Player News – Page 48 – FantasySP Blog

Michael Beasley Is Available

Michael Beasley has two 25-plus point games over his last four games.

Analysis: Michael Beasley is one of the more frustrating fantasy players to own but he can be worth it when his desire is there and with the support of his coach. The former K-State product is averaging 17 PPG, 1.5 SPG, .75 3PM and 5.5 RPG in his last four games. His minutes are up as well as his shot totals and points production over the last week.

Overall it has been a down year for Beasley. His minutes, points and field goal percentage are the lowest of his five year career but he is playing very well as of late and offers tons of fantasy upside. Beasley won’t dominate any fantasy category but he does stuff a stat sheet when he is on his game. He’ll contribute a few threes, steals and blocks which is what you want from a fantasy forward but his points potential is his real value. A Michael Beasley getting 25-30 minutes of floor time per night is a Michael Beasley you want on your fantasy squad. At the moment he is available in about 40-60% of fantasy leagues.

Deep League Help- Joel Ward

The Washington Capitals have not been playing well but Joel Ward has been one of the few bright spots thus far this season.

Analysis: Joel Ward has 4 goals and 2 assists in 7 games played this year. He is a plus-5 on a team with a minus 10 goal differential. He’s been posting up shop in front of the net for the most part is putting away the garbage. Ward was on a line with Mike Ribeiro Thursday night and scored a goal on a beautiful pass from him. Ribeiro is a playmaker and a permanent spot on his line would do Joel Ward some good. But… Adam Oates has been changing lines pretty much every game for the Caps this year as they struggle to find chemistry. Regardless, Ward is coming in to his own as a net-front power forward this year.

Ward isn’t a universal pick-up at this point, he still has a lot to work on from a fantasy perspective. He’s never been a big penalty minutes guy nor does he receive tons of ice time(14-15 min/g) but he is shooting more than ever and is getting some valuable secondary power play minutes. Ward is available in over ninety percent of leagues.

Buying Low- Valtteri Filppula

Valtteri Filppula is one of the most heavily dropped fantasy forwards thus far this year yet he is still contributing.

Analysis: Valtteri Filppula has five points in six games this year. He’s chewing up nearly eighteen minutes of ice time per game and has a plus/minus rating of plus-3. He even offers center and left wing position eligibility. I understand that in such a short season fantasy owners cannot wait for players to get through a slump but Filppula is not slumping. His knee appears to be fine and if it becomes a problem THEN you drop him from your squad not BEFORE like so many seem to be doing now. If you have been watching Detroit this year you know his play has been solid. Keep in mind that he’s coming off of a career year- 66 points, plus-18 and he’s still only twenty-eight years old.

Filppula isn’t going to rack up tons of power play points or penalty minutes but he does have a place in most leagues. If five points in six games, eighteen minutes of ice time and a solid plus/minus rating isn’t good enough then have fun losing your fantasy hockey league this year. Filppula is available in 20-30% of fantasy leagues nationwide so pick him up if he’s been dropped in your league.

Underrated D-Men- Hamhuis And Hedman

Dan Hamhuis and Victor Hedman are off to great starts early this year yet they still are not getting much love in the fantasy world.

Analysis: Dan Hamhuis was a 37 point defenseman last year(22nd in NHL) that was also plus-29(2nd among D-men). Those are key stats for fantasy hockey owners but Dan Hamhuis is only owned in about half of fantasy leagues and only fifteen percent of dreaded ESPN leagues. Thus far this season Hamhuis has three points in four games and is averaging twenty-two minutes of ice time on an average of twenty-seven shifts per game. There is no excuse why he isn’t universally owned in fantasy leagues.

Victor Hedman is one of our sleepers this year and he too has been playing well. You really cannot judge Hedman strictly on his points per game production but he does have two points in four games. He chews up ice time(21 min/g) and will be contributing in plus/minus this year(plus-6 so far) because Tampa Bay is one improved hockey club. I know it’s early but he is the 27th ranked defensemen this season and he will finish in the top 40. Hedman is available in about forty percent of fantasy leagues.

Stock Rising- Elton Brand

Elton Brand has two double-doubles in his last three games.

Analysis: Elton Brand is averaging 13.0 PPG, 8.8 RPG and is shooting 56% from the field over his last five games. His minutes have been close to thirty per game in this span and he may be starting at center for the Mavs relatively soon. At the moment he is available in well over half of fantasy leagues but his stock is on the rise.

Brand also contributes at the line(80%) and is averaging 1.2 BPG and 0.6 SPG in just twenty-one minutes per game this year. He is quite the shot blocker for a 6’9″ power forward and even as a thirty-three year old he is still getting it done defensively. Brand has been a top twenty fantasy power forward over the past two weeks. In this span he has been outperforming Kevin Garnett, JJ Hickson and Ed Davis just to name a few heavily owned big guys.

Even at Elton Brand’s age he is still producing very well. He rebounds, blocks shots, shoots a high percentage and he won’t kill you at the free throw line… exactly what you want from your lower tier fantasy big men.