26/27 Nov. 4 Box Score Analysis (14 Games)
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Jabari Smith Jr. (Sell High): Smith is one of the more obvious sell-high candidates in the league. The forward is currently ranked inside the top 30 in nine-category leagues and the top 50 in Yahoo points leagues. The big start is all about his unsustainable shooting. Smith is currently shooting an incredible 49.1 percent from three. Because he’s been so accurate from deep, he’s also shooting an unsustainable 50.0 percent from the field. Last year, the Rocket shot 36.3 percent from three and 45.0 percent from the floor. He could be a top-100 player, but his value is going to drop like a rock once his shooting cools off. He hasn’t made a jump this year in any of the non-shooting categories. If you can get a mid-round player for Smith, you’ve done well.
Tari Eason: Eason is just a streamer in points leagues, but in category leagues, even those with just 10 teams, he is a must-roster. He’s back to producing excellent per-minute numbers. So far this season, the forward has needed just 24.4 MPG to be a top-85 nine-category player. In eight-category leagues, he’s flirting with the top 100 despite the limited run. His current numbers should not be viewed as his ceiling. Eason should trend up in FG%, threes, and steals. He’s currently shooting just 26.7 percent from deep, which is dragging down not only his triples but also his FG%. He’s also producing 1.5 SP36, which is a very strong number but also a number that is below what he usually manages.
Reed Sheppard (Pick Up in 14+ team leagues): This was an encouraging night for Sheppard because he played more than Marcus Smart. If he can be the Rockets’ third guard instead of the fourth, he could be a back-end 12-team player. Twenty-one minutes won’t be enough for Sheppard, but if he can get to even 24, that could be enough to make him a must-hold in 12-team category leagues. He should be added in 14-team leagues. In 12-team leagues, it’s fine to take a flier on him as well if your team is fairly healthy. Houston’s next game comes on Saturday against the Suns.
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