Last week, we took a look at the top-five picks from the 2024 draft, along with two of the top-performing rookies through the first half of the season. In this article, we will pick up where we left off and review eight more of the top performers from the 2024 rookie class.
Kel'el Ware had a slow start to the campaign, especially as he was hampered by injury trouble for most of the early season. Upon his return from a nine-game absence in late-December, Ware averaged 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 18.4 minutes per game over 16 games. His impressive play during that stretch, combined with a shorthanded roster, resulted in the rookie earning his first start of the season on January 21, where he racked up 20 points and 15 rebounds in a loss to the Trail Blazers. Despite the loss, his performance was impossible to ignore. He has gone on to start in each of the Heat's last four games, averaging 17.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.8 blocks in 34.8 minutes per game over that span. Ware looks to be only scratching the surface of his potential, and it is likely that he will continue to see a significant amount of playing time going forward.
Ryan Dunn began the season as a substitute but picked up two starts among the first five games. He proved himself enough in those outings to earn seven consecutive starts in mid-November, where he averaged 7.1 points and
Last week, we took a look at the top-five picks from the 2024 draft, along with two of the top-performing rookies through the first half of the season. In this article, we will pick up where we left off and review eight more of the top performers from the 2024 rookie class.
Kel'el Ware had a slow start to the campaign, especially as he was hampered by injury trouble for most of the early season. Upon his return from a nine-game absence in late-December, Ware averaged 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 18.4 minutes per game over 16 games. His impressive play during that stretch, combined with a shorthanded roster, resulted in the rookie earning his first start of the season on January 21, where he racked up 20 points and 15 rebounds in a loss to the Trail Blazers. Despite the loss, his performance was impossible to ignore. He has gone on to start in each of the Heat's last four games, averaging 17.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.8 blocks in 34.8 minutes per game over that span. Ware looks to be only scratching the surface of his potential, and it is likely that he will continue to see a significant amount of playing time going forward.
Ryan Dunn began the season as a substitute but picked up two starts among the first five games. He proved himself enough in those outings to earn seven consecutive starts in mid-November, where he averaged 7.1 points and 3.0 rebounds in 22.1 minutes per game. Dunn then returned to a bench role but was called back into the starting lineup in late-December and has started in 15 of his previous 16 appearances, dating back to December 25, averaging 9.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists over that span. Thanks to efficient scoring and solid ability to contribute on the defensive end, he now looks to be in firm control of the starting job. Nonetheless, his production is not likely to change much, as he will remain in the shadows of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker on offense.
Carlton Carrington got the call to start for the Wizards in 12 of the first 13 games of the season and averaged 10.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.2 steals in 30.3 minutes per game during that period. He went back to the bench for a brief stint but enjoyed another stretch where he started in 22-of-23 games, averaging 8.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 31.7 minutes per game. Carrington has shown notable potential as a primary ball-handler and distributor, logging at least five assists in 16 of his 45 appearances. However, he was moved back to a bench role in the last two outings, and it is unclear if he will see the same amount or a reduction in playing time down the stretch of the season. His struggling squad is likely to continue to experiment with lineups and may avoid pushing the younger guys too hard the rest of the way. Depending on the trend, Carrington could still turn out to be a solid streaming option.
Kyshawn George is averaging 7.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks on the season. He has played mostly out of a bench role but is also averaging 9.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.7 assists through 10 appearances as a starter, including starting in the Wizards' two most recent outings. He also reached the 20-point mark twice, once as a starter and once off the bench. George has shown significant potential to contribute across the board. With a 6-foot-7 frame, he could grow into a highly effective player on both ends of the floor. It is likely that George will see an increase in opportunity down the stretch of the season, which should reflect in his overall production, possibly resulting in him being a good streaming option for fantasy managers in deeper leagues.
Isaiah Collier had a very quiet start to the season, averaging 3.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists over his first 25 appearances. However, due to a number of injuries amidst the Jazz's lineup, he has started in 10 of the last 12 games and is averaging 10.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 0.8 steals over that span, including two games with more than 20 points and three outings with at least 10 assists. The fact that he has excelled in his recent opportunity, and that the Jazz are well out of playoff contention, makes it highly likely that Collier will continue to see a significant role down the stretch of the season. He would likely make a solid pickup in many fantasy leagues if he can keep up his current rate of production.
Although not a big scorer, Donovan Clingan quickly showed that he can thrive in his role, averaging 4.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 13.7 minutes per outing through the first 10 games of the season. His progress was slowed by a couple of multi-game injury absences, but he has hauled in double-digit rebounds in four of his last six appearances. He is also averaging 6.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 2.9 blocks in 22.0 minutes per game across a total of 10 starts. Clingan is another player who is likely to see more opportunity as the season wears on, especially as the Trail Blazers do not look like a playoff contender and may elect to focus more on development down the stretch of the campaign.
Dalton Knecht drew a fair amount of attention early in the season by showcasing his athleticism with a few highlight dunks. He started out in a modest role but earned himself a starting stint in mid-November, where he absolutely shined, averaging 23.8 points on 60.3 percent shooting through four games, including a season-high 37-point scoring performance in a win over the Jazz. After a brief return to the bench, he got the call again and averaged 10.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.9 steals in 27.9 minutes per game through seven games as a starter in late-November, early-December. Knecht has been back in a bench role since then, with his numbers taking a slight step back, accordingly. Despite a 24-point outburst in the most recent game, Knecht is likely to be limited to sporadic opportunity down the stretch of the season, as the Lakers look to gear up for the postseason and are also likely to get a couple of guys back from injury absences.
Jaylen Wells began the season in a bench role and averaged 8.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 20.4 minutes per game through five games. His solid play early on led him to earn a place in the starting lineup, and he has started every game from that point forward, averaging 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists in 26.8 minutes per game, over 42 appearances. Surely, the Grizzlies' continuous battles with injury trouble this season was a large factor in Wells initially picking up a boosted role. However, he did a great job proving himself as a solid contributor, including scoring a minimum of 15 points in three of his first four starts. Wells is likely to maintain his role and should continue to stand out as a high achiever among his peers this season.
