Jason Maxiell

It is tough to know what to expect from Maxiell, but only managers in very deep leagues will bother trying to find out – last year, in almost 25 minutes per game in Detroit, he was inefficient as both a free-throw and field-goal shooter while averaging 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 points and 1.3 points. He is now 30 years old, and his best-case scenario is considerably fewer than 20 minutes per game as long as Davis is healthy. If either Kyle O'Quinn or Andrew Nicholson develops more than expected, Maxiell's minutes could all but disappear.

Maxiell put together his best season as a pro in 2012, finishing with averages of 6.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 0.8 blocks while starting 42 of the final 43 games of the season. While he provided the Pistons’ starting unit with energetic play and veteran leadership, he still wasn’t able to put up numbers that play in most fantasy formats. Mad Max probably won’t start for the Pistons this season, but he’ll have a similar role off the bench while providing the same type of per-minute production we’ve seen from him over the course of his seven-year career.

Mad Max once again provided the Pistons with toughness and energy off the bench last season. He’ll have a similar role this year, which will limit him from making much of an impact in most formats.

Even when given the opportunity to see extra playing time last season, “Mad Max” struggled to provide much fantasy value to owners. His per-minute stats have always looked promising, but the undersized (6-7) power forward has proven multiple times that he’s more effective as an “energy” player off the bench.

At 6-7, 260, Maxiell doesn't have the ideal height to be a post player, but he uses his extraordinary strength to be an effective rebounder, especially on the offensive end of the court. Unfortunately, the fact that his game relies so much on energy means Maxiell becomes less effective the longer he's on the court. If he can improve his stamina, Maxiell could be in line for a spike in playing time, but for the time being he'll continue to be an energy play off of Detroit's bench.

Did Maxiell take the step up that many were forecasting last year? Yes and no. While he played in all 82 games and established career highs in nearly every significant statistical category, he still only played 22 minutes a game, limiting his overall value. With Wallace and McDyess not getting any younger, Maxiell could get quite a few double-doubles this year (he only had four last year), adding some blocks and an excellent field goal percentage.

Maxiell showed the Pistons what he could do last October - he averaged 15.9 ppg and 6.1 rpg in the preseason - but once the season started, his playing time was sporadic. He delivered when he was a regular part of the rotation (including a 19-point, 15-rebound performance when he got a rare start in March), so the Pistons are excited to see what he'll be able to do with the 20 minutes a night he could get this season.

Antonio McDyess will back up Rasheed Wallace and Nazr Mohammed, but the next big man off the bench will be Maxiell. The second-year forward didn’t get off the bench much last year, but in the last two games of the season he had 19 points and 16 rebounds in 49 minutes. With Dale Davis getting very long in the tooth, the Pistons hope Maxiell can give them a solid 15-20 minutes a game.