Fantasy Basketball 2020: Ranking Sleepers for NBA Week 16
As fantasy owners brace themselves for Thursday's trade deadline, a few players who aren't discussed in rumors could patch up holes on your roster.
Some managers may not have legitimate shots at the hottest available names on the move this week because of depleted free-agent acquisition budgets, but a strategic low-cost arrival before possible transactions may give you the same edge.
Among teams with four-game slates for Week 16, the Dallas Mavericks draw the most intrigue. Luka Doncic could miss up to two weeks of action, and the team opted to rest Kristaps Porzingis on Saturday. Head coach Rick Carlisle has made constant changes to the starting lineup to match opponents and compensate for injuries.
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The Mavericks have a consistent starter who belongs on your radar. Behind him on the rankings list below, we'll also take a look at an efficient scoring guard and a big man holding on to fantasy relevance with a couple of solid performances over the last week. All the sleeper selections are owned in fewer than 40 percent of Yahoo leagues.
Top 5 Sleepers for Week 16
1. SF/PF Dorian Finney-Smith, Dallas Mavericks (14 percent owned)
2. PG/SG J.J. Barea, Dallas Mavericks (2 percent owned)
3. PG Landry Shamet, Los Angeles Clippers (17 percent owned)
4. SG/SF, Glenn Robinson III Golden State Warriors (33 percent owned)
5. PF/C Luke Kornet, Chicago Bulls (7 percent owned)
PF/C Luke Kornet, Chicago Bulls (7 percent owned)
Luke Kornet's spot as a top sleeper comes with an imminent expiration date. He has played at least 20 minutes in each of the last five games with mixed results. Yet, the 7'2", 250-pound center is a solid pickup for fantasy managers who need points, triples and blocks.
The Chicago Bulls' starting lineup has gone through significant changes because of injuries. Lauri Markkanen has a stress reaction in his pelvis, which will sideline him until after the All-Star break. Kris Dunn exited Friday's game with an MCL injury and missed Sunday's contest. Otto Porter Jr. doesn't seem close to a return from a broken left foot.
In the meantime, Kornet should log a decent number of minutes even if he loses his starting job or some time to Daniel Gafford, who recovered from a dislocated thumb and returned to action Sunday.
Following two double-digit scoring performances over the last two weeks, which included a season-high 19 points against the Brooklyn Nets Friday, Kornet may have carved out a decent role within head coach Jim Boylen's rotation. He's blocked one shot in four of the last five contests, giving the Bulls some defensive resistance in the paint.
PG Landry Shamet, Los Angeles Clippers (17 percent owned)
Landry Shamet started in most of the Los Angeles Clippers' January games. He came off the bench Saturday but remained productive, logging 10 points, which included two triples, two assists and a steal.
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George will have more rest days ahead. During those games, Shamet should see a slight boost in usage rate because of his ability to score. He's recorded double-digit point totals in nine consecutive contests while logging 14 assists over his last four outings.
Furthermore, the 22-year-old can provide a sprinkle of assists as a ball-handler without the side effects of a high turnover rate. He's averaging fewer than one giveaway per game for the season.
As a sharpshooter, averaging 28.4 minutes per outing, Shamet could light up the scoreboard in any given contest, giving managers a surge in points. Because of his ball distribution, he ranks one spot higher than Glenn Robinson III, who's a consistent contributor in only two categories other than percentages, triples and points.
SF/PF Dorian Finney-Smith, Dallas Mavericks (14 percent owned)
Carlisle has tinkered with the starting point guard spot with Doncic out because of a "moderate" ankle sprain. J.J. Barea started against the Houston Rockets Friday, logging 11 points, five rebounds and nine assists. He sat out Saturday on a back-to-back set, which allowed Jalen Brunson to go off for 27 points, four rebounds and eight assists.
In the fantasy world, you would prefer consistency rather than spotty standout production. Barea could reclaim the starting point guard role for the upcoming week, which is why he's listed at No. 2 on the sleeper list. Regardless, he and Brunson seem locked into a timeshare.
Dorian Finney-Smith doesn't always stuff the stat sheet, but he's locked into the first unit, averaging 29.5 minutes per contest. He put together a full line against the Atlanta Hawks Saturday, recording 22 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. The starting forward has decent percentages to boot, 46 percent from the field and 70 percent from the free-throw line.
As a fixture in the Mavericks' rotation and contributor on both ends of the floor, Finney-Smith should be rostered in all leagues. He could be a nine-category league gem while Doncic recovers from an ankle injury that will keep him on the sideline for the upcoming week.
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