Now that we’re past the first few weeks of the season, it’s time to look at these stats more critically. Don’t look at full season statistics. Look at the production over the last couple of games. You have to be one step ahead of you opponent. If I suggest picking up a player that is already owned in 65% of leagues, you’re very likely to be late to the party on that player. Be early to the party and find these players before they get too hot to be under the radar anymore. Keep in mind whether or not a player you’re adding has longevity. If the player your player is filling in for is coming back the next game and all signs point to your player going back to having a limited role, stay clear.

Markelle Fultz G ORL-28% Ownership: Fultz has finally found his fit in the NBA and with the Magic’s two main options Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon hurt, others will have to fill in the scoring gaps. Fultz has a strong drive and he’s scored in double figures in his last four games. He’s been playing consistently in the 20’s and he’ll be needed even more to drive and draw contact with their post-game limited. Fultz will take long-range jumpers, but he focuses more on getting to the basket. Fultz has been helpful on the playmaking side of the ball and doesn’t just focus on scoring. Remember, he was a No. 1 overall pick a few years ago for a reason. Fultz has dished four assists in three of his last four games. Fultz has been productive on the defensive side as he has stolen the ball in each of his last 10 games. 

De'Andre Hunter SF ATL-35% Ownership: It’s taken a few weeks to get used to the league for the rookie, but between the John Collins suspension and Kevin Huerter ’s injury, Hunter has been getting more minutes and more shots. De’Andre Bembry has had to help in other areas and that has opened up the Hawks rotation to other players. Hunter is showing why he should be able to keep his rotation spot even when other players return. The Hawks are still a mess at center and Collins will have to help at that spot once he returns and Jabari Parker will have to handle most PF minutes with Bembry backing him up. Hunter is taking more shots and he’s scored in double-digits in his last eight games. He’s scored 26-plus in two of his last three games. He’s been mainly just helping with scoring, but he’s starting to show life in the form of dimes as he’s produced three-plus dimes in three of his last four games. Hunter also had a double-digit rebounding game a few games ago as well. Expect to see further growth from Hunter as the season continues. He’s played at least 34 minutes in six of his last eight games.

Aaron Holiday PG IND-16% Ownership: With Malcolm Brogdon ’s back banged up, Holiday will see more life in the Pacers rotation. While Jeremy Lamb and T.J. McConnell being back in the fold will give Holiday more competition for minutes, until Victor Oladipo returns, he should be able to get a true rotation commitment of at least 20 minutes per game. He’s a good change of pace guard because of his speed and he’ll continue to take advantage of opposing second units. Holiday has scored 10 or more points in his last six games and he’ll balance his offense between driving and taking long-range shots. He’s dished four or more assists over his last five games. The rebounding has made me very encouraged that he’ll stick in the Pacers rotation as well. He’s grabbed three boards per game and the commitment to defense will keep his minutes safe. Once Brogdon returns, Holiday’s minutes will likely drop below 30 for the most part, but he’ll still produce. Holiday has also grabbed steals in six of his last seven games. 

Kenrich Williams F NO-25% Ownership: The Pelicans frontcourt injuries have given Williams room to play. Don’t just look at the scoring with Williams. Focus more on the other categories he’s been productive in. Williams can hit three-pointers, but he’s getting his minutes strictly from defense. He’s played at least 30 minutes in his last seven games and even when Zion Williamson , Derrick Favors and Jahlil Okafor get healthy, Williams is making a strong case why he should not only continue to be a regular rotation player, but also get the start. Once he’s ready, the Pelicans can let Williamson come off the bench until he can prove that he can stay healthy and the Pelicans can start Brandon Ingram , Favors and Williams in the frontcourt. Williams has grabbed double-digit boards and a steal in four of his last seven games. Williams also has nicely timed jumps even right outside the paint and that has resulted in blocks in five of his last six games. View Williams production like you would Draymond Green ’s production with double-figure scoring being a bonus (not saying he’s as good as Green).

Jakob Poeltl C SAS-8% Ownership: We’ve been waiting for Poeltl to re-learn how to use his size correctly. He seemed to have lost that skill once he left Toronto, but if you look at what he’s done over his last few games, his minutes and stats are trending up. LaMarcus Aldridge can’t defend the post all by himself and the Spurs don’t have a lot of options at center. He’s hit the 20-minute mark his last four games and he’s grabbed at least 10 boards in two of those games. Poeltl will help the Spurs take advantage of second-chance scoring opportunities and with Tim Duncan on the coaching staff, we hope that Poeltl is getting tutored how to make moves in the post. Poeltl has also scored 11 points in two of his last four games. He’s even blocked a shot or grabbed a steal in three of his last five games. If you need more proof and don’t want to grab him yet, definitely keep him on your watch list because he can grab 20 minutes in the Spurs rotation for the long haul because of their lack of depth in the middle. 

Donte DiVincenzo SG MIL-20% Ownership: DiVincenzo has faced a lot of injuries in his young career, but this time, it’s Khris Middleton that is hurting and DiVincenzo will continue to get more playing time. He should regularly be in the rotation moving forward as well. He’s always running on the court trying to set himself or one of his teammates up for a high-percentage jumper. He’s hit double figures in scoring in four of his last five games, and he’s taken at least nine shots in his last five games. It’s a good sign that he will continue to get the ball beyond bailout situations in which Giannis Antetokounmpo draws the third defender. DiVincenzo will also fight for boards and steals and that’s been a contributing factor for the minutes uptick. He’s grabbed at least four rebounds in his last six games. Let’s also not forget the strong steals production we’ve seen lately over his last eight games. His main competition for minutes will be Wesley Matthews once Middleton returns, but Matthews doesn’t play as good of defense as DiVincenzo does. 

Rajon Rondo PG LAL-27% Ownership: LeBron James doesn’t want to be the PG the entire game and that will help Rondo’s rotation security. Rondo doesn’t need a lot of minutes to put up stats, but he will turn the ball over and crush your shooting percentage at times. The positives outweigh the negatives though and with his minutes starting to rise as his health has improved, he’s become safer to add. He’s scored in double figures in two of his last four games. He’ll hit treys, but he’s a much better driver. Rondo has also grabbed 3.2 boards per game and we should expect that average to go up as the season continues. Point guards aren’t easy to find on the waiver wire. He’s dished four or more dimes and grabbed steals in four of his last five games. Seeing Rondo play in the 20’s more consistently is very encouraging. James will run the point for a decent amount of the game, but, there’s definitely room for Rondo and James will need to set more at the elbow if the Lakers are having trouble getting in the lane. 

Rodney Hood SG, SF POR-17% Ownership: Hood hasn’t seen a game in which he’s played fewer than 30 minutes since returning from injury because he’s the Blazers most committed defender. Opposing teams have crushed their guards and the Blazers don’t have a lot of depth up front. Hood has stolen the ball in his last four games. Hood has been a camper throughout his career just staying at the arc, but the Blazers have needed all the help they can get pushing the ball inside and Hood has been setting up more from mid-range and he’s even grabbing 3.6 rebounds per game. Hood has scored in double figures in four of his last six games. The Blazers addition of Carmelo Anthony shouldn’t keep you away from Hood. Anthony is a horrible defender and Hood is the team’s best defender and the minutes will always be on Hood’s side and he can still see seven to eight shots per game. The opportunities will be there for the rest of the season for Hood. 

Khem Birch PF, C ORL-5% Ownership: Nikola Vucevic being out for the next three to four weeks is major and not only should you keep an eye on Birch (the incumbent for the starter minutes left behind), but keep an eye on both Mohamed Bamba and Al-Farouq Aminu . Aaron Gordon is out and we don’t know when he’ll return and Jonathan Isaac will need help in the post. Birch has a safe minutes floor until Vucevic returns. He’s more mature in his style of play than Bamba, but, both should be a lot more involved in the Magic’s rotation. If Bamba or Aminu start producing at a higher level, look to pick them up. Aminu and Bamba can hit long-range jumpers, but Birch will do the dirty work under the basket and he’ll score from exclusively the low-block. Birch can end up being a short-term solution, but with the rotation wide open, someone has to step up. If it’s not Birch, it’ll be one of the other two players I mentioned that takes advantage.

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Justin Holiday SG, SF IND-4% Ownership: Once the Pacers are at full strength, it’ll be harder for Holiday to find minutes, but he continues to take advantage of the time given to him. He’s hit double-digits in scoring in three of his last four games and has grabbed at least four boards in five of his last seven games. Holiday plays could defense and commits to grabbing long rebounds. As the possession is ending, he waits to see if he can help further extend the play and that results in a good amount of long boards. He makes an impact on the perimeter on defense as he’s grabbed steals in his last three games. With Jeremy Lamb healthy, Holiday will look to grab minutes at SF. He’ll serve as a bailout shooter from long-range a good amount of the time. If Malcolm Brogdon needs to miss more games, Holiday will pick up more shots. He’s playing nearly 26 minutes per game and at least for the next few weeks, his minutes should stay in the 20’s. Lamb being back will scale back Holiday’s minutes a tad. Don’t expect him to see as many 30-plus minute games.