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 Late-Round Sleepers: One-Trick Pony Category Specialists to Target in 2024-25

Mike Conley - NBA DFS Lineup Picks, Fantasy Basketball Rankings

The beginning of the NBA regular season is rapidly approaching. That means it’s time to draft your fantasy basketball teams.

It’s important to begin your draft with well-round players. Taking players like Nikola Jokic, Domantas Sabonis, De’Aaron Fox, and Paolo Banchero can set fantasy managers up for success in multiple categories.

Those types of players are not available in the mid-to-late rounds of drafts. At that point, it’s important to hunt for players who can help your squad in particular categories. Let’s highlight five of these “one trick ponies” and discuss which categories they can be helpful in.

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!

 

Klay Thompson, Dallas Mavericks (SG/SF)

Thompson landed with the Mavericks during the offseason, ending his illustrious tenure with the Warriors. He has been one of the premier three-point shooters in the league during his time in the league, shooting 41.3% from behind the arc for his career.

Thompson has never been one to contribute a ton outside of the scoring column. For his career, he has averaged 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game. Last season, he averaged 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks.

Despite Thompson not being the player that he was in his prime, he averaged 17.9 points and 3.5 three-pointers per game last year. He has not averaged fewer than 3.1 three-pointers per game since the 2013-14 season. With Luka Doncic likely to set him up with plenty of quality looks, Thompson can still be an asset in points and three-pointers for fantasy managers.

 

Mike Conley, Minnesota Timberwolves (PG)

Conley will be 37 years old at the start of this season. Still, he is a key member of the Timberwolves’ starting five. He has a great relationship with Rudy Gobert since their time together with the Jazz, which was likely why the Timberwolves acquired him in a trade during the 2022-23 campaign.

Conley isn’t going to play a ton at this stage of his career. Last season, he averaged 29 minutes per game. The Timberwolves want to keep him healthy for the playoffs, so a similar workload could be in the cards for him this season. Even with his somewhat limited time on the floor, Conley averaged 5.9 assists per game last season. Despite his 16.0% usage rate, he averaged 2.4 three-pointers per game.

While Conley provided virtually nothing in terms of blocks and very little in the way of rebounds, keep him in mind late in drafts if you need to pad your assists total. He can do so while also helping out from behind the arc.

 

Norman Powell, Los Angeles Clippers (SG/SF)

Powell only averaged 13.9 points per game last season, which was the first time that he averaged fewer than 16.0 points in a season since the 2018-19 campaign. It wasn’t because of a lack of efficiency because he shot 48.6% from the field and 43.5% from behind the arc. The problem was his 20.0% usage rate.

There is the possibility that Powell plays more minutes and has a higher usage rate this season. Paul George is now a member of the 76ers and Kawhi Leonard is still recovering from offseason knee surgery. Even James Harden has a checkered injury history. If either or both of the Clippers’ stars were to miss time, Powell would immediately step in as one of the better scoring options on the team.

Powell has averaged 2.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.3 blocks per game for his career and will likely continue to be a drag in those departments. Still, he has averaged at least 16.0 points per game four times in his career and at least 2.1 three-pointers in four of the last five seasons. He should continue to be an asset in both categories this season.

 

Alex Caruso, Oklahoma City Thunder (PG/SG)

The Thunder bolstered their chances of making a push for a championship by adding Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein during the offseason. They desperately needed to add size to help Chet Holmgren, which is why Hartenstein is such a key addition. Caruso is one of the best defenders in the league and his ability to guard multiple positions could make him key in the playoffs.

Last season, Caruso averaged 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks per game for the Bulls. He also showed dramatic improvement from behind the arc, averaging 1.9 three-pointers per game. That might be difficult for him to duplicate, but he has averaged at least 1.5 steals in each of the last three seasons. Defense is his strong suit, so expect him to remain valuable in that category.

 

Andre Drummond, Philadelphia 76ers (C)

Drummond is still one of the best rebounders in the league. Last season, he averaged just 17 minutes per game with the Bulls. Still, he hauled in 9.0 rebounds per game. In the 10 games that he started, he averaged 14.1 points, 17.9 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks.

Now a member of the 76ers, Drummond is ticketed for a role off the bench behind Joel Embiid. Embiid only played 39 games last season because of injuries and has never appeared in more than 68 games in a season during his career. Drummond is a great backup who can fill in whenever Embiid is injured or needs a night off.

Even if Embiid is healthy and approaches 70 games played, Drummond proved last season that he can still be an asset on the boards, even with limited playing time. Fantasy managers who draft Embiid should make it a priority to also select Drummond. Even those who don’t draft Embiid should consider taking a chance on Drummond to help them out on the glass.

 

Other Specialists To Target



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy basketball mobile app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, lineup notifications & DFS articles. All free!




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

Myles Turner18 mins ago

To Play On Wednesday
Jalen Green42 mins ago

Available On Wednesday
Vince Williams Jr.58 mins ago

Out Versus 76ers
Wendell Carter Jr.1 hour ago

Unavailable Versus Clippers
Seth Jones2 hours ago

Expected To Miss Four Weeks
Sam Darnold2 hours ago

Limited With Foot Injury
Patrick Williams2 hours ago

Undergoing Testing On Left Foot
Max Domi2 hours ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Jalen Hurts2 hours ago

Limited On Wednesday
Darius Garland2 hours ago

Won't Play Versus New Orleans
Connor Ingram2 hours ago

Out Day-To-Day With An Upper-Body Injury
Caris LeVert2 hours ago

Will Not Play Wednesday
Jake Ferguson2 hours ago

Picks Up A DNP On Wednesday
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen2 hours ago

Returns To Action Versus Kings
CeeDee Lamb2 hours ago

Listed As Limited, Dealing With Two Injuries
Alex Tuch2 hours ago

Available Wednesday
Kevin Durant2 hours ago

Could Return Next Week
Tage Thompson2 hours ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Sam LaPorta2 hours ago

Practicing In Full
Jordan Eberle2 hours ago

To Remain Out On Wednesday
Trey Murphy III2 hours ago

Out Versus Cavs
George Kittle3 hours ago

Will Play In Week 12
Ludvig Aberg3 hours ago

Looks To Defend RSM Classic Title
Ladd McConkey3 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Wednesday
Si Woo Kim3 hours ago

An Intriguing Option At RSM Classic
Maverick McNealy3 hours ago

In Solid Form Ahead Of RSM Classic
Eric Cole3 hours ago

Chasing First Tour Victory At RSM Classic
Brandon Ingram3 hours ago

Unavailable Wednesday
Scottie Barnes3 hours ago

Officially Listed As Questionable
San Francisco 49ers3 hours ago

Nick Bosa Does Not Practice On Wednesday
Christian McCaffrey3 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Wednesday
George Kittle3 hours ago

Limited During Wednesday's Practice
Brock Purdy3 hours ago

Limited On Wednesday
Alexander Mattison4 hours ago

Zamir White Not Practicing On Wednesday
Sam LaPorta4 hours ago

Trending Towards Playing In Week 12
Calvin Ridley6 hours ago

Out Wednesday With Illness
Isiah Pacheco6 hours ago

To Practice On Wednesday
D'Andre Swift6 hours ago

Won't Practice On Wednesday
Brandin Cooks7 hours ago

Cowboys Open Brandin Cooks' Practice Window
Mike Evans7 hours ago

Practicing Again On Wednesday
Cam Whitmore10 hours ago

Considered Questionable For Wednesday
Ryan Rollins10 hours ago

Continues To Sit Wednesday
Kevon Looney10 hours ago

Expected To Return On Wednesday
Kyle Anderson10 hours ago

Questionable For Wednesday
Miles McBride10 hours ago

Remains On The Shelf Wednesday
Norman Powell10 hours ago

Will Not Play On Wednesday
Connor Bedard11 hours ago

Ends Drought With Two Assists
Sam Reinhart11 hours ago

Pushes Point Streak To 11 Games
Mark Scheifele11 hours ago

Celebrates Ninth Career Hat Trick
Evan Bouchard11 hours ago

Rocks Senators With Three-Point Period
Connor McDavid11 hours ago

Nets Two Goals During Three-Point Night
TB11 hours ago

Nicholas Paul Exits Early With Injury Tuesday
Zach Hyman11 hours ago

Sits Out Third Period Versus Senators
19 hours ago

Guardians' Stephen Vogt Named AL Manager Of The Year
Milwaukee Brewers19 hours ago

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager Of The Year
Bradley Beal22 hours ago

Still Out On Wednesday Evening
Jusuf Nurkic22 hours ago

Questionable Versus The Knicks
Anthony Davis22 hours ago

Will Play Against The Jazz
Stephen Curry22 hours ago

Back On The Injury Report For Wednesday
Jonas Brodin1 day ago

Returns To Action
Joel Eriksson Ek1 day ago

Returns To Wild Lineup
1 day ago

Nick Pivetta Declines Boston's Qualifying Offer
Robert Thomas1 day ago

Back For Blues Tuesday
Jose Siri1 day ago

Mets Acquire Jose Siri From The Rays
Alexander Romanov1 day ago

Rejoins Islanders Lineup
Brayden Point1 day ago

Ready To Return Versus Penguins
Conor Garland1 day ago

A Game-Time Call Tuesday
J.T. Miller1 day ago

Takes Indefinite Leave For Personal Reasons
Jake Ferguson1 day ago

"Will Be Hard-Pressed" To Play In Week 12
Cooper Rush1 day ago

Will Start In Week 12
Brandin Cooks1 day ago

Cowboys Hoping Brandin Cooks Returns This Week
1 day ago

Phillies To Meet With Juan Soto
1 day ago

Luis Severino Rejects Qualifying Offer From Mets
1 day ago

Willy Adames Declines Brewers Qualifying Offer
1 day ago

Teoscar Hernandez Declines Qualifying Offer From Dodgers
1 day ago

Juan Soto Declines Yankees' Qualifying Offer
Luis Gil2 days ago

Wins AL Rookie Of The Year Award
Paul Skenes2 days ago

Named 2024 NL Rookie Of The Year
Brady Singer2 days ago

Reds, Royals Discussing Jonathan India, Brady Singer
2 days ago

Sean Manaea To Reject Mets' Qualifying Offer
2 days ago

Braves Have Interest In Walker Buehler
2 days ago

Astros Interested In Willy Adames
Charles Oliveira2 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Chandler2 days ago

Gets Dominated At UFC 309
Karine Silva2 days ago

Suffers Her First UFC Loss
Viviane Araujo2 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Mauricio Ruffy2 days ago

Extends His Win Streak To Six
Nick Martinez3 days ago

Signs Qualifying Offer With Reds
3 days ago

Luis Severino Likely To Decline Qualifying Offer From Mets
James Llontop3 days ago

Loses Clear-Cut Decision In Thrilling Fight At UFC 309
Paul Craig3 days ago

Loses Decision At UFC 309
Bo Nickal3 days ago

Remains Undefeated With Lackluster Performance At UFC 309
Stipe Miocic3 days ago

Retires After UFC 309 Loss
Jon Jones3 days ago

Gets TKO Win At UFC 309 To Defend Heavyweight Title
Grayson Rodriguez5 days ago

Orioles Optimistic Grayson Rodriguez Will Have A Full Spring Training
5 days ago

Red Sox Have Productive Meeting With Juan Soto
Michael Chandler6 days ago

Set For A Rematch At UFC 309
Charles Oliveira6 days ago

A Favorite At UFC 309
Viviane Araujo6 days ago

An Underdog At UFC 309
Karine Silva6 days ago

Looks To Extend Her Win Streak
Mauricio Ruffy6 days ago

Looks For His Second UFC Win
Jett Williams6 days ago

Suffers Sprained Ankle In AFL
James Llontop6 days ago

A Big Underdog At UFC 309
Paul Craig6 days ago

Looks To Snap Losing Skid At UFC 309
Bo Nickal6 days ago

Puts Undefeated Record On The Line At UFC 309
Stipe Miocic6 days ago

Ends Layoff At UFC 309
Jon Jones6 days ago

Defends Heavyweight Title At UFC 309

RANKINGS

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

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Bo Nix - Fantasy Football Rankings, QB, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Fantasy Football Matchups We Love - Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks for Week 12 Include Bo Nix, De'Von Achane, Quentin Johnston, Calvin Ridley, more

It seems as though fantasy managers were either incredibly disappointed or incredibly excited in Week 11. The output was modest for most players. However, if you had a monopoly on a select few players such as Cooper Kupp, Taysom Hill, or the Detroit Lions, you likely won your week. With the fantasy playoffs roughly three weeks […]


Brian Thomas Jr - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Rookie Report for Week 12 - Searching for League Winners

We're getting awfully close to the fantasy football playoffs, and it's been an interesting year for rookies. Unfortunately, even some that seemed cemented into league-winner status have had huge drop-offs in production, but yet others have emerged. Extracting value wherever you can is vitally important. Unfortunately, there's an upcoming squeeze. With trade deadlines nearing in […]


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

NFL DFS Lineup Picks For FanDuel, DraftKings - Steelers vs. Browns TNF Showdown (Week 12)

Welcome back, RotoBallers! This will be an interesting matchup between stout AFC North defenses. The Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2) are traveling to take on the Cleveland Browns (2-8). We have no players of significance on the injury report for this game, therefore everyone is on the table! We have been pretty successful so far with these […]


Jonnu Smith - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Jonnu Smith Fantasy Football Outlook - Was His Big Game Legit or a Fluke?

Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith had his first big game in Week 7, but he broke out in an even bigger way in Week 11 in a win against the Las Vegas Raiders. He caught six of his eight targets for 101 yards and a touchdown in the 34-19 win. His biggest play came […]


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

NFL Pick'em Pool Picks (Week 12) - Targets, Avoids, Predictions for Pick'em Contests (2024)

There will be six teams on a bye for Week 12. The good news is, we still have some great matchups. That includes the Chargers hosting the Ravens and the Rams taking on the Eagles. Each week of the NFL season, I’ll share my picks for each game and rank their selections for those who […]


Jake Bates - Fantasy Football Rankings, Kicker Waiver Wire Pickups, Streamers

Week 12 Fantasy Football Kicker Rankings: Kicker Updates Include Justin Tucker, Chris Boswell, Austin Siebert, Cameron Dicker, Wil Lutz, Chase McLaughlin

If you're one of the many fantasy managers who have struggled to get production out of your fantasy kicker spot, be sure to use our Week 12 fantasy football kicker rankings for 2024 to guide you in setting optimal lineups. The kicker position has always been challenging to predict and project, so we're here to […]


Isiah Pacheco - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Running Backs

Week 12 Fantasy Football Projections: Running Backs (Half-PPR) - Chubba Hubbard, Isiah Pacheco, Tyrone Tracy, JK Dobbins, Kareem Hunt, Tony Pollard

Somehow, only three weeks of the fantasy football regular season remain in most leagues. Whether you're hoping to hold onto a top seed or need to stack a few wins together to qualify for the playoffs, our initial Week 12 fantasy football running back projections for the 2024 NFL season will help you understand where […]


Xavier Worthy - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Week 12 Fantasy Football Projections: Wide Receivers (Half-PPR) - Xavier Worthy, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jayden Reed, DeAndre Hopkins, Tank Dell

The fantasy football playoffs begin in Week 15, so needless to say, time is running out if you need wins to qualify. If you're in a must-win spot down the stretch, it's critical to read our Week 12 fantasy football wide receiver projections for the 2024 NFL season. Ahead of the all-important slate, let's dig […]


David Njoku - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire

Week 12 Fantasy Football Projections: Tight Ends (Half-PPR) - George Kittle, Hunter Henry, Zach Ertz, David Njoku, Tucker Kraft, Mark Andrews, more

We're back for another week of fantasy football coverage, and while rankings are a great place to start your weekly start-or-sit preparation, you can use our Week 12 fantasy football tight end projections for the 2024 NFL season for further assistance. Ahead of the Week 12 slate, let's navigate the numbers and see the projected […]


Bo Nix - Fantasy Football Rankings, QB, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Week 12 Fantasy Football Projections Quarterbacks: Justin Herbert, Bo Nix, Russell Wilson, Jared Goff, C.J. Stroud, Sam Darnold, Jordan Love, Jayden Daniels

It's make-or-break time for many fantasy managers, so it's time to lock in and set optimal lineups. Our Week 12 fantasy football quarterback projections for the 2024 NFL season are here to assist. Check the projections below to see how key Week 12 QBs such as Justin Herbert, Bo Nix, Patrick Mahomes, Jordan Love, Jared […]


Houston Texans Defense D/ST Streamers, Rankings, Waiver Wire - Derek Stingley Fantasy Football IDP

D/ST Strength of Schedule: Best Fantasy Football Defense Streamers and Matchups (Weeks 12-17)

Ahh, the good old Defense/Special Teams (DST) position in fantasy football. It is a controversial inclusion in fantasy lineups for some fantasy players, but strategizing around DSTs is one of my favorite aspects of the in-season fantasy football experience. In the article below, I will present the strength of schedule (SOS) for the fantasy Defense/Special […]


Video: Week 12 Must-Start Defense (D/ST) Streamers - 2024 Fantasy Football Start/Sit Analysis

We're back and dropping fire content for Week 12! Check out our top 2024 fantasy football must-start Defenses (D/ST) and be prepared to dominate your matchups! LaQuan Jones discusses his top "Must Start" Defense (D/ST) streamers that have the potential to be game-changers in Week 12, as well as some defenses that you might want […]


D'Andre Swift - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injuries

Fantasy Football Trade Targets - Buy/Sell For Week 12 Including Josh Downs, T.J. Hockenson, Bucky Irving, D'Andre Swift

For many fantasy football gamers, the end of Week 11 marked the last opportunity to make trades ahead of the fantasy playoffs. However, there are plenty of leagues that have a later deadline and some that have no deadline at all. This is especially true of dynasty leagues, and while this week's column will still […]