Fantasy Basketball 2021: Ranking Sleepers for NBA Week 4
Philadelphia 76ers rookie guard Tyrese Maxey may be one of the most important players to fantasy basketball rosters by the time Week 4 concludes.
The first-year player out of Kentucky is expected to take on an expanded role with the roster issues within his team and a five-game schedule ahead in the next seven days.
For now, Maxey is still considered a sleeper prospect because of his low-volume totals off the bench, but if he jumps into a bigger role in Week 4, he could make the leap from sleeper to reliable bench option.
Philadelphia and the Indiana Pacers are the two NBA teams with five games in the next week. If you can find the right sleepers from both squads, you could earn the edge over other players in your weekly leagues.
Week 4 Sleeper Rankings
1. Tyrese Maxey, SG, Philadelphia
2. Justin Holiday, SG/SF. Indiana
3. Danny Green, SG/SF, Philadelphia
4. Cole Anthony, PG, Orlando
5. JaMychal Green, PF/C, Denver
6. Jordan Clarkson, PG/SG. Utah
7. Enes Kanter, C, Portland
8. Cedi Osman, SF/PF, Cleveland
9. De'Anthony Melton, PG, Memphis
10. Daniel Theis, C, Boston
Tyrese Maxey
Maxey's overall totals are inflated by the 39-point performance on Saturday, a game in which the Sixers used seven players.
With Seth Curry not available because of COVID-19 protocols and Ben Simmons out for Monday's clash with the Atlanta Hawks, Maxey could be in line for a terrific start to Week 4.
According to The Athletic and Stadium's Shams Charania, Simmons is day-to-day with a knee injury.
That is not a good sign for the Sixers since they have little time in between games in the next seven days. If Simmons is unable to go in a majority of those contests, Maxey should be a popular waiver-wire pickup. As of Sunday night, Maxey was rostered in just 16 percent of Yahoo leagues, per Fantasy Pros.
Even if Simmons is ruled fit to play against the Miami Heat on Tuesday or Thursday, Maxey could receive extra run at the end of the week during a back-to-back on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Maxey played over 20 minutes on Thursday versus Brooklyn on the back end of Philadelphia's first back-to-back of the season.
If Doc Rivers chooses to rest some players, Maxey and other bench options, like Matisse Thybulle and Dwight Howard, could be valuable fantasy players in Week 4.
Justin Holiday
Holiday produced three double-digit outings in his last four games.
In his last two appearances, Holiday hit six field goals, which is his season high. If he continues to shoot at that rate, he will put up high totals during Indiana's five-game slate.
All five of Indiana's games in Week 4 are away from home, but the Pacers do not have to travel a ton of miles in between each contest.
The first of two back-to-back games is Monday against the Sacramento Kings, who should be the easiest opponent on the slate. Indiana takes on Golden State, Portland, Phoenix and the Los Angeles Clippers during their road swing.
Despite holding a larger role with T.J. Warren out injured, Holiday is rostered in 31 percent of Yahoo leagues.
Holiday already proved in Warren's absence that he can be a reliable second or third guard option in fantasy lineups, and if that trend extends into Week 4, his roster percentage should rise.
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Statistics obtained from Basketball Reference