Fantasy Notes: Players with upside

Over the last week of the season you will find several teams out of contention trying to figure out who on their roster are a part of the problem or a part of the solution. With the New York Knicks experiment proving to everyone that you must rebuild, and not reload, you can expect to see a youth movement taking over several teams that are far from contention. On the other hand, this late in the season, some teams have already wrapped up their Division Titles, and can now also take a moment to see what young talent they have on their roster. The following is a list of players who are getting a shot to make an impact in fantasy hoops down the stretch. Here’s a quick review of each player getting some extra playing time, before you slot them in your fantasy lineups. 

WILSON CHANDLER, SF, NY KNICKS
Wilson Chandler was supposed to be a special athlete with raw talent who did not get to fully establish his ability after just two seasons at DePaul. On Sunday, he enjoyed his finest performance of his NBA career with 23 points, 8 rebounds, and a three-pointer. Though he has not had any qualms with pumping them up, Chandler has not offered much consistency from outside the arc. In fact, the rookie shoots just 20 percent from downtown. What the 6’8 forward does offer is a well-rounded game that can include steals and blocks. In March, Chandler offered 8 points and 4 rebounds. Likely to stick in the starting lineup during the final week of the season, you can expect close to 12 points and 6 rebounds per game from the Knicks’ most recent first round selection.

CHRIS QUINN, PG, MIAMI HEAT
The former Notre Dame star was undrafted out of college and is likely most known to hoops fans as the guy that Shaq ripped in the press after leaving the Sunshine State. In his second professional season, Quinn has been afforded an opportunity to run the paint for a horrible team. While that may not mean much as far as his future in the NBA, there are immediate dividends in fantasy hoops. Quinn can shoot the ball. He is 86 percent from the line, 41 percent from downtown, and 43 percent from the field. With the Miami Heat in a milk-the-clock situation, they are allowing Quinn to flourish in the fantasy realm. In March, the 6’2 guard averaged 11 points, 4 assists, and 1.3 steals. Through the last 6 games, Quinn has pumped in 16 points and 7 assists per contest. These numbers beg for the New Orleans native to be starting the final week of the season in fantasy hoops.

RODNEY STUCKEY, PG, DETROIT PISTONS
The 15th pick out of Eastern Michigan has lived up to his hype throughout his rookie season, while playing significant minutes for a contender. Of course, his solid impact in reality has not afforded much help in fantasy, until now. The Pistons season is under wraps, and with the playoffs ahead, head coach Flip Saunders is able to reward his young role players with extended playing time. Stuckey, who has proven capable of scoring, passing, and solid defense at a limited capacity, is now able to post up numbers that are significant in fantasy hoops as well. In the last 3 games, Stuckey has averaged 20 points and 5 assists. As long as Chauncey Billups is on the Pistons, Stuckey will remain a reserve, but this late in the season expect the rookie to get a chance to shine. He’s a fine fantasy starter for the final few games.

FRANCISCO GARCIA, SG, SACRAMENTO KINGS
The 6’7 swingman has knocked in 39 percent of his three-point shots, and 46 percent of his field goals. The combination of size and sharp shooting, not to mention impressive defense (1.1 steals, 0.6 blocks), should be enough to guarantee Garcia a fine future in the NBA. However, with Ron Artest and Kevin Martin on the roster, the Kings don’t offer Garcia enough playing time to reach his potential. Garcia’s fantasy value will weigh heavily on whether Artest accepts a player option with the Kings. Don’t be surprised to see the Kings look to trade Artest this summer in a sign-and-trade deal, opening an opportunity for Garcia to show his worth. With that being said, the next few games for Garcia will help dictate whether Artest is expendable.

DAN DICKAU, PG, LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
He will be better known for his days at Gonzaga, than his NBA career, but Dan Dickau has rewarded some daring fantasy managers with a little March Madness this season. With the Clippers in rebuilding mode, and lacking a point guard other than Brevin Knight, Dickau has been relied upon by Mike Dunleavy to run the Clippers offense. After averaging 7 points and 3 assists in March, Dickau has raised his game to offer 11 points and 4 assists in April. With other options out there such as Travis Diener and Chris Quinn, I would not recommend grabbing Dickau for the final run of the ’07-08 season.

Rob Shaw is the Lead Expert for FantasyFanatics.com, the premier fantasy sports community.

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