This week we're featuring a player that's returned from injury as just the shot in the arm that his team needs, two young talents proving they can produce so well off the bench that they deserve starter minutes, and two professional scorers that are shooting it well right now.
These are all players that could either help fantasy basketball rosters now, or should be right on your radar for a possible quick add before the rest of your league becomes aware of them. And frankly, for one player in particular, it may already be too late.
Let's take a look at these players that could help your team that are rostered in less than 20% of ESPN leagues.
Talen Horton-Tucker, SG/SF, Los Angeles Lakers (12.7% rostered): THT has entered the building! After missing almost the entire first month of the season, Horton-Tucker has returned as a conquering hero. He was strong in his debut, dropping 17 points (7-for-14 FG, 2-for-2 FT), four boards, a block, a steal and a 3-pointer in 27 minutes. But he blew that away in his second outing, leading the Lakers with 28 points (9-for-19 FG, 6-for-6 FT), six boards, four 3-pointers, two assists and a steal in 37 minutes on Monday. Horton-Tucker is starting at one of the wing slots while LeBron James is out, and if keeps playing like this he could earn a larger role even once James returns. The Lakers need his offense, and so far he's showing he's ready to provide it on a consistent basis.
Duncan Robinson, SG/SF, Miami Heat (18%): The Heat needed Robinson to step up on offense with Jimmy Butler sidelined, and he's done that to the tune of 22 points, six 3-pointers, four assists, four rebounds and one steal on Saturday followed by 21 points, five 3-pointers, three rebounds, one assist and one steal on Monday. Both scores would have represented season-highs, and when Butler returns his volume likely goes down. But keep in mind, if this period has helped him find his stroke, Robinson has the permanent green light with the Heat no matter who else is on the court and can pop in any given night.
Devin Vassell, SG/SF, San Antonio Spurs (15.8%): Vassell opened eyes with intermittent strong scoring efforts to start the season, but in November he's consistently producing strong stat lines. Thus far this month, he's averaging 15.4 PPG (51.9 FG%, 78.6 FT%), 3.7 RPG, 2.4 3PG, 1.0 SPG and 1.0 BPG with six double-digit scoring efforts in seven games. But, he's ramping up, coming off his best three-game stretch of the season in which those numbers increased to 18.0 PPG (58.6 FG%, 80.0 FT%), 4.7 RPG, 4.0 3PG, 0.7 SPG and 0.7 BPG. Vassell is only 21 years old on a young Spurs team that's trying to put together their future core, so if he keeps playing like this Vassell should have every opportunity to earn himself a larger piece of the pie.
Nassir Little, SF/PF, Portland Trail Blazers (4.2%): Little has quietly encroached on starter Robert Covington's power forward minutes, and may be slowly overtaking him. In the last four games, Covington has averaged only 22 MPG while Little has averaged 26 MPG. During that stretch, the 21-year old Little has averaged 10.5 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 1.5 APG, 1.3 3PG and 0.8 BPG. This would be solid all-around production of Little is able to maintain this role and level, but he has upside for more, especially if he continues to earn a larger slice of the pie.
Alec Burks, SG, New York Knicks (2.5%): Burks has proven to be a professional scorer when healthy over the last couple seasons, but injuries have routinely robbed him of opportunities and minimized his team role. He's currently healthy, though, and in his last five games he's averaging 10.4 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.2 3PG, 0.8 BPG and 0.6 SPG. His production is up-and-down, but his steady state, healthy value is productive enough to be worthy of attention in deeper leagues. And if his role were to increase to starter minutes for any reason during the season, he'd instantly become a potentially flex-starter caliber fantasy producer.