Fantasy Basketball Week 16 Start/Sit: What to do with Jrue Holiday?

Despite the fact the trade deadline is still a few days away, chaos has descended on the NBA with two massive trades already taking place. If this is an indication of what is to come, managers will want to be savvy with their roster decisions this week. While no one is certain what will happen, many players would appear relatively safe in terms of their immediate playing future. Coupled with a favorable schedule, this could be a great opportunity to make the most of some questionable decisions by others in your league.

Eighteen teams will take to the court four times, while 11 teams will suit up on three occasions. This leaves just one team with five games, the Rockets. Sitting players who only go twice has advantages, but fantasy managers still have to make smart decisions when figuring out who to play, regardless of game count. 

Five Games: HOU

Four Games: ATL, CHA, DEN, DET, GSW, IND, MIL, MIN, OKC, ORL, PHI, PHO, POR, SAC, SAS, TOR, UTA, WAS

Three Games: BKN, BOS, CHI, CLE, DAL, LAC, LAL, MEM, MIA, NOP, NYK

Two Games: N/A

Here are four potential starts and four potential sits entering the 16th week of the NBA season. Just keep in mind that this is based on games played for the week. If you play in a rotisserie league, the number of games played each week may not matter in your format. 

Guards

Consider starting: Justin Edwards, PHI

Opponents: DAL, MIA, @DET, @MIL

Seemingly battling a constant injury crisis, the 76ers have been forced to lean into their secondary pieces. Edwards has been at the top of that list, playing a sizeable role over the past two weeks. During that time, he has averaged 9.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.9 three-pointers in 30.4 minutes per game. While these numbers are not going to blow anyone away, he is doing enough to present as a quantity-over-quality target, even in standard formats. Despite the element of risk, it does appear as though the coaching staff have enough confidence in him to ensure backend value moving forward.

Consider sitting: Jrue Holiday, BOS

Opponents: @CLE, DAL, @NYK

At the other end of his career, Holiday has struggled this season, even more so over the past month. In that time, he has averaged 8.9 points, 4.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.6 three-pointers in 29.6 minutes per game. The Celtics are loaded with talent, limiting what Holiday has to do on a nightly basis. He provides the team with a steady hand in the backcourt but his production has been less than ideal. At this point in his career, his real-life value far outweighs his fantasy value. He is not only a bench candidate for this week, but someone to consider dropping in certain situations.

Consider sitting: Lonzo Ball, CHI

Opponents: MIA, @MIN, GSW

Ball recently had his minutes restriction increased, playing a season-high 28 minutes in a loss to Detroit on Sunday. With Zach LaVine being traded to Sacramento, Ball looks set to remain in the starting lineup based on the current roster construction. While he is one of the best feel-good stories to come out of this season, he does have some limitations, one of which is the fact that he has yet to play in both games of a back-to-back set. Not only do the Bulls have three games this week, but they also have a back-to-back, meaning managers may only get two games out of Lonzo. This could be a situation where the risk outweighs the reward, meaning you could be better off leaving him on your bench.

Forwards

Consider starting: Tari Eason, HOU

Opponents: @NYK, @BKN, @MIN, @DAL, TOR

Since returning from a leg injury, Eason has been slightly underwhelming, especially in recent times. Over the past week, he has averaged just 10.3 points, 9.0 rebounds 1.7 three-pointers and 0.6 combined steals and blocks. For a player whose fantasy value is built on defense, it's fair to say it's been a rough few games. However, during that time, he has also averaged 27.2 minutes per game, well up from his season average of 23.3 minutes. The Rockets have the rare five-game week coming up, meaning even with the risk of being rested, Eason should play enough to have backend value. Assuming he can find some momentum on the defensive end, starting him this week seems like a viable strategy.

Consider starting: Zaccharie Risacher, ATL

Opponents: @DET, SAS, MIL, @WAS

With Jalen Johnson done for the season thanks to a shoulder injury, Risacher appears as though he is going to be one of the beneficiaries. Although his fantasy ceiling is somewhat limited due to a lack of peripheral contributions, he has flashed some nice offensive upside over the past week. He has averaged 19.3 points, 3.3 three-pointers and 1.3 steals in that time, good enough for top-100 value in standard 12-team leagues. The Hawks have lost eight straight games and are going to need to turn things around should they hope to feature in the postseason. Risacher could be available on the waiver wire in a few spots and promoting him to starter could give you a sneaky boost in points and threes.

Consider sitting: Ayo Dosunmu, CHI

Opponents: MIA, @MIN, GSW

Much like Ball, Dosunmu is going to benefit following the LaVine trade. He too should stick in the starting lineup, at least until we get a clearer picture of what the roster might look like following the trade deadline. Across the season, Dosunmu has been a borderline asset, averaging 12.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.4 three-pointers in 30.6 minutes per game. Assuming he does hold onto his starting spot, those numbers could be considered his floor moving forward. However, also much like Ball, there is a good chance Dosunmu will be rested for one game this week, making him a two-game player. He too is someone to consider benching, especially if the Bulls are going to take a cautious approach as they strive for a meaningful draft pick.

Centers

Consider starting: Goga Bitadze, ORL

Opponents: @GSW, @SAC, @DEN, SAS

It's been rough sledding for Bitadze since returning from injury, having played fewer than 20 minutes in the past two games. Despite moving back into the starting lineup, his long-term role remains unclear, thus impacting his projected fantasy value. While the minutes have been frustrating, his production during that time has been adequate. The advanced numbers highlight the fact that generally speaking, the Magic are a far better team when he is on the court. Wendell Carter has been soaking up a lot of the center minutes, but to this point, he has done very little with the opportunity. There is certainly some risk involved should you opt to start Bitadze this week. The Magic need to start winning, so there is a good chance Bitadze sees an increase in both playing time and production, making him a sneaky starting candidate.

Consider sitting: Zach Edey, MEM

Opponents: SAS, @TOR, OKC

Edey continues to roll as the starting center for the Grizzlies but his playing time is anything but consistent. Despite the starting tag, his minutes typically reflect that of a backup center, averaging just 19.0 minutes per game over the past month. Memphis has one of the deepest rosters in the league, allowing them to mix and match based on the opponent. Although Edey provides them with a strong interior defender, his lack of mobility and limited offensive skill set make him expendable at times. Unless you are desperate for rebounds and blocks, Edey is definitely someone to look at as secondary when considering your starting lineup for this week.