Basketball demands we break down its players not just by stats, but by the time and place they occur. That’s not the case in fantasy hoops, though, where cold calculations rule the day and the matchup. Who are the Fantasy Doctor’s choices for this week’s best pickups? Hit the jump to find out.
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FRESH PICKINGS
Bradley Beal (68 percent owned in Y!, 88 percent owned in ESPN)
Beal is struggling to return from a sprained ankle, but now is the time to pounce on the up and coming rookie. He was putting up 20.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.1 treys and 1.1 steals over nine games before the injury. Beal’s ownership is plummeting, dropping four percent in Yahoo! leagues and almost 12 percent in ESPN. His overall game is on the rise and with the Wizards nowhere near playoff contention, he’s a lock for logging major time on the floor. If an impatient owner cuts him, now is the time to make the add.
Derrick Favors (64 percent owned in Yahoo!, 66 percent in ESPN)
Injuries to Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap have opened up tons of playing time for Favors and Enes Kanter, and if the Jazz continue to slip in the standings, Favors could be the main beneficiary. Not counting Saturday night’s blowout loss to the Knicks, where he started and logged only 23 minutes, Favors averaged 13.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 3.7 blocks. With both Millsap and Jefferson about to hit free agency, the Jazz will find it difficult to re-sign both, so Tyrone Corbin may opt to give the younger guys some extra run. Continue to monitor the situation, but grab Favors now if you still can.
Ed Davis (12 percent owned in Y!, six percent in ESPN)
Zach Randolph has missed four straight games, and with his injury still lingering, Davis is getting some extra run. He started three of the last four games, averaging 9.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks while shooting 56 percent from the field. While he won’t dominate the fantasy game (at least this year), Davis is a cheap piece if your team is lacking in big man categories. Continue to use him as long as Z-Bo is out.
Jermaine O’Neal (21 percent owned in Y!, 12 percent in ESPN)
O’Neal is currently away from the team to be with his daughter, and although he’s not expected to return until Monday at the earliest, Marcin Gortat‘s three-plus week injury opens up the door for tons of stats from him. Prior to his leave of absence, O’Neal put up 15.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks while playing over 25 minutes in each of those three games. His ceiling is limited by his age, but O’Neal can still produce well enough to warrant ownership until Gortat is able to return.
Danny Green (63 percent owned in Y!, 74 percent in ESPN)
Green’s value hasn’t changed as much as one would have expected when Tony Parker went down with injury, but he’s playing consistent enough to warrant more ownership. Green hasn’t gone a game without a three since January 26, and is averaging 2.3 treys, 1.7 steals and 0.7 blocks on the season. He won’t hurt you in any category, making him a better add for rotisserie formats than head-to-head.
LAST CALL

These guys were mentioned in previous editions. Go grab them if they’re still around.
Marcus Thornton
There’s no reason why he should be on the waiver wire at this point.
Tobias Harris
Continuing to succeed as Orlando goes with the youth movement.
Trevor Ariza
Dropped 26 points 6 treys and 10 rebounds on Saturday night.
Carlos Delfino
Automatic from behind the arc.
Gordon Hayward
About as safe of a pickup as you can make.
INJURIES
These guys will be out for an extended period of time, but are definitely stash worthy.
Derrick Rose (should be back around mid-March)

Kevin Love (should be back just in time for the fantasy playoffs)
Pau Gasol (check your league settings, a couple more weeks but could be back for your fantasy playoffs)
Kevin also writes for the brand new Turnontheknicks.com. Catch them on Twitter at @TurnOnTheKnicks
Anyone we missed that could make a difference for you the rest of the way?
Follow Kevin on Twitter at @DaOtherKevSmith.
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