Things change very quickly in the fantasy landscape, and sometimes you just have to ride the wave. Coming into the season, I'd pegged Marvin Bagley as a potential breakout player and drafted him on several teams. Imagine my chagrin when, just before the first game, the Kings coach announced he was out of their playing rotation for the foreseeable future. That had left me with a dilemma in several leagues...could I afford to use the roster spot on a player that wasn't playing, with hopes he'd eventually work himself back into the rotation?
History has repeated itself this week, as Knicks coach Tom Thiboeau announced Monday that Kemba Walker is out of the rotation. And as the situation with Bagley had reiterated in shallower leagues, I could not in fact afford the roster spot for a non-injured player that simply wasn't contributing. I'd had to let Bagley go, and even though the coaching regime in Sacramento has him back in the rotation and again showing at least faint signs of promise, moving on was the right decision. A non-contributing player, particularly in daily transaction leagues, can lead to early season losses one can't afford.
Bringing it back to Walker, the lesson was to move on quickly and perhaps try to get his replacement. As my colleague Jim pointed out over the weekend, Alec Burks was a potential free agent of interest even before the announcement. But now? You should seriously consider Burks as the hot free agent of the week, particularly if you had Walker on the roster. In the short term, Burks could very well replicate everything you had previously been getting from Walker. And perhaps more.
Let's take a look at five more player that could help your team that are rostered in less than 20% of ESPN leagues.
Jarred Vanderbilt, Minnesota Timberwolves (12.3% rostered in ESPN leagues): The Timberwolves have won seven of their last eight games, in part because they've recently found a team-wide balance in which all of their players know exactly what they need to contribute. Vanderbilt has donned the role of lead rebounder and frontcourt defender, supplanting Karl-Anthony Towns as the man on the glass and allowing Big KAT to concentrate more on his scoring. Vanderbilt has grabbed double-digit boards in five of his last six games before missing Monday's outing due to illness, and he's posted great defensive numbers as well. In those six games, he's averaged 11.7 RPG, 7.5 PPG, 2.0 SPG and 1.0 BPG in a useful defensive role-playing big man role that is useful to most fantasy squads.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Washington Wizards (6.5%): Caldwell-Pope is on a scoring spree for the Wizards, averaging 17.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.3 3PG, 2.0 APG, 1.0 BPG and 0.7 SPG during the last three games. KCP is firmly established as a contributing starter for the Wizards, and though his numbers will be up-and-down, he has the game to produce fantasy caliber numbers as a potential flex player in deeper leagues.
Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers (4.5%): Simons is a young player coming into his own, but he's also getting more opportunity with Damian Lillard off to a slower start and battling nagging injury. Simons has taken advantage of late, notching three straight double-digit scoring efforts with averages of 19.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 3.7 3PG, 2.0 APG and 1.0 SPG in 27.0 MPG during that stretch. He had another stretch of five straight double-digit scoring efforts to start the season. Simons will likely be inconsistent as long as he's in his current role of fourth perimeter scorer while coming off the bench, but he's showing he's got the game to produce when called upon.
Tyus Jones, Memphis Grizzlies (3.1%): Ja Morant seems to have avoided catastrophe when he injured his knee last week, diagnosed with sprains instead of tears, but he's still expected to be out several weeks. Jones got the start in Morant's first absence, and notched 8 assists, 6 points and 3 rebounds in 24 minutes of a blowout win over the Kings. Jones isn't much of a scorer, but he could be an excellent source of assists and steals for as long as he holds onto starter minutes.
Jeff Green, Denver Nuggets (2.6%): Green is a player of interest with Michael Porter Jr. out indefinitely after back surgery. Check out, here, how Green and the other Nuggets may have their fantasy value changed by Porter's absence.
Garrison Mathews, Houston Rockets (0.3%): Mathews moved into the starting lineup for the Rockets when Jalen Green was sidelined with a hamstring injury, and he's responded with consecutive big scoring games in major minutes. He's averaged 19.5 PPG, 5.0 3PG and 2.5 RPG in 35.0 MPG in those two games, both Rockets wins, and looks to be a good source of points and treys as long as he's getting big minutes. That could be a short span if Green returns soon, but it's also possible Mathews plays himself into a larger role if he keeps producing for a rebuilding Rockets squad.