6-pack of Sleepers

All posts tagged 6-pack of Sleepers

NBA 2014: Our six-pack of Sleepers for Draft Day

Posted by fantasyfurnace on October 13, 2014
Posted in: NBA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 5 Comments

A new season is on the horizon with pre-season games already underway. Whistles will be blowing, technicals will be handed out (right? Joey Crawford)?, and buzzer beaters will be dropping. We have selected six potential sleepers for this season in this, the most popular and read of all our Basketball articles. Enjoy the 2014-’15 season and good luck in your leagues!

1. DeMarre Carroll-Forward-Hawks- This likely mid-round candidate, will continue to help your team in multiple categories such as points, steals, 3PT, FG%, and FT%, plus Carroll has committed himself to the 3-pointer as he had his best year in this category in 2013-’14. We see him knocking down around 2 shots from downtown per game while averaging around the same amount of steals. Throw in a half-dozen REB and you’ve got yourself a nice all around player who should be available at around pick 60.

2. Marcus Smart-Point Guard-Celtics- Smart, the sixth overall pick in the draft, will make for a good news-bad news scenario… He won’t start in Boston unless Rajon Rondo is traded or injured, and as we went to post, rumors regarding possible destinations for Rondo still abound. The good news is that should the 20 year old lottery pick actually get the start, his owners will garner a ton of assists and steals. His aggressiveness was obvious playing for Oklahoma St. where last season, averaging just under 33 MPG, Smart tallied 18 PTS, 5.9 REB, 4.8 AST, 1.58 3PM, 2.87 STL, and even managed a little over 0.50 BLK per game.

#36 Oklahoma St. star and Celtic lottery pick Marcus Smart has the recipe for a huge sleeper season should the Rajon Rondo rumors of a trade come to fruiyion. Photo: Fernando Medina/Getty Images

#36 Oklahoma St. star and Celtic lottery pick Marcus Smart has the recipe to be a huge sleeper season should the rumors surrounding the possible trading of Rajon Rondo come to fruition. Photo: Fernando Medina/Getty Images

3. Larry Sanders-Foward/Center-Bucks- Sanders, often misused under last year’s head coach Larry Drew, will have an ideal opportunity to exell under new coach and avid big-time fan of Sanders, Jason Kidd. Kidd if you’ll remember, tried his best to secure Sanders’ services last year when he was with the Nets, so you can be sure that the 6′ 11″ center will have the chance to become a top-5 roto center this season. We are projecting that Sanders will put up 10 PTS, 10 REB, and around 2.90 BLK per game.

4. Markieff Morris-Forward/Center-Suns- The 25 year old has seen his minutes rise every year over his three years in the league and this season will be no different due to the departure of Channing Frye. Already having had a mini-breakout season last year, this sixth-man-of-the-year candidate last season, could help your team in five categories. Our projections of 16 PTS, 7 REB, 1 STL, .472 FG%, & .790 FT%  are all completely attainable making Morris a top roto option.

#11 Markieff Morris climbes over Blake Griffith for the basket. The Furnace says that Morris' minutes will be increased with the absence of Channing Frye, making the 25 yr. old a sleeper Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images.

#11 Markieff Morris, shown here, climbs over Blake Griffith for the stuff. The Furnace says that Morris’ minutes will be increased with the absence of Channing Frye, making the 25 yr. old a sleeper candidate this season. Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images.

 

5. Jose Calderon-Point Guard-Knicks- It has been a while since New York has had a true all around point guard and they now have a very talented one in Jose Calderon. He had to share the ball all too often with Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis with the Mavericks last year, but will be afforded more minutes and have more success in the Knicks’ triangle offense. Calderon’s assists dropped off from almost 9 per game while in Toronto to 4.7 last season with the Mavs so his potential for amassing dimes is well known. An excellent FT shooter (.852% for his career),  Calderon, who will see his touches increased, is projected to heave up over two 3 pointers and 1 steal per game.

6.Gorgui Dieng-Center-Timberwolves- At some point in his career, the multi-talented Dieng will become a top 10 roto center in this league. Minnesota still has Nikola Pekovic but any injury or fall-off in production would foster a move towards inserting Dieng who, in fifteen starts last year, averaged 12.2PPG, 12.0 RPG, to go along with 1.7 BPG. There is no question that Dieng is destined to becoming one of the best defensive big men in the NBA. If you are in a deep enough league, preferably with two starting centers, Dieng is well worth a stash as he is just too good for the Timberwolves to keep off the court.

#5 Gorgui Dieng blocks Nets' Tyshawn Taylor from making an easy layup. Dieng could see extended playing time as Nikola Pekovic has had ankle issues in the past says the Furnace. Photo: AP

#5 Gorgui Dieng blocks Nets’ Tyshawn Taylor from making an easy layup. Dieng could see extended playing time as Nikola Pekovic has had ankle issues in the past says the Furnace. Photo: AP

Advertisement

NBA 2013: 6-Pack of Sleepers for Draft Day

Posted by fantasyfurnace on September 28, 2013
Posted in: NBA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

With the NBA beginning its 67th season in just around three weeks from now, we thought we would start things off with our six-pack of Sleepers to consider when you draft. Hard to believe that the first NBA game was played between the Toronto Huskies and the N.Y. Knickerbockers at Maple Leaf Gardens on November 1, 1946. We’ve come along way since then and are looking forward to NBA Tip-Off 2013 which will take place on October 29th.

1. Jeff Green-F-Celtics- Well clearly if anyone has the opportunity to excel this season it would be one of the most talented players left on a team that has seen most of its players head for the door. Say goodbye to Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Jason Terry, Chris Wilcox, & Terrence Williams. Keep in mind that Green was drafted (by Seattle) just three spots after Kevin Durant. Although Green averaged only 12.8 points a game last season, in 17 starts his average climbed to 20.1. The 27 year old will give you 5-6 boards a night to go along with one three, a steal and a block. The talent is there and now so is the opportunity.

#8 Jeff Green will be one of the main offensive threats on a Celtic team that has lost most of its stars in Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images offseason. Photo:

#8 Jeff Green will be one of the main offensive threats on a Celtic team that has lost most of its superstars in the off-season. Photo: Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images

2. JaVale McGee-C-Nuggets- Finally getting the chance to start, McGee has the ability to become a top 3 roto center this season. This Nuggets team is uber-talented with eight players finishing with double-digits in points last year. McGee averaged 9.1/4.8/2.0 in 18.1 minutes per game last season and we project that getting starter’s minutes (26-28 mpg) those numbers could grow to 12.5/8/2.7. Although McGee’s biggest liabilities are both his foul trouble and FT shooting, 200+ blocks could place him among the leaders in that category alone.

3. Danny Green-G-Spurs-  Green, just 26 years old will be entering his 5th NBA season. He has watched his minutes rise every season he has been in the league. It’s no secret that Green had a solid regular season last year but his resume now includes a break-out post season. We like Green’s versatility as well since he can give you 70-75 blocks plus some steals in addition to his major asset, the three-pointer. With just the slightest increase in minutes this season, Green should have no problem garnering 200+ threes making him a top starter in all mixed leagues.

#4 Danny Green, fresh off of hhis breakout postseason, is poised to become amomg the 3-point leaders in the Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images this season.

#4 Danny Green, fresh off of his breakout postseason, is poised to become among the 3-point leaders in the league this season. Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images 

4. Bradley Beal-G-Wizards- We are very excited to see how this 20 year old bounces back from a stress fracture he suffered late in the season because this kid could be one of the premier rebounding guards in the league who will work well with fellow guard John Wall. Beal finished with just under 4 RPG  and should improve on that average. If Wall remains healthy for the full season, it can only enhance Beal’s chances of putting up more solid numbers which includes threes and steals in addition to the 15-17 ppg we are projecting. Don’t sleep on this mid-tier future riser.

5. Kevin Martin-G-Timberwolves- Destined for another year handling the starting duties in Minnesota (he has started the last five consecutive ones), Martin can help to fill holes in 3-4 categories and, in particular three-pointers. He could be among the league leaders from beyond the arc before the year is over. Martin has become more of a catch & shoot player as opposed to just attacking the basket and it has helped his numbers. We are projecting Martin to finish the season with 17-20 PPG and totaling just around 150 threes. He has been averaging just under 90% from the Free Throw line over the past three seasons and we see no reason why that trend shouldn’t continue. Throw in a steal per game and you have a taylor-made mid round addition to your roster on draft day.

6. Gordon Hayward-F/G-Jazz- Haywood will be a top 50 roto-choice this season as he will become Utah’s leading offensive threat and will therefore have the opportunity to put up some compelling numbers. Think along the same lines as a Kevin Martin in terms of skills but with a bigger upside. As the main target on the team, he will look to do a lot of creating off the dribble and put up a fair share of threes; somewhere around 125-140 on the season. Haywood will score just under 20 PPG and his FT shooting average, near .83%, will be an extra asset to your roster.

#20 Gordon Haywood will become the Jazz' main offensive threat in the upcoming season and thus has tremendous upside to be a huge sleeper candidate

#20 Gordon Haywood will become the Jazz’ main offensive threat in the upcoming season and thus has tremendous upside to be a huge sleeper candidate helping rosters in points, threes, & FT shooting. Photo: Cary Edmondson/US Presswire