This week we focus on sneaky scoring options. It would be easy to just look at a players scoring average when making a decision on a waiver wire pickup but that won't always tell you the entire story. In order to get ahead in your league you will need to dive deeper into the pool. Look for things like injuries, minutes, shot attempts, hot streaks, etc. in order to make the right decisions. Here are some players in the Pac 10 that may be hiding under the radar that could give your team a boost in points.
Justin Holiday, F, Washington
It's not often you will find a player whose scoring average (12.5 points) is exactly the same on the season as it is during conference play. You could say he is consistent but that isn't exactly telling the truth. While he will post a stinker from time to time he has reached double-figures in 13 of 19 games this season and has topped 20 points on four occasions. The good news is that Holiday is clearly the third option on the high scoring Huskies and that can lead to some monster games when they are rolling. He is shooting 53% from the field and 42% from beyond the arc so its only a matter of opportunities in his case.
Allen Crabbe, G, Cal
He is the type of player whose stats can be a misleading. The true freshman is averaging 11.5 points but he has really started to play better after a slow start. He is tied for sixth in scoring (16.6 points) during conference games and has scored in double figures in eight of his last nine contests. He should probably change his jersey number from 23 to 17 since that seems to be a lucky number for him (he scored 17 points four times in a seven-game stretch recently). If he wasn't picked up after his 30-point outburst against Washington State pick him up immediately.
Lazeric Jones, G, UCLA
The juco transfer's 11.5 points are fourth on the team but he has posted two of his three highest scoring games in his last two contests. He has scored in double figures in four consecutive games (13, 12, 24, and 17) and is starting to make more outside shots which has opened up the driving lanes. Most of his recent scoring outbursts can be attributed to free throws (23 attempts in his last two games) but he will continue to be a solid option for owners desperate for points.
DeAngelo Casto, F, Washington State
Klay Thompson steals all the headlines up on the Palouse, but he isn't the only player making noise in fantasy circles. Casto is known as a rebounder and shot blocker but he scored 42 points (on 30 shots) in two games last week. Those numbers are a substantial increase over his season averages of 10.9 points and 8.1 shots. If defenses continue to try and shut down the Cougar perimeter players look for Casto to continue to post better numbers down the stretch than his season averages.
Roberto Nelson, G, Oregon State
Call this one a hunch. The much talked about redshirt freshman isn't tearing up the hardwood like many predicted but that might be about to change for a couple of reasons. He averages one point for every two minutes of action (9.0 points in 17.7 minutes) so the only thing keeping him from helping out fantasy teams is playing time. That concern has been eliminated as he finally entered the starting lineup on Jan 15 after coming off the bench for the first nine games of the season. Hopefully he can maintain his production over 26-28 minutes a night and average 13-14 points down the stretch.