Fantasy Basketball Hot Pickups – Week 5

Fantasy Basketball Hot Pickups – Week 5

Darko Milicic continues to be inconsistent in all categories but blocks. Milicic is worth a roster spot as a block specialist but he also has some stat stuffing potential. Milicic exploded this week for a 9 point, 13 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 block game and this type of upside is impossible to ignore as is his performance last night. Make sure Darko is owned in your league.

Carl Landry is looking like he is turning the corner in this young season and this should make fantasy owners take notice. He is still available in 20% of leagues despite being a starter and he needs to be owned in all leagues.

Sonny Weems is averaging 17.5 points since being promoted to the starting lineup and he is doing it on an efficient .583% shooting from the field. As long as he is playing like this he needs to be owned in all leagues. He is currently sitting at just 29% owned in Yahoo! leagues and needs to be snapped up right away. Whenever you can land a high percentages from a shooting guard who takes more than 10 shots a game, you make the add.

Landry Fields exploded earlier in the week for 21 points and 17 rebounds and reminded fantasy owners that despite inconsistent minutes that he needs to be owned in all leagues so long as he is starting for the New York Knicks.

Jonny Flynn was set to return last week but the frustrating Kurt Rambis has decided to take his time with Flynn. I guess its good to have a long-term perspective but I am sure fantasy owners everywhere are waiting in anticipation for Flynn’s return. Make the add and reap the benefits when he finally returns. He is currently available in 66% of Yahoo! leagues.

DeMarcus Cousins has been maddeningly inconsistent this year and was dropped in a few leagues because of it. This young athlete still has legit 20-10 upside and should be on fantasy rosters and the end of the bench at the very minimum. Fresh off a 15 point, 10 rebound, 2 steal, and 1 block game he is currently sitting available in 22% of leagues and the prudent owner should make the speculative add.

Wesley Johnson has been flashing some of his fantasy upside lately, registering 3 blocks one game, 4 assists another, 18 points another, 2 steals in yet another. He has yet to put it all together but has made me a believer that he has the chance to be something special once his offensive role expands. He is worth the add in the deepest leagues.

Al Farouq-Aminu has been turning a lot of heads and is averaging 12.3 points in 4 games as a starter but 15.7 points in the 4 games he has played over 27 minutes. He is still finding his way in the NBA but his 20 point, 8 rebound, 2 steal performance against the Hornets gave us a glimpse of some of his true potential. He is worth the add in deeper leagues and is currently available in 90% of leagues.

Travis Outlaw has been a consistent force for the Nets this season, but in the past 7 days he has turned it on averaging 15.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.3 threes and .7 blocks on .474% shooting. He is currently sitting at only 40% owned and should be added by owners looking for points and threes with a solid 5 rebounds a game to boot.

Kris Humphries has been a beast since entering the starting lineup for the Nets and has been averaging 9 points, 13 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game as a starter on a robust .552 shooting. Kris Humphries is only 20% owned and should be on fantasy rosters as long as this ascension sticks. And with rumors that Troy Murphy may be on his way out of town Humphries value stands to get a boost if something materializes.

Wesley Matthews is only 38% owned despite being pegged as the starter in Brandon Roy’s absence. Many questioned his rather large deal this summer but Matthews is proving that he is worth every penny stepping it up when Roy went down with injury. He is averaging an unreal 17.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.3 threes, 1.3 assists, 1 block and 1 steal over the past 7 days and he obviously needs to be owned in every league until Roy returns.

Drew Gooden has had a monster two game stretch where he has averaged 19 points, 11.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and a uncharacteristic 1 three per game and despite his unflattering resume needs to be owned in all leagues. Gooden is sitting available in 39% of Yahoo! leagues and he is worth a trip to your wire to see if your league qualifies as one of the less active 39%.

Mickael Pietrus is still a hot pickup after averaging 13 points and 3.8 threes per game over the last 7 days as of Friday afternoon. He is shooting a outstanding .563% despite taking a lot of long distance shots and this has helped him rank as a top-50 player over the last 7 days.

Eric Bledsoe is somehow only owned in 52% of leagues despite being named the starter for the L.A Clippers. I didn’t think it needed it be said but he needs to be owned in all leagues. There is a strong chance Bledsoe becomes the Clippers permanent starter at point guard by the trade deadline.