Fantasy Basketball Sunday Streamers: Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Other Top Targets
Streaming players from three NBA teams with good matchups on Sunday.
Even the biggest NBA fans have to admit that basketball is firmly in the backseat today. In case you don't have TV, the internet, or connection to other humans, today is Super Bowl Sunday.
The NFL dominates all other American sports in viewership and revenue, and that's especially true on the final day of the season when the biggest game is taking place. It's not a surprise that every basketball game today was scheduled to so that it would end before the Super Bowl starts.
There are also only four games, leaving our schedule a little short. I usually find streamers from three teams, but today is one of the few when we don't have enough vulnerable targets for a full streaming slate.
Let's look at streaming players from two NBA teams with good matchups on Sunday. We'll focus on the guys who get on the court and are widely available in fantasy leagues. Most stats are from NBA.com.
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Miami Heat @ Washington Wizards
Washington plays at the sixth-fastest pace and has the second-worst defensive rating. Injuries are also a major issue right now, as on top of Trae Young and Anthony Davis not playing since being acquired, the Wizards were missing no fewer than five other expected rotation players yesterday against Brooklyn.
The Heat were one team that a lot of people were watching at the trade deadline, with stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ja Morant linked to Miami. The final day came and went, though, and Miami looked essentially the same as what we have seen recently, likely leaving the Heat below the level of a team that can contend in the playoffs.
Guard
Mitchell is the starter here and plays the most minutes. His stats are modest but good enough to be a low-to-mid-level streamer (9.1 points, 7.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game). Smith is a reserve who doesn't generally play enough to be a fantasy factor, though injuries could push him into a little more action here. Mitchell is the superior option.
Larsson is intriguing as a second-year second-round pick who has improved his numbers greatly this season, including gaining six percentage points on his field goal percentage and close to 10 points on his free throw percentage despite taking about twice as many shots. Larsson is likely to miss this game with an injury, but this is a name to watch as a streamer moving forward.
Forward
Jaquez is one of my favorite streamers in fantasy basketball. He does a little bit of everything, averaging 15.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. His fantasy ownership is staying below 50%, keeping him as a streamer for now. Fontecchio is a deeper bench player who doesn't put up many stats.
Center
Bam Adebayo is questionable but likely to play; his presence in the lineup buries Jovic a bit, leaving him short of fantasy consideration in this one unless a few guys are out.
Toronto Raptors vs. Indiana Pacers
Indiana plays at the ninth-fastest pace and has the 11th-worst defensive rating. They have sat on the fringe of the 10 most appealing targets by those metrics for the past few months, making them a great secondary target after our favorites (Washington, Utah, and Chicago).
The Raptors are another group that didn't really add any impact pieces for the stretch run. They might be a bit ahead of schedule, but Toronto is within a game of hosting a first-round playoff series, and they maybe could have used a more impactful frontcourt player than Golden State's Trayce Jackson-Davis given that Jakob Poeltl hasn't played since before Christmas and has only played 70 games three times in 10 seasons.
Guard
Both guys here are generally below a fantasy level. Shead is a little better statistically (7 points, 5.5 assists), but neither guy stands out many days. Immanuel Quickley might miss this game, which would give the other two more minutes; I'm still skipping both.
Forward
This is another group low on streaming value. Dick was a lottery pick in 2023 but hasn't really blossomed the way the team hoped. Shooting was his best asset entering the league, but Dick has tanked in that area this year with a career-low 31.1% 3-point shooting on a career-low 2.8 attempts per game. Battle is just a reserve who doesn't do much statistically.
Center
The rookie Murray-Boyles is the future at the position for Toronto, but as I said above, their starter Poeltl is out, and that hurts the Raptors' top line. Murray-Boyles has been at his best since the new year, averaging 10.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game in January and 11.3, 7.4, 2.9, and 1.3 in three February games. Mamukelashvili puts up decent low-level streaming numbers with 11.4 points and 5.1 rebounds. When Poeltl returns, Mamukelashvili could be pushed down the depth chart.
