It is officially at this time of year. The time when fantastic basketball managers become fantastic basketball legends. It may be more likely when it comes to succeeding earlier in the year, but the best fantasy managers are able to identify the guys on the exemption thread that can help them win their league when everyone is missing half the team they have written due to injuries.
This makes these columns even more important, so be sure to check them during the week. After 12 games on Monday, here are 14 options to consider resuming.
SG / SF AJ Lawson (Less than 1% reheated in Yahoo! League), Toronto Raptors
Lawson stole the spotlight on Monday. He did not have much role for Toronto this season, and after two unproductive departures, he was pushed to the bench for the match on Monday. However, he exploded to set careers with 32 points, 12 rebounds and seven three points. Raptors have clearly moved to tank mode, which means that there should be a lot of minutes for Lawson for the rest of the season. Toronto plays three other games this week.
C Orlando Robinson (1%), Toronto Raptors
Robinson returned to the departure training in place of Jakob Poeltl, who had a rest evening on Monday. Robinson recorded his first double-double since 2023 with 13 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. He should see more departures as the season progresses with Poeltl likely to obtain more “rest” to improve their chances of lottery.
SG / SF Quentin Grimes (49%), Philadelphia 76ers
Seriously, it should be notative with many more leagues. He collected 35 points, seven rebounds, six assists, three interceptions, one block and five three points on Monday. He ranks in the top-40 in nine-cays’ leagues in the past two weeks. Philadelphia played without their stars, and that should continue. Grimes will be the focal point of the offense for the rest of the season. Philadelphia has three other games this week.
PG / SG Jared Butler (1%), Philadelphia 76ers
Butler returned to the departure training on Monday and contributed 11 points, three rebounds and six assists with three triples. 24 hours earlier, he collected 15 points, nine assists and three triples of the bench. Butler should play an important role for the rest of the season, and he has succeeded during the “silly season” with Washington in recent years.
SG / SF Dalton Knecht (16%), Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers played Monday’s match without LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith, which allowed Knecht to move to the departure formation. He contributed 19 points, four rebounds, a decisive pass and three triple. He scored two figures in four of the last five games of the Lakers and could stay in the starting program with James to miss several games. The has another three more games this week.
PG / SG Gabe Vincent (1%), Los Angeles Lakers
Like Knecht, Vincent entered the departure training on Monday. He contributed 24 points, three assists and six three points in 34 minutes. Vincent has not contributed much to fantasy managers this season, but everyone will have to intervene with LeBron Out.
PG / SG Keon Johnson (12%), Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn is the only team that plays five games this week, which makes all their guys more attractive. Johnson finished with 18 points, three rebounds, three assists, a flight and three triple in 25 minutes as leaving on Monday. These are more opportunities than the production of individual games, but Johnson has had solid performances from the stars break and was even better before that.
SG / SF Kyshawn George (17%), Washington Wizards
The recruit continues to earn money in fantastic basketball on the defensive. He has eight blocks in the last two Washington games, with five to come on Monday. He also collected 13 points, three rebounds, three assists and three triples. The shooting will be incoherent, but the defensive production has been great. Washington has three other games this week.
PG TRE Jones (10%), Chicago Bulls
Jones started the last four Chicago games and collected on average 13 points, 5.3 rebounds and six assists per game. On Monday, he collected eight points, three rebounds and eight assists. However, Josh Giddey went out early with a right ankle injury, which is the same ankle as Giddey injured earlier this season and during the Olympic Games. Chicago has only two more games this week, and they play no longer before Thursday. However, if Giddey lacks time, Jones will probably be invited to assume more responsibilities as a playmaker.
SG / SF Kevin Huerter (6%), Chicago Bulls
Huerter should also benefit from the fact that Giddey is out of the range. Huerter will have the chance to return to the departure unit if Giddey is lacking time. He scored two figures in seven consecutive games and collected 23 points and seven triples in his only departure for Chicago.
PG / SG Cason Wallace (14%), Oklahoma City Thunder
Jalen Williams (HIP) came out early on the match on Monday. Wallace began the second half and contributed 12 points, three rebounds, eight assists, three interceptions, one block and two triples in 29 minutes. OKC has three other games this week, and Wallace will have a chance to start if JDUB is lacking more time.
PG / SG Spencer Dinwiddie (22%), Dallas Mavericks
Dinwiddie was a little disappointing since Kyrie Irving fell, but he left on Monday with 28 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four three points. They had only eight players available, which makes Dinwiddie difficult to leave on the derogation thread, even if it was not great recently. Dallas has three other games this week.
SF / PF / C Kessler Edwards (6%), Dallas Mavericks
Edwards had the best match in his career when he set new 22 -point career heights and 11 rebounds on Monday. He was a coherent starter for Dallas and ranks in the top-50 in nine-cays’ leagues during last week. It is a small sample size, but its role should be safe, which deserves it to be considered.
PG / SG Miles McBride (16%), New York Knicks
After a disappointing first departure in place of Jalen Brunson (ankle), McBride contributed 21 points, three rebounds, seven assists, two interceptions and four three points on 7 shots on 11 Monday. New York has only two more games this week, but there are four of them next week, and Brunson will probably not be back by then.
