minutes in a starting role last season, prospective owners should be salivating at the chance to scoop up Mirza Teletovic.
While he should be considered a hotter commodity in deeper leagues, owners seeking a boost from beyond the arc would be wise to target the Brooklyn Nets' backup 4.
Not only did Teletovic drill 39 percent of his threes on 4.8 attempts per game last season, but he led the league in three-point attempts per 100 possessions (13.1), according to Basketball-Reference.
He won't win owners over in many other ways, but considering he dropped 15 points on 15 separate occasions last season while drilling at least three triples 23 times, Teletovic is a nice under-the-radar option for teams devoid of elite snipers.
