NBA Fantasy Week 8 Start/Sit: Star Players Worth Benching

We have a very unique Week 8 schedule, as final installments of the NBA Cup keep almost all teams limited to two or fewer games this week. The Knicks could play three games if they win their quarterfinal matchup against Atlanta on Wednesday. We'll navigate the unusual circumstances by highlighting some two-game options that aren't being rostered or started heavily but still offer solid upside.

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.

The following teams are guaranteed to play one game this week:
Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings, Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers. 

The following teams could play one game if they lose in the quarterfinals but only two teams will*:
Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks

*The losing teams from the quarterfinals in each conference will play each other in a regular-season game on Dec. 12, 13, 15 or 16 -- Dec. 16 is the Monday of Week 9. 

Without further ado, let's examine some of the tougher start/sit decisions for Week 8:

Guards     

Start: Payton Pritchard, Celtics

14% start rate

Pritchard continues to be started at a very modest rate despite the significant expansion of his ceiling this season. As a Start suggestion in Week 7, Pritchard turned in a highly atypical scoreless effort over 24 minutes against the Bucks in his third game of the week but still finished the fantasy scoring period with averages of 16.5 points (on 51.1% shooting, including 42.1% from 3-point range), 4.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals across 30.3 minutes per contest. That's a testament to how productive Pritchard has regularly been in his second-unit role, and with some extra rest this week after a brutal stretch for Boston, he could be an excellent source of production in multiple categories over his pair of contests.

Start: Scoot Henderson, Trail Blazers

7% start rate 

Henderson is unsurprisingly carrying a very light start rate at the moment since he's been out of sight and out of mind recently due to a stretch where he missed seven of eight games due to a quadricep injury. However, the second-year guard returned to action Sunday against the Lakers and generated a solid 13 points, two rebounds and one steal across 21 minutes. Additionally, in the one other game he'd played since his initial absence Nov. 22, Henderson posted 17 points, nine assists, two rebounds and a block across 35 minutes. Henderson's shooting is still very much a work in progress, but he's shown clear improvement in that area compared to his rookie season and has a secure second-unit role that should continue affording him sufficient opportunity in Week 8. 

ALSO CONSIDER: Shaedon Sharpe, Trail Blazers (29% start rate)

Sit: Jamal Murray, Nuggets

63% start rate

Murray is a stranger to this designation, but the hamstring inflammation that's already cost him the last two games sets him up for a spot on your fantasy bench this week. Granted, the Nuggets don't play until Friday and Murray could therefore have enough time to recover for that game; yet, given the tricky nature of hamstring injuries and the fact his scoring is down over three full points per game thanks to a 6.1% tumble in shooting percentage compared to last season, you likely don't have to worry about missing out on an otherworldly performance. 

Forwards          

Start: Jeremy Sochan, Spurs

42% start rate 

Sochan recently returned from a nearly month-long absence due to a thumb injury and jumped right back into the swing of things, averaging 14.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 50% over his first three games back. Those numbers were accomplished over a relatively modest 26.3 minutes per contest, and although he had a more subdued performance in Sunday's game against the Pelicans (seven points, five rebounds, one assist, two steals and two blocks), Sochan certainly has proven upside and could see even more run this week if Victor Wembanyama's back issues continue to limit and/or sideline him. 

Start: Gradey Dick, Raptors

46% roster rate

Dick is another recent returnee from an injury that's wasted no time making an impact, with the second-year wing averaging 21.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals while shooting 40.9% from behind the arc over his first two games following a five-game absence due to a calf injury. Dick's offensive efficiency still has plenty of room for improvement, but he's encouragingly taking 14.6 shots per game, including 7.3 per contest from 3-point range. With that level of aggressiveness and a pair of opportunities to take the floor, he's a viable consideration on this week's unique schedule.

ALSO CONSIDER:  Julian Champagnie, Spurs (27% roster rate)

Sit: Tobias Harris, Pistons

53% start rate

Harris has been turning in his usual solid work, but save for a couple of unpredictable spikes in offensive production, the veteran big man isn't exhibiting the same usage as in previous stops. Harris' scoring (14.1 PPG) and shooting (44.9%) are both notably down from last season in Philadelphia, when he produced figures of 17.2 and 48.7% in those respective categories. 

CENTERS     

Start: Brandon Clarke, Grizzlies

7% roster rate 

Zach Edey is still projected to miss at least one more full week with his ankle injury, meaning Clarke should be primed for another pair of starting assignments at center. The veteran big man has handled his expanded opportunity well, averaging 10.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 blocks across 22.6 minutes per contest in his last nine games. That stretch includes five double-digit scoring performances and one such rebounding tally as well. Clarke has also provided at least one block on six occasions during that span. While you'll get some ebbs and flows with his scoring, he remains a good cumulative source of production in multiple categories on a sparse week.

Start: Yves Missi, Pelicans

34% roster rate 

Missi won't be exiting this space anytime soon if he continues to be rostered at such a modest rate, as he's already producing with the consistency of a proven veteran. The rookie just wrapped up another week of impressive play, putting up 14.5 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks across 30.3 minutes per game in Week 7. Missi recorded multiple blocks in the last two games of that sequence and a pair of double-doubles during the sample as well, and with Brandon Ingram now out indefinitely for New Orleans due to an ankle issue, the former's usage could climb in forthcoming games.

ALSO CONSIDER: Kelly Olynyk, Raptors (17% roster rate)

Sit: Jabari Smith, Rockets

69% start rate

Smith was a Sit suggestion in Week 7 as well, and he largely validated that designation with a pair of single-digit scoring tallies and averages of 8.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.7 blocks per contest over three games overall. While Smith did turn in one of his occasional double-doubles to prop up his numbers some in the last game of the week, his production has been sporadic and unpredictable this season and he's now saddled with just one Week 8 game.