One of the worst mistakes fantasy managers can make is cutting a quality player who should have a long-term role on their roster. Those are the type of players who can be picked up by others in route to a fantasy championship.
So which players are our fantasy experts making a point to hold on to, even if other fantasy managers may be willing to let them go?
Here are André Snellings, Eric Moody, Eric Karabell, Jim McCormick, John Cregan and Steve Alexander with more on that.
Dillon Brooks, SG/SF, and Brandon Clarke, PF/C, Memphis Grizzlies
Fantasy managers parting with Brooks and Clarke may regret it. I remain hopeful these veterans will resume their normal and expected production. Brooks served a one-game suspension for the Donovan Mitchell incident and that game was his third consecutive scoring only in single-digits. However, what has really changed? Brooks remains a key member of the team. It was a terrible statistical January (11.6 PPG, 34% FG), but did we forget his December (17.4 PPG, 2.4 3PG)? Clarke is similar. He's started February a bit cold, shooting "only" 55% from the field after topping 72% the prior two months. Clarke is reliable. He'll be fine. Keep your Grizzlies rostered! -- Karabell
Tari Eason, SF, Houston Rockets
When this question was first posed, on Monday, my answer was going to be Cam Thomas. I'd written on Friday that he should be picked up as a speculative add when Kyrie Irving requested a trade, and I'd picked him up myself that night, but some of my friends that I spoke to picked him up at my suggestion then immediately dropped him for a different streamer. Of course, he has since scored 40+ points in three straight games, though, so now no one is dropping him in the short term.
So, I'll also highlight Eason. I drafted him in a lot of leagues based on how strong he looked at the Las Vegas Summer League, and I've held onto him through a predictably down-and-up/inconsistent first half of the season. He's showing more positive signs of late, including notching three straight double-doubles at the end of January/start of February, but he's also still turning in performances of two and four points like he did in two of his last three games. I say to continue to hold on, because he should only get better from here. The Rockets are deep in the lottery, deep in rebuild mode, but are still playing 34-year-old Eric Gordon more than 30 minutes per game. Gordon has notched two DNPs in the last two weeks, though, and Eason averaged 18.0 PPG and 9.5 RPG in those two games. I expect Eason to get more and more of Gordon's production share down the stretch. -- Snellings
Deni Avdija, SF/PF, Washington Wizards and several young Rockets
I'm holding Houston Rockets given their great playoff schedule. Kenyon Martin Jr., Eason, Jabari Smith Jr. and even Josh Christopher, who scored 20 in his last game, are all worth hanging onto in my opinion. The Rockets will continue to tank and once they start shutting guys down (we've seen enough of Gordon already, am I right?), these four guys could really start to make some noise in March and April, although they're already doing some nice things. Additionally, the Wizards' Avdija has been playing well enough to be rostered everywhere. He's been fun in eight of his last 10 games, although the two games where he struggled, he literally did nothing. But he's been good for points, rebounds, threes and steals on most nights and should continue to play well with Kyle Kuzma and Bradley Beal showing up on the injury report on a fairly regular basis this season. -- Alexander
Keegan Murray, PF, Sacramento Kings
Before Murray's 57-point fantasy explosion on Monday night against the Rockets, he had only 11 total fantasy points in his previous three games. Fantasy managers should continue to roster the back-to-back Western Conference Rookie of the Month. Murray continues to showcase his perimeter shooting ability and it just so happens the Kings are 8-0 when he scores 20 or more points. For a Sacramento team that wants to stabilize its playoff position, Murray should remain actively involved. -- Moody
Trey Murphy III, SG/SF, New Orleans Pelicans and Precious Achiuwa, PF/C, Toronto Raptors
This might not seem like an obvious name, but Murphy has seen his roster percentage oscillate for much of the season as the New Orleans Pelicans have faced injury issues to Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. As we head to the trade deadline with talk of the Pelicans seeking "3-and-D" wing infusions, it's possible that solution is in house, with Murphy claiming a strong block rate while hitting on 40% of his deep looks. One more name to hold ahead of the stretch run is Toronto's Achiuwa. What once seemed like an interim burst in minutes and production for Achiuwa has become a potentially enduring role for a rising forward on a Raptors roster that could experience major change in the coming hours. -- McCormick