Each Sunday, the Dashboard centralizes all the crucial information fantasy managers need to dominate their weekly head-to-head matchups or climb the standings in their rotisserie leagues. The Dashboard covers schedule analysis, status updates, adds, drops, watch list candidates, and deep league targets for managers of all skill levels. Quite simply, it is a comprehensive weekly cheat sheet that is packed with so much information that we’ve devoted two writers to producing it.
Add List - players currently owned in less than 40% of Yahoo! leagues
• James Harden, SG, OKC (29% owned)
After a miserable start to the season that saw him score in double figures just six times over his first 18 games, Harden has improved dramatically over the past month, upping his shooting percentage by 4.4 percent and scoring average by 5.2 points. He’s achieved the latter by following in the footsteps of teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook – getting more aggressive and finding a way to draw fouls and get to the line. Harden has more than doubled his free-throw attempts average over the past month, up from 2.7 per game in November to six in December. The marked progress on the court is certainly translating over to the fantasy realm: Harden has posted top-75 value over the past month and top-40 value over the past two weeks.
• Brandon Bass, PF, ORL (30% owned)
What I said in last week’s Dashboard still applies; even after Bass averaged 19 points and 7.5 rebounds on 16-of-26 (61.5%) shooting in his last two starts. Though he’s been quite solid in those three categories, he’s been extremely lacking in three other areas: assists, steals, and blocks. In his last eight games, seven of which he has started, he’s averaged 0.9 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.3 blocks. That just doesn’t cut it, no matter how many points he’s putting up. Even though he’s averaged close to 30 minutes a game over that stretch, his ceiling value is actually quite limited because of the non-existent peripheral numbers. To expect anything more than top-85 production is pushing it (exactly what he has provided over the past week). I’m all for picking him as a low-end utility / high-end bench option in standard leagues, but don’t get too carried away with your expectations given his recent string of double-digit scoring outputs.
Cut List - players who should not be rostered in standard formats
• Anthony Morrow (56% owned), Corey Maggette (49% owned), J.J. Hickson (47% owned), Evan Turner (41% owned), Mehmet Okur (38% owned), Anthony Randolph (38% owned), Yao Ming (31% owned), Brendan Haywood (30% owned), Jarrett Jack (26% owned), Terrence Williams (26% owned)
Watch List - players currently owned in less than 40% of Yahoo! leagues to monitor closely in standard leagues
• Jared Dudley, SG, SF, PF, PHO (25% owned)
Though it was teammate Mickael Pietrus who stole his thunder in Sunday’s loss to the Clippers, Dudley was stellar in his previous two starts with Jason Richardson out of the picture and jettisoned to Orlando. Not only did he total 60 points, 17 rebounds, 10 threes, and five steals in those two contests, but he did it against a pair of elite defensive units in Miami and San Antonio. With Vince Carter out for another five-to-seven days due to a troublesome left knee injury that could potentially force him to miss more time down the line, Dudley becomes of special interest to those in deeper formats. Though some may question his long-term viability and write off his recent spurt to nothing more than a hot streak, Dudley has proven he can maintain value in limited action, coming in at 75th in per-minute value amongst qualifiers (20+ GP).
• Rudy Fernandez, SG, POR (15% owned)
Reality is finally starting to sink in for Brandon Roy, and with that realization comes the strong possibility that Fernandez could provide more than just short-term relief while Roy is sidelined. He’s been excellent during Roy’s four-game absence, averaging 16.5 points, 2.3 treys, 5.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.8 steals, and with Roy’s status very much up in the air moving forward, Rudy is at worse a very nice insurance policy to have around just in case. There doesn’t appear to be a resolution to the Roy situation coming anytime soon, and I wouldn’t be completely shocked if the Blazers decided to shut him down for the season at some point. Consider Rudy a must-have handcuff if you’re invested in Roy and a high-end utility option otherwise.
Deep League Specials – players currently owned in five percent or less of Yahoo! leagues who warrant a roster spot in deep leagues (14 teams+)
• Matt Bonner (5% owned), Raja Bell (5% owned), Mickael Pietrus (4% owned), Sasha Vujacic (4% owned), Ryan Anderson (3% owned), Earl Boykins (2% owned), Kwame Brown (2% owned), James Posey (2% owned), Jordan Hill (2% owned), Vladimir Radmanovic (this time I’m semi-serious)
Spark Plugs – players with a set of especially favorable matchups this week who make for excellent short-term plays
• Your Mavericks – @OKC, TOR, SAS, @MIL, @CLE
Only team with five games in Week 10
Categorical breakdown: threes (9th), assists (9th), FG% (2nd)
• Your Kings, especially guards – LAC, MEM, @DEN, PHO
Categorical breakdown: points (3rd), threes (1st), assists (3rd), steals (7th), blocks (1st), FG% (3rd)
• Your Bobcats, especially guards – DET, CLE, GSW
Categorical breakdown: points (4th), threes (2nd), rebounds (3rd), assists (1st), steals (4th), FG% (1st)
• Your 76ers – @GSW, @PHO, @LAL
Categorical breakdown: points (2nd), threes (3rd), rebounds (t-1st), assists (2nd), steals (2nd), FG% (7th)
• Your Heat – NYK, @HOU, GSW
Categorical breakdown: points (1st), rebounds (t-1st), assists (t-5th), steals (1st), FG% (5th)
• Your Magic – @NJN, @CLE, NYK
Categorical breakdown: points (t-5th), threes (5th), rebounds (4th), assists (4th), FG% (6th), turnovers (2nd)
Short Circuits – players with a set of unfavorable matchups who have a good chance of struggling this week
• Your Knicks – @MIA, @ORL, IND
Categorical breakdown: points (30th), threes (28th), assists (30th), blocks (30th), FG% (30th)
• Your Bucks – ATL, @CHI, DAL
Categorical breakdown: points (29th), threes (26th), rebounds (26th), assists (25th), blocks (24th), FG% (t-28th)
• Your Warriors – PHI, @ATL, @CHA, @MIA
Categorical breakdown: points (27th), threes (t-24th), rebounds (27th), assists (23rd), steals (22nd), blocks (26th), FG% (27th)
• Your Clippers, especially guards – @SAC, UTA, ATL
Categorical breakdown: threes (29th), assists (28th), steals (28th)
• Your Suns three-point specialists – PHI, DET, @SAC
Categorical breakdown: threes (30th)
• Your Cavaliers, especially big men – ORL, @CHA, @CHI, DAL
Categorical breakdown: points (28th), rebounds (30th), assists (24th), FG% (t-28th)
Follow Justin on Twitter @jphanned
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Photos via Getty Images
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