Week 7 Fantasy Basketball Drop Candidates: Quentin Grimes, Moussa Diabate, Elfrid Payton, Harrison Barnes and Peyton Watson

It’s time for another fantasy basketball drop story. 

These players were all pulled from the most dropped tab of the waiver trends section, which can be found on any FantasySP basketball page.

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Quentin Grimes Fantasy Outlook

Grimes is the most-dropped fantasy basketball player of late. A 9.3% decrease has his overall percentage at 23.

On the season, Grimes is averaging 8.6 points, 1.5 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 0.7 steals and 0.2 blocks across 19.9 minutes. He has 20 turnovers across his 398 minutes played.

Grimes had a recent three-game stretch in which he scored 20+ points, but he followed that up with an eight-point showing across 20 minutes in his last game out. Luka Doncic recently returned, and fantasy owners are thinking that Grimes is going to slide into more of a reserve role again.

I still think Grimes has some deep-league appeal, but I can understand dropping him a bit. It was just a one-game down showing, so I’d at least wait one more game before making a move regarding Grimes.

Moussa Diabate Fantasy Outlook

Diabate has been dropped in 9% of leagues, bringing his overall mark to 12.

He’s averaging 3.1 points, 0.8 assists, 8 rebounds, 0.7 steals and 1 block across 19.6 minutes. Diabate has 20 turnovers across 411 minutes played.

Diabate had a string of fantasy success recently, scoring between 17-27 fantasy points in six straight contests. In his last game out though, Diabate had just one fantasy point scored across nine minutes played.

Again, we’re talking about just one down fantasy showing, and that’s the reason fantasy basketball owners are moving on from Diabate. I think fantasy owners are far too quick to move on from players. If this trend continues for a week or two, then I’d be much more open to dropping Diabate.

For now though, I’d hold on to him. He’s not a huge scorer, but he’s a great source of rebounds, and those help him be a good fantasy option most nights. 

You could just bench Diabate until his minutes get back up to a healthy amount, instead of outright dropping him already. I think he’s a pretty solid deep league option, and is one I’d do my best to hang on to for now.

Elfrid Payton Fantasy Outlook

Payton was recently dropped in 7.6% of leagues, bringing his overall mark down to 9%.

Payton was averaging 6.7 points, 6.9 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 0.4 blocks across 20.1 minutes. He had 20 turnovers across 141 minutes played.

The reason he is being dropped is because he was waived by the Pelicans. There’s a chance he latches on with another team here soon, but for now, there’s no reason to roster Payton.

Keep tabs on him, but he’s safe to drop in just about all leagues.

Harrison Barnes Fantasy Outlook

Barnes is now rostered in 38% of leagues after a recent 5.6% decrease.

This season across 28.5 minutes played, Barnes is averaging 11.3 points, 1.5 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 0.3 steals and 0.2 blocks per game. He’s got 17 turnovers across 570 minutes.

Barnes has been in a little funk with his scoring of late, combining for just 10 points over the past two games. He had between 19-25 points in the four games before that.

This is another case in which I think fantasy owners are moving on too quickly from a player. Barnes definitely has some fantasy appeal in deep leagues, and if he’s dropped in your league, I’d be for adding him.

He’ll snap out of his scoring funk soon, and fills up the stat sheet pretty well otherwise to be a decent nightly option. Don’t write him off after just two down games.

Peyton Watson Fantasy Outlook

Watson is rostered in just 16% of leagues after a recent 4.9% decrease.

He’s averaging 9.7 points, 1.3 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 1 block, 0.7 steals across 25.1 minutes. Watson has 16 turnovers across 476 minutes played.

Watson has been a bit of an underrated fantasy player this season. He’s a deep league option, and even after a couple down showings across the past four games, I think Watson is not owned in nearly enough leagues.

Averaging close to 10 points a game is a solid mark, and between all his other averages, he’s a pretty solid nightly fantasy asset. Playing as many minutes as he does is also another big plus.

So again, don’t bail on Watson too quickly. I think he’ll remain a decent deep league fantasy option all season. I’d actually try to acquire him if I had a roster spot to play with and he became available in my league.