In-Season Strategy: Dynasty League Flyers

As with year-long fantasy leagues, there are several types of dynasty leagues. In order to avoid highlighting relatively straightforward and frequently-discussed dynasty options -- Frank Ntilikina, Richaun Holmes, Josh Jackson, etc. -- I'll focus a bit more on players with low ownership for somewhat-deeper formats.

That's not to say the following players won't be relevant in standard, or even shallower, leagues in the future. It just may not be worth it quite yet to stash them. That's something you'll have to evaluate based on your format and team.

One quick note: I often refer to a player's net rating, which measures a team's point differential per 100 possessions (offensive rating minus defensive rating) when that specific player is on the floor. It's definitely not a catch-all statistic when it comes to predicting future success, but I do feel it's useful for evaluating whether a player is being thrown out onto the floor just because he's young and the team is struggling, or if he's truly contributing in a positive way.

Jarrett Allen, Nets (15% owned)

Only 11 rookies in the past 10 years have matchedJarrett Allen's per-36 numbers, which stand at 12.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. That's especially promising considering he's just 19 years old. Including Allen, only four of the aforementioned 11 rookies have achieved those numbers before their 20th birthday: Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond, and… Anthony Randolph.

Though he sees just 16.9 minutes per game, Allen's per-36 production has predicted (with relative accuracy) his numbers when sees extended run. Allen averages 11.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks when he sees between 20 and 29 minutes. He's also shot an efficient 53.2 percent from the field in those situations.

Glancing at the Nets' roster, Allen should have a strong path to playing time in the years to come. Currently, there's a bit of a logjam, with Allen, Tyler Zeller and Jahlil Okafor essentially splitting minutes. But Zeller is 28 years old, and the team may not prioritize his development as their rebuild continues. Meanwhile, Okafor is on the last year of his rookie contract and is yet to make the impact even his most steadfast supporters had hoped for. It's difficult to gauge when or how the Nets will address the position in free agency or the draft, but as things currently stand, Allen is far and away the organization's most attractive long-term asset at center.

Luke Kennard, Pistons (6% owned)

Kennard, a 43.8 percent three-point shooter at Duke last season, has kept the hot hand through the first half-season of his NBA career, drilling 1.1 threes in 17.9 minutes per game at a 44.2 percent clip. His best performance from beyond the arc came on Dec. 30 against the Spurs, when he hit four of his five attempts en route to 20 points in 30 minutes. But he's not just a spot-up threat. Kennard has made 14-of-29 (48.3 percent) of his two-point field-goals after taking between three and six dribbles, per NBA.com/stats.

At 6'6", Kennard has the size to play both shooting guard and small forward, which should afford him more opportunities to see the floor, while boosting his fantasy value as a potentially dual-eligible player down the road. Plus, Kennard doesn't kill you in any categories, as he averages 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and a combined 1.8 steals/blocks per 36 minutes.

Also encouraging: Kennard has a plus-5.5 net rating, the second-best on the 22-23 Pistons, among players who see at least 15 minutes per game. If those numbers prove to be sustainable, it's likely he'll garner more playing time next season and beyond.

Alec Burks, Jazz (10% owned)

Burks has been in the league since 2011 but has dealt with various injuries, limiting him to just 100 games from the start of the 2014-15 campaign through the end of last season. Arguably his best season came back in 2013-14, when he posted 14.0 points (48.7 effective field-goal percentage), 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists across 28.1 minutes per game.

Ironically, a number of injuries to Utah's guards and wings have opened the door for Burks to reestablish himself as a rotation player. In games in which he's seen between 20 and 29 minutes, Burks averages 13.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and just over a steal per game. He's also shot 44.7 percent from the field and knocked down 1.4 threes per game at a 41.3 percent clip in those contests. Burks also boasts a plus-2.6 net rating for the season. That ranks fourth on the team among players who average at least 15 minutes per game.

The 26-year-old is under contract with the Jazz through next season at $11.5 million and could be in line for an expanded role with a franchise in the midst of a mini-rebuild, particularly if Ricky Rubio continues to struggle. If the Jazz go in another direction and opt not to re-sign Burks in 2019-20, he'll be an attractive free agent for teams in need of bench scoring. Burks' injury history and age don't make him an ideal dynasty candidate, but he's worth a flier in deeper leagues.

Tyus Jones, Timberwolves (10% owned)

We've seen Jones succeed this season while Jeff Teague has missed time due to injury. As a starter, Jones averaged 8.8 points, 5.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 2.8 steals in 33.7 minutes per game. While he's not much of a scorer, shooting just 7.2 times per game in those starts, his assist and steals numbers are encouraging from a second-year player.

Jones has had two standout performances this season. The first came on Nov. 19 against the Pelicans, when he posted 16 points (6-9 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 2-3 FT), six assists, four rebounds and four steals while committing just one turnover in 42 minutes. The other was a Nov. 26 meeting with the Suns, in which he flashed his defensive upside, recording nine points (3-6 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven assists, seven steals, four rebounds, two blocks and no turnovers across 39 minutes.

Surprisingly, he boasts the Wolves' best net rating (8.8) amnog rotation players. Though he's stuck behind starter Jeff Teague for the foreseeable future, Jones has flashed enough upside to believe he's capable of taking on a bigger role in Minnesota, or somewhere else, down the road.

Shabazz Napier, Trail Blazers (24% owned)

Napier has emerged as a legitimate fantasy option, due in part to Damian Lillard missing time and Evan Turner underperforming. When Napier has seen at least 30 minutes this season, he's averaged 18.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.3 steals, while shooting 50.0 percent from the field and hitting 2.0 threes per game. Napier's plus-3.5 net rating is the best on the team, a positive sign as he heads into free agency this summer.

Portland will look into keeping Napier around as a bench option, but the Trail Blazers won't have much cap room to work with, especially if they're unable to unload a contract or two at the deadline. All of that could result in Napier joining his fourth team in five seasons. Five-plus months away from free agency, it's difficult to say where that could be, but Napier, who this time last year looked like he might not even have a long-term NBA future, has acquitted himself well enough in Portland that he should generate a decent amount of interest.

Fantasy-wise, Napier is not much of a distributor, averaging just 3.9 assists per 36 minutes, but as long as the minutes are there he should have some value as a scorer (16.8 points per 36), defender (2.3 steals per 36) and three-point shooter (1.9 threes per 36).