Beyond the hype lies a class of players that can quietly give your fantasy squad a considerable edge. These are players that go to work night-in and night-out, humbly filling the stat sheet, while also popping for sporadic stellar performances. In this article, we will look at 13 players that can turn the tide of any matchup by delivering big-time numbers without always taking the spotlight.
Fred VanVleet is off to a bit of a rough start this season, specifically struggling with his shooting percentages, at 39.4 percent from the field, including 32.3 percent from deep. Nonetheless, he is getting the job done by contributing well across the stat sheet, while sprinkling in a few scoring outbursts, exemplified by a 27-point, eight-rebound and 11-assist performance in his last outing. VanVleet will likely find a better rhythm as the season goes on and should continue to provide great overall production as the floor general for a talented Rockets squad.
Austin Reaves has not made a major splash yet this season, but he is consistently providing well-rounded contributions and finding ways to accumulate competitive numbers. With the superstar power of LeBron James and Anthony Davis dominating the way for the Lakers, Reaves does not need to look to take over. However, he has proven capable of stepping up when needed and more importantly, he finds ways to contribute on both ends of the floor while playing within the system. Reaves is averaging career highs of 17.3 points and 1.2 steals per game
Beyond the hype lies a class of players that can quietly give your fantasy squad a considerable edge. These are players that go to work night-in and night-out, humbly filling the stat sheet, while also popping for sporadic stellar performances. In this article, we will look at 13 players that can turn the tide of any matchup by delivering big-time numbers without always taking the spotlight.
Fred VanVleet is off to a bit of a rough start this season, specifically struggling with his shooting percentages, at 39.4 percent from the field, including 32.3 percent from deep. Nonetheless, he is getting the job done by contributing well across the stat sheet, while sprinkling in a few scoring outbursts, exemplified by a 27-point, eight-rebound and 11-assist performance in his last outing. VanVleet will likely find a better rhythm as the season goes on and should continue to provide great overall production as the floor general for a talented Rockets squad.
Austin Reaves has not made a major splash yet this season, but he is consistently providing well-rounded contributions and finding ways to accumulate competitive numbers. With the superstar power of LeBron James and Anthony Davis dominating the way for the Lakers, Reaves does not need to look to take over. However, he has proven capable of stepping up when needed and more importantly, he finds ways to contribute on both ends of the floor while playing within the system. Reaves is averaging career highs of 17.3 points and 1.2 steals per game and is well positioned to thrive in his role.
Jamal Murray is off to a modest start to the season in comparison to some of the huge performances he has put together in the past. Regardless, he is providing a consistent effort across the board and racking up substantial numbers in total. He is averaging just 17.8 points per game on 40.2 percent shooting, which represent his lowest marks in the last few seasons, but he is averaging at least 6.0 assists per game for a third straight season and averaging the second-most steals per game of his career. It is likely that he will get on a better track offensively and kick his production up a notch as the season progresses.
Jarrett Allen is one of the best big men in the league when it comes to consistently going to work and providing the essentials. He has double-digit rebounds in 14 of his 18 appearances on the season and is averaging a career-best 11.1 rebounds per game. He is also averaging more than 14.0 points per game for a fourth straight season and maintaining his streak of averaging at least 1.0 blocks per game in every season of his career. He does not typically make much noise, but he is in a great situation with a well-balanced Cavs team, and he should continue to excel in his role.
Josh Giddey stepped into a totally new role this season, and it was unclear how he might integrate with a Bulls squad that is also in a bit of a transition phase. However, despite no real stand-out performances, he has been able to regularly fill the stat sheet in his typical fashion, averaging 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. In his fourth NBA season and first with a new team, it can be expected that Giddey still has plenty of room for improvement, while his diverse skill set will allow him to maintain respectable overall production in the meantime.
Derrick White has proven himself to be one of the league's biggest x-factor players, especially with his role in helping the Celtics secure the championship in 2023-24. He picked up on his impactful play on both ends of the floor this season and is managing to consistently return strong numbers, while not being drowned out by the superstar talent of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. White is averaging a career-high 18.4 points per game on 47.1 percent shooting, including 41.5 percent from deep. He should continue to thrive thanks to his high basketball IQ and ability to show up with key plays in the most timely moments.
Ivica Zubac has been able to maintain a crucial role with the Clippers for many years despite the fact that he is rarely a stand-out performer. His willingness to keep it simple and specialize in the basic necessities makes him a reliable and predictable player. With that being said, he has taken his game to new heights this season by capitalizing on the opportunity to be more involved offensively for the new-look and injury-riddled Clippers. Zubac is averaging career highs of 15.6 points, 12.4 rebounds, including 4.1 offensive rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. He is also shooting over 60.0 percent from the field for a sixth straight season. The big man's years of humble work has earned him the opportunity to shine, and he looks to have found a new plateau in his ninth NBA season.
Coby White took on a consistent starting role last season and has picked up as a highly competitive producer with career-high averages of 19.2 points and 1.3 steals, along with 3.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. He is also shooting a career-high 39.3 percent from deep, which, in combination with his explosive first step, should allow him to continue to thrive in the points column. White still has room for improvement but is doing a great job of emerging as a seasoned contributor with an ability to chip in across the stat sheet.
Josh Hart has shown over the last few seasons that he can be an unexpectedly impactful force on the glass. However, he has stealthily taken his game to new heights by thriving with an opportunistic style of play. He is averaging over 14.0 points per game for the second time in his career, while shooting a career-high 60.5 percent from the field. He is also averaging career highs of 8.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. His unrelenting effort has earned him a consistent starting role with the Knicks, and he should continue to rack up the stats without having to be the center of attention.
RJ Barrett was on the borderline of being considered a star player for the last few seasons but seems to have taken a clear step forward in his first full season as a member of the Raptors. He has been able to shine as a first option on the offensive end and is averaging career highs of 22.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.0 steals per game. His great start to the campaign has come despite significant injury trouble within his team's roster, but he is likely to develop an increasing level of comfort as the squad continues to build chemistry. Barrett is primed to maintain a trajectory towards becoming one of the league's most impactful wing players.
John Collins found himself relegated to a bench role in his second season with the Jazz, but that did not stop him from sticking to the grind and prospering in his opportunities. His solid play and injury trouble among the roster resulted in him starting the last eight games, where he is averaging an impressive 20.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.8 steals per outing. Whether he remains a starter, or heads back to the bench, Collins is a player that will continue to deliver favorable totals thanks to his tenacity on the glass, ability to shoot the ball and finish at the rim.
Dennis Schroder has bounced around between a number of teams over the last few seasons, making it easy to take him for granted as a very talented point guard. However, he is making the most of his role with a wayward Nets squad, as he is averaging the third-most points per game of his career, along with career highs in assists, steals and three-pointers made per game. He is likely to continue to prosper as he enjoys the green light to let loose on the offensive end, especially with Cam Thomas set to miss about a month with a hamstring injury.
Chris Paul is doing an excellent job as an on-court leader for the young Spurs' squad. Despite averaging less than 30 minutes per game for just the second time in his career, he has been able to deliver competitive numbers in the key areas of his role, as he averages 8.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game, while shooting an efficient 46.9 percent from the field, including 38.7 percent from deep. The wily vet has a great chance to keep up the solid production by continuing to use his natural ability and accumulated experience to provide an efficient and healthy impact to compliment the budding talent of his teammates.
