NEW YORK – The schedule for Week 13 is going to be exciting. While only one team has a two-game schedule, there are more three-team leagues than there are four-game slates. Nevertheless, we have a ton of strong possibilities to choose from, particularly at guard, where a number of players are putting up a caliber of performance deserving of more attention than they are getting from Fantasy managers.

The emphasis will typically be on players with a start rate (when available) or roster rate of 50% or less in Yahoo leagues. (Every week, two Start prospects for fantasy rosters can be identified, typically from teams with four games.)

Additionally, highlighted are the one Sit candidate for each position that would often not be a contender for a seat on your bench, with the emphasis there frequently being on players with less game possibilities during the upcoming week.

Teams with four games include the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, and San Antonio Spurs.

Teams with three games remaining include the following: Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, and Washington Wizards.

TEAM RESULTS WITH TWO MATCHES: Brooklyn Nets

Without further ado, let’s look at a few of the more challenging start/sit choices for Week 13:

Guards
Start: Killian Hayes for the Pistons
43% of starts
Despite a few recent slip-ups, Hayes has made significant progress this season and should still be taken into account during a four-game week. The second-year guard comes into the new week off of strong 18-point and 26-point performances against the Spurs and 76ers. In those two games, he shot 61.3% overall, including 46.2% from long range. During the small sample, Hayes also averaged 6.5 assists and 4.0 steals. Even if his inefficiency still occasionally gets the better of him, he makes up for it by contributing a lot in areas that don’t count toward points.

Markelle Fultz and Magic
51% of starts
With averages of 12.5 points, 6.3 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.4 steals across 28.8 minutes over the last 12 games, Fultz is another former high selection pick who is now producing well throughout the stat sheet as of Week 13. Fultz has a respectable 46.8% shooting percentage in that sample and is draining a season-best 32.1% of his three-point attempts, a number that still has a lot of room for development but is at least moving in the right direction after previously peaking at 28.6% in his career. Fultz is a strong choice to start this game because he has four chances to take the field this week and the possibility to prop up numerous fantasy categories.

ADDITIONALLY THINK ABOUT: Bones Hyland, Nuggets, 33%; Jaden Ivey, Pistons, 43%.

Ben Simmons of the Nets is seated.
Commencement rate of 55%.
Simmons has a two-game week this week, and while it could be tempting to stick with him given Kevin Durant’s anticipated multiple-week absence due to a knee injury, there’s still a higher chance of receiving superior performance from a guy with four games. In six of his last seven games, Simmons has scored fewer than ten points, and he hasn’t made an impact with three-pointers. Simmons comes into the week with those stats. Simmons has too few opportunities, even though his offensive usage should increase now that Durant won’t be playing.