The Bobcats have Raymond Felton and Jeff McInnis, but neither has proven to be much of a point guard this season. Felton is being played more at shooting guard now, while McInnis has never been much of a fantasy player. Enter Boykins. If there’s on thing about Boykins, it’s that he is never afraid to take a shot. While he may be a tiny player, he has bigtime scoring skills.

It wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see Boykins in the starting lineup sooner than later. A backcourt of Felton and Boykins could give the Bobcats a lethal combination and allow both players to split the point guard responsibilities. McInnis would still have a role but it’d be reduced.

If you are in a large league or if you are looking to strike gold off of the waiver wire, consider picking up Boykins and hoping for the best.

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Stoudamire was having a decent season in Memphis until they gave the job to rookie Mike Conley. Now Stoudamire doesn’t have a role, as the backup to Conley is second-year player Kyle Lowry.

If Stoudamire is bought out and becomes a free agent, one exciting prospect is he joins the Phoenix Suns. The Suns need a backup point guard who can spell Steve Nash. In the fantasy world, this would be a very nice situation for Stoudamire. As a Sun, his stats would likely improve – especially if he sees minutes next to Nash.

Another interesting scenario would be if he signed with the Boston Celtics. On the Celtics, he’d begin as the backup to Rajon Rondo. However, if Rondo were to struggle in the second half of the year, it’s not unimaginable that Stoudamire could take over the reins in Boston.

If you are in a larger fantasy league, consider picking up Stoudamire now with the hopes that he’d land with either the Suns or the Celtics.

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Earl Boykins
Boykins was a feel good story the last couple seasons who inexplicably has disappeared from the NBA. He opted out of guaranteed money from the Milwaukee Bucks and has since failed to sign with another team. Reportedly, the issue is he wants mid-level money and no one is offering it to him. However, if Boykins were to return to the NBA, he could become a quality fantasy basketball payer rather quickly.

Chris Webber
Webber has been linked to both the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers. If he returns, expect Webber to get a good amount of minutes because he’s not the type of player who is going to want to ride the pine. Even at his age, Webber should be able to produce points, rebounds and assists. If you are playing in a larger league, you might consider signing him now with hopes he’ll be back within the next couple weeks.

PJ Brown
Brown can probably still produce rebounds and blocks in limited minutes if he were to return to the NBA. The Phoenix Suns is one team who has asked him repeatedly to come out of retirement. Although Brown wouldn’t have much worth in a small fantasy basketball league, in a larger one he might be good as an insurance policy if he returns to basketball.

Dale Davis
Davis is similar to Brown except his ceiling isn’t as high. Davis would return to the NBA mostly as a defender and an end of the bench type player. Even if he returns, don’t expect much of a fantasy impact from him.

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Rashard Lewis, Orlando Magic
Lewis hasn’t been as good as many touted him to be. His scoring isn’t spectacular, neither is any other statistic. However, Lewis is still learning the Eastern Conference and is adjusting to his teammates. Expect him to start carrying more of the load in the coming weeks. Once he starts playing his best, he’ll be a great source for points and three-pointers made.

Josh Howard, Dallas Mavericks
Howard has been in a funk recently. He started the season playing great but that hasn’t been the case recently. He actually missed a game recently due to personal reasons. Once whatever is wrong is cleared up, expect Howard to become a dominant player yet again. Right now you can trade for him at his lowest point if you wish to do so.

Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
Parker has struggled with both injuries and poor play. His focus might not be 100% and the reigning Finals MVP might be a bit bored. With that in mind, trade for him now and reap the rewards when he starts to turn it around. You might have another month of uninspired play forthcoming, but after that he should turn the switch and enter playoff mode.

Parker Mix:

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Tyrus Thomas, Chicago Bulls
Thomas is a player who looks great one night and then disappears for a couple of weeks. For a fantasy team, that is very dangerous. But with a new coach in Chicago, Thomas might get a shot at big minutes at some point in the second half of the season. If that happens, Thomas could go from obscurity to stud in a heartbeat.

Andray Blatche, Washington Wizards
Blatche, like Thomas, has a huge amount of natural talent and athleticism. Blatche has had stretches this season where he’s been a very nice fantasy player. However, he’s currently back onto the fringe of the rotation in Washington and won’t be valuable until he gets consistent time. Keep an eye on his minutes and pick him up if you notice an increase.

Luis Scola, Houston Rockets
Scola is an older rookie who has been going through growing pains. Be that as it may, he’s a good prospect who could be in line to see his minutes increase in the second half of the year. If he can get into the starting lineup, Scola has shown to be able to score, rebound and pass at the NBA level.

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Martell Webster, Portland Trail Blazers
Webster has played pretty well for the Blazers, however he has a lot of room to improve. When you are looking for sleepers, this is the type of guy to look for. Webster is a very good shooter, a capable rebounder and could become a big fantasy asset if he can further grow into his role. There’s no reason why he can’t average between 15-18 points given his potential and skill set.

Dorrell Wright, Miami Heat
Wright came into training camp as a starter for the Heat. He played poorly in preseason and he ended up falling all the way out of the rotation. Now, he’s not only back in the rotation, he has been starting some games. Wright is a swingman who can do a lot of things except shoot the ball.

Trevor Ariza, Los Angeles Lakers
Ariza is a player the Lakers acquired from the Magic earlier in the season who is really starting to play well. He’s young but he has loads of athleticism. If his playing time can stay consistent, he could be a huge sleeper in the second half of the season because he has a very diverse game.

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CJ Miles, Utah Jazz
Miles is a young shooting guard who is starting to blossom with the Jazz. He’s a good shooter who is also a tough defender. While he’s still growing into his body, he has become a Jerry Sloan favorite as of late. Keep an eye on him to see if he can carve out a niche in Utah this season.

Gordon Giricek, Philadelphia 76ers
Giricek was traded by the Jazz to the Sixers for Kyle Korver. While Giricek isn’t an overwhelming talent, he’s more than capable of starting in the NBA. There’s a chance he could win the Sixers starting shooting guard spot, which would really boost his standing in the fantasy basketball world.

Larry Hughes, Cleveland Cavaliers
Hughes has been downright awful for the Cavs this year. While it’d be easy to give up on him, Hughes has shown a good amount of talent in the past. There are rumors that he could get traded, which would instantly raise his stock – especially if he could get on a team with a more free flowing offense.

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So far this season, we have suffered through several “here today, gone tomorrow” fantasy free agent pick-ups. The 2007-2008 NBA season has been full of these: Damien Wilkins, Antoine Wright, Jamario Moon, Sean Williams, Rashad McCants, Andray Blatche, and DeShawn Stevenson. The first “Stock Watch” of the New Year will continue the search for players that will maintain a fantasy impact for your team.

On the Rise

Brendan Haywood – Center – Wizards
Don’t get me wrong, I am not on the Haywood bandwagon just yet. However, the numbers that he has put up this season just can’t be ignored. So far, he is averaging career highs in points (10.6) and rebounds (8.1). More impressively, his free throw percentage (72.1%) is an astounding nine percentage points above his previous career best. He also has been able to hold off up-and-comer Andray Blatche for the minutes in the post. Haywood is still not an elite option at center; in fact, hopefully you are not relying on his production. However, he is proving to be a solid option as a second center or even at a utility spot for a team in need of rebounds or blocks.

Brandon Roy – Guard – Trailblazers
Roy is teetering on fantasy stardom. He finished 2007 with a bang. His December averages: 21.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.4 assists on 47% shooting. All he has to do now is show that he can produce these statistics over the long haul. That is saying a lot, considering that it was the first time in his career that he posted monthly averages of 20+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 6+ assists.

Gerald Wallace – Forward – Bobcats
Wallace has thrived since being shifted to the power forward spot three games ago. In those games, he has averaged 27.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and a block while hitting 3 three pointers a game. It is not clear how long the Bobcats will stick with this lineup, going 1-2 since the change. Regardless, Wallace has been solid all year long, including career high averages in three pointers made, free throw percentage, and assists.

David West – Power Forward – Hornets
Entering this season West was a good, but not an elite fantasy option at power forward. However, he is stating his case to be a top five option at his position. He already has three games with 30 or more points this season. He only had four games with 30+ points last season in 52 games. Last season, he had only one game with 15 or more rebounds; this season he has four games and counting. So, it appears that West is getting even better. He is also averaging a career high in blocked shots and had five blocks in a December game.

On the Way Down

Ronnie Brewer – Guard/Forward – Jazz
Brewer makes the list for the second consecutive week. Last time, the concern was with the third year swingman C.J. Miles. Now, to muddy the waters, Kyle Korver comes over in a trade from Philadelphia. If Brewer has one weakness, it is the range on his jump shot, which happens to be a strong point to Korver’s game. What Brewer has going for him is that he is the best defender of the three. He could have some fantasy value if he can fend off his competition and keep his minutes north of 27 a game.

Rashard Lewis – Forward – Magic
Lewis is still an elite option at small forward, especially if you need three point production. However, he was brought to Orlando on a hefty contract to be the primary offensive weapon. He currently sits as the third leading scorer on the roster behind Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu. Most players would be happy with a scoring average of over 18 points a game, but much more was expected from Lewis. Part of the problem is that he has not been as aggressive since landing with the Magic. That can most clearly be demonstrated by the fewest free throw attempts per game in five years. On the bright side, he is on pace to reach a new career high in three point makes.

Zach Randolph – Forward – Knicks
What would this list be without at least one Knick? This time Randolph makes it – yes, we are giving Eddy Curry the week off. What are the Knickerbockers to do with Randolph? He is an elite offensive talent, but shows no interest in playing defense. They also have David Lee (the Bizzaro-Randolph) playing key end-of-game minutes while Randolph serves as a cheerleader from the bench. What started out as a “hey, this just might work” idea in the acquisition of Randolph has appeared to have gone very, very wrong. The Knicks have lost 12 of their last 15 games, so more roster shake-ups and adjustments are expected, making a flux in minutes are a definite possibility.

Jason Terry – Guard – Mavericks
Terry has managed to play over 30 minutes one time in his last eight games. During that span of games, Terry averaged 9.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and only one three pointer a game on 36% shooting, all well below his season averages. Terry seemed just fine coming off the bench to start the season, but has struggled with the latest move to a reserve role. The good news is that he seems to go through these stretches a couple times a year, so history tells us that he should bounce back and be fine. Terry may be a decent player to target in a trade.

Skimming the Free Agent Pool

Kyle Korver – Small Forward – Jazz
Korver moves westward to the Jazz in a deal that sent Gordan Giricek to the 76ers. It may be just the thing that Korver needs to get his fantasy value back. This not a sure thing, of course He faces some stiff competition from a couple of young wing players in Utah. He is an underrated team defender playing the passing lanes and collecting a few steals in the process. Expect Korver to fit in nicely on a team that needs his services from behind the arc and become a viable fantasy option.

Joe Smith – Power Forward – Bulls
When Scott Skiles was fired, it appeared that some of the young players might get an opportunity for extended playing time. However, this team still has post-season dreams in mind. Therefore, they have been rolling out the veterans for extended minutes. One of these veterans is Smith. He has scored double figures in five of his last six games, including a 19 point, 11 rebound game against Tim Duncan and the Spurs. He does not do much in the blocked shot or steal categories. On the bright side, he does not hurt your team’s percentages. Unless Tyrus Thomas, Joakim Noah, or Aaron Gray prove they are ready for consistent prime-time minutes, expect Smith to be a solid option for rebounds and points.

Earl Watson – Point Guard – Sonics
Watson seems to be gaining a “leg-up” on his competition as the Sonics’ main point guard. With Luke Ridnour hampered by injuries all season and Delonte West appearing to be better suited for a combo guard role off the bench, Watson has held his own as the starting point guard. In December, he posted per game averages of 9.8 points, 6.5 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 0.8 three pointers, and 0.7 steals in just under 30 minutes. He is not, nor will he probably ever be, a sure fire fantasy starter, but in a season where assists seem to be one of the toughest categories to secure, only 15 players in the NBA average more assists per game than Watson.

In the Deep End

Brevin Knight – Point Guard – Clippers
I have been touting the goods of Knight all season and so far he made me look a little nuts. It finally appears that he may have hit his stride for the Clippers. You draft Knight for two things: assists and steals, everything else is a bonus. Since November 30th, he has posted averages of 5.1 assists and 1.8 steals a game. During these games, he has shot 45% from the field with five games in double figures plus collecting his only four blocks of the season. He may be worth a look if he can up his pace just a little, which would put him around Steve Blake-type realm of fantasy consideration without the three pointers, but better steals.

Rookie Review

Rodney Stuckey – Guard – Pistons – Stuckey is currently serving as the point guard back up to Chauncey Billups. However, this rookie has aircraft carrier-size upside. He is a big, strong guard that can handle the ball and shoot from outside. In fewer than 16 minutes a game, he is averaging 5.1 points, 3.0 assists, and 1.4 steals. He has not found his shooting touch since returning from a broken bone in his hand; however, it should be just a matter of time before he gets the feel for his jumper. It appears that minutes are going to be hard to come by, but these types of issues have a way of working out. If you are in a keeper league, especially a deep keeper league, Stuckey should probably be on your roster. For now, put Stuckey on your watch list and nab him if his minutes go above 28 a game, especially if it comes at the expense of a Billups or Richard Hamilton injury.

A Friendly Fantasy Tip

There is nothing more frustrating than sticking with a player through a prolonged slump, only to bench him (or worse, drop him) right before he has a career night (or worse, several career nights). This is something that I struggle with on a constant basis and it can be absolutely maddening. To help prevent this situation it is important to know the history of the player. If he is a notoriously streaky player, you should probably show a little patience. However, if the player has not proven to bounce back strong from a slump; you may want to take your chances and move on. Unfortunately, there are a number of these players that you have to deal with in order to be successful at fantasy basketball.

If you do not want these extreme highs and extreme lows, a strategy would be to wait until your player is in the midst of a hot streak and try to shop him around for a steadier producer. There are no guarantees in dealing with a player in a funk, but looking at the record of the player along with your gut feeling should help you past most of these situations. Good Luck!

FantasyFanatics.com is a premier fantasy sports community. Need help deciding who to sit and who to start? What about help with a big trade? Chat with the fantasy basketball experts on FantasyFanatics.com.

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Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies
Conley recently returned from injury and is now in the starting lineup for the Grizzlies. With Damon Stoudamire placed on the inactive list for the game, it’s obvious that the Grizzlies will give Conley every chance to win this starting position. And while he’s young and playing difficult position, expect Conley to put up solid numbers almost right away. He has a high ceiling, especially in dynasty leagues.

Antonio Daniels, Washington Wizards
Although Daniels is just a stopgap until Gilbert Arenas returns, he’s a really good fantasy player when he starts. After recovering from an injury, Daniels is back in the starting lineup for the Wizards. Arenas should be back before long but until then, start Daniels with confidence.

Chris Quinn, Miami Heat
Quinn returned from an ankle injury and was placed back into the starting lineup. While he’s not a very explosive player, Quinn could become a valuable fantasy player if he can lock down a starting spot for the Heat. He’s a good shooter, a decent playmaker and is a definite sleeper at the moment.

Stephon Marbury, New York Knicks
Marbury has been away from the Knicks as he dealt with the passing of his father. The Knicks are a mess and Marbury hasn’t exactly played well this season, he still has time to turn it around. When on top of his game, Marbury is a very nice fantasy player. If he gets traded or Isiah Thomas gets fired, that could light a fire under Marbury and help him reach his potential.

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Nenad Krstic, New Jersey Nets
Krstic has been horrible this year for the Nets. He was so bad in fact that the Nets decided to make Krstic go back to rehabbing his knee that he hurt last year. However, Krstic is close to returning to the team. If he can regain the health of his knee, he could be a very nice center – just like he was before he got hurt.

Andrea Bargnani, Toronto Raptors
Bargnani is starting look like a bust. In his second season in the NBA, his numbers are actually worse than they were last year. That said, he’s still very young and you have to think that the Raptors will keep giving him chances. If he can earn playing time, he can score well enough to become a very nice fantasy player.

Erick Dampier, Dallas Mavericks
Dampier hasn’t lived up to his potential since he signed with the Mavericks after starting his career with the Golden State Warriors. But as of the last couple weeks, he’s actually playing rather well. Over his last three games, he’s averaging around 30 minutes and has played relatively well in each game. In fact, Dampier has connected on all of his last ten field goal attempts.

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