In-Season Strategy: Week 5 Start/Sit

Week 5 has an interesting wrinkle, with the Suns on a five-game week. Make sure to keep an eye out for Phoenix players on your waiver wire, especially Dario Saric. The Pacers, Grizzlies and Magic have only a pair of games, so exercise caution before automatically slotting players from those teams into your starting five.

Here's the full breakdown:

Team with five games: PHX

Teams with four games: BKN, CHA, CHI, CLE, DAL, HOU, LAC, MIL, NOP, NYK, POR, SAN, UTA

Teams with three games: ATL, BOS, DEN, DET, GSW, LAL, MIA, MIN, OKC, PHI, SAC, TOR, WAS

Teams with two games: IND, MEM, ORL

Who is worth starting, and who is worth sitting?

Point Guard

Consider starting: Tomas Satoransky, CHI

Opponents: MIL, DET, MIA, @CHA

Though the backcourt situation for the Bulls is seemingly in flux -- Satoransky, Coby White and Kris Dunn all seeing action -- that doesn't mean there isn't Fantasy value to be had. Satoransky has been a top-65 Fantasy player over the past two weeks in eight-category formats, seeing 26.4 minutes per game and averaging 10.7 points, 5.7 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals. He's a low-usage player, but he shoots the ball efficiently and contributes enough across the box score to be useful in roto formats, especially on a four-game week. It's possible he's available on the waiver wire, and he could be worth picking up to stream for Week 5, even in 12-team leagues.

Consider sitting: Ja Morant, MEM

Opponents: GS, LAL

Morant has been playing well enough to be given around 3-to-1 odds to win Rookie of the Year, but that doesn't mean his Fantasy contributions have been excellent. He's coming off a great performance against the lowly Hornets, posting 23 points and 11 assists in 30 minutes. However, even with that game, Morant has ranked outside of the top-125 across the past two weeks. He's scoring (18.8) and passing (6.3) well, but he's not providing much value outside of that. On a two-game week, it's probably best to explore other options.

Shooting Guard

Consider starting: Gary Harris, DEN

Opponents: HOU, BOS, PHO

Shooting guard is a relatively thin position, so you may have to start Harris despite his struggles. He's ranked 166th over the past two weeks, hitting just 40.0 percent of his shots. However, he's averaging 36.3 minutes over the past four games, and he's taken 10 3-pointers on two instances this season. While Harris isn't quite seeing the usage he got a couple years ago, his workload and 3-and-D upside could come to fruition sooner than later. It should also be a nice boost for Harris playing all three games at home this week.

Consider sitting: Evan Fournier, ORL

Opponents: @TOR, @IND

While Fournier has played better than Harris, ranking 103 over the past two weeks, the Week 5 script is not in his favor. The Magic have only two games, and they're both on the road against solid teams. Even if he continues to play at this rate (13.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists), it's going to be difficult for him to be a valuable Fantasy commodity in most 12-team formats given the lack of total stats he'll likely accumulate. Hold onto Fournier and start him when Orlando plays three or more games.

Small Forward

Consider starting: Joe Harris, BKN

Opponents: IND, CHA, SAC, @NYK

This is a great situation for Harris to have Fantasy relevance. The Nets are on a four-game week, playing the first three at home, and Caris Levert (thumb) is out for about a month. That should funnell some extra usage to Harris, who has ranked 123rd over the past two weeks on averages of 12.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 31.0 minutes. He's taken at least five 3s in seven of his 11 contests, and he can get hot at a moment's notice. Harris could hit upwards of 12 3s for Fantasy owners this week.

Consider sitting: Aaron Gordon, ORL

Opponents: @TOR, @IND

Gordon has not moved into the expanded role many thought he would occupy by this point in his career. He's taking just 11.4 shots per game, and while he's a solid rebounder and passer, contributions in those areas aren't making up for his lack of scoring. Gordon has been ranked just 108th over the past two weeks, and there's not much to suggest he'll made a significant step forward. On a two-game week with both games on the road, he's a sit candidate in 12-, and maybe even 14-team formats.

Power Forward

Consider starting: Dario Saric, PHX

Opponents: BOS, @SAC, NOP, @MIN, @DEN

Saric, and all Suns players, are on the rare five-game week. Saric hasn't been amazing, but he's ranked a passable 94th over the past two weeks. Anyone playing at that level needs to be added off the waiver wire and streamed on a five-game week. Assuming he continues playing at his current level, he could rack up 65 points, 30 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 3s, not to mention a decent chance at 5-10 combined steals/blocks.

Consider sitting: Kyle Kuzma, LAL

Opponents: OKC, @OKC, @MEM

Kuzma played well in the absence of Anthony Davis (ribs), posting 22 points, five rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes. However, with Davis returning, Kuzma will likely end up settling into a role of around 25 minutes. That should be enough for him to hold relevance in deep leagues, but he doesn't provide enough Fantasy value in standard leagues to be worth a start. He's extremely dependent on scoring and isn't an especially good rebounder, passer or defender. Kuzma's value may emerge on four-game weeks, but he can probably be dropped since it would take a major frontcourt injury for him to have relevance for the rest of the season.

Center

Consider starting: DeAndre Jordan, BKN

Opponents: IND, CHA, SAC, @NY

Though it was Jarrett Allen who was drafted higher in most Fantasy leagues, Jordan is the one who is holding the most Fantasy value. He's needed only 22.4 minutes per game across the past two weeks to be ranked 51st, averaging 8.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 blocks. Even if some regression is on the way, it's hard to imagine him not returning value with four games on tap, plus three of those at home.

Consider sitting: Jonas Valanciunas, MEM

Opponents: GS, LAL

Valanciunas is rounding into form, averaging 18.0 points, 12.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 assists over the past two games. However, I haven't seen enough to confidently start him on a two-game week in leagues shallower than 14 teams. He still has yet to crack 27 minutes, and he'll be going up against a tough Laker defense in one of his two games this week. Next week will be the time to throw him into your starting lineup with confidence.