Jabari Smith Jr. is shooting a career-best 36.7% from 3-point range on a career-high 6.0 attempts from deep per game.
After another eventful week of games, we’re set for a fantasy-friendly schedule in Week 3, where we have the bulk of teams on four-game schedules. Even though it’s still very early in the season, the injury bug has already made its presence felt throughout the league, and those injuries inform some of our Start and Sit recommendations this week.
Each week, we’ll aim to highlight a pair of Start candidates for your fantasy rosters who may shape up as some tougher calls of the week to make, focusing on players with a start or roster rate of 50% or less in Yahoo leagues.Â
Likewise, we’ll spotlight one Sit candidate at each position who would normally not be a consideration for a spot on your bench, often focusing on players with fewer game opportunities during the coming week.
TEAMS WITH FOUR GAMES: Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, Sacramento Kings, Washington Wizards
TEAMS WITH THREE GAMES: Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz
TEAMS WITH TWO GAMES: Charlotte Hornets
Without further ado, let’s examine some tougher start/sit decisions for Week 3:
Guards    Â
Start: Ryan Rollins, Bucks             Â
18% start rate
Rollins is one of the players on the right side of an injury, as Kevin Porter Jr.‘s right meniscus issue projects to keep him out at least a month. That leaves the starting point guard role to Rollins, who’s already been proving capable of holding down the fort by averaging 20.0 points (on 58.2% shooting, including 45.8% from 3-point range), 6.0 assists and 3.6 rebounds over 32.4 minutes per contest in his first five turns with the first unit. Rollins is also shooting a crisp 88.2% from the free-throw line, and with so much experienced talent having exited Milwaukee over the last season-plus, he should remain consistently involved over the Bucks’ four-game week.
Start: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Hawks
33% start rate
Alexander-Walker is also the beneficiary of a backcourt injury on his squad, and in his case, the player he’s replacing leaves behind massive usage. Trae Young suffered a sprained MCL in Wednesday’s game against the Nets, and the initial timetable for a return is a minimum of four weeks. That leaves Alexander-Walker, who had already started his Hawks tenure with some solid showings both off the bench and as a spot starter, in a first-unit role for the foreseeable future. The veteran produced 21 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals across 32 minutes against the Pacers in Young’s first absence Friday. He followed it with a similarly solid 16 points, five assists, three rebounds and one block over 34 minutes versus a tough Cavaliers defense Sunday.
ALSO CONSIDER: Kyshawn George, Wizards (26% start rate)
Sit: LaMelo Ball, Hornets
94% start rate
Ball, talented as he is and impressive as his season has been to date, has the fantasy deck stacked against him in Week 3. Not only are the Hornets on a two-game schedule, but it’s currently a legitimate question whether Ball will participate in all, part, or none of it. Ball missed Sunday’s game against the Jazz – one Charlotte handily won without him – due to an ankle sprain. Given his injury history, it’s certainly possible he could at least miss Tuesday’s matchup against the Pelicans. While his production is undeniably elite, you may be safer going with a viable three- or four-game option in this case.
Forwards       Â
Start: Jaime Jaquez Jr., Heat                 Â
33% start rate
Jaquez looks ready to put his sophomore campaign firmly behind him, if his start to the season is any indication, even when factoring in one so-so outing Thursday against the Spurs. Jaquez’s most recent game was his most spectacular yet, as he erupted for 31 points, eight rebounds and four assists while shooting a blistering 68.8% against the Lakers on Sunday. That was Jaquez’s fifth double-digit scoring performance in his first six games, and he already went into the day with averages of 16.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.0 steals. It’s also worth noting playing time shouldn’t be an issue despite his second-unit role – Jaquez played a season-high 35 minutes versus Los Angeles, and he’s logged no fewer than 27 in any game thus far.
Start: Ausar Thompson, Pistons
34% start rateÂ
Thompson looks ready to take a significant step forward in his third season, as he’s sporting career-best averages of 14.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists, while also contributing 1.2 steals per contest. The 2023 fifth overall pick isn’t shooting with quite the same efficiency as last season (53.5%), but he’s still draining an impressive 47.2% of his attempts and is now putting up 12.0 shots per contest after averaging a modest 7.8 last season. With the ability to contribute in nearly every category and a four-game week to work with, Thompson is definitely a consideration if you need some help at forward.
ALSO CONSIDER: Royce O’Neale, Suns (24% roster rate); Duncan Robinson, Pistons (6% roster rate)
54% start rate
Miller’s Week 3 outlook is even bleaker than his teammate Ball’s, as the former is dealing with a left shoulder subluxation that kept him out for a fifth straight game Sunday. Reports indicate Miller could be in for several more absences at minimum, a development that puts him out of the fantasy picture when also factoring in the Hornets’ two-game schedule in Week 3.
Centers  Â
Start: Jabari Smith Jr., Rockets       Â
22% start rateÂ
Smith is questionable for Monday’s game against the Mavericks due to an ankle injury, but the Rockets do have a four-game week to work with, and the big man will hopefully be able to suit up throughout. Smith has been productive to open his fourth campaign, averaging a career-high 15.0 points and 1.4 steals while adding 5.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He’s also shooting a career-best 36.7% from 3-point range on a career-high 6.0 attempts from deep per contest, an encouraging trend that will naturally only serve to buttress his overall fantasy value if it persists.
Start: Daniel Gafford, Mavericks
16% roster rate
Gafford only made his season debut in Saturday’s Mexico City matchup against the Pistons, but he’s still a consideration this week with both Anthony Davis (calf) and Dereck Lively II (knee) already ruled out for Monday’s game against the Rockets and likely to miss more time. Gafford was afforded 17 minutes out of the gate and made good use of them, averaging seven points, four rebounds and three assists in that span. The veteran is a proven fantasy commodity who just averaged a career-high 12.3 points last season, and he’s also capable of making meaningful contributions in rebounds and blocks in addition to his work on the offensive end.
ALSO CONSIDER: Aaron Gordon, Nuggets (25% start rate)
48% start rate
Allen has gotten his season off to a solid start, but he’s now dealing with a fractured finger on his left hand that’s already led to two absences. The Cavs are set for just three games this week, and while Allen’s contributions have certainly been serviceable, a safer route might be to go with a four-game center that can approximate the 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.4 steals per contest he’s averaged thus far.Â