The early weeks of any fantasy basketball season are a gold rush. You're sifting through the waiver wire, hoping to strike it rich on some undrafted gem or a guy finally getting his shot. This week, two names jump off the page, and you’d be wise to snag them before your league mates catch on.
Let's start with Kennedy Chandler. Look, the Memphis Grizzlies are a mess right now with all the injuries. Ja Morant is out for ages, Marcus Smart is sidelined, and even Derrick Rose is nursing something. That's opened a real window for Chandler, and he’s seizing it. Last Friday against the Suns, he dropped 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, added 6 assists, and swiped 3 steals in 34 minutes. That's not a fluke. He followed it up with 19 points and 11 assists against the Rockets on Sunday, proving he can run an offense and fill up the stat sheet. Sure, the shooting percentages might dip, and he's not going to average 15 points and 8 assists all year. But while Smart and Morant are out, Chandler is going to get heavy minutes and plenty of opportunity to produce across the board. The Grizzlies need a steady hand, and he's providing it.
Now, here's the thing about young guards: they can be wildly inconsistent. Chandler will have duds. He might disappear for stretches. But the usage rate he's seeing, especially with the main playmakers out, is too good to ignore. He's currently rostered in less than 20% of leagues. That's a crime. Go fix it.
**Coulibaly's Return to Form**
Then there's Bilal Coulibaly, the Washington Wizards' rookie. He got off to a slow start, dealt with a minor quad issue that sidelined him, and honestly, the Wizards are a mess. But Coulibaly's been playing like a man possessed since coming back. In his last four games, he's averaging 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks. That block number is huge for fantasy, especially for a wing. Against the Mavericks on November 15th, he had 16 points, 6 boards, and 3 blocks. Not bad for a 19-year-old.
His minutes have steadily climbed, too. He played 28 minutes against the Knicks on Friday and 30 minutes against the Bucks on Sunday. The Wizards are clearly committed to developing him, and that means he's going to get run even on bad nights. He's a long, athletic wing who can defend multiple positions, and that translates to fantasy production through steals and blocks. His offensive game is still raw, no doubt, but he's showing flashes. The shot selection is improving, and he's not forcing things as much as he did early in the season. Deni Avdija's minutes are a bit all over the place, and Kyle Kuzma tends to dominate the ball, but Coulibaly is carving out his niche.
Real talk: Coulibaly isn't going to be a 20-point scorer this year. But he's a fantastic source of defensive stats, and he's chipping in enough points and rebounds to be valuable in deeper leagues, especially if you need blocks. His ownership is hovering around 30-40%, which means he's still available in plenty of spots. If you're in a competitive league, you might have to pounce now.
My bold prediction? By Christmas, Chandler will be a top-100 fantasy player as long as Smart remains sidelined, and Coulibaly will be a top-5 rookie in terms of fantasy value, even ahead of some guys picked higher in the draft.