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Fantasy Basketball stock watch: DeMar DeRozan rising, Carmelo Anthony falling

DeMar DeRozan highlights this week’s look at recent risers and fallers in fantasy hoops (AP).
DeMar DeRozan highlights this week’s look at recent risers and fallers in fantasy hoops (AP).

STOCK UP

DeMar DeRozan: He exploded for 52 points on New Year’s Day, going 13-for-13 from the line (he’s 23-for-23 over the last three games from the charity stripe). But the key to DeRozan’s already high fantasy value has been his recent three-point shooting barrage (he’s 20-for-38 from downtown over the past seven games). He’s up to 3.0 attempts per game, which is a career high and nearly double last year’s mark. DeRozan is also sporting career bests in True Shooting Percentage (58.4) and apg (4.9). If he continues to shoot from deep like he has been over the last two weeks, DeRozan would suddenly possess top-10 upside.

Tyus Jones: Jones has averaged 9.0 points, 6.0 assists (with just 0.7 tpg), 3.7 steals and 1.0 threes over six starts this season, which he’ll now be doing for the next 2-4 weeks with Jeff Teague sidelined. Jones won’t help much in scoring, but he’s a huge asset in steals and should get plenty of run over the next few weeks. Basketball Monster projects Jones to be a top-60 player over the rest of the month, and he’s owned in just 26 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Julius Randle: He’s played 28+ minutes in three straight games, when he’s averaged 20.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 blocks while shooting 60.0 percent from the floor. Brook Lopez is set to return soon, but Larry Nance has been struggling, and there’s no reason for this young Lakers team (with the NBA’s No. 1 Pace) not to continue giving Randle more run over the rest of the season.

Marquese Chriss: His sophomore campaign has been a major disappointment, but Chriss is playing better of late, averaging 12.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.8 blocks over the last five games. Staying out of foul trouble remains an issue for Chriss, but he’s been a top-75 player over the last week and is barely owned in half of leagues right now.

Tyler Johnson: He’s averaged 19.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 3pt while shooting 48.7 percent from the field over the last five games (a span in which he’s attempted 12+ shots in every game), taking full advantage of Dion Waiters’ absence. Johnson is worth using as long as Waiters remains out.

STOCK DOWN

Carmelo Anthony: Joining an Oklahoma City team with Russell Westbrook and Paul George, it’s no surprise Anthony currently sports a career-low Usage Rate (23.5), but his fantasy value has taken an even bigger hit than most expected. Anthony is also averaging career lows in ppg (17.5), apg (1.6), spg (0.7) and FG% (41.3). He just surpassed 1,000 career games played, so he’s clearly entered the decline phase, and his inability to translate his game to mesh with his new teammates has really hurt his fantasy value. Anthony is the No. 100 ranked player right now, sandwiched between Larry Nance and Danny Green.

Wilson Chandler: A top-100 player each of the past two years, Chandler is down to No. 175 this season, averaging 9.8 ppg after getting 15.7 in 2016/17. He’s remained in the starting lineup, but Denver has so many scoring alternatives, it’s hard to predict a big bounce back.

Pau Gasol: He’s had a terrific second season in San Antonio, but the 37-year-old hasn’t been a top-125 player over the past 10 games, and his value should continue to decrease with Kawhi Leonard getting back closer to his old self (he played a season-high 31 minutes Tuesday). Still, it’s pretty cool Gasol is attempting a career-high in threes per game (2.0) during his 17th year in the league.

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