Versatility is a difference-maker in season-long leagues, and identifying multi-category contributors in the NBA can provide a major edge. As managers evaluate fantasy basketball rankings and NBA player projections for the stretch run and next year's fantasy basketball draft, it's critical to weigh per-minute production alongside role security on current NBA lineups. Monitoring the NBA injury report, updated NBA depth charts and recent NBA player stats helps uncover under-the-radar risers before ADP catches up.
Stephon Castle, Spurs 
After winning Rookie of the Year last season, Castle has been a standout contributor for the Spurs through his sophomore campaign, averaging 16.5 points on 46.8 percent shooting, 4.9 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 29.5 minutes per game. He has not emerged as a major threat from long range, averaging just 1.0 made threes while shooting 29.1 percent from deep. Meanwhile, his playmaking ability has been on full display lately, racking up double digits in assists three times in the last 10 games, including a 40-point, 12-rebound, 12-assist outing in early-February. Castle is surely on track to be one of the top guards in the league and will likely soar up the ranks of next season's fantasy drafts.
Nic Claxton, Nets 
Despite the Nets' struggles, Claxton has shown solid growth in key areas of his game, specifically in his playmaking ability and free-throw shooting. The big man is averaging 12.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, a career-high 4.0 assists and 1.2 blocks per game. His previous career high
Versatility is a difference-maker in season-long leagues, and identifying multi-category contributors in the NBA can provide a major edge. As managers evaluate fantasy basketball rankings and NBA player projections for the stretch run and next year's fantasy basketball draft, it's critical to weigh per-minute production alongside role security on current NBA lineups. Monitoring the NBA injury report, updated NBA depth charts and recent NBA player stats helps uncover under-the-radar risers before ADP catches up.
Stephon Castle, Spurs
After winning Rookie of the Year last season, Castle has been a standout contributor for the Spurs through his sophomore campaign, averaging 16.5 points on 46.8 percent shooting, 4.9 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 29.5 minutes per game. He has not emerged as a major threat from long range, averaging just 1.0 made threes while shooting 29.1 percent from deep. Meanwhile, his playmaking ability has been on full display lately, racking up double digits in assists three times in the last 10 games, including a 40-point, 12-rebound, 12-assist outing in early-February. Castle is surely on track to be one of the top guards in the league and will likely soar up the ranks of next season's fantasy drafts.
Nic Claxton, Nets
Despite the Nets' struggles, Claxton has shown solid growth in key areas of his game, specifically in his playmaking ability and free-throw shooting. The big man is averaging 12.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, a career-high 4.0 assists and 1.2 blocks per game. His previous career high in assists was just 2.2 per game, set last season. Additionally, he is up to 60.9 percent shooting from the foul line, which towers over his career average leading into this season of 53.7 percent. He has turned in two triple-doubles this season, which is a very intriguing indicator of the potential that he holds and the level to which he can impact the game when his squad is ready to go all-in. He is definitely a center to keep in mind for next season's fantasy managers, but his value could begin to dwindle the final stretch of this foregone Nets campaign.
Kyshawn George, Wizards 
George has managed to establish himself as one of the league's top up-and-coming wing players, jumping from 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals in 26.5 minutes per game during his rookie season, to 14.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.9 blocks this year. His momentum was slightly halted due to a bout of injury trouble, and it is unlikely he is pushed to his full potential down the stretch this season. He will certainly be on many managers' radar heading into the next fantasy season, as it is a fair assumption that he will continue to show improvement and also benefit from playing alongside Trae Young and Anthony Davis.
Russell Westbrook, Kings 
Either you love him, or you love to hate him. Regardless, he continues to put up the numbers to earn the attention. Westbrook is averaging 15.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game this season but continues to struggle with his shooting efficiency and a less-than-ideal amount of turnovers. Nonetheless, he delivers strong production in the big picture and should continue to fill the boxscore the rest of the way this season, as it seems that the Kings are content with allowing him to lead the charge for their developing players at other positions. He will likely get passed up by the majority of managers next fantasy season but should be a good pickup later in drafts for an added punch in at least four categories.
Collin Gillespie, Suns 
Gillespie totally made the most of the opportunity that came his way as a result of injuries within the Suns' lineup this season. The third-year guard went from 5.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 14.0 minutes per game last season, up to 13.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.3 steals in 28.8 minutes per game this year. He also averages 3.1 made threes per game, while his overall field-goal percentage is unimpressive at 43.6 percent. His willingness to give a good effort on the glass and on the defensive end have made him a stand-out player among peers and will likely ensure that he maintains a notable role down the stretch this season and heading into next.
Jaime Jaquez, Heat 
Jaquez turned heads in his rookie season but took a slight step last year. Nonetheless, he has made his way back onto an impressive trajectory in his third season, averaging 15.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 0.8 steals in 28.5 minutes per game, while shooting a blistering 50.4 percent from the field. His versatility is a great asset off the bench for the Heat and certainly has him in talks for the Sixth Man of the Year award. He has reached the 20-point mark 16 times this season, with a season high of 31, and he has four games with at least 10 rebounds and one game with double digits in assists. Jaquez's ability is no longer up for debate.
LaMelo Ball, Hornets 
It is almost shocking to see a player of Ball's caliber on this list of players averaging under 33 minutes per game, but he is well below that mark at just 27.6 minutes per game. He has dealt with a lot of injury trouble over the past few seasons, which is surely a big reason why his squad wants to be careful with his playing time. Still, he is still finding room to put up major numbers with 19.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game. His shooting percentage could be better, at 39.8 percent, but a large number of his field-goal attempts come from deep, as he averages 3.5 made three-pointers per game.
Josh Giddey, Bulls 
Many had high expectations for Giddey entering the season, which he was largely able to meet and even surpass through his first 30 games. However, he was struck with a bout of injury trouble that kept him sidelined through the majority of January and February, which also coincided with a rough stretch for his squad. On the bright side, he has played in the last seven games, averaging 13.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.4 steals over that span. It is unlikely that he will be pushed to his full potential through the rest of this season, as the Bulls are close to falling out of playoff contention. However, he is definitely a player that should not slip too far in next season's fantasy drafts.
Josh Hart, Knicks 
Hart went from averaging a whopping 37.6 minutes per game last season, down to 30.3 minutes per game this season, likely due in the most part to the Knicks' coaching change over the offseason. Nonetheless, he continues to stuff the stat sheet, averaging 11.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game. His dip in playing time and slight decrease in frequency of massive statlines may allow him to slip the minds of some fantasy managers next season, which could allow him to become a nice steal at just the right time. On the other hand, he is a great player to target for a last-minute trade this season, as his squad will need all they can get from him in order to optimize their playoff positioning.
Draymond Green, Warriors 
Green is the only player on this list averaging less than 10 points per game, while his 40.6 percent shooting from the field represents the third-lowest of his career. Despite those data points, he remains a solid contributor with 5.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 0.8 steals per game in his 14th NBA season. Part of the reason for his struggles this year can be attributed to injury trouble throughout the Warriors' roster, but it is hard to deny that time may be catching up to the big man, especially as he plays such a physical game. On the contrary, Green has often proven to be a riser when needed, and with the Warriors' needing to be at their best for a strong playoff push, he could be ready to turn things up for the final stretch.
