Fantasy Basketball Risers and Fallers: Jalen Green Heating Up

Welcome to this week's roundup of the biggest risers and fallers in fantasy basketball! As the season unfolds, player performances continue to shake up the rankings and impact fantasy rosters. Whether it's a breakout star making waves or a struggling veteran losing ground, staying ahead of the trends is crucial for your fantasy success. In this weekly breakdown, we'll highlight the top performers climbing the charts and those whose value is slipping, helping you make smarter lineup decisions.

Risers

Jalen Green, SG, Houston Rockets (95.7% rostered in ESPN leagues)

Green got off to an incredibly hot start this season before going through a November shooting slump, hitting just 37.6% of his shots and scoring just 16.6 points per game. He also struggled in December, but those struggles seem to have gone away since the calendar turned over to 2025.

Green has now scored 22-plus points in eight straight games, leading the Rockets to a 6-2 record in January, peaking with a 42-point performance against Memphis on Jan. 9. He's shooting over 52% for the month and has gotten himself into the Western Conference All-Star conversation.

His shooting will have to stay strong for him to hold his current value, but Green is contributing across the board for his fantasy managers and is showing no signs of slowing down for one of the West's most exciting teams.

Donte DiVincenzo, PG/SG, Minnesota Timberwolves (51% rostered)

DiVincenzo is now starting for the Wolves, pushing Mike Conley to the bench. He has scored at least 27 points twice in his last three games, knocking down 15 total 3-pointers with solid fantasy production during this stretch.

Sure, he got off to a very rocky start in Minnesota, but the move to the first unit has spiked his fantasy value and he's only begun to scratch the surface of what he's capable of doing. Hopefully, managers moved on DiVincenzo early and are reaping the benefits.

He should be locked into the starting five the rest of the way and is a "must roster" player for the rest of the season. Just be aware that he has been ruled out for Friday night's game due to a left toe sprain. Hopefully, he'll only miss the one game.

Jaime Jaquez Jr., SG/SF, Miami Heat (42.4% rostered)

Jaquez has replaced Jimmy Butler (suspended) in Miami's starting unit and has scored double-digit points in seven straight games. He's contributing not only in points, but also in rebounds, assists, steals and 3-pointers. He should be a fantasy force for the rest of the season, barring a Butler trade that would bring back a potential replacement in return. If Jaquez can keep the starting job for the rest of the season, he would be a "must roster" fantasy player going forward.

Scoot Henderson, PG, Portland Trail Blazers (31.9% rostered)

Henderson has had a disappointing season but is heating up now that he's back in Portland's starting lineup. On Tuesday, he went off for a season-high 39 points with six assists, two steals and eight 3-pointers and then followed that up with 16 points, six assists and two triples in Thursday's lopsided loss to the Clippers.

Henderson averaged nearly 20.0 PPG, 10.0 APG, 1.0 SPG and 3.0 3PM last April and I think he's going to have another big run down the stretch this season, especially since it seems possible the Blazers might shut Anfernee Simons down at some point in the coming weeks. Managers should make sure he's not sitting on the waiver wire. Now is the right time to try to trade for him in fantasy leagues.

Keon Johnson, SG, Brooklyn Nets (4.1% rostered)

Johnson is widely available in most leagues and has been cruising through January for the tanking Nets, scoring at least 20 points in two of his last four games. He should be a reliable source of points, rebounds, assists, steals and 3-pointers, especially for as long as teammates Cam Thomas and Cameron Johnson are injured.

Keon should continue to play meaningful minutes even if that duo returns, although both players are definitely candidates to be shut down. He is on track to possibly be a huge fantasy factor as the season winds down and should be rostered in many more leagues going forward.

Fallers

Derrick White, PG/SG, Boston Celtics (96.2% rostered)

White has had a fantastic season for both the Celtics and his fantasy managers, but he's currently mired in a nasty shooting and scoring slump, hitting just 8-of-36 shots and 3-of-29 3-pointers over his last four games, averaging just 6.5 PPG over that stretch. There's almost no way he doesn't bounce back soon. Now is the optimal time to make an offer for White since his fantasy value likely won't get any lower.

Rudy Gobert, C, Minnesota Timberwolves (90.9% rostered)

Gobert has scored in single digits in six of his last nine games and has blocked no more than a single shot in five of his last eight. He's still a decent bet to double-double on any given night, but the numbers just don't pop like they used to for the 32-year-old.

These stats would be even worse if Karl-Anthony Towns were still in Minnesota, and Gobert has been on several posters this season. Opposing players are simply no longer intimidated by the four-time Defensive Player of the Year. He's serviceable but is nowhere near the fantasy force he once was.

Payton Pritchard, PG, Boston Celtics (57.7% rostered)

Pritchard has really cooled off in January, scoring in single digits in four out of five games before quietly starting to bounce back with games of 11 and 20 points. Although his shot has been inconsistent this month (44.3% FGP), he should soon get hot again.

Despite the slump, he's still the odds-on favorite (-200) to win Sixth Man of the Year honors. He could also see a fantasy boost if the Celtics elect to rest their stars down the stretch once a playoff spot is secured. Now, while he's struggling, is a great time to make an offer for Pritchard.

Khris Middleton, SF, Milwaukee Bucks, SF (52.2% rostered)

Middleton returned from a right knee injury in December and initially played very well, scoring exactly 21 points in three straight games. However, he's since been benched and hasn't hit the 20-point plateau in any game since Dec. 28. He's consistently being listed as "day-to-day" due to the knee.

He's still performing at a serviceable level on most nights, but more missed games are coming and Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard will continue to do the heavy lifting offensively for the Bucks. Middleton is droppable in eight-team leagues and may not even be a hold in 12-teamers. At 33 years old, his name is bigger than his game.

Mason Plumlee, C, Phoenix Suns, C (1.7% rostered)

Plumlee has been starting for the Suns. He hasn't been scoring much, but he has been a decent source of rebounds, assists and steals over the past few weeks. Even so, Plumlee should be dropped in the few leagues in which he's currently rostered because the Suns recently traded for Nick Richards (12.2% rostered).

While Richards has yet to make his debut, he is expected to play Saturday at Detroit. I believe the Suns intend to start Richards, who was a shot-blocking machine for the Hornets earlier this season, over both Plumlee and Jusuf Nurkic. Richards hasn't done quite enough of late to make my Risers list, but he should be ready to start playing at a high level in Phoenix.

If your fantasy team needs big-man help, especially in blocks, grab Richards and put him in your lineup for Saturday. He could pay nice dividends for the rest of the season, assuming he can stay healthy.