It will be a unique week in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge, as the games will be split up, with most of them going down Tuesday and a few more being played Friday. We will have the benefit of unlimited trades, but there will be some risk involved when considering injured players who do not play until after Christmas. Be sure to check out RotoWire's EuroLeague Injury Report before finalizing your lineups.
If you have any questions or comments about strategy or the picks below, feel free to drop those at the bottom of this article or reach out on X via @RotoWireEuro.
Good luck this week and happy holidays!
Guard
Kevin Punter, FC Barcelona (14.7 credits)
Punter has been one of the most productive players in EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge over the last few weeks, and his average of 30.1 fantasy points per game over the last three Rounds ranks second only to the next player on the list. Punter is coming off a 43-point performance in a win over Baskonia on Round 17 and averaged 25.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 2.2 threes per game over his last five outings. He should continue getting ample opportunities with both Will Clyburn and Tornike Shengelia out for Round 18.
McKinley Wright IV, Dubai Basketball (14.4 credits)
Wright has been one of the best guards in the EuroLeague in recent weeks and is amid his most prolific stretch of the season. He recorded a double-double in both Rounds last week, putting up 26 points and 10 assists against Maccabi and following that up with 17 points and 15 helpers against Efes. He averaged a league-best 37.1 fantasy points over the last five Rounds while putting up marks of 20.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 triples per contest.
Talen Horton-Tucker, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (11.4 credits)
Horton-Tucker has been one of the more consistent players in the EuroLeague, and his numbers back that up. The versatile wing, who can line up as either a guard or forward, would be an excellent option for this Round 18 in terms of cost per production. Over his last three appearances, Horton-Tucker averaged 23.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per night while topping the 20-point plateau each time.
Markus Howard, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (8.5 credits)
Howard has endured an inconsistent season amid injuries and subpar performances, but the Baskonia guard has gotten going in a big way. He reached double digits in each of his last four appearances, a stretch over which he averaged 19.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 50 percent from beyond the three-point arc. He's riding a hot hand, tossing up 33 points in Friday's triple-overtime loss to Barcelona and 30 more in Sunday's domestic contest.
Forward
Jaylen Hoard, Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (15.1 credits)
Hoard finished with only nine points his last time out, but that was the first time he scored fewer than 10 points in a EuroLeague game since late October. His elite consistency should play well in Round 18 against a slumping Partizan club that is dealing with all kinds of injuries.
Jordan Nwora, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (13.1 credits)
Nwora missed five Rounds earlier in the season, but he has picked up right where he left off since returning, averaging 16.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 2.0 threes per game over six appearances. With Red Star facing a fast-paced Paris club, Nwora could be a difference-maker in Round 18.
Derrick Alston Jr, Virtus Bologna (8.6 credits)
When analyzing recent production and credit value, Alston is one of the best bargains out there. He has been on a roll, reaching double digits in five of his last six appearances while averaging 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Those numbers aren't eye-popping, but they're valuable at this price. Alston averaged 14.6 fantasy points over his last three trips to the court, good for 16th among forwards.
Center
Dan Oturu, Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (13.5 credits)
Although Oturu has recorded only one double-double this season, he has been remarkably consistent throughout. Despite his relatively high price tag, Oturu is worth the investment, if only because it's tough to find a truly reliable option at the center spot. Oturu has grabbed at least seven rebounds in seven straight games, a stretch in which he's averaging 13.9 points, 8.6 boards, 1.1 blocks and 20.3 fantasy points per night. That mark leads all centers over that span.
Bruno Fernando, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (7.9 credits)
Fernando has been starting, and he could be busier than usual in Round 18 with Tyrique Jones seemingly unable to shake a hamstring injury. If Jones sits, Fernando should be an excellent low-cost option at center, allowing you to allocate the resources to other areas of your roster. Fernando averaged 13.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals over the last two Rounds, and Maccabi does not possess much depth in the post.
Head Coach
Dimitris Itoudis, Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (8.2 credits)
Itoudis would be a solid option in most Rounds given how well Hapoel has played, but even on the road he is particularly appealing in Round 18, as his club will face a Bayern team that sits 19th out of 20 teams in the standings and just swapped out Gordon Herbert for Svetislav Pesic on the bench.
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