Fantasy Basketball Weekend Must-start: Ayo Dosunmu Soaring With Anthony Edwards Injured

In head-to-head leagues, it all comes down to the weekend. You can have a comfortable lead in multiple categories or by a bunch of points, but if you don’t make the most of the weekend, you can walk out with a loss.

13 teams play twice this weekend, including the Hawks, Celtics, Nets, Nuggets, Warriors, Rockets, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Knicks, Suns, Trail Blazers, Raptors and Wizards. Prioritize those teams if you’re looking to maximize your games played. The Bulls are the only team that doesn’t have a game this weekend. If you’re in your fantasy championship, feel free to drop your Bulls!

That’s often what it comes down to in standard points and category leagues, but that’s not always the case. Leagues with some sort of games cap or best ball formats like Yahoo!’s High Score leagues aren’t just looking for volume, though having two chances at a big night is a good strategy in best ball leagues.

Absolute must-start: Ayo Dosunmu, Minnesota TImberwolves

With Anthony Edwards (knee) sidelined for at least a few more games, Dosunmu should be considered a must-start player regardless of the matchup. As a starter over the last two games, he has averaged 21.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.0 triples per game. Dosunmu has been a strong trade deadline addition for Minnesota, and he should help them make a run in the postseason. For now, he’s going to help keep them afloat in the standings while Edwards gets healthy.

Guards:

Collin Gillespie, Phoenix Suns

Gillespie has been fantastic for most of the year for the Suns, and he should be in for a productive weekend with the Bucks on the schedule. Milwaukee has been one of the worst defensive teams in the league as of late, and Gillespie just had 24 points, six assists and two steals in Thursday’s loss. He should be in for another strong outing as they try to end this losing streak.

CJ McCollum, Atlanta Hawks

McCollum was sent to Atlanta as part of the Trae Young trade, and while his tenure with the team started off shaky, he has been an excellent fill-in and veteran scorer for this young team. They take on the Rockets and Warriors this weekend, and both teams have really struggled on the defensive end in recent weeks. McCollum should be in for a productive weekend.

Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets

Houston has struggled recently, but one thing has become clear: Sheppard’s production off the bench is important to this team. This weekend, they play the Hawks and Heat, two teams that have played at an incredibly fast pace all season long. That should mean extra shots for Sheppard, and hopefully extra steals as they look to get back on track as a team after losing three of their last four games.

Forwards:

Josh Minott, Brooklyn Nets

With Michael Porter Jr. sidelined for the rest of the season, Minott should continue to produce for Brooklyn. Over his last three appearances, Minott has averaged 15.7 points, 2.0 steals, 1.3 blocks and 3.0 three-pointers per game. The Knicks game on Friday is a tough matchup, but Sunday’s game is against the Kings, who have been playing at a fast pace as of late. Sacramento has been better defensively, but this will be an important game for lottery odds, meaning the rotations may look a bit different.

Taylor Hendricks, Memphis Grizzlies

Hendricks may not have figured things out in Utah, but it appears that the Grizzlies have gotten a steal. Over his last six games, he has averaged 13.2 points, 2.2 steals, 1.7 blocks and 1.7 triples per game. This weekend, they have a tough back-to-back, but that means limited availability for the rest of the rotation. GG Jackson is doubtful for Friday’s game, so Hendricks could make a return to the starting lineup. Regardless, he’ll play big minutes and provide production on both ends.

Gui Santos, Golden State Warriors

Santos remains a fixture of this list despite some tough matchups. With Stephen Curry (knee) still out, he’s simply too important to this team to not have in the lineup. He has averaged 17.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game over the past two weeks and should be rostered as long as Curry is out.

Centers:

Neemias Queta, Boston Celtics

Queta has been fantastic all season, and on Friday, he gets matched up with the Grizzlies. Memphis hasn’t had a healthy center recently, which has resulted in them being the worst rebounding team in the league as of late. Sunday’s matchup against Minnesota isn’t as favorable, but it’s another opportunity for him.

Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta Hawks

Though he has had a few quieter performances lately, Okongwu has been productive for most of the year. Friday’s matchup with the Rockets isn’t easy, but Saturday’s against the Warriors should result in a big night for him. Atlanta has won 11 games in a row, and rebounding dominance has been key to their success. A lot of that has been Jalen Johnson, but Okongwu has had some solid nights.

Oso Ighodaro, Phoenix Suns

Ighodaro has been quiet as the starting center with Mark Williams sidelined, but his last two games have been productive, as he has averaged 15.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.0 steals. Now, he gets to take on the Bucks and Raptors, with Milwaukee being one of the worst rebounding teams in the league as of late. Ighodaro should close out this five-game week on a high note.