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Fantasy Basketball 2023-24: Week 3 Guide and Analysis

Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) shoots the ball as Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) defends during the third quarter at Toyota Center.

Heading into the third week of the 2023-24 NBA season, here is your fantasy basketball guide and analysis.

Fantasy Basketball 2023-24: Week 3 Guide and Analysis

NBA Schedule

This week, teams are playing between two and four games. The Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, and Washington Wizards have four contests.

The teams that play three games are the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, and Utah Jazz.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Toronto Raptors all play a low of two.

Potential Waiver Wire Adds

Jalen Johnson – As he continues to see increased minutes, Johnson has impressed. He’ll likely see more of a starting role as the season progresses. He mainly contributes points and rebounds but can post some assists, threes, and stocks.

Dorian Finney-Smith – Team injuries have allowed Finney-Smith to take on a bigger role with the Nets. He’s a solid all-around player and three-point specialist who should post similar stats for the next few weeks.

Dereck Lively II -The big man has been up and down, but the potential is there. Lively is a double-double threat (points and rebounds) who has provided at least one block per game.

Grant Williams – So far, Williams has fit in nicely with the Mavericks. The sharpshooter has been lethal from beyond the arc and has become a great offensive contributor. He’s also a decent rebounder who occasionally gets steals and blocks.

Dillon Brooks – Brooks is one of the top three-point shooters in the NBA this season. While his highly efficient splits aren’t sustainable, he’s been on a tear the past few games on both ends of the floor. Brooks should see more usage with some Rockets players injured.

Luguentz Dort – Whenever the Thunder’s superstar is out, Dort is always worth considering as a pick-up. He has the opportunity to run the offence, and that’s when he explodes.

Jalen Suggs – Surprisingly, Suggs has been decent this season. He’s posted respectable numbers in the primary categories and has seen solid minutes despite the Magic’s abundance of guards.

Moritz Wagner – Wagner has a chance to see more minutes with the Magic’s starting center injured. He shone in his last game off the bench, almost recording a double-double.

Kelly Oubre Jr. – Even though the 76ers have an abundance of forwards, Oubre has still received quality minutes and showed no signs of slowing down. He’s a scoring threat who can knock down threes, crash the boards, and steal the ball.

Malik Monk – With De’Aaron Fox nearing a return, Monk should still squeeze out some fantasy value. Thanks to his scoring versatility and playmaking, he’s one of the more reliable Kings to stream and has been solid so far.

Potential Drops

Saddiq Bey – It’s looking increasingly likely that Bey sees a bench role with Johnson shining in the first unit. He’s still a valuable streamer, though.

Andrew Wiggins – Wiggins has been horrible fantasy-wise so far, but his name is likely what makes most people hesitate about dropping him. The Warriors have a stacked roster, and Wiggins is not one of the top options on this team.

Bennedict Mathurin – Even in the starting lineup, Mathurin hasn’t provided the fantasy basketball value expected. His poor efficiency and lack of contributions in several categories are glaring issues. However, this is something he could recover from.

Norman Powell – With a new addition to the Clippers, the fantasy value of several players will decline, including Powell. He saw an increased role following the trade, but that will soon change.

Xavier Tillman – Even though Steven Adams is out for the season, Tillman is someone to consider dropping. He’s been inconsistent, and the signing of Bismack Biyombo clouds Tillman’s usage. He’s worth holding on to, but if another player comes along, he’s okay to drop.

Gary Trent Jr. – Despite being a solid fantasy option last year, Trent’s bench role has restricted him from providing quality value. He only really provides points, but even then, not much.

Notable Injuries/Suspensions

Nic Claxton – His ankle injury was initially a day-to-day issue, but it’s reportedly closer to six to eight weeks.

Cameron Johnson – Nearing a return after suffering a calf injury (barring any setbacks).

Miles Bridges – Eligible to return November 17th. However, his situation is still unclear.

Lonzo Ball – Out for the season.

Jamal Murray – Missing a few games due to a hamstring strain.

Bojan Bogdanovic – Getting re-evaluated in late November for his calf.

Amen Thompson – Out until about mid-November with an ankle injury.

Steven Adams – Out for the season.

Ja Morant – Suspended until December 19.

CJ McCollum – Undergoing tests to determine the extensiveness of his collapsed lung. He missed 18 games when he suffered the same injury in 2021.

Trey Murphy III – Expected to be out until mid-November with a knee injury.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Will miss a few games with a knee issue.

Wendell Carter Jr. -Sidelined with a fractured finger for at least three weeks.

Bradley Beal – Still considered day-to-day as he deals with back soreness.

Anfernee Simons – Will be out until early December to recover from a thumb injury.

De’Aaron Fox – Close to returning this week from an ankle sprain.

Week 2 Observations

-Rookies:

  • Victor Wembanyama – The first overall pick was one of the best fantasy basketball rookies of the week. Wembanyama set a career-high in points (38) and blocks (five) and has excelled on both ends of the court. This is only a glimpse of his full potential.
  • Chet Holmgren – Holmgren consistently stuffed the stat sheet and did it with scorching efficiency.
  • Ausar Thompson – The guard/forward is proving why he was dubbed the most NBA-ready prospect. He’s quickly adjusted to the game and is one of the best two-way rookies.
  • Marcus Sasser – Over the last four games, Sasser has played phenomenally. He’s hitting threes and dishing out assists while racking up steals. With increased minutes, Sasser has made his presence felt, and he could get more usage if he maintains this level of play.

-Stars of the week:

-Breakout players:

-Disappointments:

-Trades:

Kayla Fonte, Department Manager

Kayla Fonte, Department Manager

Kayla Fonte is a journalism graduate from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson). She specializes in fantasy basketball analysis.

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