While COVID-19 continues to make an impact on the league, it seems anecdotally clear to me that there are fewer players sidelined these days than there were during the worst of the spike a few weeks back.
As such, there aren't as many unexpected players producing starter value on a nightly basis. Nevertheless, there is still value out there, with players taking advantage of their opportunities to show what they can do.
Just last night, Stanley Johnson -- currently on his third 10-day contract -- went on a scoring spree in the fourth quarter to help the Lakers come back and defeat the Jazz. Johnson doesn't necessarily profile as a pick-up in fantasy leagues, but let's talk about a handful of players that do.
Otto Porter Jr., Golden State Warriors (13.4% rostered in ESPN leagues): Porter is the same jack-of-all-trades roto producer that he's always been, when healthy, but in the short term he has a potentially larger role with Draymond Green sidelined and Klay Thompson slowly working his way back into form. In his last eight games, four of them starts, Porter has averaged 9.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.3 APG, 2.1 SPG and 1.4 3PG in 23.4 MPG. He's had seven games with at least 26 minutes played since December 20. His ability to tick multiple categories, including in steals and treys, makes him someone worth consideration in most roto leagues if he gets near starter minutes.
Chris Duarte, Indiana Pacers (13.3%): Duarte has had a promising rookie season, and has been a starter for the majority of the time, but he had to sit for several games due first to COVID-19 and later to the birth of his child. He's thus only played three games in 2022, and in the first two he didn't do all that much in a smaller role off the bench. On Monday, he popped for 24 points (10-of-14 FG, 2-of-2 FT), 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 2 3-pointers in 34 minutes off the bench. That reminds of the solid level he maintained in the 11 games before his COVID absence, in which he'd averaged 13.5 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.6 3PG and 1.2 SPG in 27.8 MPG. Duarte is a mature rookie, but still has upside, especially if the Pacers, who are already 7.5 games out of the 10th place last play-in spot in the East, start looking to rebuild.
Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets (10.0%): Gordon is a 33-year old, professional scorer playing on a young, rebuilding Rockets team. That has made me question his role, and whether the team would continue utilizing him, but thus far they have. And, as professional scorers do, he's currently going through a nice stretch of putting the ball in the hole. He dropped 31 points on the Spurs last week, and has averaged 20.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.0 3PG and 2.0 APG over his last three games. His per-game averages tend to trend toward solid even if you go back further...over his last 19 games, he's averaged 16.5 PPG (55.4 FG%, 78.7 FT%, 47.6 3P%), 3.8 APG, 2.6 3PG and 1.8 RPG in 29.2 MPG. But note, he's also had five individual games where he didn't plan during that span. So, there's risk and reward. But if you need a short-term filler that can put points and treys on the board, Gordon can be that guy.
Amir Coffey, LA Clippers (5.0%): Coffey has had a larger role for the Clippers in the absences of Paul George (elbow) and Luke Kennard (COVID-19), and he's taken advantage of it. In his last five games, all starts, Coffee has averaged 16.0 PPG (54.7 FG%, 100.0 FT%, 48.5 3P%), 4.8 RPG, 4.6 APG, 3.2 3PG, 1.4 SPG and 0.4 BPG with 0.8 TO/G in 34.0 MPG. More importantly to his continued playing time, the Clippers have won three of those five games, including wins over the Nuggets and Hawks. Kennard could return at any time, but Coffey may have played well enough to maintain a larger role until George is able to come back.
Justin Holiday, Indiana Pacers (3.1%): Holiday is the second Pacers player in this space. He has been starting for most of the season, and he's had multiple pockets of multiple productive games in a row...followed by pockets with a distinct lack of productivity. He's in the midst of a good run that's lasted longer than any others this season, with five straight games scoring double-digit points that has resulted in averages of 16.4 PPG (47.3 FG%, 83.3 FT%, 46.5 3P%), 4.0 3PG, 2.8 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.2 SPG and 0.8 BPG with only 0.8 TO/G during that span. Holiday has been a strong 3-point shooter for years, making 38.0% of them in his las three seasons, and profiles as a 3-point role player in a hot stretch that may have added enough defensive value to be worthy of a roster spot even when he cools a bit.