Fantasy Basketball Week 12 Start/Sit: Unexpected Players With Increased Roles

We're set for the first full week of the new calendar year, and it brings a robust schedule featuring one five-game team and an abundance of four-game clubs as well. That's a very desirable setup for fantasy purposes, and in Week 12, we have no shortage of appealing options with modest start/roster rates to consider.

Each week, we'll aim to highlight a pair of Start candidates for your fantasy rosters who may shape up as some of the tougher calls of the week to make, focusing on players with a start or roster rate of 50% or less in Yahoo leagues. 

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.

TEAM WITH FIVE GAMES: Phoenix Suns

TEAMS WITH FOUR GAMES: Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards

TEAMS WITH THREE GAMES: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs

Without further ado, let's examine some of the tougher start/sit decisions for Week 12:

Guards     

Start: Keon Johnson, Nets

13% start rate

Cam Thomas has suffered another setback with his troublesome hamstring, as the talented wing is slated to be sidelined for at least the next two weeks after only playing two games following an extended absence. His misfortune equates to continued opportunity for Johnson, who's averaging a solid 12.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 steals across 27.7 minutes over his last 11 games. The fourth-year pro has been heating up of late thanks to some slight improvement in his shooting, as he's putting up 15.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.3 steals in his last seven, scoring in double digits in six of those games. With new backcourt mate D'Angelo Russell also questionable to start the week due to a shin injury and Cameron Johnson slated to miss at least three of the Nets' four Week 12 games with an ankle sprain, there should be plenty of extra opportunity for Johnson.

Start:  Spencer Dinwiddie, Mavericks

18% roster rate

Speaking of usage boosts, Dinwiddie is slated to continue operating as the Mavericks' primary ball handler over the next several weeks while Luka Doncic completes his recovery from a calf strain. The veteran point guard has been up and down in his first-unit role so far during Luka's four-game-and-counting absence, scoring 17 and 30 points in his first two starts before tumbling to eight and two points in the following two games. That volatility is concerning to a point, but Dinwiddie also has a proven body of work and has scored in double digits in 15 of 33 games despite coming off the bench in 11 of those instances. With four games to work with and Kyrie Irving also absent to start the week Monday due to an illness, Dinwiddie should have no shortage of opportunities to deliver solid production.

ALSO CONSIDER: Quentin Grimes, Mavericks (23% roster rate); Gradey Dick, Raptors (43% roster rate)

Sit: Desmond Bane, Grizzlies

85% start rate

Bane will open the Grizzlies' three-game week already seemingly in line to miss at least one game, as he's listed as doubtful for Monday's contest against the Mavericks due to an ankle injury he picked up Friday night against the Warriors. There are certainly no qualms with Bane's recent production otherwise, and he'd be in a good position to benefit from Ja Morant's (shoulder) ongoing absence were he healthy; however, even if he's able to make it back for the final two games of the week, he'll have unenviable defensive matchups against the Rockets and Timberwolves. 

Forwards        

Start: Jalen Wilson, Nets

2% roster rate 

As alluded to in Johnson's entry above, the Nets have plenty of opportunities for second-tier players available at the moment due to injuries in the starting five. Wilson has already been operating as the starting power forward for the last two games and has scored in double digits in five straight games overall, a span in which he's averaging 12.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists while shooting 42.9% from behind the arc. He'll now open the week Monday against the Pacers with at least two fellow first-unit members absent for multiple games, which should increase the odds of the promising 2023 second-round pick extending his stretch of solid production.

Start:  Jaime Jaquez, Heat

13% roster rate 

The Jimmy Butler saga in Miami is in full swing, and it's all but certain the veteran star has played his last game for the Heat. At minimum, Butler won't be available at all during the team's Week 12 four-game slate due to a suspension, which tees up Jaquez for what could be a starting role at small forward. The second-year pro didn't start against the Jazz in the first game of Butler's suspension Saturday, but he did offer 13 points, four assists, two rebounds and one steal in 34 minutes off the bench. Jaquez has averaged 12.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.8 steals across 27.8 minutes per game in four starts this season, but he showed even greater promise last season as a rookie when running with the first unit (15.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals on 48.1% shooting in 25 games) and should offer you a safe floor across multiple categories, given the circumstances.

ALSO CONSIDER: Toumani Camara, Trail Blazers (17% roster rate); Ryan Dunn, Suns (9% roster rate)

Sit: Jerami Grant, Trail Blazers

77% roster rate

There's no reason to remove this designation from Grant this week, despite the fact the Blazers are on a four-game schedule. The veteran forward is already ruled out for Monday's contest against the Pistons, which will mark his fourth straight absence. There's certainly a chance there's more of those in store, and as detailed last week, Grant already checks in averaging a full six points per game fewer than last season (15.0 PPG, down from 21.0) while posting his worst shooting percentage (38.2) since his rookie 2014-15 campaign in Philadelphia. Considering the factors working against him, it's prudent to leave him on the bench for another week.

CENTERS    

Start: Alexandre Sarr, Wizards

30% start rate 

Sarr is starting to round into form nicely as his rookie season nears its halfway point, entering Week 12 with 12 straight double-digit scoring efforts and averages of 14.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 blocks across 28.1 minutes per contest in that span. The second overall pick has also been red-hot from the field during the sample, shooting 48.1% overall, including a stellar 44.4% from 3-point range (4.5 attempts per game). As that snapshot indicates, Sarr is able to contribute across the stat sheet and makes for a very viable option on a four-game week.

Start: Mason Plumlee, Suns

6% roster rate 

Plumlee just completed a three-game run with the Suns' starting five while Jusuf Nurkic served a suspension, and the former has now been named the starter for the time being as part of a shake-up of Phoenix's first unit. The Suns have five games upcoming next week as well, which only enhances Plumlee's appeal. There's admittedly some disappointment in the fact the veteran averaged a modest 6.0 points during that trio of contests, but he did offset the unremarkable offensive contributions with 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.3 blocks across 24.3 minutes per game. Additionally, with Bradley Beal also demoted to the second unit as part of the makeover of the starting five, Plumlee could benefit from part of the ripple effect of that move in the form of an uptick in offensive opportunities. 

ALSO CONSIDER: Guerschon Yabusele, 76ers (12% roster rate); Andre Drummond, 76ers (11% roster rate)

Sit: Clint Capela, Hawks

80% roster rate

Capela is still offering occasional glimpses of his talent in the paint, but those instances are becoming a bit more few and far between. The big man has scored in double digits just thrice in the last 18 games, and he's posted double-digit rebounds only once in the last 10 contests. While he's still very capable of offering above-average production on the glass, it's worth noting another previous mainstay of his statistical profile, blocks, are considerably down this season (0.9 per game, his lowest average since his rookie 2014-15 campaign). With three games to work with and relatively replaceable numbers, it's worth considering a similarly talented three- or four-game option over Capela this week.