Welcome to this week's roundup of the biggest risers and fallers in fantasy basketball!
As the season unfolds, player performances continue to shake up the rankings and impact fantasy rosters. Whether it's a breakout star making waves or a struggling veteran losing ground, staying ahead of the trends is crucial for your fantasy success.
In this weekly breakdown, we'll highlight the top performers climbing the charts and those whose value is slipping, helping you make smarter lineup decisions.
Risers
Kyrie Irving, PG/SG, Dallas Mavericks (rostered in 100% of ESPN leagues)
With Luka Doncic now on the Los Angeles Lakers, the Mavericks are officially Irving's team. Irving will have the ball in his hands a ton the rest of the season and have guys like Anthony Davis, P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford and Klay Thompson to pass the ball to. The Mavs are currently eighth in the Western Conference standings and still have enough firepower to make a late-season run. Mavs fans are running for the hills after being heartbroken by the Luka trade, but Irving should see his numbers improve without having to share the ball with Doncic going forward.
Zaccharie Risacher, SF/PF, Atlanta Hawks (17%)
With De'Andre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic traded and Jalen Johnson out for the season, Risacher should be cleared for take off for the Hawks. While Caris LeVert was brought in to help carry the load on offense, Atlanta's moves at the deadline suggest that they are looking toward the future and there are rumblings that Trae Young isn't happy. The Hawks have little choice but to play Risacher big minutes the rest of the way and as long as LeVert doesn't push him to the bench, his numbers should be on the rise the rest of the season.
Ty Jerome, PG, Cleveland Cavaliers (13%)
Almost all of Jerome's big games this season have occurred on nights when LeVert wasn't playing for the Cavaliers. Now that LeVert is a Hawk, Jerome should see a boost in minutes while backing up Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell. The Cavaliers added De'Andre Hunter, but he's a forward and should have no impact on Jerome. Jerome was already worth rostering in many leagues before the LeVert trade, but now he should see his production increase, especially if any of his teammates suffer an injury.
Matas Buzelis, SF, Chicago Bulls (8%)
Buzelis has been quietly buzzing in Chicago, playing 29 MPG over his past three games , scoring in double digits in five straight games. He's a great shooter and can help fantasy managers in scoring, rebounding, blocks and 3-pointers. If he stays on the court between 25-30 minutes per game (he should with Zach LaVine now in Sacramento), Buzelis has a chance to explode over the second half of the season. Get him now before he becomes a household name after All-Star Weekend, as he's my pick to win the dunk contest.
Nick Smith, SG, Charlotte Hornets (2%)
LaMelo Ball is perpetually injured, Brandon Miller is out for the season and Vasilije Micic was just traded to the Suns. While Smith isn't really a point guard, he may play the position for the Hornets going forward as Ball could be shutdown for the season soon. . Smith was already heating up, scoring between 19 and 24 points on 58% shooting with at least four 3-pointers in each of his last three games. He could have the ball in his hands a lot more as long as Ball is sidelined. Now is a great time to take a flier on Smith.
On a side note, Dalton Knecht (18% rostered) should also have a big role for the Hornets. Along with Smith, he is trending upward now that he'll be a key offensive weapon for Charlotte the rest of the way. Get both of them if you can.
Fallers
Austin Reaves, PG/SG/SF, Los Angeles Lakers (92%)
Reaves is a great player in the midst of a strong season, but the addition of Luka Doncic and Mark Williams is going to take the ball out of his hands most nights. He'll still have some fantasy value, but it's hard to figure out how the Lakers will look with LeBron and Luka both needing the ball on every possession. Reaves' role will likely change: he may become a 3-point specialist, oftentimes standing around watching Doncic and James dribble the ball. I expect Reaves' numbers to be on the decline as Doncic acclimates to his new team.
RJ Barrett, SG/SF/PF, Toronto Raptors (91%)
We haven't seen Brandon Ingram in two months, but there are indications that he's healthy and ready to play for the Raptors. He's a true small forward who will surely eat into Barrett's touches and production, assuming that Toronto plays him the rest of the way. Barrett, who is currently out with a concussion, was having a career year prior to the injury, averaging nearly 22.7 PPG along with career highs of 6.6 RPG and 5.7 APG. While it's possible that he and Ingram can co-exist with Barrett playing shooting guard, his numbers will simply have to take a hit with Ingram heavily involved in the offense. Just make sure Ingram is healthy and playing before pulling the plug on Barrett.
Khris Middleton, SF, Washington Wizards (52%)
Middleton's rostership was already too high in Milwaukee, and the oft-injured forward is now playing for the tanking Wizards. While it's hard to trust Middleton, he is now looking at being possibly shut down for the season as the nine-win Wizards look toward the NBA draft lottery. The Wizards need to develop young talent like Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, Justin Champagnie and Alex Sarr, so it's hard to see Middleton getting big minutes that would keep them off the floor. You can find a more stable fantasy option on your league's waiver wire.
De'Andre Hunter, SF/PF, Cleveland Cavaliers (32%)
Hunter's big season in Atlanta came to a screeching halt on Thursday with news that he'd been traded to Cleveland.. While Hunter now has a chance to win a championship, he'll have to share the ball with Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Max Strus. Hunter was locked into the sixth man role in Atlanta and was a candidate for Sixth Man of the Year, but he'll now have to adjust to new teammates and a new role for the league's best team. It's hard to see him matching his previous production of 19 PPG with almost three 3-pointers for his new team, although he should still be worth rostering until we see how the rotation in Cleveland plays out.
Stephon Castle, PG/SG, San Antonio Spurs (29%)
The Spurs started new arrival De'Aaron Fox alongside Chris Paul in their first game together on Wednesday.Castle came off the bench and scored 11 points in just 20 minutes - it's only a one-game sample size, but if the Spurs continue to start Fox and Paul together, Castle is going to have a tough time getting enough minutes to make a fantasy impact. There's a chance Castle could end up back with the first unit if they demote Paul or Harrison Barnes, but for now, it would appear that Castle's arrow is pointing straight down after he played well in January.
