This article is part of our Category Strategy series.
CATEGORY STRATEGY
Each week, this article highlights players who are widely available in standard leagues who can help in specific roto categories. While each player highlighted can help in a specific category, there's no guarantee for production in other areas.
POINTS
Rodney Stuckey, SG, Pacers
Stuckey is still out indefinitely with a foot injury, but he could be back some time this week. Upon his return, Stuckey will serve as a noticeable upgrade on the perimeter for a Pacers team that is 28th in the league at 91.9 points per game. The Pacers have a lot of players -- C.J. Miles, Solomon Hill, Chris Copeland -- that have been masquerading at the two while Stuckey has been out. But in today's NBA, they all profile better at the three, and maybe even the four in Copeland's case. Stuckey is not an exciting option, and it seems like he has been around forever, but he is only 28 years old. Last season with Detroit he averaged 13.9 points in 26.7 minutes per game, often times acting as the fourth or fifth option on offense. Once fully healthy, Stuckey should take on more minutes and more shot attempts than he saw in Detroit, and as he is widely available due to the injury, now is the time to grab him. In shallower leagues, Evan Fournier is a solid option, although Victor Oladipo's return should cut into his value a little. Gerald Green's numbers suggest he is a
CATEGORY STRATEGY
Each week, this article highlights players who are widely available in standard leagues who can help in specific roto categories. While each player highlighted can help in a specific category, there's no guarantee for production in other areas.
POINTS
Rodney Stuckey, SG, Pacers
Stuckey is still out indefinitely with a foot injury, but he could be back some time this week. Upon his return, Stuckey will serve as a noticeable upgrade on the perimeter for a Pacers team that is 28th in the league at 91.9 points per game. The Pacers have a lot of players -- C.J. Miles, Solomon Hill, Chris Copeland -- that have been masquerading at the two while Stuckey has been out. But in today's NBA, they all profile better at the three, and maybe even the four in Copeland's case. Stuckey is not an exciting option, and it seems like he has been around forever, but he is only 28 years old. Last season with Detroit he averaged 13.9 points in 26.7 minutes per game, often times acting as the fourth or fifth option on offense. Once fully healthy, Stuckey should take on more minutes and more shot attempts than he saw in Detroit, and as he is widely available due to the injury, now is the time to grab him. In shallower leagues, Evan Fournier is a solid option, although Victor Oladipo's return should cut into his value a little. Gerald Green's numbers suggest he is a worthwhile option here too, but he is so hit or miss that the best place to use him is in daily tournaments.
REBOUNDS
Kevin Garnett, PF, Nets
Garnett remains a steady source of rebounds, and fantasy owners remain wary of the production. That is understandable, given how finished he appeared last season, and considering he is averaging just 23.4 minutes per game. However, that number is a little misleading, as he has played 13 minutes in a couple games to keep him fresh, and on most nights he is seeing closer to 25-30 minutes per game. Miles Plumlee carries less of a risk in terms of game-to-game minutes, but he has also had less production through the first two-plus weeks of the season. There are several available players on the Pacers and Nuggets that may show up as producers in this category, but the frontcourt rotations on both of those teams are too hectic to get involved in for owners in standard single-season leagues.
ASSISTS
Mo Williams, PG, T-Wolves
Don't be fooled by Williams remaining a reserve after Ricky Rubio's ankle injury. Rookie Zach LaVine has been starting at point guard, and he brings some athleticism to the equation, but he doesn't quite know how to run an NBA offense yet, and Williams is the more effective distributor right now. The 11-year veteran is averaging six assists per game over his last five outings, and should remain around that mark for the next five-to-seven weeks with Rubio sidelined. Another option would be Norris Cole, who appeared to be the better value of the Miami point guards on draft day this season, as Mario Chalmers is not noticeably better than Cole, but he was getting drafted like he was. Cole, meanwhile, is averaging five assists over his last five games, and is unowned in the majority of leagues.
STEALS
K.J. McDaniels, SG, Sixers
McDaniels would not crack the rotation on a lot of Western Conference teams, but on Philadelphia he is one of the more reliable options on the wing. He has seven steals in his last four games, and has seen 25-plus minutes in all but one of those. Defense was one of the things McDaniels got a lot of credit for as a rookie coming out of Clemson, and so far he has lived up to that billing. Norris Cole is a solid option here as well, and until Jose Calderon returns, Shane Larkin also offers some steals for those in deeper leagues.
BLOCKS
Ed Davis, PF, Lakers
Davis won't often eclipse 25 minutes in a game, but he is the Lakers' only real rim protector. He has at least one block in seven of nine games and is averaging 1.6 blocks per game season. The 25-year-old power forward also offers very solid production in rebounds (6.8 per game) and field-goal percentage (67.9 percent). Spencer Hawes is another option to consider for blocks and solid production across the board in deeper leagues.
THREE-POINTERS
Ben McLemore, SG, Kings
McLemore has basically stepped into the shooting role that many thought rookie Nik Stauskas would provide this season. Sacramento's offense can create wide open looks for shooters on the perimeter thanks to DeMarcus Cousins commanding double teams and the unselfish play of Darren Collison. Over the last five games the second year player is averaging 2.4 three-pointers per game, but more importantly he is averaging 34.6 minutes per game, which makes a couple treys per game a pretty reasonable expectation going forward. Shawne Williams also remains an option here in deeper leagues.
