If Brent Morel performs like he did last September all season, then he is headed for a breakout campaign in 2012. (photo by Keith Allison)

David Robertson NYY | RP

Robertson had an amazing year last year, and if he played for almost any other team he would be a closer. As long as Rivera is healthy Robertson will only have limited value, but he has the potential of being a top closer. He might not get a chance to close games this year, but he still has solid value as a setup man.

Lucas Duda NYM | OF

Duda is a young talented outfielder on a big market team, but he isn’t getting a lot of attention in the preseason fantasy rankings. In 301 at bats last year he had 50 RBIs, and he batted over .300 in each of the last 3 months of the season. Duda has a chance to show us what he can do this year, and I think he is a great gamble in the later rounds.

Jose Altuve HOU | 2B

Altuve was just ok when he got called up last year by the Astros, but I still really like his upside. Before he got called up in 357 at bats in the minors he was batting .389 with 24 stolen bases. I think he could easily get his average up over .300 this year and throw in over 20 stolen bases. Altuve is a guy that is going to go really late in most drafts, and I think he is the perfect guy to target for your backup second basemen.

Brad Peacock OAK | SP

In 2 starts last year Peacock was impressive. Posting a 2-0 record with a sub 1 ERA. He is penciled in as the 5th starter for the A’s this year, and he could be a nice last round pick. In the minors in 2011 he had a 15 and 3 win loss record, well over a strikeout per inning, and had a 2.39 ERA.

Mike Minor ATL | SP

The former first round pick got a chance to start for the Braves last year, and he showed some signs of promise. After the all star break in 9 games started, he had over a strikeout per inning and posted a sub 4 ERA. Minor is only 24 years old and he has a lot of breakout potential this year as the Braves 5th starter.

Daniel Bard BOS | SP

I love taking gambles on setup men or closers who move into the starting rotation. You know if they were pitching in the 8th or 9th inning that they have the ability to strike people out, and they normally have low ERAs as well. Bard had a down year last year when compared to his 2010 stats, but I still like his potential as a starter for the Red Sox this year.

Cory Luebke SD | SP

The Padres didn’t give Luebke much run support in 2011, he posted a 3.29 ERA but he only had 6 wins in 17 starts. While it might be hard for Luebke to reach double digit wins, I still really like his potential. He had well over a strikeout per inning, and he has the stuff to be a dominant fantasy pitcher.

Jesus Guzman SD | 1B

Guzman didn’t hit a lot of HRs last year, but he still has the potential to have a lot of fantasy value. He could lead all first basemen in stolen bases and potentially even batting average. I would be surprised if Guzman hits even close to 20 HRs this year, but I still really like his overall upside.

Jed Lowrie HOU | SS

Lowrie has never had a chance to have a full season of at bats, and he should get just that as the new starting shortstop for the Astros this year. He has shown flashes of talent when given opportunities in the past, and I think he could put together a solid year. I am not expecting huge numbers, but he is worth a gamble for how late you will be able to get him in most drafts.

Brent Morel CWS | 3B

When you look at the numbers for the whole season from Morel they look just average, but the story is how he ended the season. In the month of September in 85 at bats he had 8 HRs and drove in 19 RBIs. He did however bat .224 during that stretch, but he proved that he can hit the ball out of the park. Morel is far from a guarantee, but this young third basemen has a big upside.

Matt Moore dominated the Minors, and in 19.3 innings in the Majors last season (including the playoffs) he posted a 1.86 ERA with 23 Ks. (photo by Keith Allison)

Alejandro De Aza CWS | OF

De Aza has the potential to do it all for the White Sox. In limited at bats last year he proved he can bat for average, power, and throw in some speed. He had an extremely high batting average for balls in play, but even if he isn’t as lucky this year I still think he can bat over .300.

Paul Goldschmidt ARI | 1B

I think the Diamondbacks have a star in the making with their young first basemen. Last year in the majors his average wasn’t that great and he struck out a lot, but he had 8 HRs and 4 SBs in only 156 at bats. He has sleeper written all over him, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he hits over 30 HRs this year.

Matt Moore TB | SP

This young pitcher is going to be on everyones sleeper list, but he is currently still going late enough in drafts to offer great value. He has all of the tools to be a great fantasy pitcher for many years to come, and we say he is worth the gamble. During his time in the minors he had a 2.64 ERA and he had a very impressive 700 strikeouts in 497 innings pitched.

Addison Reed CWS | RP

Reed is one of the most interesting young relief pitchers, and I think he will get a chance to pitch in the 9th for the White Sox this year. Matt Thornton had a decent year last year, but I think Reed will prove that he is the better option in the 9th. He looked good in limited work in the majors in 2011, and his minor league stats were pretty amazing. In 78.1 innings of work in the minors in 2011 he had 111 Ks and an ERA of 1.26.

Kenley Jansen LAD | RP

Jansen has the potential to be one of the best closers in the league. The only thing standing in his way is Javy Guerra. Guerra had a solid year last year, and he isn’t going to give up the closer role without a fight. Jansen had one of the best strikeout per innings pitch ratios in the history of the league in 2011, and I am really excited to see what he has in store for us this year.

Jason Kipnis CLE | 2B

There are a lot of reasons I like Kipnis as a great guy to target late in drafts. Not only do I think he has the potential to fill up the stat sheet, but he also plays a really tough position to fill at second base. I don’t think he will have amazing numbers in any one category, but I think he will be solid across the board.

Brandon Belt SF | 1B

Belt is one of the biggest first base prospects in the league, and he proved last year that he can hit the long ball in the majors. He hit 9 HRs in 187 at bats, and if he can find a way to get his batting average up he could put together a great year. He is going to be on everyone’s radar, but he should still go late enough in drafts to be a fairly low risk with the potential of a high reward.

Brandon Beachy ATL | SP

In his first full year in the majors Beachy put up some solid numbers. He was among the league leaders in strikeouts per inning, and he posted a solid ERA. All signs are pointing to Beachy being a solid pick this year, and I think he is a great gamble in the later rounds.

Salvador Perez KC | C

The young catcher for the Royals made the best of his first 148 major league at bats. He had a .331 batting average, and racked up 13 extra base hits and 21 RBIs. The catcher position is fairly deep this year, but if you miss out on the big names I really like Perez has a late round backup plan.

Yu Darvish TEX | SP

It is going to be a gamble taking Darvish since it’s always tough to predict how japanese talent translates to MLB. While it is a gamble, we think it’s one worth taking. Last year with 232 innings of work in Japan he had 276 Ks and an ERA of 1.44. I don’t think these numbers are realistic for him this year in the states, but I think he could get close.

Trevor Booker continues to start for the injured Andray Blatche and Fantasy owners seeking help at the forward position may want pick him up. (photo by Keith Allison)

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Nikola Pekovic MIN | C

Yet again Darko has proven that he isn’t a good basketball player and he has been passed on the depth chart by Pekovic. At this point it looks like he will continue to get the minutes, and if he does he should average close to a double double. Pekovic doesn’t have a lot of competition in Minnesota, and I think he has a really big upside at this point. (about 30% owned)

Jeremy Lin NY | PG

Lin has bursted onto the fantasy scene and has made a big impact. The return of Baron Davis is something to be concerned about, but Lin has too big of an upside to keep on the wire. He is going to come back down to earth a tad once everyone is healthy in New York, but if he continues to get the minutes he should put up solid numbers. (about 20% owned)

Randy Foye LAC | PG/SG

The Billups injury is going to open the door for Foye to get a lot of minutes, and he should be able to put up solid point totals moving forward. Foye doesn’t do much more than score, but he should have solid value for the rest of the season. (about 15% owned)

Tayshaun Prince DET | SF/PF

Considering how well Prince has played lately I was somewhat surprised to see that he was only owned in about half the leagues. The Pistons should continue to look at Prince to take a lot of shots, and I like him moving forward. He doesn’t have a huge upside, but I think he could average about 15 points and 5 boards moving forward. (about 50% owned)

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Alonzo Gee CLE | SG/SF

The Cavaliers are finally starting to give Gee more minutes, and he is taking full advantage. He isn’t going to do much more than score, but he can help with steals and free throw made. Gee is only 24 years old, and I think the Cavaliers are ready to give him some major minutes. (about 20% owned)

Greivis Vasquez NO | PG/SG

Even with Jack coming back from his injury I think Vasquez could have some value moving forward. He is going to come off the bench more than likely, but he should still get enough minutes to have value. The former first round pick out of Maryland has a lot of talent and if Jack goes down again he could be a huge pickup. (about 40% owned)

Linas Kleiza TOR | SG/SF

Kleiza has the potential to score and be a solid rebounder, now that he is healthy he is starting to do just that. It might be hard for him to find the starting lineup, but even coming off the bench he has solid value. If Kleiza can stay healthy he can be a nice addition for most teams. (about 15% owned)

Rudy Fernandez DEN | SG

With Gallinari out for about a month this is going to open the door for Rudy to take some more shots, and get more minutes. When given the minutes Rudy has no problem scoring around 15+ points per game, and he has blow up potential as well. He doesn’t exactly fill up the stat sheet, but I still really like him as a short term solution. (about 25% owned)

Trevor Booker WAS | PF

The Wizards really don’t have much to play for at this point so they might as well see what their young guys can do. Booker was a first round pick in 2010, and he has been able to put up solid numbers when given the minutes. I don’t think he has a huge upside, but I don’t think averaging close to a double double is out of the question if he is consistently over 30 minutes per contest. (about 25% owned)

Jerryd Bayless TOR | PG/SG

Bayless is a streaky player, but when he is hot he can really score the basketball. He is mainly just a scorer, but he will help out in free throws made and steals. Toronto should continue to give Bayless a decent amount of minutes, and he should continue to have value. He might take a slight hit when Bargnani comes back, but I still think he is worth an add in most cases. (about 25% owned)

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Kenyon Martin LAC | PF/C

Martin is back from playing over seas and he should have some value on the Clippers. At this point I think he is only worth keeping an eye on, but if there is an injury he could average close to a double double. The Clippers have somewhat of a crowded front court, but he still has the ability to give them some solid minutes if he is called upon. (about 15% owned)

J.R. Smith NA | SG/SF

Smith is still stuck playing over in China, but it looks like he will be back in the NBA at some point. There have been rumors that the Knicks might be a likely candidate, but he should have value wherever he ends up. Smith has never really been more than a point and three point specialist, but he is really good at what he does. (about 15% owned)

Tayshaun Prince missed the last two games due to a family matter, but was averaging 17.8 points per game in his last five contests. (photo by Keith Allison)

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Brook Lopez NJ | C

There comes a time when guys that were dropped because of an injury need to get picked back up, that time has come for Lopez. He should be back at some point in mid February, and I think waiting him out around a month is a small price to pay for a guy like Lopez. The only reason I would suggest not picking him up is if your team is towards the bottom of your standings and you need to win now. (about 55% owned)

Byron Mullens CHA | C

I was surprised to see that Mullens is still only owned in about half of leagues. The Bobcats don’t have a lot of options at the center position, and there are even more minutes to go around with Diaw in the doghouse. Mullens isn’t going to blow you away with his production, but he has solid percentages across the board and should put up decent point totals. The former 1st round pick of the Mavericks doesn’t have an extremely high ceiling, but I still think he is worth an add in pretty much all leagues. (about 55% owned)

Carl Landry NO | SF/PF

When Landry gets the minutes has the ability to put up big numbers, and he should be seeing a decent amount of minutes for the Hornets. Landry might not find the starting lineup but if he plays over 25 minutes per game he should have value in most leagues. Another reason I like Landry is because if someone gets hurt for the Hornets and he starts getting over 30 mins, then he could have a ton of value. (about 50% owned)

Trevor Ariza NO | SG/SF

I liked Ariza this year as a potential bounce back candidate from his days in Houston. After getting hurt and getting off to a slow start he has begun to wake up. Since coming back from his injury he has been filling up the stat sheet and he has scored in double digits in each of his last 4 games. Ariza has a big upside and he needs to be owned in way more leagues at this point. (about 65% owned)

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Baron Davis NY | PG

Davis is still recovery from his back injury, but it looks like we might finally be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. He should be back to full speed in a couple weeks and could have an instant impact in the assists category. At this point of his career he has a limited upside, but with guys like Anthony and Stoudemire on your team assists should be easy to come by. (about 45% owned)

Zaza Pachulia ATL | C

I know Zaza doesn’t have the biggest upside in the world but I was shocked to see he is only owned in about 10% of leagues. He isn’t going to fill up the stat sheet, but he does have the potential to average close to a double double with a decent amount of free throws made. With Horford all but done for the year this makes Zaza a decent role player center. (about 10% owned)

Tayshaun Prince DET | SF/PF

What has gotten into Prince lately? In the last 2 weeks he has been on fire, scoring in double digits in all of his last 7 of his last 8 games, and 20 or more points 3 times during that stretch. I doubt he will keep up this pace, but if you are looking for a scoring specialist then you might as well ride out this hot streak. (about 45% owned)

O.J. Mayo MEM | SG

There is no denying that Mayo can put the ball in the basket, his problem has always just been getting the playing time. I doubt Mayo will find the starting lineup without an injury, but he is consistently getting between 20-25 minutes a game. Mayo has also been the subject of a lot of trade rumors over the last year, and if he lands in the right situation he could be a great fantasy player. (about 45% owned)

Richard Hamilton CHI | SG/SF

Hamilton is back from his early season injury and he is starting to do what he does best, which is score. You aren’t going to get much else from him than points, but he still has the ability to be a nice role player for your team. Once everyone is healthy for the Bulls I don’t expect Hamilton to have too many 20 point nights, but he should easily average around 15 points per game while Deng is out. (about 40% owned)

Luke Ridnour MIN | PG/SG

The arrival of Rubio in Minnesota made Ridnour a scary pick this year, but he has proven that they can co-exist. Ridnour and Rubio have both been spending a lot of time on the court together, and this has enabled Ridnour to stay fantasy relevant. He offers solid percentages across the board, and while his assists are down from last year his points are up. (about 45% owned)

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Tiago Splitter SA | PF/C

Duncan just isn’t the same player and the Spurs are going to have start giving their younger guys like Splitter more playing time. When given the time on the floor Splitter is capable of putting up big numbers, and if Duncan gets hurt he could be huge. In most leagues I don’t think Splitter is worth a roster spot, but he needs to be on everyones radar at this point. (about 15% owned)

Mike Miller MIA | SG/SF

With the big 3 out in Miami there isn’t that big of a need for scoring from other members of the team, but Miller still has some upside. With all the attention that the big 3 get this opens the door for Miller to get a lot of open shots. He will not have a ton of value if all of the big 3 are healthy, but if you are looking for a 3 point specialist he could be a nice role player for some teams. (about 20% owned)

James Johnson TOR | SF/PF

Johnson is one of those streaky players that has a lot of upside, but he just can’t find the consistency to be a great fantasy player. He has been getting a lot of minutes this year, but he has only scored in double digits twice on the season. If he is able to find more consistency with his production he could be a great pickup. The former 1st round pick is still only 24 years old and he needs to be added to everyones watch list. (about 20% owned)

Chris Johnson had one of the most frustrating fantasy seasons in recent history.

Michael Vick PHI | QB

Last season Vick was a beast and helped numerous teams to a championship, it was not only his legs but also the fact he had his highest compilation percentage (62%) and lowest amount of picks (6) in his career. The thought on Vick heading into the season was if he can stay healthy he could be the reason you win your league so he went in the first round in most drafts. Well he stayed pretty healthy (13 games played) but just did not pan out. Vick had the idea of becoming a pocket passer which really hurt his fantasy value. His rushing touchdowns were non-existent and his rushing yards were down from a year ago. Now of course he did run but the expectations on the Eagles fizzled early and by the time Vick and his team put it together you were all but out of the playoffs. Heading into 2012 look for Vick to be the fifth or sixth QB off the board. (amazing considering he went above Rodgers in many leagues this past season)

Chris Johnson TEN | RB

Chris Johnson had one of the most frustrating fantasy seasons in recent history. It started even before he even stepped onto the field with his contract negations but if he slipped in your draft due to that you probably were all but too excited to get him at the end of the first round. Then the season started. At first everyone thought the slow start was simply due to the lockout and missing all of the shortened training camp but as it lingered owners started to get more and more frustrated. Johnson could not find the endzone (4 this year) and did not show that burst of speed he had in previous years for the first two thirds of the season and by the time he somewhat turned it around it was too late for your team or you finally accepted some low ball offer for him. My assumption is if you had CJ2K this past season you will not be drafting him next year. (scary fact here, based on all the injuries he might project out to a late first round pick again)

LeGarrette Blount TB | RB

We told you not to touch him in point per reception leagues but even in standard leagues Blount was a total bust. Rushing for under 800 yards while playing in 14 games. The Bucs as a whole team was a disappointment but what killed owners of Blount was the fact that if the Bucs got down by more than 10 points he did not see the field. They went into panic mode way too early and in my opinion that is part of the reason coach Morris lost his job. Heading into 2012 I think Blount is a great discount buy in your draft as he showed flashes and a new head coach might realize he needs to stay with the run a bit longer as the monster of a back Blount gets better as the d-line gets worn down. (side note his run against the Packers was one of the best runs I have ever seen in my life – yes watch it again, simply amazing)

Andre Johnson HOU | WR

I hate Andre to be on this list but since he was the first wideout taken in many drafts he had to make it. Everyone debated between Andre, Roddy, and Calvin and who should be the top selection, typically Calvin was rules out since he was suppose to be the one with the huge injury concerns. Well over the past two seasons Andre Johnson has been the one with the nagging injuries and Calvin not only has the best nickname in sports but is now considered the best receiver in the NFL hands down. If you debated between Calvin and Andre and went Andre you are still probably kicking yourself.

Darren McFadden OAK | RB

If you listened to us heading into the season we told you to stay away from McFadden as he always seems to get hurt and you probably cursed us at first because McFadden was playing out of his mind but then it happened – he got hurt. So he is a disappointment for this reason because a) he was playing great but also b) his injury lingered so long and it seemed that he might play each week making you hold onto hope your stud back would be back soon, but that day never came. He went out in week seven and never made it back onto the field. Next year Bush might have a new home as he is a free agent but McFadden is the same huge risk huge reward option that I would not touch before the 4th maybe 5th round in a 10 team standard league.

Mario Manningham NYG | WR

We told you the number two wideout on the GMen is going to have a monster season – little did we know that would be Cruz and not Manningham. When Steve Smith left the Giants we figured Manningham was primed for a breakout campaign but in stepped Victor Cruz and Manningham became the odd man out in terms of the receiving core. Manningham went from one of our favorite sleepers to one of our personal biggest busts/disappointments.

Peyton Hillis CLE | RB

Madden curse, Madden curse, Madden curse – Hillis being a headache this season is a huge understatement. He missed a game with strep throat, then it was rumored his agent told him to sit out, then he missed some more time with a leg injury, had drama with the head coach, and oh played terrible when he got into the game. Hillis was a beast in 2010 averaging 4.4 yards a carry and found pay dirt 13 times in 2011 he barely broke 3.5 yard a carry and could not find the endzone. By the end of the year the Browns pasted on giving Hillis a huge deal, and no one blamed them for it.

Miles Austin DAL | RB

Austin started 2011 with a banged and had a few huge games early then he got hurt. Now injuries are injuries but the reason his was so tough was it seemed to last forever and each week he missed Robinson got that much better. Heading into 2012 however, I believe Austin is the man for the Boys and should be drafted that way ahead of Dez and ahead (if he is still there as he is a free agent) Robinson.

Mike Williams TB | WR

Williams had a nice rookie campaign so everyone assumed the kid would only be better year two. Well defenses realized he was the best player on the team in terms of a receiving option and just rolled the safety over the top every play. Williams could not beat the double teams and ended the year with the same amount of catches (65) almost 200 less yards, 8 less touchdowns than his rookie season. Williams was definitively a disappointment but could be a value next season in non ppr leagues (he is not a high volume pass catcher)

Jahvid Best DET | RB

This is my personal disappointment – I loved Best coming into the year and bought into the hype when the rookie the Lions drafted went down for the year. I saw that as a huge reason why Best would become this season Arian Foster. Now the injury issue was always a concern but I doubt anyone assumed a concussion was going to knock him out for the season. Going forward Best will be splitting with LeShoure in 2012 and even I will now be concerned as the concussion problem was a major one and there were questions all year long with Best should ever step back onto a football field.

If you want to add to this list feel free to post them in our Fantasy Football Forum.

Cam Newton virtually rewrote the book about rookie quarterbacks in fantasy.

Marshawn Lynch SEA | RB

After an extremely slow start Lynch went nuts in the second half of the season and ended as a top 10 fantasy running back. From week 8 on Lynch was the hottest running back in the league, and we saw why he is said to be in “Beast Mode”. It will be interesting to see how much love Lynch gets in next years drafts, but we have to imagine that he will probably be a late first early second round pick. Lynch will be 26 this year so he is getting pretty old in running back years, but he still has some tread left on his tires.

Reggie Bush MIA | RB

We liked Bush going into this year, but we wrote him off after a slow start. It looked like Thomas was going to take over as the featured back, and Bush was going to go back to being a third down specialist. After Thomas got banged up Bush took full advantage of the extra carries and proved he can be an every down back. He played in 15 games and had his first career 1,000 rushing yard season. Bush is still somewhat of a scary pick moving forward, but he offers a ton of potential value in PPR leagues.

Jimmy Graham NO | TE

Graham was my favorite sleeper tight end coming into the year, but he exceeded everyones expectations. He ended the year as the 2nd fantasy tight end, while racking up 99 catches for over 1300 yards and 11 TDs. Graham is a matchup nightmare and he will be an early pick in next years drafts. It wouldn’t even surprise me if Graham is a 3rd round pick in fantasy drafts in 2012.

Cam Newton CAR | QB

We will be the first to admit that we were wrong about Newton and his fantasy potential in his rookie season. It wasn’t that we were questioning his athletic ability but rather his situation. He was joining a Panthers offense that was among the worst in the league in 2010, and his main weapon through the air was an aging Steve Smith who appeared to have his best years behind him. Not only did Newton prove us wrong, but he rewrote the book about rookie quarterbacks in fantasy. We would still express extreme caution with how much value you give rookie quarterbacks moving forward. Newton was the first rookie quarterback to be a no brainer starter week to week since the fantasy football era started.

Rob Gronkowski NE | TE

Gronkowski was another tight end that we thought was a great pick in the later rounds, but 17 TDs was something that no one saw coming. Just like Jimmy Graham he is going to be an early pick in 2012 fantasy drafts, and he and Graham are rewriting the book when it comes to how much a top tight end can help your fantasy team. The Patriots offense still has Brady and a ton of other weapons, so Gronkowski and the Patriots offense should be in line for big numbers for many years to come.

Jordy Nelson GB | WR

Sometimes this year the Packers made scoring points just look so easy, and Nelson was one of the reasons why. The Packers spread the ball around a ton which explains why Nelson only had 68 catches, but he found the end zone 15 times. Nelson ended the year as a top 5 wide receiver and as long as Rodgers is the one throwing him the ball he should continue to have success.

Victor Cruz NYG | WR

Mario Manningham was suppose to be the Giants receiver that had their breakout year not Victor Cruz. Cruz took full advantage of the extra targets after Manningham got a little banged up early on in the season and he never looked back. After their bye week 7 he was one of the top receivers in fantasy averaging over 6 catches a game during that stretch. He has a lot going for him and he should be targeted early in drafts next year especially in PPR leagues.

Darren Sproles NO | RB

We all know Sproles is fast and he is a hard guy to tackle in open space, but he has never been seen as a great fantasy running back. In prior years he has had value in PPR leagues and leagues that count return yards, but in 2011 he had value in all leagues. He had over 1300 total rushing and receiving yards, 86 catches and 9 total touchdowns. Sproles is exactly what the Saints offense needed, and he was a big reason why the Saints had the 2nd highest scoring offense in the league.

Steve Smith CAR | WR

We had written off Smith coming into this year. He was coming off of his worst season in years, and now he had a rookie quarterback throwing him the ball. All signs were pointing to the Panthers having another rough year on the offensive side of the ball, but the exact opposite happened. Smith had an amazing bounce back year and proved that he still has some gas left in his tank. Smith has had injury issues in the past and he isn’t getting any younger, so he will be a bit of a scary pick in 2012.

Antonio Brown PIT | WR

The second year receiver out of Central Michigan was suppose to be a bigger part of the offense this year. However, with Wallace, Sanders, and Ward all looking for targets, we didn’t see Brown as being as much of a factor as he was. Not only was he a factor but he ended the year with just under 70 catches and over 1100 yards. He didn’t find the end zone that much with only 2 TDs, but with his big play potential he is a guy to target for 2012 drafts. Brown also handled a lot of the Steelers return duties so he has even more value in return yard leagues. He might not keep his return duties if they continue to use him so much in the passing game, but if he does then he gets a big bump in those types of leagues.

If you want to add to this list feel free to post them in our Fantasy Football Forum.

Brook Lopez is right on schedule with his recovery, and barring any setbacks, he could be back on the court in about a month. (photo by Keith Allison)

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Iman Shumpert NY | PG/SG

The rookie out of Georgia Tech has been getting a lot of playing time for the Knicks as of late. It’s going to be a mess once Davis gets healthy, but Shumpert could hold onto a lot of those minutes. It’s yet to be seen if he will find the starting lineup if everyone is healthy, but I think he could still have value as the Knicks 6th man. (about 35% owned)

Tyrus Thomas CHA | PF/C

Thomas has yet to live up to the hype, but this could be the year. The Bobcats have a decent amount of young talent with their big men, but Thomas has a big upside. I expect him to get at least 25+ minutes, and he should be a good source of blocks and rebounds. (about 55% owned)

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Baron Davis NY | PG

The Knicks could use a healthy Davis to run their offense, and he could have some value in deeper leagues. If Davis is able to get healthy he could easily average over 10 points and be a great role player assist guy. It looks like Davis could be back in a couple weeks, so you might want to snag him now if you need help with assists. (about 45% owned)

Tristan Thompson CLE | PF

The Cavaliers are actually winning a few games, but I still expect Thompson to get more minutes as the season goes on. He has put up amazing numbers with the amount of minutes he is currently getting, and if he gets closer to 25 minutes per game he could be a nice role player for blocks and rebounds. (about 20% owned)

Derrick Favors UTA | PF/C

Favors has a huge upside, the only problem is how crowded the front court is for the Jazz. Favors would start for most NBA teams, and if he gets a chance for consistent minutes with the Jazz he is going to be a double double machine. (about 40% owned)

Evan Turner PHI | SG/SF

Turner has been somewhat inconsistent this year, but I think he needs to be owned in more leagues. The thing I like most about Turner is his rebounds from the guard position. If there is an injury in Philly that increases Turner’s playing time then he could put up big numbers. (about 30% owned)

Gordon Hayward UTA | SG/SF

Hayward ended last year on fire, but he hasn’t exactly picked up right were he left off. He has been very inconsistent, but I have high hopes that he will be a solid fantasy option later this year. He has the ability to fill up the stat sheet and as long as he continues to get the minutes he should put up solid numbers. (about 55% owned)

Markieff Morris PHO | PF

The Suns have a lot of young talented big men, but Morris has played well enough to continue to get solid minutes. He was the Suns 1st round pick in 2011 and they seemed committed to see what he can do. As long as he continues to play 25+ minutes he should be a double double threat. (about 15% owned)

Drew Gooden MIL | PF/C

When healthy Gooden still has the ability to pull down some boards and score. He isn’t going to do much else, but if you need help in those categories he could be a decent pickup. He isn’t a very exciting player to own and he will not offer much trade value, but he is a decent add if he can stay healthy. (about 15% owned)

MarShon Brooks NJ | SG

The Nets are awful and they are having a hard time finding a spark on offense. Brooks has quickly become one of the only bright spots on this young team and I see no reason why his minutes will be taken away. He isn’t going to do much more than score, but I could easily see him averaging over 15 points per game. (about 45% owned)

Brook Lopez NJ | C

Lopez is right on schedule with his recovery and it looks like he could be back in about a month. That is not that long to wait for a guy that could give you over 20 points per game and solid blocks and rebounds. There is always the chance of a setback, but Lopez is too good not to be owned. (about 70% owned)

Byron Mullens CHA | C

Mullens has put together an impressive stretch over the last 5 days and he has proven he can put up decent numbers with limited minutes. The Bobcats don’t have a ton of options with their big men so I see no reason why he can’t keep getting at least 20+ minutes a game. If for some reason he starts playing close to 30 minutes he will easily be a double double guy. (about 15% owned)

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Goran Dragic HOU | PG/SG

Dragic proved that he can put up big numbers if he gets the minutes, so we need to keep a close eye on the Lowry injury. The current injury to Lowry doesn’t seem serious, but if Lowry goes down again Dragic is going to be a hot pickup. (about 10% owned)

Kenneth Faried DEN | PF

I have no clue why Faried is owned in about 30% of leagues, but I do think he is someone worth keeping an eye on. If he gets the minutes he could be a nice role player rebounder and blocks guy. There probably needs to be an injury to Hilario or Harrington for Faried to have a lot of value, but if one of those guys goes down then he is worth a look. (about 30% owned)

Chris Singleton WAS | SF

The Wizards are the worst team in the league and at some point they have to give their young guys more playing time. Rashard Lewis is not happy about his current situation and I wouldn’t be surprised if they start phasing him out. The Wizards have nothing to play for this year so they might as well see what their 1st round pick from 2011 can do. (about 5% owned)

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