Davis averaged 28.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.4 blocks, 1.8 steals and 1.2 3-pointers during the past five games. While he remains an injury risk because of his lengthy history of missing games, the sixth-year star has appeared in 47 of the Pelicans' 53 games this season.
Behind Davis are several other notable risers, including Karl-Anthony Towns (7), Nikola Jokic (11) and Paul George (14). The trio is playing exceptional basketball right now, and each of them impacts the game and fills the box score in a number of ways. If Towns had a little bigger presence as a passer or defender, he'd have a better chance of moving into our top five and staying there. Even as is, he is right behind that group.
Another I need to mention is Charlotte point guard Kemba Walker, who has been a topic of trade rumors in recent weeks and could be moved before Thursday's NBA trade deadline. Walker has only boosted his trade value in recent weeks, pouring in 26.7 PPG and adding 6 APG during his past 10 games. Formerly regarded as a poor outside shooter, he made nine 3-pointers last Wednesday in a win over Atlanta and has averaged 4.4 per game during the past five games.
Kevin Love's broken hand won't require surgery, but it will cost him around eight weeks, which moves him off the list. He's worth holding on to if you have an IR spot, but otherwise, you can't let him take up a valuable roster spot during the most critical months of the fantasy hoops season, as much as you might want to.
Others to be impacted by injuries are Lonzo Ball and Darren Collison, a pair of UCLA products who are currently nursing injuries.
Ball (147) hasn't played since Jan. 13 and remains out with a knee sprain that is keeping him away from practice. All the time off makes him a major fantasy risk when he returns, considering how it took him some time to ramp up and improve his shooting early in his rookie campaign.
Collison (135) will miss two to three weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. If you don't have an IR spot in your league, you are probably better off dropping him and using the open roster spot for streaming options.
New to the list this week are Philadelphia 3-point specialist JJ Redick (125), Boston guard Terry Rozier (140), Brooklyn rookie center Jarrett Allen (146), Dallas veteran guard J.J. Barea (149) and Portland big man Ed Davis (150).
