New Orleans Pelicans point guard Jose Alvarado (ribs) won't play Thursday against Utah. He is set to miss his first game of the season with a right rib contusion. Alvarado's absence should result in more minutes for Dyson Daniels and Devonte' Graham. Graham has a bigger reputation, but he's struggled to make an impact this season and Daniels should be the better fantasy option. However, managers shouldn't expect any miracles from the rookie, as he has been getting only 5.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists this month despite averaging close to 27 minutes a night.

New Orleans Pelicans point guard Jose Alvarado (ribs) will be in the lineup Friday versus Phoenix. He has been dealing with a right rib contusion but it won't make him sit out any action. The 24-year-old has carved out a nice role for himself in New Orleans this season and Alvarado is just a few days removed from an amazing 38-point performance against Denver. He crashed straight back down to earth with a two-point dud against the Pistons on Wednesday, but Alvarado is currently seeing extra opportunities due to injuries and fantasy managers should have him on their radar.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado erupted on Sunday for a career-high during a 121-106 victory over the Denver Nuggets. The 24-year-old posted 38 points, three rebounds, two assists, and one steal while shooting 12-for-19 from the floor and 8-for-11 from three. On top of that, he chipped in six free throws on seven attempts. This was actually the second time in his career that he even attempts 19 shots, but he only finished with 23 points before. Alvarado has been seeing increased playing time this season and can give a boost in points, assists, and steals in deeper leagues.

Without Zion Williamson (hip), Herbert Jones (knee) and Brandon Ingram (concussion), the New Orleans Pelicans have inserted Jose Alvarado, Naji Marshall and Trey Murphy III into the starting lineup Tuesday. The injuries are not considered severe, so Alvarado, Marshall and Murphy will likely just be spot starts against the Dallas Mavericks. Of the three, Murphy has the highest fantasy ceiling while Alvarado should be a good source of assists and steals. Alvarado and Murphy have only started once in both their careers. In their respective starts last year, Alvarado went for 11 points, five assists, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks in 33 minutes, while Murphy went for 15 points, six rebounds, two threes and two steals in 27 minutes.

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it? Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA.Plus, I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games, or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2022 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2022-23 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence. ... [More]

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it? Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace that fits best with their path to the NBA.Plus, I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games, or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2022 second-round picks and undrafted free agent (UDFA) signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2022-23 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence.... [More]

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it? Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA.Plus, I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games, or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2022 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2022-23 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence. ... [More]

New Orleans Pelicans point guard Jose Alvarado became something of a breakout sensation during his rookie year, largely due in part to his tenacious defensive prowess and sly ability to pick-pocket unassuming ball-handlers. But with C.J. McCollum slated to become New Orleans' primary point guard next season and with Devonte' Graham a likely second-unit contributor, Alvarado could be facing a minutes squeeze. Will Guillory of The Athletic makes the case for the 24-year-old continuing to get run. An undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech, Alvarado compiled 71 steals in just 54 games for the Pelicans. He can likely go undrafted in redraft formats, but he could become a trendy waiver-wire addition in category formats if his minutes stay steady during the winter months.

New Orleans Pelicans point guard Jose Alvarado has quietly played his way into season-long roster contention, as his minutes have climbed over the past two weeks. Alvarado recorded 15 points, seven assists, and three steals in Thursday's victory vs. the Bulls, adding two made triples as well. Defensive activity has been the name of Alvarado's game, but he has parlayed that into statistical success with 1.3 steals on a nightly basis. The absence of Brandon Ingram (hamstring) has opened the door for Alvarado to snag additional minutes for the Pelicans' playoff push, with the undrafted rookie now having scored in double figures in three of his last six outings. Looking ahead, New Orleans plays a back-to-back Saturday and Sunday, for shrewd managers eyeing weekend waiver wire additions.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado (finger) is available for Friday's game against the San Antonio Spurs. He is dealing with a left finger laceration, but will tough it out in this one. It's worth noting that Devonte' Graham (hip) is also available for this game after being listed as questionable earlier. That means, Alvarado is going to have to settle for backup minutes on Friday. He'll be a deep league streaming option with Graham back in the mix.