De'Anthony Melton

After years of promise, Melton finally landed himself a meaningful role in Philadelphia last year, closing as the 75th-ranked player in nine-category leagues. He played a career-high 27.9 minutes per game, averaging 10.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.5 blocks and 2.0 three-pointers. He has the ability to defend a number of positions, making him a versatile player in both fantasy and reality. The guard can step in and cover for any number of players, something that happens more often than not on a team such as the 76ers. He isn't the most exciting option in fantasy, but he gets it done on most nights, especially on the defensive end of the court. It would not be surprising to see him slip again in drafts, making him a sneaky value pick in the later rounds.

One of the more polarizing fantasy assets, Melton finds himself opening the season with a new team but potentially a very similar role. Despite clear upside, playing time has remained an issue for Melton throughout his career. In just 23 minutes per game, he ended the 2021-22 season just outside the top 100 in per-game eight-category fantasy production thanks to averages of 10.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.9 triples. While there is a chance he simply slides in as a direct replacement for Danny Green, many will be hoping that he can etch himself into Doc Rivers' good books, possibly warranting a few extra minutes. His ability to contribute on both ends of the floor should again lend itself to fantasy value. However, managers have every right to be cautious when targeting him in drafts. Given the element of uncertainty, he's best suited as a late-round flier in standard drafts for managers who need steals production.

Melton has developed somewhat of a cult following from fantasy die-hards as one of the best per-minute fantasy producers in the NBA. Last season, he was 32nd in per-minute production after ranking 48th in 2019-20. The problem is that he's stuck behind Ja Morant. Last year, Melton received 20.1 minutes per game and averaged 9.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.8 combined steals-plus-blocks. He also made 1.7 threes per game at 41.2 percent. Unfortunately for Melton optimists, the Grizzlies' backcourt situation hasn't changed. Morant is still the starter, and Dillon Brooks is practically locked into 30-plus minutes a night as the shooting guard. There's room for Melton to see action as a reserve at both guard spots, but he'll also still be competing against Tyus Jones, Desmond Bane and new additions Rajon Rondo and Ziaire Williams. Fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper formats with Melton should hold strong in hopes that he eventually finds his way into a more advantageous situation. Managers in standard redraft leagues can ignore Melton. If you're in a deep league, there's clearly upside here, making Melton potentially worth a late-round pick, but it would take injuries or a trade for him to reach that potential.

During his second year in the league last season, Melton acted as Ja Morant's backup while also seeing time at shooting guard. Though Melton isn't a great shooter -- 40.1 FG%, 28.6 3P%, 76.9 FT% -- he still scored a decent 7.6 points in 19.5 minutes per game. He also provided 3.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists, though his main fantasy contribution was his 1.3 steals. Despite modest offensive output, the Grizzlies clearly believe in Melton's upside, especially on defense, as he garnered a four-year, $34.6 million contract during the offseason. While Melton will still be competing for minutes with other young guards on the roster, the price Memphis paid him indicates they are interested in him seeing an expanded role. The 22-year-old was on the fringes of fantasy relevance last season, ranking 164th on a per-game basis. While Melton doesn't have a ton of upside given Morant's presence, fantasy managers in deeper leagues could view him as a late-round flier.

The 46th overall pick in the 2018 Draft, Melton appeared in 50 games for the Suns, including 31 starts. In 19.7 minutes per game, he averaged 5.0 points on 5.1 shots, 3.2 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals, largely demonstrating his upside as a defender. In early July, he was traded to the Grizzlies along with Josh Jackson and draft picks for Jevon Carter and Kyle Korver. It's possible Melton will be able to find regular minutes on the tanking Grizzlies, though Ja Morant and Tyus Jones seems to have the point guard position locked up. As a result, fantasy owners probably shouldn't take the risk on Melton having a fantasy-relevant season, even in deeper formats.