Tom Carpenter, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Guards, small forwards who block shots

On Friday, I took a look at big men who produce 3s and steals. The beauty of players who produce nontraditional stats from their respective positions is that they can help you overcome a deficit in that statistical category in roto leagues.

Power forwards and centers who chip in traditional guard stats get a bump in fantasy value as a result, and the same goes for guards and small forwards who can chip in big-man stats such as rebounds and blocks.

These days there are plenty of guards and small forwards who hit the glass -- six players eligible at guard and a dozen small forwards are averaging at least 6.0 RPG -- so let's focus on backcourt blockers. Stars such as Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson block shots at a decent rate from the SF spot, but let's examine some more easily attainable targets.

K.J. McDaniels, Philadelphia 76ers (SG/SF): The rookie's shot-blocking production has diminished some this month, as he is averaging just 1.1 BPG in January. However, he averaged 1.4 BPG in November and a very impressive 2.0 BPG in December. He also has registered at least one block in 10 of his past 13 games. If you can handle his shoddy shooting, he will give you a nice bump in blocks.

Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors (SF/PF): Green is eligible at both forward spots, which means you can plug his 1.3 BPG into your lineup at the three. Green has failed to block at least one shot in a game just six times since the beginning of December. The downside is that three of those games have come during his past eight outings. That downswing coincides with the return of Andrew Bogut. Still, he makes for a buy-low target in that regard. It's safe to expect a strong finish from the younger Green, and the injury-prone Bogut is likely to miss more action at some point this season.

Danny Green, San Antonio Spurs (SG/SF): Fantasy owners know Green's fantasy value is almost entirely tied to his 3-point production. He has averaged at least 2.3 3-PPG each month this season, but his scoring tops out in the low teens. However, he is a bit of a sneaky shot-blocker, averaging 1.1 BPG for the season. That's not exactly eye-popping, but an extra 30-35 blocks during the remainder of the season could push you up a few spots in your standings.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (SG/SF): Like Green, Antetokounmpo isn't going to move your team from last to first in blocks, but they call him the Greek Freak for a reason. His freakish athleticism has helped him average more than one block per game the past two months. Both he and Green are available in nearly 40 percent of ESPN leagues, so you may be able to add them for free.

Jerami Grant, Philadelphia 76ers (SF/PF): While his teammate McDaniels gets a bonus for being eligible at shooting guard, Grant still fits in as a solid blocking option from the three. While he lacks consistency from game to game, Grant has had some big nights, including four blocks on Monday and eight on Wednesday. Five times this month, he has racked up at least two blocks. The rookie is available in more than 90 percent of ESPN leagues.

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