Those who follow our columns know that we usually like to include at least one under-the-radar player each week, someone who has the potential to surprise. But when it comes to Round 10, we're taking that a step further. This is shaping up to be a week where we'll lean more heavily on surprise picks. Of course, the odds of every one of these gambles paying off are pretty slim, but if we make the right calls, we could open the door to some serious credit gains.
Let's hope the strategy we've built pays off and helps everyone maximize their scores!
If you have any questions or comments about strategy or the picks below, feel free to drop those at the bottom of this article or reach out on X via @RotoWireEuro.
Guard
Wade Baldwin IV, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (12.2 credits)
While it's fair to say Baldwin has not quite hit his absolute top level yet -- we all remember what he is capable of at his peak -- it's clear he has replaced Nigel Hayes-Davis and Marko Guduric as Fenerbahce's on-court leader. There was some debate about this early in the season especially with newcomer Talen Horton-Tucker expected to share that responsibility, but it looks like the latter will need a bit more time to fully adapt to the system. Through the first nine Rounds, Baldwin is averaging 17.6 fantasy points, and Round 10 presents a great opportunity to keep that momentum going. Facing his former team Maccabi, Baldwin should be able to take advantage of their frontcourt defense, where players like Tamir Blatt and John DiBartolomeo might struggle to contain his trademark explosiveness and penetration. With a solid role, strong matchup and plenty of upside, Baldwin looks like a smart mid-tier guard pick for fantasy players this week.
Boogie Ellis, Dubai Basketball (9.8 credits)
One of the most impactful mid-season additions so far, Ellis has quickly made his mark in the EuroLeague. Despite joining Dubai just two games ago, he already looks like he has taken control of the backcourt from McKinley Wright IV. While Dubai could not pull off a win in either of those games, Ellis still turned heads with strong individual showings by dropping 16 and 18 points in back-to-back rounds. His confidence, scoring mentality, and growing role make him a sneaky value pick for upcoming rounds. With a starting price of just 9.8 credits, he's definitely worth considering for managers looking to free up budget without sacrificing upside.
John DiBartolomeo, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (5.4 credits)
Now in his ninth consecutive EuroLeague season, the veteran guard may no longer be at his peak, but every now and then he reminds us of the spark that made him such a fan favorite in Tel Aviv. The latest example came last week against Monaco, where he delivered a 13 PIR performance in just 16 minutes, showing flashes of his old self. Heading into Round 10, Maccabi faces Fenerbahce, a matchup where DiBartolomeo's three-point shooting could prove crucial. If he is feeling it from deep, he has the potential to provide excellent value for his price.
Forward
Trey Lyles, Real Madrid (13.6 credits)
Hail the hero of El Clásico! Lyles came off a brilliant road win against Barcelona and crowned his recent rise in form with a 32 PIR performance. The Canadian forward who spent ten full seasons in the NBA before coming to the EuroLeague, had some question marks surrounding how well he would adapt at the start of the season. However, he has shown excellent progress so far and is finally filling the void left open by Guerschon Yabusele's departure two seasons ago.
Filip Petrusev, Dubai Basketball (15.0 credits)
We had him ranked first in our Round 9 referrals as well, but this time we witnessed a true Jekyll and Hyde performance from Petrusev, who started the game brilliantly yet finished with only 13 PIR after producing most of his numbers in the opening quarter. Still, it's worth seeing this as just an off night, since all other dynamics continue to work in Petrusev's favor -- Kabengele did not get any minutes in the last domestic league game and Dzanan Musa appears a couple weeks away. The only recent change is the addition of Boogie Ellis to the short rotation, who's been in good form lately, but it's hard to say that this will directly effect Petrusev's output. Besides, Hapoel's painted area defense is among the toughest in the league and we saw how tightening their focus on the Serbian forward -- the team's best player -- had its impact. In Round 10, Dubai will face Petrusev's former team, Red Star, currently the hottest team in the EuroLeague with seven straight wins. The only way to break that streak might be a standout performance from Petrusev himself.
Saliou Niang, Virtus Bologna (9.1 credits)
It seems that as long as Dusko Ivanovic is heading up Virtus, one of the forwards will always take the spotlight. Sometimes it's Alen Smailagic, as it was a few weeks ago and sometimes like nowadays it's Niang. The Italian forward delivered a spectacular performance in Round 9 on the road against Baskonia by posting 18 points and 12 rebounds, but could not prevent the game from slipping away as he received little help from his teammates. Looking ahead to Round 10 against Efes, there's a strong chance for forwards to generate high PIR numbers. Just last week, Zach LeDay, recently back from injury, was the star of Milan's away win over Efes. After the Baskonia game, Niang's credit value rose by exactly 1.0, yet he still remains one of the more affordable options in the pool.
Center
Tyrique Jones, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (15.2 credits)
After absolutely dominating in head coach Zeljko Obradovic's system last season, Jones got off to a relatively slow start this year -- at least by his own standards. But looking at the last three rounds, it's clear that he's back to his usual level: 20 PIR on the road against Hapoel, 29 PIR at home versus Barça, and 25 PIR away against Olympiacos. The only frustrating part of this stretch? Partizan still dropped all three of those games -- in fact, they have now lost four straight if you include the Round 6 clash with Paris. Even so, Jones looks like he's once again eyeing the title of the league's most dominant center. If Partizan is to turn things around and get back on a winning streak, a few teammates will need to step up and give their big man the support he deserves. From the fantasy perspective, Jones remains a reliable high-floor pick -- elite rebounding, steady PIR production, and the upside of a breakout performance once Partizan finds its rhythm again.
Mouhamet Diouf, Virtus Bologna (6.7 credits)
Time to leave the safe picks behind and we are stepping into the risky zone. Coming into the season, Diouf was widely seen as one of Virtus' most promising breakout candidates, especially since the club showed strong confidence in him by not signing another frontcourt player over the summer. However, the big man got off to a slow start by falling short of expectations early on. That said, his Round 9 performance was easily his best of the season and also the game where he logged his most minutes by finishing with a 14 PIR and showing clear signs of progress. Looking ahead, the upcoming matchup against Efes could be tailor-made for him. Efes tends to guard the painted area with a double-forward rotation featuring Ercan Osmani and Rolands Smits, a setup that could allow Diouf to exploit mismatches and finally showcase his full potential. At 6.7 credits, he's a high-risk, high-reward differential worth keeping an eye on.
Kenan Kamenjas, Dubai Basketball (6.0 credits)
Mfiondu Kabengele could return to action Tuesday, but even still Kamenjas should continue sharing a portion of the minutes at the center spot with Sertac Sanli, as Filip Petrusev clearly prefers playing as a forward rather than a center. In Sunday's domestic game, Kamenjas absolutely stole the show, posting 20 points and 10 rebounds for a dominant double-double. Now it's time to see if he can carry that momentum onto the main stage.
Head Coach
Ettore Messina, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (6.5 credits)
Who would have thought we would see this day? The Messina Tribute Show officially kicked off last week as Milan took down Efes in a thrilling double-overtime win. Now comes the easier part by facing an ASVEL side missing several key pieces. There's no need to overthink this one: Milan enters as the clear favorite and Messina looks like a safe coaching pick for Round 10.
Dimitris Itoudis, Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (8.6 credits)
The reigning EuroCup champions have made a flashy entrance into the EuroLeague -- reminiscent of Itoudis' first season with Fenerbahce three years ago, when his team started 10-1 before struggling down the stretch and barely holding onto the eighth seed. This time, Itoudis will be doing everything he can to avoid a deja vu scenario. Taking things step by step is usually the best approach for a team finding its footing at this level. Fortunately, the first leg of this double-week, a home matchup against Baskonia which looks like the kind of fixture Hapoel can manage well. A win here would not only steady the ship but also make Itoudis an interesting differential pick in the coaching pool.
Drop Candidates
Nikola Mirotic, AS Monaco (14.2 credits)
Honestly, it's hard to pinpoint exactly what's behind this recent dip in form. Maybe it's age, now 34 or perhaps the fact that this is his third team in three seasons which means having another adjustment period under a new coach and system. Whatever the reason, it feels like slowly approaching the point where the former MVP might have to embrace more of a role player identity. He had actually started the season in impressive way by shining in first five rounds including a standout 32 PIR performance in Monaco's Round 2 win over Dubai. But since Round 6, things have clearly shifted and Monaco reverting to its familiar guard-oriented system, Mike James has taken the main stage again, while Mirotic's role and impact have noticeably declined. A turnaround later in the season is certainly possible that might have seen Mirotić bounce back, but for now, it's probably best to steer clear of him in fantasy lineups until he regains his rhythm and consistency.
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