Basketball Pickups: Jaden McDaniels flourishes in expanded role

With a Yahoo ADP of 114, it's safe to say that most fantasy managers weren't expecting much from Timberwolves wing Jaden McDaniels beyond consistent late-round value in standard leagues. He has yet to finish ranked within the top 100 in per-game value for a season, so to expect that to change in 2023-24 would have been too much. However, it's safe to say that McDaniels was expected to be more productive than he has been, as he's ranked just inside the top 200 in 9-cat formats.

Due to the lackluster production, he's rostered in 43% of Yahoo leagues, with McDaniels' status as a starter boosting that number. However, Tuesday's game against the Nuggets was a golden opportunity for McDaniels to step up, as Minnesota was without Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid, not to mention Karl-Anthony Towns. Without a center in the starting lineup, the Timberwolves fell by three points, but McDaniels had one of his best games of the season.

Shooting 9-of-13 from the field and 4-of-7 from the foul line, he finished with 26 points, six rebounds, one steal, one block, and four 3-pointers in 38 minutes. Only Anthony Edwards had more points and rebounds among the Timberwolves, and McDaniels was responsible for one-third of Minnesota's 12 3-pointers. Minnesota plays two more games in Week 21, but the first isn't until Friday night against Cleveland. Keep an eye out for the injury reports because McDaniels could be asked to take on a significant workload again, depending on what happens with Gobert and Reid.

Let's look at a few more of Wednesday's top pickups:

Vasilije Micic (34%)

Micic did not offer much production in the assist category, as he was responsible for one in Tuesday's loss to the Magic. However, he shot 8-of-10 from the field and 2-of-2 from the foul line, tallying 20 points in 27 minutes on the floor. Tre Mann (32%) should also be in play as a potential fantasy pickup, but Micic has provided top 100 per-game value in 8-cat formats over the past two weeks. LaMelo Ball (ankle) won't return soon, so Micic should be safe from being passed up in the pecking order.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. (41%) and Caleb Martin (28%)

If the Heat didn't have bad luck regarding injuries, they would have none (the same goes for Memphis and Portland). Duncan Robinson returned to Miami to meet with a back specialist after exiting Monday's loss to the 76ers during the third quarter, Tyler Herro remains out with a foot injury, and Jimmy Butler and Nikola Jovic are questionable for Wednesday's game against the Cavaliers. As a result, Martin and Jaquez are back in play as fantasy streamers, and both have the skill sets needed to generate long-term value.

Justin Champagnie (15%)

Champagnie was dropped from the Wizards starting lineup in favor of Johnny Davis, the 10th overall pick in the 2022 draft. The lineup change did little to negatively impact Champagnie, who produced a line of 16 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two 3-pointers in 31 minutes. As for Davis, he was 1-of-7 and finished with two points, one rebound, and one steal in 27 minutes.

The biggest concern for Champagnie managers moving forward is the scenario that played out (and failed spectacularly) in the Wizards' blowout loss to the Rockets. Washington wants to evaluate its young players, especially those drafted by the team, which could result in a player like Champagnie being asked to take a back seat. Tuesday's performance was evidence that he can provide value regardless of role, but it would have been nice to see him retain the starting job.

Day'Ron Sharpe (4%)

Playing 24 minutes off the bench, Sharpe grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds while scoring eight points with three assists and two blocked shots in a loss to the Pelicans. Sharpe was a quality play for managers needing another big, but this was also the first time he'd exceeded 20 minutes in a game since December 26. Sharpe isn't someone fantasy managers can rely on for consistent value, but the deep-league streaming potential is there.