Fantasy Basketball Forecast: Brandin Podziemski Rising, D’Angelo Russell Struggling, Jimmy Butler Out Again

Updated:

Jan 01, 2024, 01:43 PM EST

Fantasy Basketball Forecast: Brandin Podziemski Rising, D’Angelo Russell Struggling, Jimmy Butler Out Again article feature image

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The Cleveland Cavaliers huddles before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images)

Happy New Year!

We open up 2024 with our first Fantasy Forecast, and this one promises to be a weird one given, well, the state of the NBA right now.

As we approach Week 11, hopefully you're navigating the swath of injuries and gametime decisions for everything from tweaks to illnesses to dog bites successfully.

Fantasy Friendly Team of the Week: Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers have four games and zero back-to-backs, which is always a good thing to look for in this league when projecting fantasy friendliness for a team, especially in a league where everyone is questionable every damn week.

Here's the schedule:

Monday: At Toronto Raptors
Wednesday: Home vs. Washington Wizards
Friday: Home vs. Washington Wizards
Sunday: Home vs. San Antonio Spurs

The match-up with the Raptors is the toughest of the week, but even then, the team just moved OG Anunoby for RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. They may play Monday, but they don't exactly transform the Raptors defense, though they could be a fun rebuilding group around Scottie Barnes going forward. For Cleveland, though, you have lightwork competition defensively, so you'll have viable streams and no back-to-backs with a healthy volume of home games this week.

So sure, you won't have Evan Mobley, probably Darius Garland, too, but that just means more opportunities on the wavier wire.

Unsittables: Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, Max Strus

Streaming Candidates: Caris LeVert, Craig Porter Jr., Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade (deeper leagues)

Fantasy Un-Friendly Team of the Week: Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers could go 3-0 this week — that's not the point.

If you have Sixers, it's going to be annoying.

Here are their games:

Tuesday: Home vs. Chicago Bulls
Friday: Home vs. New York Knicks
Saturday: Home vs. Utah Jazz

The problem with having a Sixer this week is they only have three games when many others have four. They have a back-to-back late in the week, Friday and Saturday, and because their first game is on Tuesday, it means they play once in the first four days of the week.

Joel Embiid? Out with a sprained ankle, so we'll see. Otherwise? Streamers get tricky until Friday.

Unsittables: Joel Embiid (if healthy), Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris

Good Options: De'Anthony Melton

Streamable, but not Keepers: Kelly Oubre, Nic Batum, Paul Reed (if Embiid is out)

INJURY PIVOTS

C Nikola Vucevic

Chicago Bulls

Nikola Vucevic was listed as out for 7-10 days due to a groin injury retroactive to December 27, which means he'll miss at least some of this week — including Tuesday's game against the Sixers. The Bulls also play Wednesday and Friday, so his status will be in question.

Team Pivots: Andre Drummond
Waiver Wire Pivots: Trayce Jackson-Davis, Dereck Lively

SF/PF Jimmy Butler

Miami Heat

Butler missed a few games with a calf strain, returned on Saturday, left with a foot injury, and will miss Monday's game against the Clippers. Given that it's January, and Butler is… well… Butler… missing the week wouldn't be a surprise, so be prepared. The Heat have a bunch of other injuries, so on the roster, you'll have to look deep.

Team Pivots: Jaime Jaquez Jr., Jamal Cain, Duncan Robinson
Waiver Wire Pivots: Caris LeVert, Jonathan Kuminga, Larry Nance Jr., Tari Eason

RISERS

SG Brandin Podziemski

Golden State Warriors

Podz can play, and the Warriors need him.We now have too much evidence of him as a real contributor. Since becoming a Warrior rotational mainstay, Podziemski has averaged 11.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals on 48/42 shooting over his last 14 games, logging 29.2 minutes per game and eight starts.If he's unrostered in your league, he's a must add right now.

PG Craig Porter Jr.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Porter Jr. is a revelation in Cleveland for a team who needs punch off the bench. Without Darius Garland, his contributions have been a light. Porter Jr. He's proven that, when the Cavs are missing Garland and or Mitchell, he's a guy you need to add. He averaged 11.0 points, 6.6 assists, 6.0 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks in his last five games.His opportunities were scarce before this stretch, but Porter Jr. also logged 14.4 points, 4.8 assists, 2.6 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks in a five-game stretch from mid-to-late November, filling a similar need.

FALLERS

G/F D'Angelo Russell

Los Angeles Lakers

I have D'Lo in one team after snagging him off waivers very early in the season. Man, it was awesome, and now, it isn't.Russell has averaged 10.3 points and 5.3 assists over his last 11 games while shooting 41/34/73 splits. And now, he's coming off the bench, and is approaching drop territory given his streaky play and lack of dynamism on a Laker team that needs it. He's also a trade candidate, so who knows how much longer his second stint in L.A. will last.

PF John Collins

Utah Jazz

Collins may be falling out of favor in Utah, and on your fantasy team, given his recent play.He is averaging 10.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks per game across his last seven contests, and his fantasy upside has never felt lower. He's another guy that could be on the move yet again in real life, and chances are, it'll be a wonky fantasy situation whereever that is. Until then, the name outweighs the game, and he's far removed from being the walking 20 and 10 he once was in Atlanta.

Bryan Fonseca

Action Contributor

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