X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

Fantasy Basketball Hype Train: Florida Man Shoots, Blocks, and Steals

CHOO CHOO! This is a new season-long fantasy basketball feature where I can just have fun and write about the players me, you, and everyone else already wants to talk about. Are you ready for a ride on the fantasy basketball hype train?

There's something about a "1/1/1" guy -- a player who can post at least 1 three, 1 steal, and 1 block per game -- that really sends hearts racing in the fantasy basketball community. Sure, it's no better than having 0/0.6/2.6 guy like Rudy Gobert. But for some reason it's much sexier. The versatility, well-rounded game, and underappreciated fantasy value from these three small numbered categories -- the only positive categories where getting to 1 per game means you're really good -- gives these 1/1/1 guys a special place in the fantasy pantheon.

Today we're going to look at a few potential 1/1/1 guys, but with the restriction that we're not leaving the state of Florida. The hype train has pulled into station, and we're somewhere deep in Florida. If hype was a swamp, we'd be in the Everglades. Watch out for snakes.

Upgrade To VIP: Win more with our NBA and DFS Premium Pass, get expert tools and advice from proven winners! Will Priester (@ChiefJustice06) from RotoGrinders leads the RotoBaller team in 2024-25 with his exclusive DFS picks, Prop picks and more. Gain VIP access to our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, DFS Cheat Sheets and VIP Chat Rooms. Go Premium, Win More!

 

Is Josh Richardson the Best Wing in Miami or Stuck in a Crowd?

Josh Richardson was extremely impressive during the stretch run last year while both Dion Waiters and Justise Winslow were injured for the Heat, and he was just as awesome in Saturday's preseason game against the Magic in a similar situation where he could get a lot of usage and playing time, as the defacto starting point guard with Goran Dragic and Tyler Johnson sitting out. He was a dynamic source of defensive stats as always with 4 steals and a block. Meanwhile his shot was falling to the tune of 7/13 shooting including 3/4 for downtown, leading to 19 points in 29 minutes.

If JRich gets playing time, he's as much of a nightly 1/1/1 threat as anyone outside of elite stat-stuffing superstars like Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins. How much fantasy value he can actualize out of that threat depends on two things.

First, how much playing time will he get with logjam at the wing in Miami? Waiters, Winslow, versatile veteran James Johnson, sharpshooter Wayne Ellington, and (I'm not sure why) Rodney McGruder will be given opportunities throughout the year to contribute. Can Richardson stay ahead of the pack and consistently retain a good number of minutes per game in the wing rotation without an injury? The good news there is that he does seem too talented to keep on the bench if healthy. Plus, his role as third string point guard combined with Johnson's dual role as a PF means that any injury on the Heat 1 through 4 would realign the rotation in such a way that it would lead to more minutes for JRich. Someone's bound to get hurt. The only bad news on that front is that Richardson himself doesn't have a squeaky clean injury history, with injuries reducing his effectiveness for much of the first half of last season, so there's some chance the guy that gets hurt is Richardson himself.

The second factor may be even more important, since it will not only determine a big chunk of his fantasy value in its own right, but it will also affect how much time he spends on the floor. So he can get a steal, a block, and a three... what else will he do? He's never been a big time rebounder. Even playing the starting "point guard," he only managed 4 assists. He's shot about 41% for his career, because most of his shots come from three, and he's not been particularly effective as an interior scorer in the chances he does get. He's only shot 44.5% from 2 in his career. Meanwhile, he's only gotten to the line 1.9 times per 36 minutes, where he's shot .729. Even in this preseason outing where he was hot, he still only went a mediocre 4 of 9 from 2 while only taking 2 foul shots when given an opportunity to stretch out his game and attack more. If he doesn't contribute much in AST, REB, FG%, or FT%, his 1/1/1 ability will be nice, but still leave him as a relatively limited fantasy player who's better off as a fit on punt teams than as a true fantasy breakout option.

Still, he's got some ball handle and he's improving his game on offense. He doesn't need to turn into Giannis Antetokounmpo with the rest of his stats. Just a bit of Khris Middleton would do.

Hype Diagnosis: Take a look at my fantasy portfolio and call me JRichie Rich.

 

Can a Rookie Cast Some 1/1/1 Magic?

Meanwhile, let's take a begrudging look over to the less fortunate half of Florida basketball. The Magic are sure to have some lowlights this year, and aren't exactly full of guys I'm excited to have on my fantasy team, outside of Aaron Gordon (who has the look of a potential fantasy superstar, and remains a steal in fantasy drafts) and Elfrid Payton (who is must-own if you are punting FT% and/or 3PM). So let's look past the rest of their boring, low-upside roster and get hyped about a more long-term 1/1/1 threat in rookie Jonathan Isaac.

Isaac, who Magic coach Frank Vogel has already called NBA-ready on defense at the tender age of 20, has been a force in stocks thus far in the preseason, recording at 1 steal and 1 block in every game, with a couple of 2 block efforts thrown in. Where he's extremely raw is on offense, where he needs to refine his skillset and adjust to the NBA game. He's not much of a passer (he has 1 assist in 3 preseason games) and his shot, while projectable, will need to improve -- he's 2 of 8 from three and 6 of 11 from the free throw line. Finally, he may still be too slight at this point to really attack the boards as much as a guy of his height and length should be able to -- he only has 3.7 rebounds per game in the preseason.

All that aside, the stocks are there, he's taking three point shots, and he should be able to keep up a respectable FG% even if his long range shot isn't falling, by using his size and athleticism to generate efficient shots on the interior, like transition dunks. He's been a dominant 10 of 15 from 2 in the preseason to date. If he's on the floor, he should be a fantasy-friendly contributor in a lot of categories.

There's the rub, though -- is he going to get on the floor? He'll have his ups and downs as a rookie, but he's versatile enough that he'll find ways to generate playing time. He was initially expected to begin as a backup SF able to play at the 3 alongside guys like Evan Fournier, Terrence Ross, and Jonathon Simmons. However, a promising development out of the Magic-Heat preseason game was that coach Vogel used Isaac primarily as a 4 behind starter Aaron Gordon in trying out some more defensively minded lineups (he didn't bother playing Marreese Speights at all in the game). If Isaac can become the primary backup at both forward spots -- a role I believe he will solidify as the year goes on -- he can get enough minutes to make a fantasy impact even if he doesn't win one of the staring spots.

Hype Diagnosis: An incredible dynasty prospect who could turn into a 1/1/1 threat as soon as the second half of this season. He could become a hype train regular.

 

Bonus: A Requiem for Super Mario

Meanwhile, I'll add one note about a guy who was super hyped a couple years ago. Mario Hezonja finished with a very different sort of 1/1/1 in the Magic-Heat preseason game -- 1 point, 1 assist, and 1 rebound, on 0/4 shooting in 12 minutes where he was essentially non-existent on both sides of the ball. He somehow had a plus/minus of -14 in a game the Magic won by 3. RIP, Super Mario's fantasy hype. It was nice hyping you up while it lasted.

 

More Fantasy Basketball Draft Sleepers




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Keegan Murray22 mins ago

Will Play On Sunday
De'Aaron Fox45 mins ago

Ruled Out On Sunday
Jordan Clarkson51 mins ago

Sitting Out On Sunday
John Collins55 mins ago

Unavailable On Sunday
Lauri Markkanen1 hour ago

Ruled Out On Sunday
George Kittle1 hour ago

Suiting Up For Season Finale
Jaylen Brown1 hour ago

Available Versus OKC
Travis Kelce2 hours ago

Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce Officially Inactive Sunday
Tua Tagovailoa2 hours ago

Won’t Play Against Jets
Tyreek Hill2 hours ago

Jaylen Waddle Officially Active Against Jets
Christian Watson2 hours ago

Will Not Return Against Bears
Christian Watson2 hours ago

Suffers Knee Injury, Questionable To Return
Jordan Love3 hours ago

Questionable To Return With Elbow Injury
C.J. Stroud3 hours ago

Pulled From Sunday's Meeting With The Titans
Josh Allen3 hours ago

Logs One Play In Week 18
Josh Jacobs4 hours ago

Doesn't Anticipate Massive Workload Sunday
New York Giants5 hours ago

Giants Still Evaluating Brian Daboll, Joe Schoen
Drake Maye5 hours ago

Officially Active Against Bills
Xavier Legette5 hours ago

Suiting Up For Season Finale
Hunter Henry5 hours ago

Out In Week 18
Romeo Doubs5 hours ago

Won't Suit Up Against Chicago
Christian Watson5 hours ago

Active For Week 18
Cade Otton5 hours ago

Won’t Play In Week 18
Austin Ekeler5 hours ago

Officially Active Against Cowboys
Alvin Kamara5 hours ago

Inactive For Season Finale Sunday
Darnell Mooney5 hours ago

Won’t Play In Week 18
Tony Pollard5 hours ago

Officially Active Against Texans
Bogdan Bogdanovic19 hours ago

Ruled Out For Saturday
Jalen Johnson19 hours ago

Unavailable On Saturday
Trae Young19 hours ago

To Play On Saturday
Kawhi Leonard20 hours ago

To Make Season Debut On Saturday
Gabe Vincent20 hours ago

Tagged As Doubtful For Sunday
Alex Caruso20 hours ago

Remains Sidelined On Sunday
Jeremy Sochan21 hours ago

Will Suit Up Saturday
Jalen Brunson21 hours ago

Will Play Saturday
Anthony Davis21 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Sunday
LeBron James21 hours ago

Probable For Sunday
Khris Middleton21 hours ago

Will Face The Blazers
Giannis Antetokounmpo21 hours ago

Cleared For Action On Saturday
Bradley Beal22 hours ago

Will Play Saturday
Cade Cunningham22 hours ago

Available For Saturday
Dejounte Murray22 hours ago

Questionable For Sunday
Clayton Kershaw22 hours ago

Intends To Pitch In 2025, Expected To Return To Los Angeles
Thatcher Demko1 day ago

Joining Team For Five-Game Road Trip
Pyotr Kochetkov1 day ago

Starts Against Wild On Saturday
Joseph Woll1 day ago

In Maple Leafs Net On Saturday
Scott Wedgewood1 day ago

Unavailable On Saturday
Jack Drury1 day ago

Back For Hurricanes Saturday
Auston Matthews1 day ago

Returns To Action On Saturday
Jordan Binnington1 day ago

Shuts Out Senators
Brandon Saad1 day ago

Ends Goal Drought With A Hat Trick
Mike Matheson1 day ago

Records Two Assists Friday
Nick Foligno1 day ago

Pots Two Goals In Friday's Win
Juuse Saros1 day ago

Logs Fourth Shutout Of The Season
Leon Draisaitl1 day ago

Nets Game-Winner On Friday
Charlie Morton2 days ago

Signs One-Year Deal With Baltimore
Jared Spurgeon2 days ago

To Miss 2-3 Weeks
Oskar Sundqvist2 days ago

Unavailable Friday
Justin Faulk2 days ago

Iffy For Friday's Action
Colton Dach2 days ago

Set For NHL Debut On Friday
Connor Murphy2 days ago

Misses First Game Of The Season
David Savard2 days ago

A Game-Time Call Friday
Jack Eichel2 days ago

Tallies Two Helpers On Thursday
Alex DeBrincat2 days ago

Tallies Three Points On Thursday
Jonathan Quick2 days ago

Leads The Way On Thursday
Pete Alonso3 days ago

Angels "Looking At" Pete Alonso
Xander Schauffele4 days ago

Hoping To Find Success Again At Majors In 2025
Chris Kirk4 days ago

Starts 2025 Defending The Sentry Title
Max Homa4 days ago

Hopes To Rebound After Disappointing 2024 Season
Nick Dunlap4 days ago

Looks To Build On Impressive Rookie Season
Collin Morikawa4 days ago

Heads To The Sentry After Excellent 2024 Season
PGA4 days ago

Sungjae Im Hoping To Start 2025 Season Strongly At The Sentry
Russell Henley4 days ago

Closes Out 2024 Season Strong
Jason Day4 days ago

Looks Ahead To 2025 Season At The Sentry
Akshay Bhatia4 days ago

To Repeat Last Year’s Sentry Performance?
Ludvig Aberg4 days ago

Returns To The Sentry
Jesús Luzardo4 days ago

Jesus Luzardo Feeling 100 Percent
Maverick McNealy4 days ago

Making First Career Start At Kapalua
Corey Conners4 days ago

Making Third Consecutive Start At Kapalua
Viktor Hovland4 days ago

A Gametime Decision For Year's First Event
Tony Finau4 days ago

Making Sixth Start At Kapalua After Rumor-Filled Offseason
Justin Thomas4 days ago

Looks To Get Off To Fast Start In 2025 At Kapalua
Patrick Cantlay5 days ago

Looks For Hot Start In 2025
Sam Burns5 days ago

In Top Form Ahead of Kapalua
Cameron Young5 days ago

Needs To Avoid Bad Rounds In Hawaii
Sahith Theegala5 days ago

Looking For Big 2025 Start In Hawaii
Hideki Matsuyama5 days ago

Always A Threat In Hawaii
Billy Horschel5 days ago

Seeks To Build Off Great 2024 Campaign
Jack Flaherty6 days ago

Orioles Interested In Reunion With Jack Flaherty

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans - Tampa Bay Bucs, Fantasy Football

Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Week 18 Matchups Analysis

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to another start'em and sit'em piece as we look ahead to Week 18! This Week 18 matchups analysis and Start 'Em, Sit 'Em will help you make the right lineup decisions in the final week of the regular season.  Whether you play in a Week 18 fantasy football championship or are looking for some DFS […]


Amon-Ra St. Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Vikings vs. Lions Sunday Night Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Sam Darnold, Jared Goff, Aaron Jones, Jahmyr Gibbs, Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and more

With a small group of fantasy managers still battling it out for league championships, we have an excellent matchup for Sunday Night Football between two teams who are very capable of providing offensive fireworks. The Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions are set to square off in a Week 18 primetime matchup. This one is for […]


Patrick Mahomes - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

NFL Inactives Week 18 (Updated): Which Teams Are Resting Starters? Who's Sitting or Playing in Week 18

If your fantasy football league extends to Week 18, you either forgot to change that setting, or you love living on the edge. The final week of the NFL regular season is always tricky to navigate, as several teams either do not play their key starters or pull them early. Many teams have already clinched […]


Joe Flacco - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Quarterback Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks for Fantasy Football Playoffs - Week 18 (2024)

It's Week 18, finally. The quarterback position has been a roller coaster this season, with a lot of unexpected names having big seasons and others disappointing massively. It's not always easy to choose who to start and sit at this position, and many fantasy managers probably have multiple QBs they're considering for their starting lineups. […]


NFL Week 18 Predictions: Picks, Analysis, and Motivations for Every Game

Hello, football fans, and welcome to the final week of the NFL regular season! As we head into Week 18, we got things kicked off with a pair of games on Saturday featuring four AFC North squads. Moving into Sunday, motivation will be key for several teams in the regular-season finale. Who is fighting to […]


Amari Cooper - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Fantasy Football Injury Reports For Week 18 (Sunday Morning Updates): Tony Pollard, Amari Cooper, Darnell Mooney, Austin Ekeler, and more

Heading into Week 18 of the NFL season, injuries continue to impact the upcoming schedule. These play a huge factor in start/sit decisions for fantasy managers. Our injury updates and reports for Week 18 as of Sunday, January 5, 2025, will give you the latest updates on key fantasy football players. The injury news for […]


Sam Darnold - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL DFS Lineup Picks For FanDuel, DraftKings - Vikings vs. Lions SNF Showdown (Week 18)

Welcome back, RotoBallers! It's the showdown we've all been waiting for and certainly the most pivotal of all showdowns through this point of the season. We have Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings (14-2) taking on division rival Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions (14-2). Not only is this game for the NFC North crown, […]


Michael Penix Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Week 18 Superflex 2QB Rankings for Fantasy Football: Updates for Sam Darnold, Bryce Young, Michael Penix Jr., Joshua Dobbs, Drew Lock, Drake Maye

The Week 18 slate is here, meaning several teams who are eliminated from postseason action or have already locked up a playoff spot are set to rest some key starters. We're here to help you sort through it all with our Week 18 fantasy football Superflex rankings (2QB) for 2024. If you're still chasing a […]


Zach Charbonnet - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Week 18 PPR Rankings for Fantasy Football Playoffs: Overall Updates Include Isaac Guerendo, Zach Charbonnet, Blake Corum, Jordan Addison, Jayden Reed

If your league championship is in Week 18, you surely already know it's a difficult week to navigate. Below, you'll see our NFL team's updated Week 18 fantasy football PPR rankings for 2024. Let's see where key players like Isaac Guerendo, Zach Charbonnet, Blake Corum, Jordan Addison, and Jayden Reed stand for the must-win Week […]


Jalen McMillan - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Week 18 FLEX Rankings for Fantasy Football (RB, WR, TE) - Updates Include Jalen McMillan, Adam Thielen, Rico Dowdle, Ray Davis, J.K. Dobbins, Ray-Ray McCloud III

The closing week of the 2024 NFL regular season has arrived, and we're here to help your lineup or DFS calls with our NFL team's updated Week 18 fantasy football FLEX rankings for 2024. Comparing two flex options at different positions can be a tough task, so let's see where key FLEX options like Jalen […]


Ray Davis - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 18 Running Back Rankings for Fantasy Football: RB Updates Include Rico Dowdle, Zach Charbonnet, Ray Davis, Blake Corum, Isaac Guerendo, more

Week 18 is here, and many backup running backs will be in featured roles this weekend as several teams are resting starters. That said, let's get to crucial start-or-sit decisions with help from our updated Week 18 fantasy football running back rankings for 2024. Let's see where key players such as Rico Dowdle, Zach Charbonnet, […]


Jameson Williams - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

Week 18 Wide Receiver Rankings for Fantasy Football: WR Updates Include Tyreek Hill, Jalen McMillan, Adam Thielen, Jameson Williams, Jauan Jennings

Week 18 is here, and several teams will either not play starters or pull them early in the game. That said start-or-sit decisions are tough when comparing two flex-level wide receiver options, so we're here to assist with our NFL team's updated Week 18 fantasy football wide receiver rankings for 2024. Let's see where key […]


Marvin Harrison Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, WR, Waiver Wire, NFL DFS, Rookies

Key Starters and Tough Calls - Week 18 Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football And DFS Include Blake Corum, Marvin Harrison Jr., Ricky Pearsall

For the final week of the 2024 season, those who are still participating in Week fantasy football Super Bowls must do two things. First, vote in a new league commissioner for next season. Secondly, consult our rundown of our best streamers and lineup pluggers to win a league championship. Using RotoBaller’s Week 18 Lineup Rankings […]