As we gain another week of NBA insight, a number of players have separated themselves from the pack, as players whose stock is either on the rise or falling quickly. Some of these situations are much more obvious than others, and therefore require much less of an explanation. Take Kyrie Irving for example. His stock is plummeting with each passing day, and I’m sure everyone is aware of this. The key for fantasy basketball, however, is to find those whose stock movement might not be so obvious. So let’s dive right in and identify a handful of players who have seen a jump in their stock over the last week of action.
Fantasy Basketball Stock Report
Stock on the Rise
Obi Toppin, PF, New York Knicks
With Mitchell Robinson going down with an injury, there are minutes available in the front court, and I like Obi Toppin as the player most likely to take advantage of this opportunity. Toppin has played well of late, scoring at least 15 points and knocking down at least three triples in two of his last three games. He also received a season-high 26 minutes last game, adding 7 boards, 3 assists, and 4 steals to his 15 points for a well-rounded stat line that should earn him more minutes in the short term. With Toppin playing well and likely seeing extra minutes, along with a fantasy-friendly upcoming schedule (Nets, Pistons, Thunder), his stock is quickly on the rise.
Joe Harris, SG/SF, Brooklyn Nets
Making his way back from injury, Joe Harris looks to finally be starting to find his rhythm again, which means he can once again be a valuable piece moving in fantasy hoops moving forward. The sharp-shooting wing has eclipsed 30 minutes in back-to-back games for the first time this season while knocking down multiple threes in three of his last four contests. His most recent game also saw him hit a season-high 14 points and 4 assists, which are the type of numbers we can begin to expect again on a regular basis. Harris’ stock is on the rise for the first time since before breaking his ankle early last season, and it should only be up from here.
Jamal Murray, PG/SG, Denver Nuggets
Jamal Murray is another player coming off a serious injury who is starting to find his groove again as we get a little deeper into the season. Murray has topped 30 minutes in three of his last four games, producing his three highest scoring outputs of the year with 19 or more in each of them. He is also averaging 5.5 assists in this recent span, and all aspects of his game are starting to come together. After his last matchup with the Spurs, he even said “I feel good. I am just finding my rhythm and I am getting better every game.” As his confidence increases, so does his stock, as he looks to get back to his all-star form to help the Nuggets make a deep run this year.
Stock on the Decline
Onyeka Okongwu, C, Atlanta Hawks
This is turning into one of the more frustrating fantasy situations across the NBA, as the Atlanta Hawks refuse to fully unleash Onyeka Okongwu with Clint Capela still soaking up the majority of the minutes down low. A former lottery pick, Okongwu has a world of potential if he can see enough minutes, but it looks like we will have to wait a little bit longer. The young big man has failed to reach 20 minutes in four of his last five games, scoring more than 8 points just once in that span. If you have the space to hold onto him, it could be well worth it down the road, but his stock is heading downward after many expected his ascent to have already begun by now.
D’Angelo Russell, PG/SG, Minnesota Timberwolves
Projected for a big season this year, D’Angelo Russell got off to a hot start before quickly trending downhill over his last handful of games. The former All-Star has struggled mightily with his shot of late, shooting a lowly 32.6% from the floor across the last two weeks of action, while his assists have also taken a dip with so much of the offense running through Karl-Anthony Towns. He is certainly capable of turning things around in the near future, but his stock will continue to drop for as long as he continues to struggle in what should be the two best parts of his game.