CJ

McCollum

McCollum will miss a third consecutive game with a right foot contusion. Given where the Pelicans are in the standings, there’s no need for him to consider rushing back onto the court. Bruce Brown has taken on a more prominent role within the Pelicans rotation and should be rostered since the Pelicans will also be without Zion Williamson. Jordan Hawkins is also worth a look in deeper leagues.

The stat line Brown recorded on Friday was what fantasy managers grew accustomed to during his time with the Nuggets, even if this performance came in a losing effort. The Pelicans were without CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson, and those absences boosted Brown’s usage. How valuable he is for the rest of the season comes down to his availability and that of fellow vets McCollum and Williamson. On Sunday, the Pelicans host the Hornets in a matchup of lottery-bound teams, which sets up well for Brown regarding fantasy value.

McCollum will miss Friday’s game with a right foot contusion. Jordan Hawkins figures to see increased minutes in the absence of the 33-year-old shooting guard and could move into the starting lineup.

Williamson will miss his third game in a row due to a back injury while McCollum is getting a rest day on the second leg of a back-to-back. With Bruce Brown also out, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl could move into the starting lineup for Williamson. Jordan Hawkins could take McCollum’s place in the lineup.

After scoring 36 points on 14-of-48 shooting in his three games prior, McCollum exploded in Detroit. Recording his first game of 40 points or more since February 13, the veteran guard has met or exceeded that number four times this season. With McCollum being ranked well outside the top 100 in eight- and nine-cat formats over the past two weeks, he needed a day like Sunday to get untracked. Unfortunately, the Pelicans have a small Week 21 slate, with the first of three games scheduled for Monday against the 76ers.

McCollum struggled as the Pelicans were outclassed by the Timberwolves Friday. New Orleans lost by 41 points and the 33-year-old shooting guard was -20 in 28 minutes. McCollum didn’t have his three-point shot going at all as he was 1-of-7 from behind the three-point line. He also committed six turnovers, which was as many as he had over the previous four games. McCollum and the Pelicans will look to bounce back Sunday against the Pistons.

After a brutal 1-of-15 performance in Monday’s loss to the Pistons, McCollum’s accuracy improved on Wednesday. Shooting 7-of-18 isn’t great, but it was significantly better than what he offered two nights prior. McCollum has not provided good value recently, as he is ranked just inside the top 200 in eight-cat formats over the past two weeks. McCollum will look to finish Week 20 on a good note, as the Pelicans will play games against the Timberwolves and Pistons.

It’s easy to find someone to point fingers at for the blowout loss. McCollum and Jose Alvarado, who started the second half after Trey Murphy exited with a shoulder injury, combined to make just two of their 25 shot attempts. The point guards simply needed to be way more productive than they were in this game. McCollum shouldn’t be this bad going forward, and Alvarado could end up starting if Murphy remains sidelined on Wednesday, though Jordan Hawkins is also a candidate to fill that void.

McCollum bounced back on Saturday, scoring 26 points two nights after he tallied nine on 3-of-10 shooting in a loss to the Magic. The Pelicans guard has been a 10th-round player in eight-cat formats since the All-Star break, one round below his value for the season. With the Pelicans focused on the draft lottery, back-to-backs may become an issue for McCollum down the stretch, even if he’s healthy. New Orleans plays four games during Week 20, finishing with a Sunday/Monday back-to-back.

Williamson and McCollum did not play in Sunday’s loss to the Grizzlies, with Jose Alvarado and Jordan Hawkins moving into the starting lineup. With Kelly Olynyk (rest) out, Alvarado or Hawkins may remain in the starting lineup on Tuesday. Whichever player starts will enjoy a slightly higher fantasy ceiling. Alvarado is again questionable with a hip injury but has not missed a game.