Thursday nights during the NBA season mean two things: we only have a handful of games to watch and the NBA on TNT. Two premium games wrapped around the antics of Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’neal, Kenny “the Jet” Smith and their ringleader, Ernie Johnson. But that’s not why we’re here. We’re here to find out what under-rostered players will be the next impact fantasy contributors, so settle in, put on your reading glasses and let’s get to work.

Standard Leagues

(<50% rostered on Yahoo)

Al Horford, C/PF, BOS (46% rostered)

Tonight: 20 minutes, 0 points (0-2 FG, 0-1 3PT), 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers 

Analysis: Two nights after hitting three threes, scoring 11 points and dishing five assists, we get a dud out of Horford. He failed to scored in a game only three times last year and will get the majority of the starting minutes at center while Kristaps Porzingis is out with injury, but he shouldn’t be depended on as more than a top 110 to 120 player.

Peyton Pritchard, PG, BOS (14% rostered)

Tonight: 28 minutes, 15 points (5-11 FG, 5-10 3PT), two assists, one rebound

Analysis: Pritchard was relatively quiet in the Celtics season opener on Tuesday, though he did provide four rebounds and four assists, but he was more of a scorer on Thursday, hitting half of his three-point shots en route to his 15 points. He is the first man on the bench and expected to run the offense when all of the starters sit, so Pritchard has a chance to improve upon his 2023-24 season, especially if he can continually play 25 to 27 minutes per game.

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