Early-March Stock Up / Stock Down Report
Early-March Stock Up / Stock Down Report
Some players throughout the season move up or down in value. Many times, these movements directly correlate towards a change in a team’s rankings. These posts will capture these value change in ALL 3 SPORTS. They’ll primarily focus on in-season players, but if injuries or player movement happens in off-season sports, that’ll be denoted as well.
STOCK UP Players
James Harden (SG/PG, Pacers) – Cooper Troopers
Devin Booker (SG/PG, Nets) – MN Moose Knuckles
Jakob Poeltl (C, Spurs) – DTC Porkchop Express
CJ McCollum (SG/PG, Pelicans) – The BamO’s
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SG/PG, Thunder) – Las Cabras
Buddy Hield (SG/SF, Pacers) – The BamO’s
Tyrese Maxey (SG/PG, 76ers) – Wait ‘Til Next Year
Chuma Okeke (PF, Magic) – Sporty Strauss
Raul Neto (PG, Wizards) – MN Moose Knuckles
Tre Mann (PG, Thunder) and Terence Mann (SF, Clippers) – Ornery Otters
James Harden (SG/PG, Pacers) – Cooper Troopers
15th Overall Dynasty
45 ppg on the season – 65 ppg since the ASG
37 mpg on the season – 37 mpg since the ASG
Traded to Philadelphia 76ers
It’s amazing how quickly James Harden’s hammies healed. Autocorrect wanted me to spell ‘hammies’ as ‘mammies’ and that’s just as accurate too, though Harden has trimmed off a few pounds since returning to game action. And what action it was! 65 points per game in two games on a new team is absurd, and Harden is officially one of the best players in fantasy again. It’s just too bad he’s just toiling away on the Cooper Troopers, so Harden would be an excellent trade target for a team looking to make a run. But the time to make that trade might have passed. His value was lower, and nobody wanted to make a deal.
Devin Booker (SG/PG, Suns) – MN Moose Knuckles
25th Overall Dynasty
36 ppg on the season – 49 ppg since the ASG
34 mpg on the season – 38 mpg since the ASG
With Chris Paul going down for the next month or so, Devin Booker is going to be a STAR for fantasy basketball. It’s one of the reasons the MN Moose Knuckles are nearing becoming the favorite to win it all. In three games since the break, he’s scored over 40 points in all of them. He’s playing absurd minutes which allows him to FINALLY pad his stat sheet. The main issue with Booker previously was that he provided no other statistical advantage besides points, but now his rebounds, assists, blocks and ESPECIALLY steals are all going up. He’s a bonafide top-12 player for the rest of this League of Leagues season.
Jakob Poeltl (C, Spurs) – DTC Porkchop Express
96th Overall Dynasty (way too low)
32 ppg on the season – 47 ppg over the last 15 days
29 mpg on the season – 35 mpg over the last 15 days
Jakob Poeltl as the 96th overall dynasty player is absurdly low, especially given the League of Leagues scoring system. In a points format that heavily favors bigs, a 26-year-old center who has put up numbers like these all season should be a coveted player, not in the fall-back keeper territory. Yes, the Spurs could improve in the future and add better bigs, but the NBA always has a place for players like Jakob Poeltl who shoot over 62% from the field and reel in about 10 rebounds per game. He’s a perfect example of the type of player that the League of Leagues scoring values that Cat leagues do not.
CJ McCollum (SG, Pelicans) – The BamO’s
68th Overall Dynasty
33 ppg on the season – 45 ppg over the last 15 days
35 mpg on the season – 37 mpg over the last 15 days
Traded to New Orleans Pelicans
Lost in the shuffle of some injuries, CJ McCollum has had a very good season. That’s especially true ever since he made the move to the Pelicans, where he is clearly the best player on that team right now. McCollum is overpaid in real life, but he's an underrated asset in fantasy basketball, and his current form is a reason why The BamO’s are a HUGE threat in the Consolation Playoffs.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SG/PG, Thunder) – Las Cabras
11th Overall Dynasty
36 ppg on the season – 48 ppg since the ASG
35 mpg on the season – 35 mpg since the ASG
It’s great to see Shai Gilgeous-Alexander back, but it’s a little bit too late for Las Cabras. They could have used him in their battle last week against the MN Moose Knuckles. They might have pulled the trigger on a trade had he been available. But now, he could be leading Las Cabras to the top seed in the Consolation Bracket - a tournament filled with awful teams. SGA will be useful for Las Cabras down the stretch, and he’s a top-12 player in fantasy basketball going forward. Las Cabras have two stars indeed.
Buddy Hield (SG/SF, Pacers) – The BamO’s
125th Overall Dynasty
22 ppg on the season – 36 ppg over the last 15 days
29 mpg on the season – 38 mpg over the last 15 days
Traded to Indiana Pacers
Buddy Hield was a huge disappointment all season long, but things are looking up since his trade to Indiana. With established on-court chemistry with Tyrese Haliburton, Hield has exploded into a relevant fantasy asset just before and right after the All Star Break. Whether he can keep it up is a legitimate question, but he’s giving The BamO’s an awesome shot in the arm for the Consolation Playoffs.
Tyrese Maxey (SG/PG, 76ers) – Wait ‘Til Next Year
73rd Overall Dynasty
#HUNK status
28 ppg on the season – 41 PPG since the ASG
35 mpg on the season – 38 mpg since the ASG
There was concern that Tyrese Maxey’s production would slip with ball-dominant James Harden on the roster, but those fears have been assuaged in a big way two games in the new 76ers regime. Maxey is a legitimate good, maybe even great, NBA player, and he’s going to be a stalwart on Wait ‘Til Next Year for a long time. He’s moving great without the ball. He’s fitting a much needed role in that rotation. He’s been a revelation for fantasy this year, drafted in the 16th Round (!!!) of the draft. Players like Moses Brown and Isaiah Roby (Choppers), Otto Porter Jr (Moose Knuckles), TJ Warren and Thomas Bryant (Otters), TJ McConnell (Doc), Brook Lopez (Cabras), Monte Morris, John Wall and Enes Freedom (Pullies), Khem Birch (Sporty Strauss) and more awful, middling players were ALL drafted in the two rounds ahead of Maxey, making everyone look silly. He’d be firmly drafted within the auction if the draft happened today.
Chuma Okeke (PF, Magic) – Sporty Strauss
186th Overall Dynasty
20 ppg on the season – 37 ppg since the ASG
24 mpg on the season – 28 mpg since the ASG
Chuma Okeke’s placement on this list seems to be a little bit more luck-based than some other players, but he’s still a young player who has promise. 28 minutes is fine, especially if you’re scoring closer to 1.5 points per minute, but it’s not enough to rely on for great production. He’s just had a few games of dominant performances around the All Star Break, and it’ll be interesting to see if it continues. Sporty Strauss needs it with an injured roster right now.
Raul Neto (PG, Wizards) – MN Moose Knuckles
14.4 ppg on the season – 27 ppg over the last 15 days
20 mpg on the season – 28 mpg over the last 15 days
The Wizards traded Spencer Dinwiddie for Kristaps Porzingis, and suddenly they needed a starting point guard. Insert Raul Neto, a perfectly below-average player. But sometimes all you need is minutes, especially as a lead guard. He’s giving the MN Moose Knuckles a solid player at the back end of his roster, boosting the floor of the Knuckles in the playoffs. The only reason Neto isn’t higher on this list is because the Wizards recently signed bought-out Tomáš Satoranský, who could take some minutes away from Raul Neto as things move forward.
Tre Mann (PG, Thunder) – Ornery Otters
163rd Overall Dynasty
#HUNK or practice squad status
14 ppg on the season – 30 ppg since the ASG
20 mpg on the season – 32 mpg over the last week
Terance Mann (SF, Clippers) – Ornery Otters
158th Overall Dynasty
20 ppg on the season – 33 ppg over the last week
29 mpg on the season – 31 mpg over the last week
This may be cheating, but two up-and-coming players named ‘Mann’ on one time is too coincidental not to use. Both have become regular contributors to the Ornery Otters as he makes a last-minute push to make the playoffs. Tre Mann is an interesting rookie – potentially a #Hunk or Practice Squad player, but he’s mainly seeing an uptick in usage with Josh Giddey and SGA injuries. Still, he’s made the most of his opportunity.
Terance Mann, on the other hand, has been a regular contributor to the Clippers all season, but he’s just now starting to play better over the last month or so. He’s older. He’ll turn 26 before next season, but he’s a solid wing player who should be in a rotation for years to come. But right now, both players are necessary for the Ornery Otters to win a couple games in the Consolation Tournament if the MN Moose Knuckles are victorious –as it looks like they will be – sending the Otters packing.
STOCK DOWN Players
Anthony Edwards (SG/SF, Timberwolves) – The Pullies
Tobias Harris (SF/PF, 76ers) – SG Choppers
Patty Mills (PG, Nets) – DTC Porkchop Express
Chris Paul (PG, Suns) – DTC Porkchop Express
Mitchell Robinson (C, Knicks) – Ornery Otters
Eric Gordon (SG/SF, Rockets) – Win’s Up Doc
Kemba Walker (PG, Knicks) – Wait ‘Til Next Year*
Nicolas Batum (SF/SG, Clippers) – Sporty Strauss
Jarred Vanderbilt (PF, Timberwolves) – MN Moose Knuckles
Jaren Jackson, Jr. (PF/C, Grizzlies) – Wait ‘Til Next Year
*released by team
Anthony Edwards (SG/SF, Timberwolves) – The Pullies
14th Overall Dynasty
33 ppg on the season – 19.7 ppg over the last 15 days
35 mpg on the season – 30.4 mpg over the last 15 days
This is painful. Anthony Edwards snuck onto this list last month, but things have only gotten worse. He’s down about 14 points from his PPG average. His minutes are decreasing as he’s starting to deal with injury issues. Tendinitis isn’t always something that goes away, and Edwards is definitely going to be dealing with it for the remainder of the season. Both statistically and via the eye-test, his play has declined. The Pullies cannot rely on him to be on the court or to perform well on the court after their inevitable BYE in the playoffs.
Tobias Harris (SF/PF, 76ers) – SG Choppers
69th Overall Dynasty
32 ppg on the season – 18 ppg since the ASG
35 mpg on the season – 33 mpg over the last two weeks
If Tyrese Maxey’s play didn’t suffer with the addition of James Harden to the 76ers, someone’s had to. So far, it looks like Tobias Harris. There are better days ahead for the versatile forward, but right now, he’s barely playable. Well, he’s playable on the Choppers’ sorry roster, but not in many other situations. Tobias Harris could singlehandedly sink the Choppers season if he doesn’t right the ship before next week’s playoff matchup. A loss to the Cooper Troopers led by James Harden could be in order, and the Choppers are practically required to keep Harris in the future. Also, here’s another reminder that Jordan reached for Harris in the first round of the snake draft ahead of players like McCollum, Jrue Holiday, Darius Garland, DeMar DeRozan, Jonas Valanciunas, Jarrett Allen and many more… some of those names who were ranked ahead of Harris in the rankings. This was a bad pick that could have long-term consequences.
Patty Mills (PG, Nets) – DTC Porkchop Express
20 ppg on the season – 4.75 ppg over the 4 games
30 mpg on the season – 24 over the last 4 games
It shouldn’t be possible to play this many minutes and perform this poorly. Patty Mills was an okay player for much of the season, but that time has passed. The oddest thing is that some of these games Kyrie Irving still wasn’t playing in. Now, Mills has one game after the All Star Break where he scored 1.5 fantasy points in 28 minutes. Mills is the worst type of player to own in fantasy. In the last game before the break he scored 40 points, and now he has the possibility to just score 1 in decent minutes. He’ll haunt DTC Porkchop Express’ bench down the stretch.
Chris Paul (PG, Suns) – DTC Porkchop Express
93rd Overall Dynasty
Out for 4-6 weeks with a thumb fracture
On the trade block for the entire season, Chris Paul got hurt before a deal consummated. Talks had ratcheted up for several weeks prior, but other teams were too worried about CP3’s injury history. They were right. Now, Chris Paul will miss the rest of the fantasy season – a painful hit to a championship-ready roster. Luckily, DTC Porkchop Express has Cameron Payne to play some of those minutes, but he’s been hurt too. Somehow, DTC is still pulling together wins. He could still get the 1-seed.
Mitchell Robinson (C, Knicks) – Ornery Otters
84th Overall Dynasty
24 ppg on the season – 11 ppg since the ASG
25 mpg on the season – 23 mpg since the ASG
Compared to the names above this list, Mitchell Robinson has the most long-term concern amongst these Stock Down players. The Ornery Otters were counting on Robinson to be a bonafide keeper, especially with a guard-heavy roster build. Now, who knows? Mitchell Robinson scoring only 11 ppg is certainly not keepable, and his minutes and production have gone down as the season wanes. His decline might force the Ornery Otters to make a move, though that’s not something that Korey does.
Eric Gordon (SG/SF, Rockets) – Win’s Up Doc
20 ppg on the season – 14.5 ppg over the last month
30 mpg on the season – 30 mpg over the last month
Eric Gordon has been a sneakily serviceable player over parts of the season. He was rumored as a trade target at the deadline, but the Rockets couldn’t find a deal. Now, he’s lost on this young roster. The stakes here aren’t as high, because he was never a relied-upon player this season, but Gordon’s stock is still down. Strangely, he’s still playing enough minutes, and he could be an interesting bet for teams that need a back-end upgrade in the playoffs.
Kemba Walker (PG, Knicks) – Wait ‘Til Next Year*
Will be benched by Knicks for the rest of the season
Kemba Walker was an absolute bust this season. Benched by his hometown team, his career is on the brink. Wait ‘Til Next Year could have used him in the playoffs. He was a 20 ppg scorer for the season, and could have improved had he cleared some injuries. Now, Kemba looks forward to ‘22-’23, and Wait ‘Til Next Year had to drop him.
Nicolas Batum (SF/SG, Clippers) – Sporty Strauss
19 ppg on the season – 12 ppg since the ASG
23 mpg on the season – 21 mpg over the ASG
Batum also was a 20 ppg scorer for the season, but that’s declined with the rise of a few other players on the Clippers’ wing like Terance Mann. He’s another player a playoff team could have used down the stretch.
Jarred Vanderbilt (PF, Timberwolves) – MN Moose Knuckles
83rd Overall Dynasty
24 ppg on the season – 17 ppg since the ASG
26 mpg on the season – 24 mpg over the ASG
Vanderbilt is a strange case right now. His dynasty value has gone UP, but his current value is going DOWN. He’s a legitimate keeper option right now. There are a lot of teams that could trade for him after the season is over and feel comfortable with him as a 6th keeper. However, his minutes are going down. He’s dealing with a minor injury. His scoring output is declining to sub-playable levels. While the MN Moose Knuckles roster looks terrifying right now, Vanderbilt is the one player trending down, but that doesn’t have to continue.
Jaren Jackson, Jr. (PF/C, Grizzlies) – Wait ‘Til Next Year
24th Overall Dynasty
30 ppg on the season – 26.5 ppg over the 15 days
28 mpg on the season – 26 mpg over the 15 days
Jaren Jackson is another fascinating player in the grand scope of the League of Leagues. He has all the promise in the world, but he’s never really ‘done it.’ Some of that is due to injuries. Some of that is just being a ‘complementary’ player instead of a dominant presence. He should get better as his career goes along, but he NEEDS to get past his post-injury minutes restrictions. He needs to cross that 30 minutes per game threshold.