Point Guard
Terry Rozier (BOS): With point guard Kyrie Irving suffering a minor facial fracture in Friday’s match against the Charlotte Hornets, Rozier has been given another opportunity to fill in a major gap for the Boston Celtics. In the two games where Irving has been sidelined, including the contest he went down, Rozier has been on a tear for the rolling Celtics. Over his last three games, Rozier is averaging seven dimes, 15 points and just over two long balls per game. As a result of the severity of Irving’s injury, or lack thereof, Rozier is only a short-term option in the point-guard slot.
Shooting Guard
Austin Rivers (LAC): At this point in the season, it is relatively shocking that the Los Angeles Clippers have a respectable record after the blockbuster trade that sent point guard Chris Paul to Houston. With five victories in a competitive Western Conference, the Clippers have mainly relied on Rivers to direct their offense. Rivers is only owned in 52 percent of Yahoo fantasy leagues even though he is posting approximately 14 points per game. He is having the best season of his young professional career from beyond the arc (46.8 percent on the season), on defense (1.9 steals per contest) and in minutes played (32:13 per game).
Small Forward
Justin Holiday (CHI): Despite being held to just three points in a blowout loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, Holiday has been a surprisingly solid scoring option for the dysfunctional Chicago Bulls. The former New York Knicks shooting guard appears to be adjusting well to the Windy City, as he is averaging close to 15 points per contest. It is certainly unquestionable that Holiday is turning in the best season of his career across the board. Since the departure of former Bulls shooting guard Jimmy Butler, the Bulls have been a mess on and off the court. Even though the organization is struggling, Holiday will continue to benefit while he sees close to 34 minutes per game and attempts 14 shots per game.
Power Forward
Bobby Portis (CHI): Since concussing and fracturing fellow teammate and power forward Nikola Mirotić’s face, Portis has been thriving in his return from suspension. As alluded to in the previous section, the Bulls’ front office has had its hands full dealing with external distractions such as this incident. Despite being a clear aberration in the locker room, Portis has undoubtedly succeeded on the hardwood in a poor Chicago offense this season. Although he has only been active in three games on the year, Portis is averaging 19 points to go along with 10 boards and two 3-pointers. In light of his stellar offensive production, Portis is a must-own and a must-start in all leagues.
Center
Dewayne Dedmon (ATL): In an attempt to fill a void that center Dwight Howard left, Dedmon has been a strong option at the position. For head coach Mike Budenholzer, Dedmon is averaging close to a double-double while shooting a 56 percent clip from the field. Although a significant amount of his buckets come from inside the paint, Dedmon remains a traditional five who can clog the lane, crash the glass on both ends and play for almost 25 minutes per contest. He may not be a stat-sheet stuffer, but Dedmon is a decent option in deeper leagues based solely on his consistent output.