SAC 117, NOP 113: Jeremiah Fears Stars With 45.6 Yahoo FP
Tommy Flanagan
Journeyman Electrician ยท Boston Celtics fan
Kings Survive Pelicans Shootout, But The Real Story Is The Bench Went Ballistic
Kings 117, Pelicans 113. That's the final, but honestly, what a weird game this was for fantasy. You had some dudes absolutely going nuclear while their All-Star teammates were either taking it easy or just couldn't get it rolling. Let me break down who ate and who should be worried.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah Fears | 52.0 | 45.6 | 28/8/6 | 13.3/3.6/3.3 | +14.7 |
| Maxime Raynaud | 50.0 | 43.8 | 28/9/4 | 12.1/7.4/1.3 | +15.9 |
| Nique Clifford | 43.0 | 38.5 | 23/5/7 | 8.0/3.6/2.3 | +15.0 |
| Derik Queen | 34.0 | 34.2 | 8/6/2 | 11.4/6.8/3.7 | -3.4 |
| Dylan Cardwell | 35.0 | 30.1 | 6/8/1 | 5.1/7.5/1.4 | +0.9 |
| DeMar DeRozan | 37.0 | 29.9 | 14/2/5 | 18.6/3.0/4.2 | -4.6 |
| Saddiq Bey | 31.0 | 28.7 | 20/1/3 | 17.5/5.5/2.5 | +2.5 |
| Micah Peavy | 34.0 | 28.1 | 8/3/3 | 3.8/1.8/0.9 | +4.2 |
| Trey Murphy III | 29.0 | 26.8 | 13/4/4 | 21.5/5.7/3.8 | -8.5 |
| Precious Achiuwa | 26.0 | 26.4 | 12/7/2 | 9.9/6.7/1.3 | +2.1 |
The Kings Found a Cheat Code in Their Bench
Okay, so Maxime Raynaud went absolutely HAM. 28 points on 11-14 shooting with 9 boards in just 29 minutes? That's the kind of per-minute efficiency that makes you wonder where this dude has been all season. He was +15.9 from his season average in scoring alone. If Raynaud keeps getting this kind of run and stays hot, he's a legitimate low-cost option in deeper leagues. The usage was there, the efficiency was there, and he didn't waste a single possession.
Nique Clifford was the second-biggest surprise for Sacramento. 23 points, 7 assists in 38 minutes while bombing 4 threes? That's +15 points from his season average. The Kings needed someone else to create offense, and Clifford stepped up. Problem is, you're never sure when you're getting this version of a role player versus the 5-point, 2-assist version. But on a night like tonight, he earned your roster spot if you were holding him.
Precious Achiuwa gained 3.6% in ownership after this game, and honestly, I get it. 12 points, 7 boards, 2 steals in just 24 minutes is solid depth production. He's 38.6% owned now, so he's already getting picked up. The question is whether this is a one-game thing or if he's finally breaking into consistent minutes. In 12-team leagues, sure, add him. But in shallower formats, wait and see if he gets 25+ minutes again next game.
Pelicans Had Two Stars Who Went Nuclear But Couldn't Stack It
Jeremiah Fears came out firing. 28 points on 10-19 shooting with 8 boards and 6 assists? That's a +14.7 point night from his season average. Fears looked like he was trying to carry the whole offensive load, and for stretches, he did. But here's the thing, is he getting consistent opportunities to do this? His season average of 13.3 PPG suggests this is a peak performance. Don't panic-trade him, but also don't expect this every night.
Saddiq Bey chipped in with 20 points on 7-15 shooting, though he was predictably quiet on the glass (1 board). He was +2.5 from his average, which is solid but not earth-shaking. Bey is a mid-tier fantasy asset who will have nights like this mixed in with his quieter ones. Hold him but don't get too excited.
Now here's where it gets messy. Trey Murphy III was a straight letdown. 13 points on 5-9 shooting is not terrible percentagewise, but he was a -8.5 from his season average of 21.5 PPG. That's a massive drop-off. DeMar DeRozan also disappointed, putting up just 14 points on 7-11 shooting. For a guy averaging 18.6 PPG, being -4.6 is disappointing. New Orleans just didn't have enough total firepower even with Fears and Bey showing up.
The Role Player Spike You Can't Count On
Dylan Cardwell put up 6 points and 8 boards with 5 blocks. That's one of those stat-sheet filler nights where you feel like you got something, but really he was only +0.9 from his season average. Don't get fooled. Same with Micah Peavy for the Pels, who went +4.2 but on 2-5 shooting. These are the guys who will trick you into holding them too long.
The Bottom Line
Sacramento won because their bench went absolutely nuclear and caught the Pelicans off guard. For fantasy purposes, you had some breakout performances that feel like they could be fluky one-game spikes. Hold Raynaud and Clifford for one more game and see if they're getting consistent minutes. If they are, you've got yourself a couple of waiver wire steals. If it was a one-off, cut them loose.
The Pelicans needed their depth to step up and it kind of did with Bey and Fears, but Murphy and DeRozan not delivering their usual output killed them. If you own either of those guys in the Pels, don't panic. This happens. But it's a reminder that even good fantasy players have off nights in tight games.