Author: TJ Streett

Brad Boyes To Buffalo Boosts Value

Sunday Brad Boyes was traded to the Buffalo Sabres from St. Louis in exchange for a second round pick. While his points production should remain steady his power play minutes are sure to increase on a mediocre Buffalo power play unit.

Analysis: Brad Boyes has 41 points in 62 games and is available in sixty percent of fantasy hockey leagues. Boyes moves to a team that has a real need for a top six forward. Right now he’s averaging just 17 minutes of ice time a game and with this trade expect 19 minutes of ice time with considerable power play minutes. Boyes is pretty consistent in every category- he takes over two shots a game, he scores more than enough points for a forward of his caliber, his plus/minus is solid but his lack of ice time in St. Louis really did hurt his fantasy production.

Projection: Boyes should still be putting up points in the .6-.8 points per game range but his power play points and ice time are the real winners here in the trade to Buffalo. This trade takes Boyes from a solid deeper league forward to a six category producing fantasy asset.

Randy Foye Is Clutch

Randy Foye is playing the best basketball of his life and is turning into a multi category fantasy basketball machine.

Analysis: Foye is averaging 20.8 PPG and 5.6 APG over his last five games. He’s got a lot of other things going for him as well. He’s got point guard and shooting guard position eligibility and he’s a career 86% free throw shooter. Although Eric Gordon will be coming back from injury soon he won’t be back to full strength for awhile and there is no way Foye won’t be getting at least 30 minutes a game when he does return. Foye is hitting just over one three per game for the year and has six multi steal games in his last ten contests. Randy Foye is doing it all from the PG/SG position and the fact that he’s available in seventy percent of fantasy leagues- what’s not to like?

Projection: Regardless of Eric Gordon’s return, Randy Foye will be getting tons of minutes. He’s averaging over 35 minutes a game over the last two weeks and no one can argue with his productivity. Expect 14-17 PPG, 5 APG, 1 3PM and 1 SPG the rest of the way for the Clippers.

Thaddeus Young Is Heating Up

Thaddeus Young went 12-15 from the floor for 24 points Friday night against the Pistons. Available in over fifty percent of leagues nationwide he just may be what you’re looking for if you need points and steals.

Analysis: Does five consecutive 18 plus point games interest you? It should and he’s doing more than just scoring. Young has averaged five rebounds and one steal per game in that same five game span as well as shooting over 65 percent from the field. This is the time of year in the fantasy world where you have to ride the hot hands to a championship and Thaddeus Young may help you get there. He doesn’t contribute much in the three department but he’s shooting 73% from the stripe and his minutes are just under thirty a game. Young needs to be on the floor for the Sixers if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive and Young should be hitting the thirty minute per game mark from here on out.

Projection: Expect 15-19 PPG, 5 RPG, more than 1 SPG and solid field goal and free throw percentages the rest of the year.

Jonathan Sanchez Is Not A SP2 Or SP3

Many sites have distorted projections of Jonathan Sanchez due to his extremely low ERA last year.

Analysis: Jonathan Sanchez may be a strikeout machine but he was one lucky guy last year. He had a 79.5 LOB%, fourth best among qualified pitchers in 2010 and over seven percent above his career average. His 2010 FIP of 4.00 was nearly identical to his career average of 4.08. However, his ERA last year was 3.07 making his ERA minus FIP -.93, which means he was the fifth luckiest pitcher in baseball last year. His career ERA is over 4.2! Also take into consideration his BABIP against was .252 last year, thirty-seven points below his career average. There is no possible way Sanchez can sustain these numbers and finish as the twenty-second best pitcher in roto formats like he did last year.

Projection: Sanchez will go long before he should in most drafts and that means you won’t get the chance to pick him up but that’s fine because he’ll only give you 13 Wins, 3.80 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 200 K’s… solid SP4 numbers if you ask me.

Last Call On Kovalev

Right Winger Alexei Kovalev was dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins today boosting his value and making him not so under the radar anymore. Kovalev is available in about forty percent of fantasy leagues nationwide so now is the time to pick him up.

Analysis: Remember, Kovalev is still playing for a new contract and now that he’ll be playing for the Pens his plus/minus rating will certainly become an asset to fantasy owners. He’s been on fire lately with 6 goals, 3 assists, about 17 minutes of ice time and is a plus 3 in his last ten games. His move to the Pens will certainly help their fifteenth ranked power play. Also, the Pens have what Ottawa does not, better forwards to play with in Jordan Staal or Tyler Kennedy at center and Matt Cooke or newly acquired James Neal at left wing. If you’re lucky Sidney Crosby may come back to center the Russian sniper.

Projection: This is a great trade for Kovalev’s value. He’s motivated, he’s on a playoff caliber squad and his plus/minus won’t be suspect anymore playing on a solid team with Marc-Andre Fleury in net. Five to ten goals and over eighteen minutes of ice time with a handful of power play points is what you’ll get from Kovalev as he’ll try to push the Pens into the fourth seed in the east.