Fantasy Basketball: Week 9 Start/Sit Guide for NBA Fans

We’re getting back to normal in Week 9 of the Emirates NBA Cup, with the final installment set to be played on Tuesday night. While those stats won't count for fantasy scoring, we still have a solid array of options to choose from with one four-game team and several clubs on two-game schedules. Keep an eye out for underrated players who might be flying under the radar in terms of start rates in fantasy lineups.

Each week we’ll aim to highlight a pair of Start candidates for your fantasy rosters who may shape up as some of the tougher calls of the week to make, focusing on players with a start or roster rate of 50% or less in Yahoo leagues. 

Likewise, we’ll spotlight one Sit candidate at each position who would normally not be a consideration for a spot on your bench, often focusing on players with fewer game opportunities during the coming week.

TEAMS WITH FOUR GAMES

: Sacramento Kings

TEAMS WITH THREE GAMES:

Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz

TEAMS WITH TWO GAMES:

Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Washington Wizards

Without further ado, let’s examine some of the tougher start/sit decisions for Week 9:

Guards     

Start: Kelly Oubre Jr., 76ers

35% roster rate

The Sixers have lost Jared McCain indefinitely due to a meniscus tear, a development that will keep Oubre Jr.’s spot in the starting five secure for the foreseeable future. The veteran wing comes into Week 9 with three consecutive double-doubles, and he’s averaging 12.7 points (on 50.6% shooting), 7.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.7 steals across 33.8 minutes per game over his current nine-game starting stint. Oubre Jr., who’s a proven multi-category contributor with an impressive ceiling, is also poised to open the week benefitting from the latest absence on the part of Joel Embiid, who’ll at minimum miss Monday’s game against the Hornets due to a sinus fracture.

Start

:

39% start rate 

Much like Oubre, Dosunmu is a capable multi-category contributor who is in the midst of an impressive run of starts where he’s averaging 16.1 points (on 61.8% shooting, including 46.3% from 3-point range), 5.5 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals per contest over a 10-game sample. Dosunmu could also open the new week with an opportunity for a bump in usage, as fellow forward Zach LaVine is listed as questionable to play against the Raptors on Monday due to a back injury. With his role in the first unit secure and the Bulls seemingly in high-scoring affairs nearly every time they take the floor, Dosunmu is very viable on a three-game week and also can be utilized in a forward roster spot in your lineup.

ALSO CONSIDER

:

(21% roster rate)

Sit: Dennis Schröder, Warriors

77% roster rate

Schröder goes from a must-start option on the Nets to an easy Sit suggestion this week following his trade to the Warriors on Sunday. The talented guard is naturally headed for a reduced role to some degree in Golden State, and he’ll only have two chances to play for his new team this week. Consequently, he’s worth a seat on your bench for at least Week 9 as he begins the acclimation process with his new squad. 

Forwards        

Start

:

29% roster rate 

Beasley has had some opportunities to start this season, but with Tim Hardaway Jr. healthy again, the former has mostly come off the bench of late. There are occasional fluctuations in Beasley’s offensive contributions, but overall, he’s been a reliable contributor in his Pistons debut campaign while putting up his best scoring average (15.5) since the 2020-21 season with the help of impressive 40.7% shooting from deep. Beasley enters Week 9 with a pair of 23-point tallies off the bench within his last three games, and he’ll have three more opportunities to build on his solid numbers this coming week.

Start: Gradey Dick, Raptors

46% roster rate

Dick had an outlier performance two games ago with only seven points, but he’s otherwise scored 15, 27 and 22 points within the four games he’s played since returning from a five-game absence due to a calf injury. The 2023 first-round pick is secure in his starting two-guard role and already has six tallies of 25 points or more in 21 games, giving him plenty of offensive ceiling on a three-game week to offset some of the sparse production he typically generates in other categories.

ALSO CONSIDER

:

(2% roster rate)

Sit: Tobias Harris, Pistons

67% start rate

Harris enters Week 9 dealing with a hand injury that will lead to at least one absence Monday against the Heat and could cost him further time. The veteran forward has generally been productive but has seen a drop in scoring to 13.9 points per game on middling 44.9% shooting, the latter figure being the worst of his career. Therefore, even if Harris does manage to play in two games this week, chances are a three- or four-game option of similar caliber will give you better returns.

Centers

Start

:

35% roster rate 

Richards’ fellow center and teammate Mark Williams is sporting close to a 60% start rate as Week 9 begins, but as his backup, the former is still seeing significant minutes and typically taking advantage of his opportunities. Before a two-point dud against the Bulls on Friday, Richards had averaged 12.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 blocks across 26.0 minutes per contest over the previous four games, three of which were with the first unit. Richards could conceivably rotate back into the starting five at some point during the Hornets’ three-game week since he and Williams are virtually interchangeable, but even if he remains on the second unit, the big man has the potential to boost your lineup in multiple categories now that he’s finally healthy.

Start: Yves Missi, Pelicans

37% roster rate 

Another week, another appearance by Missi as a Start recommendation as the Pelicans prepare to embark on a three-game schedule. The talented rookie turned in another pair of double-digit rebounding contributions this past week, and over his last 10 games, he’s averaging 12.8 points, 11.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks across 29.6 minutes per contest. Missi has four double-doubles in that span as well, and his ability to supplement his scoring and boards by recording blocks at an above-average clip makes him an easy lineup suggestion again, particularly with all the key injuries New Orleans continues to deal with.

ALSO CONSIDER: Jalen Smith, Bulls

(6% roster rate)

Sit: Brook Lopez, Bucks

60% start rate

Lopez is saddled with a two-game week this coming scoring period, and his inconsistent nature makes him a risk with that small a sample. The big man did bounce back from several subpar performances with a 16-point effort against the Hawks on Saturday, but prior to that game, Lopez had averaged 5.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks over 32.0 minutes per game in the previous five contests. He’s certainly capable of offering solid production in blocks even when he’s not doing much anywhere else, but chances are you’ll get better cumulative numbers from a similarly talented option with three games to work with.