Category Strategy: Deep League Special

Every once in a while I devote this article to deep league options, this is one of those times. When possible, I have highlighted players owned in less than 15 percent of ESPN leagues and less than 30 percent in Yahoo and CBS leagues. Most of these options are also worth considering in standard leagues.

Is there a more brazen tank than the Suns right now? Tyson Chandler, still one of the best rebounders in the league and an excellent defender, has logged exactly zero minutes since the All-Star break. Rookie Tyler Ulis, who averaged only 9.1 minutes and logged several DNP-CDs before the break, is now averaging 20 minutes per game. Only three players older than 27 have touched the floor since the break, and one is Ronnie Price, who saw three minutes over the course of two games. Of the five players averaging more than 22 minutes per game, only 27-year-old Eric Bledsoe is older than 24. All that tanking creates a lot of value for the newly relevant young players. Remember, tanking is about intent, not results - that their record is 3-3 is not relevant to the fact that they are now prioritizing the development of younger prospects at the expense of players who, based on current ability, theoretically give them the best chance of winning. The Suns are the most egregious tankers, but they are far from the only active participant (looking at you, Lakers).

The Trail Blazers play five games this week, increasing the value of all of their players in most leagues – and they have several players who are possible waiver adds right now. Most of the league -- 22 teams, to be exact -- has four games this week. That decreases the value of the seven teams with only three games: the Grizzlies, Jazz, Lakers, Mavericks, Pelicans, Raptors, and Thunder.

One final scheduling note: the Wizards play four games in five nights, starting on Tuesday. That makes them an attractive add in leagues with limited transactions but no games max.

Points

Marquese Chriss, Suns
(Ownership: ESPN – 8%; Yahoo – 22%; CBS – 43%)

I want in on the Suns' youth movement. T.J. Warren is a better option if he is still available, but he's too widely owned for this article. In fact, Tyler Ulis may also be a better option, but I'm talking about him in the assists section. Chriss is averaging 25.8 minutes and 11.7 points since the break. Barring injury, I can't imagine a single scenario where that minutes number goes down – rather, I expect it to increase by several minutes. He has at least eight shot attempts in every game since the break, including a 16-minute affair in the second of those games against the Bucks. He's a minus shooter, but he attempts enough threes to contribute there, and he chimes in with some steals and blocks. Every keeper league has its own peculiarities, but Chriss' sky-high potential combined with an ability to contribute the rest of the way makes him worth adding in most keeper and nearly all dynasty formats.

Brandon Ingram is another young scorer on a tanking team worth looking at. He's one of the league leaders in minutes, averaging 36.2 per game since the All-Star break. He's unpolished and likely to have some rough nights, like his 0-of-2 performance from the field against the Celtics last week. But despite the rough nights, his incredibly large workload and his 12.5 field goal attempts per game since the break (excluding the Celtics game) make him a valuable target.

Other suggestions: Bojan Bogdanovic, Wizards; Brandon Ingram, Lakers

Three-Pointers

C.J. Miles, Pacers
(Ownership: ESPN – 9%; Yahoo – 27%; CBS – 29%)

The Miles Experiment has transitioned into The Miles Effect, as we are far past the point where his role is in question. In fact, he actually averaged slightly more minutes in the month before the All-Star break than he has averaged since. Since January 21, Miles is averaging 26.9 minutes, and the proportion of his shot attempts taken behind the three-point line has increased to 6.4 out of 8.9 (71.9%). The extra minutes and shift in his shot selection have led to Miles draining 2.8 threes per game since January 21, and 3.5 per game since the break.

Marvin Williams could go here or in the threes section, so I'm putting it here because it comes first, which is where he should be on your waiver priorities list, if he is still available. Frank Kaminsky (shoulder) is out until at least Friday, and some reports (though later refuted) had him out for the remainder of the season. As someone who has personally suffered the exact injury Kaminsky is dealing with (in both shoulders, so I have multiple data points), the Friday timeline seems highly unlikely. In the two games since Kaminsky was sidelined, Williams has averaged 39.0 minutes. If we extrapolate his season-long numbers out to what he would do in 39.0 minutes, it would be: 14.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.3 threes per game.

Other suggestions: Marvin Williams, Hornets; Bojan Bogdanovic, Wizards; Nick Young, Lakers; Wayne Ellington, Heat; Lance Thomas, Knicks; Alex Abrines, Thunder; Kyle Korver, Cavaliers

Rebounds

Kosta Koufos, Kings
(Ownership: ESPN – 3%; Yahoo – 9%; CBS – 16%)

Koufos has emerged as one of the big winners of the Kings' trade that sent away DeMarcus Cousins in exchange for picks and wingmen. In the first two games after the trade, Koufos' role remained unchanged while the Kings tried combinations of Anthony Tolliver, Willie Cauley-Stein, and Skal Labissiere to fill the minutes vacated by Cousins' absence. In the four games since, however, Koufos' minutes have jumped to 27.5 per game, and he is averaging 9.0 points (despite a zero point outing against the Nets) and 9.0 rebounds.

I remain somewhat bullish on Willy Hernangomez, but the last two Knicks games are giving me serious doubts. Though Hernangomez has been active the past two games, Kristaps Porzingas has continued starting at center, Lance Thomas has continued starting at power forward, and Hernangomez has only averaged 16.0 minutes. Hernangomez is efficient enough that he remains a viable option, especially in deeper leagues, but Lance Thomas has passed him as the player to add for the short term.

Other suggestions: Marvin Williams, Hornets; Alan Williams, Suns; Cody Zeller, Hornets; Lance Thomas, Knicks; Bobby Portis, Bulls; Willy Hernangomez, Knicks

Assists

Tyler Ulis, Suns
(Ownership: ESPN – 14%; Yahoo – 29%; CBS – 35%)

Once again, I want in on the young Suns. It took a few games for coach Earl Watson to notice Ulis, but he is averaging 25.7 minutes and 6.7 assists since over his last three games. And there is still a lot of room for Ulis' minutes to increase – 34-year-old Leandro Barbosa is still averaging 17.5 minutes per game since the break, and 18.7 per game over the last three. The Suns have some interest in seeing what Barbosa has left in him, as he is owed $4 million next season, but is only a $500,000 cap hit if waived before July 3rd. But that is not enough justification for continuing to play him at the expense of a promising youngster like Ulis, especially when the Suns have so clearly committed to tanking. Ulis can also contribute in points, as he is averaging 9.3 field goal attempts and 14.0 points during his past three games.

Other suggestions: Ty Lawson, Kings; Cory Joseph, Raptors; Yogi Ferrell, Mavericks; Jameer Nelson, Nuggets

Steals

Joe Ingles
(Ownership: ESPN – 3%; Yahoo – 4%; CBS – %)

Ingles is averaging 30.5 minutes per game over his last four. In that large role, he is putting up 2.8 threes and 1.8 steals. He is scoring 8.8 points per game, which is enough to not kill a lineup, while attempting only 7.3 field goals, so that his poor field goal shooting also has limited impact. He is eligible for three positions in ESPN, and two in Yahoo. The Jazz will continue to manage Rodney Hood's (knee) health, as they will need him for the postseason. Increasing Ingles' minutes does enough to keep them in games and prevent them from sliding in the standings, while also lightening the load for Hood, who is more important to the team's long-term success.

Other suggestions: Andre Igoudala, Warriors; Courtney Lee, Knicks; Jameer Nelson, Nuggets; Tony Allen, Grizzlies

Blocks

Richaun Holmes, 76ers
(Ownership: ESPN – 17%; Yahoo – 34%; CBS – 37%)

Blocks continues to be the weakest category on the wire. Holmes is nowhere near an elite shot-blocker, but he is a good rim protector and a solid waiver candidate. The combination of Joel Embiid's (knee) injury and Nerlens Noel's trade has opened a ton of minutes in the 76ers frontcourt, and Holmes' role has increased dramatically. He is now averaging 23.9 minutes since the trade, blocking 1.7 shots and grabbing 1.0 steals per game. He is also scoring efficiently, averaging 11.6 per game on 60.7 percent from the field. If anything happens to Jahlil Okafor, Robert Covington, or Dario Saric, Holmes' workload would increase even further. The 76ers simply don't have enough big options for Holmes' workload to fall.

Other suggestions: Marquese Chriss, Suns; Zaza Pachulia, Warriors