This article is part of our NBA Waiver Wire series.
To use a Clyde Frazier word, I'm dubious about rookies in most NBA fantasy leagues. Sure, there are occasional "precocious neophytes" that are worth a roster spot. Karl-Anthony Towns (95 percent), to this point, compares very favorably with Shaquille O'Neal, and Kristaps Porzingis (79 percent), even at 25-ish minutes per game, has been a double-double machine.
But what about the rest of this year's rookie class? What have we learned about them so far, and are any of them worth rostering?
D'Angelo Russell (68 percent) - The Lakers seem to be clinging to the idea that they're playoff contenders... in much the same way that Monty Python's Black Knight insisted he was still a threat to Arthur, King of the Britons. Hard to imagine a worse situation for a rookie lead guard.
Jahlil Okafor (88 percent) - Okafor's numbers would be attractive to players who don't look beyond points and rebounds. He's been terrible from the free throw line and is turning the ball over way too much for a big man; I'd call him a "sell high" candidate in single-season leagues.
Mario Hezonja (6 percent) - Right now he's stuck behind Evan Fournier and Victor Oladipo for minutes at the wing spots, which isn't a recipe for fantasy success. Unless there's a major change, he's probably not worth owning in single-season leagues.
Willie Cauley-Stein (28 percent) - WCS has a ton of potential as a source of cheap steals, boards, and blocks, assuming he gets the playing time. But
To use a Clyde Frazier word, I'm dubious about rookies in most NBA fantasy leagues. Sure, there are occasional "precocious neophytes" that are worth a roster spot. Karl-Anthony Towns (95 percent), to this point, compares very favorably with Shaquille O'Neal, and Kristaps Porzingis (79 percent), even at 25-ish minutes per game, has been a double-double machine.
But what about the rest of this year's rookie class? What have we learned about them so far, and are any of them worth rostering?
D'Angelo Russell (68 percent) - The Lakers seem to be clinging to the idea that they're playoff contenders... in much the same way that Monty Python's Black Knight insisted he was still a threat to Arthur, King of the Britons. Hard to imagine a worse situation for a rookie lead guard.
Jahlil Okafor (88 percent) - Okafor's numbers would be attractive to players who don't look beyond points and rebounds. He's been terrible from the free throw line and is turning the ball over way too much for a big man; I'd call him a "sell high" candidate in single-season leagues.
Mario Hezonja (6 percent) - Right now he's stuck behind Evan Fournier and Victor Oladipo for minutes at the wing spots, which isn't a recipe for fantasy success. Unless there's a major change, he's probably not worth owning in single-season leagues.
Willie Cauley-Stein (28 percent) - WCS has a ton of potential as a source of cheap steals, boards, and blocks, assuming he gets the playing time. But his role has been in flux - Kings coach George Karl has been using both Cauley-Stein and Kosta Koufos next to DeMarcus Cousins. The "Cousins could be shopped" rumors seem to be picking up strength, which makes WCS more intriguing. I'm in buy-and-hold mode. (Ignore the horrible free throw shooting - he doesn't shoot them enough to have much impact.)
Emmanuel Mudiay (79 percent) - Mudiay's value at this stage of his career depends entirely on your league's scoring format. If you're in a rotisserie league that doesn't penalize for turnovers, or a H2H league where you can safely punt on percentages, he's a must-play. But in a straight ten-category roto league, Mudiay's shooting percentages from the floor and line and his turnovers will kill you.
Stanley Johnson (42 percent) - Johnson's defense and athleticism have been a big factor in Detroit's hot start, but thus far that hasn't been reflected in his fantasy stats. There have been flashes of brilliance - he went for 20 points and seven boards against the Warriors, shooting .643 from the floor at Golden State on Monday - but his baseline performance is a lot less impressive.
Frank Kaminsky (27 percent) - Kaminsky's percent owned is about 26 points too high, as he's currently the 12th man in Charlotte's rotation with no obvious path to more playing time in the short term. (Wait, how many picks did Charlotte turn down for a chance to draft this guy? Because he was most NBA-ready? Insert Michael-Jordan-Crying-Face.gif here.)
Justise Winslow (16 percent) - Winslow has been a really nice addition for the Heat thus far, but as with Stanley Johnson, his contributions don't show up on the box score in a meaningful way.
As for the rest of the first rounders... the only two that are really making regular contributions play in New York. Jerian Grant (13 percent) is pretty well-established as the Knicks' backup point guard, but Langston Galloway (46 percent) looms as a much bigger threat to steal Jose Calderon's starting job. And Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is starting for the Nets, but like Johnson and Winslow, he's a defensive wing without much statistical impact.
Looking for value? Look elsewhere.
Picks for the Week
As always, we're shooting for a cross-section of players who will be available for the taking in both shallow and deep talent pools. Percent-owned stats are based on a default Yahoo League with roto scoring; your mileage may vary. If you have a question about a specific player feel free to hit me up in the comments or on Twitter @charliezegers.
Ed Davis (52 percent) - Davis would be in line for a big uptick in minutes if Meyers Leonard (shoulder) is sidelined for any length of time.
Ish Smith (29 percent) - Jrue Holiday is the nominal starter, but his playing time will be capped at 15-20 mpg for the foreseeable future, which makes Smith - coming off two straight point/assist double-doubles - a must-play.
Brandon Jennings (20 percent) - Back practicing on a limited basis, and could return to the Pistons in December. It remains to be seen what his role will be, as Reggie Jackson has more or less taken over his old job. Jennings might be most valuable to the Pistons as trade bait.
T.J. Warren (18 percent) - Second-year pro has been shooting lights-out, leading some to wonder if he'll push incumbent P.J. Tucker for minutes at small forward.
Tyler Johnson (4 percent) - Another second-year pro, Johnson could be the biggest beneficiary of the trade that sent Mario Chalmers to Memphis. He scored 17 points with four boards, three assists and two steals against Utah on Thursday (though Dwyane Wade was out of the lineup for that game) and has played just under 30 minutes in each of his last two contests.
Greivis Vasquez (4 percent) - Bucks coach Jason Kidd shortened up his rotation this week, and in the first game after that, Vasquez played 33 minutes, scored 15 points and had nine dimes.
