I have compiled as list of players that rarely get the spotlight they deserve. Whether if it is because they play for a small market team or are frequently out shined by there fellow teammates these players have more to offer than the whispers of their names would have you to believe . Each of the following players that I am about to discuss have a variety of different strengths and weaknesses. All these players would be considered solid in their position which is why this is not your typical sleeper pick list. If there was a continuum with must picks on one end and sleeper picks on the other end the players on my list would be somewhere in the middle. I will explore why each player is overlooked and what they bring to the table so that when it comes time for you to draft, hopefully you are reminded of the potential that all these players possess.
1. Joe Ingles, SF (UTA)
Joe Ingles found himself on a Jazz team that at the start of last season looked like they would be clawing it out for that 9th and final playoff spot a very competitive western conference. This however was not the case, the Jazz finished in 5th place with a respectable 48-34 record. Joe Ingles was able to firmly establish himself last season as three point threat for the Jazz. He made on average 2.5 threes/game with 5.7 attempts/game, that’s 44% putting him 5th among all players. I also would like to point out Ingles’ production has been steady increasing through his first 4 seasons and last year we saw career highs in almost all major statistical categories. He may only average 11.5 PTS/game but these points are earned from those valuable shots behind the arc. I think the rest of his value stems from his ability to get you consistent boards (4.2/game) and assists (4.8/game) night in and night out seeing. I’d also like to note that he has only missed 3 games in his 4 year career. Ingles simply lacks the flashiness of fellow teammates, Mitchell, Gobert, and Rubio which is why he finds himself on my list.
2. Otto Porter Jr, SF (WAS) Otto Porter I would say is similar in ways to Ingles. It is clear that he is the third option on this Washington team that boosts one of the best backcourts in the league. Porter is sometimes forgotten in favour of John Wall and Bradley Beal. Yet Porter has found ways to flourish in the fantasy scene. His greatest asset by far is his ridiculous efficiency. Shooting right around .503 FG% he compares to that of Kevin Durant (.516). He also grabbed 1.5 STL/game last season which is a rare commodity in the NBA. His board may take a hit this year with addition of center Dwight Howard but this can also be looked as an upside as attention will be drawn to the key, opening up more scoring opportunities for Otto. Porter is ranked in and around players that star players like Kyrie Irving and Draymond Green so it is understandable seeing why people may hesitate picking him over named stars. I can assure you that you will not regret adding Porter to your lineup. 3. Victor Oladipo, SG/PG, (IND) With eastern conference teams like Boston, Toronto, Philadelphia and Cleveland last year getting the bulk of media attention a small market team like Indiana, especially coming off a year of losing a star in Paul George did not make headlines often. Oladipo’s Pacers however were able to stay in the middle of the pack in the East and even pushing Lebron’s Cavs to seven games in the first round of last seasons playoffs. Oladipo currently is slotted in the late first round for most 10-14 team leagues. Here you will find big names such as Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, John Wall, and Ben Simmons just to name a few. Especially if you are somewhat new to the fantasy scene you might be inclined to pick these bigger name stars as oppose to Oladipo. He averaged a career high of 23.1 PTS on efficient splits of .447/.799/.372 (FG%/FT%/3PT%) last season which also happens to befirst his first stint with the Pacers so expect his points per game to increase slightly this season as he clearly stepped into the role of first option on that team. This may be at the cost of efficiency however. His greatest asset by far is his ability to rack up steals, he finished 1st among all players in steals last seasons averaging 2.4 STL. Simply put he can single handedly win you the steals category some weeks in cat. Head to Head leagues. 4. Julius Randle, PF, (NO) Last season Julius Randle struggled to find a role and a constantly altering Lakers lineup that was prepping for the potential arrival of the King in the offseason. He only played 26.7 minutes a night and despite this, Randle managed to salvage consistent fantasy value clocking in an average of 16.1 PTS, 8.0 REB, 2.6 AST. He shot fair splits of .558/.718 (FG%/FT%).With his move to New Orleans expect his role to be much bigger even if Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry decides to bring him off the bench. 5. Aaron Gordon, SF/PF (ORL) Aside from the show he and Zach Lavine put on in the 2016 Dunk Contest Aaron has not made national spotlight often seeing that he plays on a horrific Magic team. Aaron’s has yet to definitively separate his game from that all time great dunk contest he helped create. Last year he put consistent numbers, 17.6 PTS, 7.9 REB, 1.0 STL despite missing 24 games due to injury. I think this is the year he not only wins over the fans of Orlando but also the hearts of fantasy owners everywhere as he is firmly placed as Orlando’s number one option. 6. D’Angelo Russell, PG, (BKN) D’Lo was also a player that was plagued by injury last season only seeing the court in 48 games. He averaged 15.5 PTS, 5.2 AST, 3.9 REB, 0.5 STL. With the Brooklyn Nets looking like they will be in the basement of the eastern conference again this season expect addition opportunities for the 22 year old. This could easily mean points in and around the 20s for Russell. Be wary however his shooting percentage has been consistently around .410 his entire career and with more shots coming his way don’t expect this this number to increase anytime soon. In addition his 3.1 turnovers per game is something to be concerned about at well. All Stats Courtesy of https://www.basketball-reference.com/
By: Jason Lam and Khashayar Akbari
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