News: Predictably, Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva picked up his option for the 2013-14 season, a deal that will pay him $8.5 million. Villanueva is entering the final year of a five-year, $37.7 million contract.
Analysis: Villanueva appeared in 69 games this season, averaging a career-low 6.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. With the Pistons continuing to rebuild, it is unlikely that he sees a larger role than that this season, so Fantasy owners should ignore him in most Fantasy formats on Draft Day.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva turned in another solid performance off the bench in Saturday's contest against the Bobcats. Villanueva went 7 of 13 shooting from the field, including 4 of 7 from downtown. He finished with a team-high 18 points, four rebounds and a steal in a 92-91 victory.
Analysis: Villanueva had been held to single-digit scoring in each of the last five games played before his 18-point performance Saturday night. He is still averaging 5.5 points over his last six games and is way too inconsistent for Fantasy owners to trust at this point. Fantasy owners should consider Villanueva a low-end option in deeper formats down the final stretch of the season.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva was able to get back on the court for Friday's contest against the Mavericks. Villanueva, who missed Detroit's loss to the Knicks on Wednesday due to a sore left hamstring, finished with 12 points in the 102--99 loss. He went 5 of 9 from the field and also added three rebounds and one assist to his stat line, while logging 14 minutes off the bench.
Analysis: Villanueva was able to get right back it Friday night, but that shouldn't matter much to Fantasy owners. The veteran is averaging just 4.0 points and 4.2 rebounds in his past five games and his poor play as also led to a reduction in minutes. Villanueva doesn't have a ton of Fantasy value whether he is healthy or not at this point in the year.
News: The Pistons official team website reports that forward Charlie Villanueva is expected to play Friday against Dallas. Villanueva missed Wednesday's game against Dallas with a sore hamstring.
Analysis: Fantasy owners should keep an eye on what happens with Villanueva, and hopefully he's able to play against the Mavericks. However, Villanueva is a low-end Fantasy option in the majority of leagues when healthy and active. He comes into Friday's game averaging just 4.0 points and 4.2 rebounds in his past five games.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva was ruled out for Wednesday's contest against the Knicks due to a hamstring injury. Villanueva was unable to take part in the team's morning shootaround due to his issue. He is being considered day to day at this point.
Analysis: Villanueva has been struggling to knock down his shots of late and now has a hamstring to deal with as well. The 28-year-old is averaging just 4.0 points and 4.2 rebounds over his last five games, but that is largely inflated thanks to his 10-point, 10-rebound performance during Detroit's blowout loss to the Spurs last Sunday. Villaneuva is shooting just 30 percent from the field over his last 10 games and his poor play has led to a reduction in minutes of late. Consider the veteran merely a low-end reserve option in deeper formats, even when healthy.
News: The Detroit News reports that Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva has a sore left hamstring and is considered a game-time decision for Wednesday's game against the Knicks.
Analysis: Fantasy owners should keep an eye on what happens with Villanueva, and hopefully he's able to play against the Knicks. However, Villanueva is a low-end Fantasy option in the majority of leagues when healthy and active. He comes into Wednesday's game averaging just 4.0 points and 4.2 rebounds in his past five games.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva's struggles continued during Friday's contest against the Hornets. Villanueva failed to score in the 100-95 defeat as his missed on both of his field-goal attempts. He added just one rebound to his stat line, while logging seven minutes off the bench.
Analysis: Villanueva originally started to see a boost in playing time when Andre Drummond went down with his injury, but his struggles have forced coach Lawrence Frank to look at other options. In fact, Villanueva has now logged fewer than 10 minutes in each of his last three games and he has scored a combined five points over that span. Owners should leave the veteran firmly planted on the bench while he is trending down.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva told the Detroit Free Press Thursday that he plans on picking up the final year of his five-year, $35-million contract he originally signed in 2009. Villanueva had the option of declining the $8.5-million player option during the offseason, which would have made him an unrestricted free agent. “It’s obvious what I’m going to do,” Villanueva said. “Would you let that money go?”
Analysis: Villanueva has seen a larger role with the Pistons as of late since Andre Drummond went down with a back injury. The 28-year-old is averaging more than 25 minutes per game over his last six contests and is giving owners 10.6 points on 40.6 percent shooting from the field. However, he has connected on just nine of his last 28 attempts (32 percent) and has only scored in double figures once over his last four games. It seems as if Villanueva will stick around in Detroit for one more season to collect his money. Though he can be viewed as a solid source for 3-pointers, his inconsistency makes him more of a low-end Fantasy option for deeper formats.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva had another tough shooting night during Wednesday's contest against the Bobcats. Villanueva connected on just three of his eight field-goal attempts in the 105-99 win to finish with seven points. He went 1 of 3 from downtown but did add nine rebounds, two assists and two blocks to his stat line, while logging 26 minutes off the bench.
Analysis: Most thought Jason Maxiell would be asked to take on a larger role when Andre Drummond went down with a back injury, but Villanueva is the one who has seen a boost in playing time. The 28-year-old is averaging more than 25 minutes per game over his last six contests and is giving owners 10.6 points on 40.6 percent shooting from the field. However, he has connected on just nine of his last 28 attempts (32 percent) and has only scored in double figures once over his last four games. While Villanueva can be considered a viable source for 3-pointers when he is seeing quality minutes, his inconsistent stroke makes him more of a low-end option whose value lies in deeper formats.
News: Pistons power forward Charlie Villanueva had a steady performance on Wednesday night as Detroit defeated Washington. The bench player saw 29 minutes and scored 11 points on 3 of 6 shooting. All three of his makes came from beyond the 3-point line. Villanueva grabbed five rebounds and added two blocks in the game.
Analysis: The 28-year-old Villanueva has scored in double figures in three of his last five games to average 11.4 over that span with 6.8 rebounds and a block. He's also hitting 2.4 3-pointers per game over that stretch. Villanueva is a power forward who can stroke it from long range but he doesn't do much else consistently. His value is restricted to the deepest of Fantasy leagues.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva continued to play well as he caught fire from beyond the arc once again Saturday night against the Bucks. Villanueva played the role of a hero as he hit a 3-pointer with 9.7 seconds left to take the lead for good in the final quarter. He went 7 of 13 shooting from the field, including 4 of 7 from downtown as he finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds in a a 105-100 victory. He also chipped in with an assist and a blocked shot while logging 25 minutes of game action. "The guys made the right play. I don't even know who passed it to me," Villanueva said. "Once it hit my hand, I wanted to make sure it went in so they could forget about that turnover I did."
Analysis: Villanueva proved that he isn't just a one-night wonder Saturday as he came up big once again for the Pistons in the final ticks of the game. He picked up his first double-double since December of 2010. CV has knocked down nine 3-pointers in his last two games and is averaging 11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds over his last five games. Fantasy owners may want to consider adding the 28-year-old in deeper formats if he continues to play at this level.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva turned his best performance of the season as he drained five treys during Friday's contest against the Spurs. Villanueva went 7 of 15 shooting from the field, including 5 of 9 from downtown, and 2 of 2 from the charity stripe. He finished with a season-high 21 points and eight boards in a 119-109 victory. He also chipped in with two blocked shots while logging a season-high 33 minutes of game action.
Analysis: Villanueva continues to contribute at a solid rate off the bench as he has scored in double figures in three of the last five games played. He is averaging 9.8 points and 4.6 rebounds despite shooting 39.1 percent from the field over that span. The 28-year-old used to be a viable option in Fantasy at one point, but is now merely a low-end option in the deepest of formats.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva was able to put up double-digit points for the first time since Dec. 30 on Sunday against the Magic. He scored 12 points and hauled in five rebounds in the 104-102 win. He went 5 for 12 from the field, including 2 for 5 from downtown, but missed his lone free throw. Villanueva also posted two blocks and a steal while playing 25 minutes off the bench.
Analysis: Villanueva had not played more than 20 minutes since the last time he was in double figures as his playing time has hindered his numbers thus far. Despite shooting just 35 percent in the last five games, he has made 43 percent of his 3-pointers during that stretch while averaging 5.2 points with 3.8 rebounds. The 28-year-old used to be a viable option in Fantasy but due to his current role, continue to ignore Villanueva in all but the deepest of formats.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva's shooting struggles continued during Friday's contest against the Heat. Villanueva made just one of his five field-goal attempts in the 110-88 defeat and finished with two points. He missed on his lone attempt from downtown and also added two rebounds to his stat line, while logging 12 minutes off the bench.
Analysis: Villanueva has been stuck in a shooting slump for some time now and as a result, his playing time has started to diminish. The 28-year-old has is shooting just 30 percent from the field over his last nine games and he is averaging 4.6 points over that stretch. While Villanueva is still making 39.4 percent of his shots from behind the arc on the season, owners should leave him served until he starts knocking down some shots.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva was able to suit up and play during Tuesday's contest against the Knicks in London despite dealing with a sprained left ankle. Villanueva came off the bench and endured a rough shooting performance, scoring just five points and two rebounds in a 102-87 defeat. He went 2 of 8 shooting from the field, including 1 of 5 from downtown while logging just 12 minutes of game action.
Analysis: Villanueva told reporters the previous day that he ankle was still a little tender, which may explain his mediocre shooting performance, especially from 3-point land. He shooting 32.4 percent from the field and is averaging just 5.8 points while logging just 14.8 minutes, which is slightly less than his average in December (18.5). Villanueva's production has declined as of late, due to the emergence of Andre Drummond, so he may lose some minutes down the stretch. The 28-year-old has marginal Fantasy appeal moving forward.
News: The Pistons' official website reports forward Charlie Villanueva, who sprained his left ankle Monday, participated in practice Wednesday. He said his ankle is still tender, but he is improving.
Analysis: Villanueva's production has declined in January thanks to the emergence of Andre Drummond, who also played at UConn. Villanueva scored in double figures in four straight games to close out December and gave Fantasy owners hope he might be worth adding off waivers. Unfortunately, he hasn't scored in double figures in five January games and hasn't surpassed 20 minutes in a game this month either. Villanueva continues to have marginal Fantasy appeal.
News: Detroit power forward Charlie Villanueva was ejected from Tuesday's game against the Kings after being charged with a flagrant-2 foul. Villanueva committed a hard foul on Isaiah Thomas of the Kings. He saw 11 minutes in the game before being tossed and scored nine points with one rebound and a blocked shot. Villanueva was 3 for 5 from 3-point range and all his shots came from beyond the arc.
Analysis: Villanueva has hit at least three 3-pointers in five straight games and managed to do that over just 11 minutes Tuesday. Villanueva is still averaging single digits in scoring on the year but has been over 14 points per game over his last five. Also pulling down rebounds, Villanueva can see usage in deeper Fantasy formats the way he's been shooting the basketball.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva was able to chip in off the bench in Monday's contest against the 76ers. Villanueva scored eight points in the 104-97 defeat on 3 of 7 shooting from the field. He went 2 for 5 from downtown and also added five rebounds, two steals and one assist to his stat line, while logging 22 minutes off the bench.
Analysis: Villanueva was able to work his way into the rotation 10 games ago and has been seeing around 20 minutes per game ever since. The 28-year-old has been relatively productive in his bench roll as he entered Monday's contest averaging 9.9 points on 49 percent shooting from the field. He is also averaging 1.5 made 3-pointers on the year, which makes him viable low-end option in deeper Rotisserie formats.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva is back in coach Lawrence Frank's rotation, according to the Oakland Press. Villanueva who had hardly seen the floor over Detroit's first 13 games, dropped in 19 points on 7 of 8 shooting from the field in the 117-40 win. He went 4 of 5 from downtown and also added six rebounds, two assists and one block to his stat line, while logging 21 minutes off the bench. “We have four guys who play the position,” Frank said. “They’re each very good players. You can only play two. It just came down to the preseason, deciding to go with (Jason Maxiell) and Jonas. After a period of time we decided to give Charlie a chance. Charlie’s a proven player. We decided to go with Jonas and Max, and now it’s Charlie’s opportunity.”
Analysis: After earning a steady diet of DNPs over the first four weeks of the season, the Pistons decided to change things up and insert Villanueva back into the rotation. The 28-year-old has responded by scoring in double figures in each of his last three contests and has made nine 3-pointers over that stretch. Still, his latest performance is a bit skewed as he was just firing away with the Pistons up by 40 points more most of the second half. However, it appears Villaueva will earn around 15-20 minutes a game most nights and he can still knock down 3-pointers with the rest of them. Any owners in deeper category-based formats looking for help in that department should consider taking a flier on Villanueva while he is seeing run.
News: Pistons power forward Charlie Villanueva was able to make his presence felt for the first time this season against the Knicks Sunday afternoon. Villanueva entered Sunday's game with just three points through his first two games played. He scored a season-high 17 points off the bench -- all in the fourth quarter -- in a 121-100 defeat. He went 7 of 15 shooting from the field, including 3 of 7 from beyond the arc. He also added four rebounds and an assist in 19 minutes off the bench.
Analysis: Villanueva had attempted just 10 shots in 19 minutes of action before his decent game on Sunday. All of his points came in the fourth quarter when the game was considerably out of hand for the Pistons. Villanueva is one of the last players off the bench in coach Lawrence Frank's rotation and should be ignored in all formats moving forward.
News: Pistons power forward Charlie Villanueva admitted on Wednesday that he's frustrated by his limited playing time, reports the Detroit News. Coach Lawrence Frank has said there is no room in the playing rotation for Villanueva. Villanueva last saw any minutes on March 24 at New York. He played six minutes in that game.
Analysis: Villanueva is playing on a five-year, $35 million contract so you would think the Pistons would want to be playing the guy. "Mentally it's frustrating and hard because you worked so hard to get healthy and help the team out," Villanueva said. As long as he isn't seeing minutes, Villanueva is worthless to Fantasy owners.
News: It took 48 games and a blowout loss to the Knicks to give him the opportunity, but Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva finally scored his first points of the season on Saturday, putting up five points on 1 of 6 shooting in a 101-79 loss. Villanueva played just six minutes in the game, grabbing one rebound and blocking one shot as well.
Analysis: Villanueva missed most of the first three months of the season dealing with a foot injury, so he has appeared in just four games in the season. It is clear that he is healthy and just not a member of the rotation right now, so continue to ignore him in all Fantasy formats.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva was made available for Friday night's contest against the Heat, but he did not play in the 88-73 loss. Villanueva had been ruled inactive the past few games due to an ankle injury.
Analysis: Villanueva was healthy enough to play on Friday night, but didn't, which should tell Fantasy owners all they need to know about his status. The 27-year-old has been a huge disappointment this season, so leave him on the waiver wire in all formats at this point in the season.
News: Detroit forward Charlie Villanueva was a spectator on Wednesday night as the Pistons lost to the Nuggets, 116-115. Villanueva, who is dealing with a sore ankle, did not get into the game. He's been dealing with a nagging foot injury since Jan. 4.
Analysis: Villanueva just recently returned for the Pistons, but he hasn't been doing much. Even when healthy, Villanueva is not a big factor in the rotation. Fantasy owners in all formats should cut ties with Charlie V as he's not worth the headache.
News: The Pistons official team website reports that forward Charlie Villanueva will be considered a game-time decision for Wednesday's game at Denver with a sore ankle. Villanueva recently returned to action after being out since Jan. 4 with a foot injury.
Analysis: Fantasy owners should monitor what happens to Villanueva with his ankle problem, but even if he plays against the Nuggets he would have minimal Fantasy value. Ignore him in all leagues even when healthy and active.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva was activated for Friday night's contest against the Hawks, but did not appear in the contest. Villanueva, who has not appeared in a game sicne Jan. 4 due to a foot injury, will be slowly worked back into the rotation, according to coach Lawrence Frank. “Obviously, Charlie’s missed significant time,” he said. “It’s not his fault that he got injured but it’s also not the other guys’ fault they have played well.”
Analysis: Villanueva has a long way to go before Fantasy owners can count on him, but at least he is finally able to play. He could be a useful addition to Fantasy owners in deeper leagues if he proves to be 100 percent and gets enough playing time to post quality stats. Keep an eye on how he fares moving forward. However, Villanueva should be left on the bench in the majority of formats at this point in the season.
News: The Detroit Free Press reports that Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva is on track to play Friday night against the Hawks. Coach Lawrence Frank said it's "trending" that way. Villanueva (foot) has not played since Jan. 4 and has appeared in just two games this season.
Analysis: Villanueva has a long way to go before Fantasy owners can count on him, but keep an eye on his performance to see how he does. He could be a useful addition to Fantasy owners in deeper leagues if he proves to be 100 percent and gets enough playing time to post quality stats.
News: The Pistons official team website reports that forward Charlie Villanueva declared himself fully fit for Friday's game vs. the Hawks. But coach Lawrence Frank wouldn't commit to anything. "We'll see," he said. Villanueva has been out with an ankle injury.
Analysis: Keep an eye on Villanueva's status, and hopefully he can return against the Hawks on Friday. When healthy and active, Villanueva has minimal Fantasy value in the majority of leagues.
News: According to mlive.com, Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva (ankle), who has said he might be available for activation this weekend, was on the floor during warmups Tuesday against the Lakers, dribbling in street clothes.
Analysis: Keep an eye on Villanueva's status, and hopefully he can return soon. When healthy and active, Villanueva has minimal Fantasy value in the majority of leagues.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva told the Detroit Free Press that he is no longer feeling pain in his injured ankle and may attempt to take part in a full practice on Friday, the next step in his return to the floor.
Analysis: Villanueva has played just six minutes of basketball this season, so even making it through a full practice would be a big accomplishment at this point. Fantasy owners will need Villanueva to prove he is healthy and in shape before thinking about snatching him off waivers.
News: The Detroit Free Press reports Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva, who practiced with his teammates Monday for the first time since early January because of a foot injury, might return to action next week. "I'm feeling real good; I went through the first 20 minutes of practice, non-contact, and felt pretty good," Villanueva said. "I'm taking it day by day from now on. I'm not trying to speed things up. I'm just working my way back into things."
Analysis: Villanueva has played just six minutes of basketball this season, so he has to work on his conditioning. He is likely going to factor into the frontcourt rotation once he is active, but let Villanueva prove healthy and productive before activating him in Fantasy.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva (ankle) was able to practice on a limited basis on Monday, according to the team's official website. Villanueva has been sidelined since Jan. 6 due to his ankle injury.
Analysis: Villanueva appears to be getting closer toward getting back on the court, but the team has still not announced an official timetable for his return. Fantasy owner should keep an eye on his status moving forward to see when he will be able to get back on the field. While Villanueva has proved he can be a viable source for 3-pointers when healthy, owners should take a wait-and-see approach with Villanueva once he returns.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva told reporters on Friday night that he is getting closer to making his return to the court. Villanueva, who has appeared in just two games this season due to foot and ankle issues, is hoping to return right after the All-Star break. "I'm feeling good, I've made major improvements over the past couple weeks," Villanueva told the Detroit News.
Analysis: The Pistons released a statement a few weeks back saying Villanueva would need a few more weeks before he is ready, but the 27-year-old appears to be ahead of schedule at this point. Villanueva is reportedly participating in basketball activities and barring any setbacks, will likely make his debut after the All-Star break. Fantasy owners should keep an eye on his status moving forward. While Villanueva has proved he can be a viable source for 3-pointers when healthy, owners should take a wait-and-see approach Charlie once he comes back.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva, who has appeared in just two games this season due to an ankle injury, has a "resolving posterior tibial tenosynovitis with small talotibal spurs," the team announced on Friday. He is expected to need a few weeks of partial immobilization.
Analysis: Villanueva hasn't really panned out for the Pistons after getting his five-year deal. His bone spurs reportedly remain painful, which has limited his mobility on the court. Fantasy owners should leave him on waivers in most formats as he's still a few weeks away from returning.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva, who has appeared in just two games this season due to an ankle injury, has a "resolving posterior tibial tenosynovitis with small talotibal spurs," the team announced on Friday. He is expected to need a few weeks of partial immobilization.
Analysis: Villanueva was hoping to return following Detroit's four-game road trip, but will instead be a spectator. His bone spurs reportedly remain painful, which has limited his mobility on the court. Fantasy owners should leave him on waivers in most formats as no timetable for his return is set.
News: Detroit guard Will Bynum (right foot), Ben Gordon (left shoulder) and forward Charlie Villanueva (right ankle) all remained in Detroit while the rest of the team traveled to New York for Tuesday's game against the Knicks. The trio is unlikely to play for the team before the end of the current three-game road trip. Detroit returns home Friday against Milwaukee.
Analysis: The 27-year-old Villanueva has played in just two games this season and has averaged three minutes in those contests. He's not yet ready to contribute in a major way for Detroit and should be kept on waivers or benches in all leagues and formats for the time being.
News: According to the Detroit Free Press, Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva did not travel with the team for Saturday's game against the 76ers. He hasn't played since Jan. 4 because of a foot injury.
Analysis: Villanueva has dressed for just two games this season and has played a total of six minutes. He should really only be stashed in the deepest of Fantasy formats at this point. Once healthy, Villanueva will have to prove himself to his tea as well as owners before he's consider a viable option.
News: The Pistons' official website reports forward Charlie Villanueva, who hasn't played since Jan. 4 because of a foot injury, has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Hawks.
Analysis: Villanueva has dressed for just two games this season and has played a total of six minutes. He should really only be stashed in the deepest of Fantasy formats. Let Villanueva prove healthy and productive before he becomes a viable Fantasy option again.
News: The Pistons' official website reports Will Bynum (ankle), Ben Gordon (shoulder) and Charlie Villanueva (foot) have all been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Heat.
Analysis: Villanueva has dressed for just two games this season and has played a total of six minutes. He should really only be stashed in the deepest of Fantasy formats. Let Villanueva prove healthy and productive before he becomes a viable Fantasy option again.
News: Detroit F Charlie Villanueva was ruled out for Monday's game at Oklahoma City due to a lingering foot injury, according to NBA.com. Villanueva will miss his 11th straight game for the Pistons, who have not set a target date for his return.
Analysis: It would be nice if there was a timetable for Villanueva's return, but Detroit has not revealed a plan for the forward. Villanueva has managed just six minutes of playing time this season and should only be viewed as a worthwhile option in deeper Fantasy formats at this point.
News: Detroit F Charlie Villanueva missed Saturday's game against Portland with a troublesome foot injury, according to NBA.com. It's the 10th consecutive game Villanueva has been sidelined and the team is uncertain when he will be able to return to the court.
Analysis: Villanueva just can't seem to get healthy during the early part of the season. The 27-year-old has played just two games this year and has not scored a point in six total minutes. He should continue to be reserved in deeper Fantasy formats while sidelined.
News: Detroit F Charlie Villanueva was ruled out for Friday's game against Memphis because of a lingering foot injury, according to NBA.com. Villanueva, who has missed the Pistons' past nine game, was hoping to return to the lineup following the team's road trip, but will remain sidelined instead.
Analysis: Villanueva just can't seem to get healthy during the early part of the season. The 27-year-old has played just two games this year and has not scored a point in six total minutes. He should continue to be reserved in deeper Fantasy formats while sidelined.
News: Detroit PF Charlie Villanueva will miss the next two games after not coming with the Pistons on the current two-game road trip beginning Tuesday at Houston and culminating on Wednesday at Minnesota. That means Villanueva will be out until at least Friday when the team returns home against Memphis. Villanueva is remaining at home to prevent inflammation in his injured ankle. He's played in just two games this year.
Analysis: Villanueva will reportedly see a specialist about his troublesome foot this week. The 27-year-old has been limited to just two games this season and just three total minutes of playing time. Fantasy owners should continue to reserve him in deeper formats while he's hobbled.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva did not play in Sunday's game against Golden State because of a persistent foot injury, according to the Detroit News. Villanueva missed his seventh consecutive game for the Pistons as a result of the troublesome issue.
Analysis: Villanueva was unlikely to play Sunday and will reportedly see a specialist about his troublesome foot this week. The 27-year-old has been limited to just two games this season and just three total minutes of playing time. Fantasy owners should continue to reserve him in deeper formats while he's hobbled.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva was once again held out of Friday night's contest against the Bobcats due to a foot injury. Villanueva has now missed six straight games with his ailment.
Analysis: The Pistons continue to remain cautious with Villanueva's injury and won't risk further injury to the power forward. Unfortunately a four-game suspension and his foot injury have limited him to just two games thus far, although he is expected back on the court soon. Keep an eye on his status moving forward. Villanueva can be considered a viable low-end option in most formats, when healthy.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva was held out yet again on Thursday vs. the Bucks, missing his fifth game as his foot is still not healthy enough for him to return.
Analysis: The Pistons continue to remain cautious with Villanueva's injury and won't risk further injury to the power forward. Unfortunately a four-game suspension and his foot injury have limited him to just two games thus far, although he is expected back on the court soon. Keep an eye on his status moving forward. Villanueva can be considered a viable low-end option in most formats, when healthy.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva was once again ruled out of Tuesday night's contest against the Mavericks due to a foot injury. Villanueva has now missed four straight games due to his latest ailment.
Analysis: The Pistons continue to remain cautious with Villanueva's injury and won't risk further injury to the power forward. Unfortunately a four-game suspension and his foot injury have limited him to just two games thus far, although he is expected back on the court soon. Keep an eye on his status moving forward. Villanueva can be considered a viable low-end option in most formats, when healthy.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva missed Monday's game at Chicago because of a persistent foot injury, according to the Detroit Free Press. Villanueva has played in just two games this year as a result of the injury and a four-game suspension to begin the season.
Analysis: The Pistons continue to remain cautious with Villanueva's injury and won't risk further injury to the power forward. The 27-year-old has averaged double-digits in points during his previous six NBA seasons and is expected to be productive again this season once he returns to full strength. For now, Fantasy owners should view him as a low-end option in the majority of formats.
News: Detroit forward Charlie Villanueva did not dress for Saturday's contest against New York as he continues to deal with a sore right ankle. Coach Lawrence Frank is being cautious with Villanueva.
Analysis: Villanueva has played just six minutes in two games this year for the Pistons. He missed the first three games of the season due to a suspension and now can't get healthy. Even if he was 100 percent there is no guarantee that Charlie V would be seeing significant minutes. Fantasy owners in deeper formats should continue to stash Villanueva for Week 3 (Jan. 9-15) until more on his injury comes out.
News: Detroit forward Charlie Villanueva did not play in Friday's contest with Philadelphia. He was limited in the team's last game with a foot injury. He initially injured his foot in his first game of the season and has yet to log heavy minutes for the Pistons. Coach Lawrence Frank decided against using Villanueva as the Pistons play again on Saturday.
Analysis: Villanueva missed the first three games of the season due to a suspension and now has to deal with this foot issue. He might have to fight for some minutes when he is healthier as Greg Monroe and Jason Maxiell have both been playing well for Detroit. Fantasy owners in deeper formats should continue to monitor Villanueva's status moving forward. When healthy, he's a low-end option in those leagues.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva was able to play in Wednesday game against the Bulls but he was not on the court much. After leaving his season debut after one minute due to a foot injury, he played just five minutes in the 99-83 loss. He recorded one assist and a steal but scored zero points on 0 of 1 shooting.
Analysis: Villanueva missed the first three games of the season due to a suspension and is now being limited by a foot injury. That doesn't equate to the best of options in Fantasy so keep an eye on his progress going forward. He has seen his overall production go down since coming to Detroit in 2009-10 and has lost much of his Fantasy value because of it. Still, Villanueva should be productive enough to be considered a low-end Fantasy option in deeper formats when at 100 percent.
News: After sitting out the first four games due to a suspension and dealing with a foot injury, Pistons F Charlie Villanueva made his 2011-12 debut on Monday night against the Magic. He played just one minute in the 89-78 win and did not record any stats.
Analysis: Villanueva will likely see his minutes limited until he gets a few practices in so keep an eye on his progress going forward. He has seen his overall production go down since coming to Detroit in 2009-10 and has lost much of his Fantasy value because of it. Still, Villanueva should be productive enough to be considered a low-end Fantasy option in deeper formats when at 100 percent.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva was eligible to return Saturday night against the Pacers from a three-game suspension to start the season, but coach Lawrence Frank decided to sit him with a minor foot injury. “He hasn’t really practiced with us (this week) and he hasn’t played, so I’m going to go with the guys who are more in rhythm,” said Frank. The Pistons would beat the Pacers 96-88 in the game.
Analysis: Villanueva has seen his overall production go down since coming to Detroit in 2009-10 and has lost much of his Fantasy value because of it. If he can get back to his 16.2 points-per game high from 2008-09, he would have value, but that doesn’t seem likely as he’s struggled in two years in Detroit. Consider him a low-end Fantasy forward in all formats when healthy.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva had his suspension reduced from five to four games on Friday. The league made the decision based on the lockout-shortened 66-game regular season. He will be eligible to return Jan. 31 against the Pacers. Villanueva was suspended for his altercation with Cavaliers forward Ryan Hollins at the end of last season.
Analysis: Villanueva served the first game of his suspension in the season finale last year and will come back a game earlier than expected. He has seen his overall production go down since coming to Detroit in 2009-10 and has lost much of his Fantasy value because of it. He is only worth drafting with a late-round pick.
News: The Detroit Free Press reports that Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva has been relaxing with his family since the season ended. He's excited about the team's new ownership under Tom Gores and the prospect of a new coach. John Kuester was fired after two seasons. "With new ownership onboard, some right pieces -- I'm feeling good about 2011-12," said Villanueva, who had several run-ins with Kuester during the season. "John did the best he could do for two years, and I wish him the best. But I'm definitely excited about getting a new coach." Villanueva had a mixed season in 2010-11 and was criticized for his lack of defense and fire. He'd like to bounce back strong next season. "I want to be in Detroit," he said. "That's the plan. We have a lot of history here and have been a great organization. I'm excited to see how passionate the new owner is about the team. He's got a winning mentality."
Analysis: Villanueva, who will open next season serving a four-game suspension for his altercation with Cavaliers forward Ryan Hollins at the end of last year, has been a disappointment during his time in Detroit. He will likely remain with the Pistons barring a trade, but he has minimal Fantasy value. He is only worth drafting with a late-round pick.
News: The NBA announced Wednesday that Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva has been suspended five games for his altercation with Cavaliers forward Ryan Hollins on Monday. Villanueva missed Wednesday's season finale at Philadelphia and then be suspended for the first four games of the 2011-12 regular season.
Analysis: Fantasy owners in daily leagues should keep Villanueva out for Wednesday's game, and he has minimal Fantasy value when healthy and active. Heading into next season, Villanueva should be considered a low-end Fantasy forward in the majority of leagues. The Pistons will likely revamp a good portion of their roster, which could help Villanueva, but he should only be drafted with a late-round pick in most formats. And now that he is suspended to start the season, his value is slightly lower heading into the year.
News: Detroit forward Charlie Villanueva was playing well in his limited action Monday against the Cavaliers before he got into it with Ryan Hollins in the fourth quarter. With 5:47 remaining in the game, they wrapped each other up and appeared to push each other in the face before being separated. Both were ejected, and Villanueva had to be restrained as he headed off. Later, Villanueva came out of the Pistons' locker room and sprinted toward Cleveland's locker room, but was stopped by police on a loading dock. "It should have stayed on the court. I shouldn’t have let my emotions get the best of me," Villanueva told the Oakland Pres. "He threw an elbow and his response after that is what got me upset."He finished the night with eight points on 3 of 9 shooting and added a rebound in 15 minutes before getting tossed
Analysis: Villanueva had to be restrained by teammate Rodney Stuckey on the way to the locker room with the help of Pistons security. Before he exited the floor, he motioned for Hollins to join him. Then he headed for the Cavs locker room. Villanueva has been a fairly clean player in the NBA, only stirring up commotion in retaliation this season Monday after the elbow from Hollins and after Kevin Garnett got under his skin with a below-the-belt comment earlier this season. The disgruntled Villanueva admittedly lost his cool, and we expect the league to take considerable action sooner than later. Monitor his situation in the coming days when the league comes up with a ruling. Villanueva is normally a low-end option for his inconsistent impact as a reserve.
News: After missing a game with a back injury, Detroit forward Charlie Villanueva was back on the court on Wednesday. He logged 19 minutes off the bench for the Pistons and scored eight points. Villanueva shot 4 for 11 from the field -- missing all three of his 3-point attempts -- and grabbed five rebounds. He also blocked two shots in the Pistons' 116-109 win over the Nets.
Analysis: Villanueva is one of the few players in Detroit that haven't been in the doghouse this year. But his production on the court has put him in many Fantasy owners' doghouse. Over his last 10 outings, Charlie V is averaging just 8.8 points and 2.3 rebounds per contest. Owners in deeper daily formats can toss Villanueva back in those lineups, but his Fantasy value isn't too high. He hasn't really panned out in Detroit and has been a big disappointment for owners in Fantasy leagues as well. For that reason, Villanueva should be viewed as a low-end forward option the rest of this year and on Draft Day this fall.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva was ruled inactive for Tuesday's contest against the Wizards with a back injury. Villanueva is dealing with a sore lower back and is being considered day to day by the team.
Analysis: Villanueva's back has begun to act up on him again, although he isn't expected to miss too much time with his ailment. Fantasy owners in daily formats should continue to monitor his status moving forward to see if and when he will be able to get back on the court. Still, the veteran's production has been extremely erratic this season, which makes it tough to stick with him for long periods of time. Consider him nothing more than a low-end Fantasy option over the final few games of the season.
News: After being bench during Friday's loss to the Cavaliers, Pistons F Charlie Villanueva didn't play until the fourth quarter of Saturday's 100-88 win over the Pacers. However, Villanueva made the most of his playing time as he played the entire final period and made all five of his shot attempts to finish with 13 points. "I was a little shocked. I expected the same amount of time as last game, but at the same time I had to be ready," Villanueva said. "We have nine or 10 games left. I'm not really worried about it. Whatever Coach wants to do, I'll back him up."
Analysis: Villanueva appears to be back in Coach John Kuester's good graces after being bench for arguing about minutes earlier in the week. That doesn't mean the 26-year-old will see any extra minutes over the next few games as he will likely return to his normal role off the bench. Villanueva has been exactly what many thought he would be this season. A very streaky shooter, who can light up the scoreboard on any given night, but won't do it consistently enough to be worth starting in the majority of Fantasy leagues. Continue to view him as such over the final two weeks of the season.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva, who exchanged words with coach John Kuester after being removed from Wednesday's game, did not play in Friday's 97-91 loss to the Cavaliers. He was listed as a DNP-coach's decision on the box score.
Analysis: Neither Villanueva or Kuester have really said much about the situation as of yet, but it appears on Piston could be in the doghouse. Still, the 26-year-old hasn't exactly been lighting it up of late. He is averaging just under 10 points over his last 10 contest and has been his usual streaky self this season. Fantasy owners will have to keep an eye on the situation moving forward to see when Villanueva will be back on the court.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva turned in another solid effort in Saturday's 120-116 win over the Jazz. Villanueva scored 16 points in the victory on 6 of 10 shooting from the field. He went 4 of 5 from downtown in the contest and also chipped in with five rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench. He is averaging just 7.5 points in the month of February.
Analysis: With all the turmoil surrounding most of the Pistons and the alleged protest incident, Villanuava was one of the few who got some extra minutes out of the deal. He did not disappoint either and he has scored a combined 33 points over his last two games and gone 7 for 11 from downtown over that stretch. The problem for Villanueva has never been his ability to put up big numbers, it is the fact that he continually struggles with his consistency. Until he proves her can produce on a nightly basis, consider him a low-end Fantasy option.
News: After ending 2010 on a high note, averaging 14.2 points per game in December, Detroit forward Charlie Villanueva has seen his productivity fall. His minutes have dropped from 26 in December, to 22.5 in January to 16.8 a game in February entering the All-Star break. He's averaging just 6.7 points and 1.9 rebounds in February, both the lowest output in any month this year. The veteran has been losing minutes to Greg Monroe and Austin Daye, who are both younger and have more potential. As the losses continue to pile up for the Pistons, coach John Kuester may opt to continue to give the younger talent more play to see what the future holds.
Analysis: Villanueva doesn't really give Fantasy owners much to work with, which is why his stock is dropping. Through 54 games this season, Villanueva is averaging just 11.5 points, 4.2 boards and shooting a career-best 37.7 percent from downtown. One good category doesn't give him too much Fantasy potential, especially when his points and rebounding are both the worst of his six-year career. Owners in deeper formats should view Villanueva as a low-end forward option in the second half of the year.
News: Pistons PF Charlie Villanueva averages more than 24 minutes per game this season, but he hasn't played that much in one game in the last 10 chances. The trend includes Friday's loss to the Heat, when Villanueva played just 20 minutes on the night. He scored only five points on 2 of 9 shooting, including 0 of 4 from long-range. Villanueva managed four rebounds on the defensive end as a compliment.
Analysis: Not only has Villanueva played less than his average over the last 10 games, but he hasn't seen 20 minutes in six games during that stretch. His production has suffered in all areas as a result, as he's scored just 32 points in the last six games combined. Villanueva has not been much better on the boards and was never an assist-guy, so without the scoring numbers, his value nearly diminishes. As it was, he was a low-end Fantasy option during his best points of the year, so he should be considered less even in the deeper leagues in the short-term.
News: Pistons PF Charlie Villanueva could expect some extra run with Jason Maxiell missing time for Detroit. Villanueva has been active the last three games entering Wednesday against the Bobcats. He's averaging 9.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game over those three contests and also has seven 3-pointers in the three games.
Analysis: Villanueva never seems to be on firm ground for Detroit and he has periods of solid Fantasy play followed by mediocrity and inactivity. Until he plays well and plays consistently, Villanueva only has Fantasy value in deeper formats.
News: Detroit forward Charlie Villanueva saw 15 minutes of action on Wednesday against Denver. He missed two straight games with an ankle injury, before returning to the court versus the Nuggets. He shot 4 for 9 from the field -- going 3 for 5 from downtown -- finishing with 11 points. He added two blocks and one rebounds for the Pistons. Detroit would fall to Denver, 109-100, despite Villanueva's contributions.
Analysis: Villanueva can be a viable option in Fantasy leagues, but his inconsistent play angers owners. He's shooting 37.2 percent from downtown this year, but can't seem to put together solid games. Over his last three games Villanueva is averaging 7.3 points and 3.7 boards in about 18 minutes of action. While he has an upside, owners should only use Villanueva in the deeper Fantasy leagues at this stage of the season.
News: According to the team's official website, Pistons F Charlie Villanueva is expected to play on Wednesday against Denver. He missed the team's last two games with a sprained right ankle.
Analysis: Villanueva remains a headache for Fantasy owners. Clearly a talented player with upside as a scorer and a rebounder, he has found consistency hard to come by throughout his career. He is averaging just 9.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in January and is not an advisable play outside of larger formats until he can prove healthy and productive again.
News: Detroit PF Charlie Villanueva missed Monday's game in Orlando with a sprained right ankle. Villanueva has already missed two games with the ankle and is day to day.
Analysis: Villanueva is very risky play in Fantasy circles at the moment because of his ankle. He has averaged just 9.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in a very inconsistent month of January anyway and is not the type we'd consider taking an injury risk on in most leagues.
News: The Pistons officially list Charlie Villanueva as 'questionable' for Monday's game in Orlando with a sprained right ankle. Villanueva missed the Pistons' game against Phoenix on Saturday night due to the injury. He left Detroit's game against New Jersey on Friday night after spraining the ankle. X-rays on his ankle came back negative.
Analysis: Villanueva is slated for four games in Week 14 (Jan. 24-30), but is clearly not a guarantee to play in all or even any of the games. That makes him a highly risky option for weekly formats. He has averaged just 9.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in a very inconsistent month of January anyway and is not the type we'd consider taking an injury risk on in most leagues.
News: Detroit forward Charlie Villanueva missed the Pistons' game against Phoenix on Saturday night with an ankle injury. Villanueva left Detroit's game against New Jersey on Friday night with a left ankle sprain and did not return. He is scheduled to get X-rays on the ankle on Saturday and is considered day-to-day.
Analysis: Villanueva has been shooting better recently and sank 45 percent of his shots from the field in three of his last four games prior to the injury. He has had his struggles this season and is averaging just 12.7 points per game -- just below his career average of 13.0 points. Fantasy owners should monitor his health heading into next week and he should be viewed as a mid-range Fantasy option.
News: Detroit forward Charlie Villanueva left the Pistons' game against New Jersey on Friday night with a left ankle sprain. He will not return. Villanueva missed his three field-goal attempts and didn't register a point in nine minutes of action. He also finished with two rebounds, and is considered questionable for Detroit's game against Phoenix on Saturday.
Analysis: Villanueva has been shooting better recently and had posted 45 percent from the field in three of his last four games entering Friday. He is notorious for falling into prolonged slumps and is averaging just 13.0 points and 4.9 rebounds per game this season. Fantasy owners should monitor his health heading into next week and he should be viewed as a mid-range Fantasy option.
News: After scoring in single digits for four straight games, Pistons F Charlie Villanueva broke that slump on Friday and continued it on Saturday night against the Kings. He dropped 16 points on 7 of 13 shooting in the 110-106 win. He went 2 for 5 from downtown but missed his lone free throw attempt while playing 34 minutes off the bench. Villanueva also posted two rebounds, two assists and a steal in the victory.
Analysis: Villanueva went through a serious scoring slump to start the new year and is averaging just 10 points with 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists over his last five contests. He is shooting 44 percent from the field during that span and nearly 37 percent from beyond the arc. Villanueva has seen his scoring take a hit since coming to Detroit but he is usually good for some points and modest rebounding on a nightly basis, and is averaging a career high in blocks. His production should come around, as he continues to see solid minutes off of the bench, so don't be afraid to have him starting in deeper leagues for Week 13 (Jan. 17-23) with Dallas, Boston, New Jersey and Phoenix on the schedule.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva shooting woes continued in Monday's 95-82 loss to the Bulls. Villanueva shot just 1 of 4 from the field in the contest and finished with three points. He went 1 of 3 from behind the arc and chipped in with seven rebounds and an assist in 17 minutes off the bench.
Analysis: Villanueva has played pretty well this season, but is currently mired in a shooting slump at the moment. He is shooting just 30 percent from the field over his last three contests while failing to score in double digits over that stretch. Something else worth mentioning is his lack of minutes of late. With the recent strong play of Greg Monroe and Chris Wilcox, Villanueva has seen his minutes reduced. He is averaging 26.1 minutes on the season but has failed to play over 19 minutes over his last two games. Fantasy owners should keep an eye on this possible situation moving forward. A decline in minutes would result in Villanueva's already limited Fantasy value taking a hit.
News: Detroit forward Charlie Villanueva didn't hit double figures for the first time in almost a month on Tuesday night. Villanueva scored just four points on a 2-for-7 shooting performance against the Lakers. He missed all three of his 3-pointers in the 108-83 loss. Villanueva added four rebounds and three assists in his 24 minutes on the court.
Analysis: Villanueva had been playing well, but since his 25-point effort on Dec. 27, his numbers have been dwindling. Villanueva is averaging 12.8 points, 1.8 assists and 3.6 boards over his last five games. At the beginning of that stretch he was hot from downtown, going 9 for 11, but has since gone 1 for 8. Fantasy owners should view Villanueva as a low-end forward option in deeper formats. While he can produce solid games, his overall numbers are just too inconsistent to bank on in most leagues.
News: Detroit PF Charlie Villanueva had a very solid Monday in a loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. Villanueva scored a team-high 25 points in the contest on 10 of 14 shotoing over 29 minutes. He went 5 for 5 from long range and added three rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block.
Analysis: Villanueva has been playing at a high level of late and is averaging 18 points per game over his last five. That comes with 6.4 rebounds, a steal and a block and he's got seven 3-pointers made over that span. As long as he keeps scoring as he's been lately, his rebounding makes him worth using in deeper Fantasy leagues across the board.
News: Detroit forward Charlie Villanueva tallied a team-high 18 points off the bench in the Pistons' 109-88 loss to the Clippers on Friday night. Villanueva surged while Detroit's starters scored just 29 points and pulled down two fewer rebounds than the Clippers' Blake Griffin had the entire game (15). Villanueva drained 5 of his 11 shots from the field and knocked down a 3-pointer for the fourth game in a row.
Analysis: Villanueva has recorded a sterling three-game stretch for the Pistons -- all coming off the bench. He is averaging 19.3 points and 8.0 rebounds in his last three outings, including a 23-point performance against Atlanta on Dec. 14. He is still shaky shooting the ball and his big rebounding games are not consistent. Keep him as a viable Fantasy option in deeper leagues and category-based formats.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva notched his third double-double of the season in Tuesday's 103-80 win over the Hawks. Villanueva scored 23 points to go along with 11 rebounds in the contest in 28 minutes off the bench. He went 3 of 7 from behind the arc and also chipped in with three steals in the victory.
Analysis: Villanueva has played well in his last two games after playing not so well in his previous three. Unfortunatley that is the way it has always been for Villanueva over his career. He looks like a Fantasy superstar one game and a dud in the next. Still, as long as you realize that coming in, Villanueva can be a valuable contributor especially in deeper category-based leagues.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva delivered a strong performance in Saturday's 120-116 loss to the Raptors. Villanueva scored 17 points in the defeat on 7 of 14 shooting form the floor. He went 3 of 9 from behind the arc while logging 22 minutes off the bench. Villanueva also chipped in with four rebounds, two steals and a block before fouling out.
Analysis: Villanueva played well on Saturday after scoring a combined 11 points in his last two contests. While he is a decent source for 3-pointers and rebounds, he has been very inconsistent this season, which has limited his Fantasy value. Continue to view him as a low-end Fantasy reserve heading into Fantasy Week 8 (Dec. 13-19).
News: Detroit forward Charlie Villanueva returned to the lineup Wednesday after missing the Pistons' game on Tuesday and scored just two points in 10 minutes. Villanueva, who missed Tuesday's game at Houston due to a personal matter, tied a season low in points and did not record a rebound for the first time this season.
Analysis: Villanueva is struggling mightily in his last two games. The forward has a total of 11 points and one rebound for the Pistons, who have lost six of their last seven games. His 10 minutes Wednesday were a season low and he was held without a field goal for the first time this season. As his production slips, so does his Fantasy value -- consider him a low-end Fantasy forward, for now.
News: Detroit PF Charlie Villanueva returned to the lineup for Wednesday against New Orleans, reports the Detroit News. Villanueva missed Tuesday's game due to a personal matter.
Analysis: Villanueva is averaging 10.2 points over his last five games and has seen his production slip just a bit as the Pistons are using smaller lineups. Villanueva has value in Fantasy as a power forward who shoots 3-pointers, but his overall production isn't anything special.
News: Pistons PF Charlie Villanueva will miss Tuesday's game at Houston because of a personal matter, according to the Detroit News. Villanueva is averaging 13.2 points and 4.8 rebounds this season. He's expected to return for Wednesday's game.
Analysis: Villanueva hasn't been quite as productive of late as the Pistons have experimented with smaller lineups. He's averaging 10.2 points over his last five games. He has value in Fantasy as a power forward who shoots 3-pointers, but his overall production isn't anything special. Obviously, you should reserve him for Tuesday's game.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva turned in a productive effort off the bench in Tuesday's 90-79 loss to the Magic. Villanueva scored 12 points on 5 of 11 shooting in 24 minutes off the bench. He went just 1 of 4 from downtown but did chip in with five rebounds, two blocks and a steal in the defeat.
Analysis: Villanueva continues to be one of the more frustrating forwards in Fantasy because he has the upside to put up big numbers, but also turn in stinkers. He is seeing about 26 minutes a game off the bench, despite all the lineup changes coach John Kuester has been making. Consider him a low-end Fantasy forward at this point.
News: A game after dropping 25 points with 11 rebounds against the Wizards, Pistons F Charlie Villanueva was limited to just two points on 1 of 6 shooting from the field on Tuesday in Dallas. He played just 18 minutes off the bench.
Analysis: Villanueva continues to be one of the more frustrating forwards in Fantasy because he has the upside to put up numbers like the other night, but then also has games like Tuesday. Coach John Kuester continues to shuffle Jason Maxiell and Austin Daye as his starter at power forward, but Villanueva's playing time has remains mostly consistent. Just understand that Villanueva, who remains worthy of a low-end play in most formats, comes with a few headaches. Once you come to grips with that, you'll feel a lot better.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva scored 25 points with 11 rebounds on Sunday against the Wizards in his best statistical performance of the season. He played a season-high 37 minutes off the bench. He had not played more than 30 minutes in his last three games.
Analysis: Villanueva is averaging 15.7 points and 5.4 rebounds in November. He got the minutes in a game in which usual starter Austin Daye received a DNP-CD with the Pistons trying to play with more size up front. Villanueva has been a very inconsistent player throughout his NBA career and there is no reason to think that will change now. However, He is averaging a solid 28.9 minutes off the bench for Detroit and has enough production potential to consider using as a low-end starter in Fantasy.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva had his best scoring night of the season in Friday's 113-107 win overtime win over the Clippers. Villanueva scored a season-high 30 points on 9 of 15 shooting in 33 minutes off the bench. He went 5 of 7 from downtown and also chipped in with a rebound and an assist in the win. "I'm fine coming off the bench, that's what coach wants me to do, be that sparkplug," Villanueva said. "I'm just accepting my role and that's what I'm doing."
Analysis: Villanueva has been productive over the first nine games of the season. He has only failed to reach double-digits once this season and is shooting 42 percent (21-30) from downtown. He has been a bit inconsistent over his career, but as long as he keeps up his current pace, Villanueva can be considered a low-end Fantasy forward in deeper formats.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva scored eight points in Tuesday's 100-78 loss to the Blazers. Villanueva shot just 3 of 8 from the field in 21 minutes off the bench. He went just 1 of 4 from downtown and chipped in with five rebounds, two blocks, and a steal in the defeat.
Analysis: Villanueva has been decent off the bench this season for the Pistons. He is seeing about 28 minutes a game and is averaging right around 13 points per contest. While his limits limit his production, Villanueva is a decent source for 3-pointers and can be a productive rebounder. Consider him a low-end Fantasy option at this time.
News: The day after getting into it with Celtics F Kevin Garnett, Pistons F Charlie Villanueva had a productive game off the bench against the Hawks on Wednesday night. He scored 14 points with our rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes of playing time. Villanueva has averaged 14.4 points per game through five games.
Analysis: Villanueva's "run-in" with Garnett on Tuesday night caused quite a stir, but he did not appear to let it bother him on Wednesday and has been very steady in the early going this season despite playing off the bench. Consistency has been an issue for Charlie throughout his career, but right now he seems to be reliable for about 14 points, 4-5 rebounds and a 3-pointer or two per game.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva (ankle) was able to play on Tuesday against Boston and he played well. Villanueva was expected to be a game-time decision after missing practice on Monday. He has a sore ankle and is not playing at 100 percent health but still managed to give 33 minutes and score 17 points. He shot 7 of 13 from the field and hit a 3-pointer. Villanueva added seven rebounds and two blocked shots.
Analysis: Villanueva is getting 28 minutes per game and averaging 14.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and almost three 3-pointers per game. As far as 3-point shooting goes for a power forward, Villanueva has been more than worth owning if you need help in deeper leagues in that category. That said, he needs to play with more consistency to gain league-wide Fantasy appeal.
News: Pistons PF Charlie Villanueva sprained his ankle on Saturday against the Bulls, reports Mlive.com on Monday. Villanueva is expected to be a game-time decision for Tuesday's game against Boston. Pistons coach John Kuester said that Austin Daye will continue to get the starter's minutes at power forward.
Analysis: The Pistons have been going with Daye as the starting power forward but Villanueva is still getting around 25 minutes per game. He's playing fairly well, too, contributing between 12-15 points and around five rebounds per contest thus far. Villanueva is going to be inconsistent and may bounce around from being a starter and a bench player all year. When he's hot, he can be used as a No. 3 or 4 Fantasy option at forward. When he's playing poorly, he can be left off rosters. It is up to you to decide. Now that he's a risky start for Tuesday, Villanueva should probably kept grounded in Week 2 (Nov. 1-7).
News: Detroit forward Charlie Villanueva did not start in Wednesday's season opener in New Jersey, but out performed both of the Pistons' starting forwards -- Austin Daye and Tayshaun Prince. Villanueva hit 4 of his 9 3-point attempts and finished the day hitting 50 percent of his shots from the field. He finished with 14 points, three rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot in his almost 23 minutes of action. The Pistons were also a team-best plus 11 points when Villanueva was on the court.
Analysis: Villanueva is coming off a disappointing 2009-10 season, and if he continues to play like he did on Wednesday will either be a starter soon or keep on providing a punch off the bench for the Pistons. But when it comes down to it, Villanueva will have to show Detroit coach John Kuester and Fantasy owners he can contribute on a nightly basis to be leaned on heavily. Owners should view him as a No. 4 forward option due to his history of inconsistency.
News: Pistons PF Charlie Villanueva, expected to start this season after Jonas Jerebko went down in the preseason opener with a ruptured Achilles', has been winning over the coaching staff with his performance this preseason, according to NBA.com. Over his last three games, he's averaging 18.0 points and 5.7 rebounds in 29.7 minutes, hitting a total of six 3-pointers during that stretch. "Charlie's had a wonderful preseason and he brings a lot to the plate, both starting and coming off the bench," coach John Kuester said. "He's done a real nice job in the preseason and he's really focused on what we're trying to do defensively." Villanueva, hoping to rebound from a disappointing 2009-10, spent much of the offseason working out with strength and conditioning coach Arnie Kander.
Analysis: Villanueva thinks his work with Kander will make a big difference. "Not being with Arnie [after] I signed the deal last summer [hurt]," Villanueva said. "The workouts we do are totally different but at the same time effective." The Pistons need Villanueva to become more of a rebounder and defender, which could limit his 3-point shooting. It could lead to more inside scoring, though, which would improve his Fantasy value overall. He'll likely slip to the late rounds on Draft Day, but he still has the potential to perform like a No. 3 Fantasy forward.
News: Pistons PF Charlie Villanueva went 7 of 16 from the field and 1 of 3 from 3-point range on Tuesday night in a preseason win over Washington. Villanueva scored 19 points off the bench in 32 minutes of action. He added six rebounds and a steal.
Analysis: After totaling 17 points in his first three preseason games, Villanueva is averaging 18 points per game over his last three preseason tilts. Villanueva's trying to bounce back from a disappointing year with the Pistons, where he averaged 11.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. He started a career-low 16 games and was lost in the rotation. If Villanueva can stay healthy and put up numbers similar to those on Friday night, he'd have a good amount of Fantasy value. But until he proves he can contribute on a consistent basis, owners should view him as a late-round pick on Draft Day.
News: Detroit forward Charlie Villanueva has been dealing with a hamstring injury so far this preseason as he's averaged just 5.7 points per game heading into Friday's game against Minnesota. He played 30 minutes and shot 6 for 13 from the field, finishing with 16 points. He hit 75 percent of his free-throw attempts and knocked down one 3-pointer. Villanueva grabbed eight rebounds, recorded two blocks, made a steal and dished out two assists for the Pistons.
Analysis: Villanueva's trying to bounce back from a disappointing year with the Pistons, where he averaged 11.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. He started a career-low 16 games and was lost in the rotation. If Villanueva can stay healthy and put up numbers similar to those on Friday night, he'd have a good amount of Fantasy value. But until he proves he can contribute on a consistent basis, owners should view him as a late-round pick on Draft Day.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva logged just five minutes in Wednesday's preseason game against the Mavericks. He made one shot from the field, had one rebound and had one steal in his limited action. Villanueva has been dealing with a hamstring injury and is still considered day to day.
Analysis: Despite seeing some action on Wednesday, Villanueva is still not 100 percent. Detroit is hoping Villanueva has a better year for them after signing him to a big offseason deal before the 2009-10 season. He averaged 11.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game last year and started a career-low 16 games. While he is a risky pick, Villanueva could bounce back for the Pistons, which makes him worth taking in the later rounds on Draft Day.
News: Pistons PF Charlie Villanueva missed Monday's preseason game against Atlanta with an ailing hamstring. Villanueva is day to day for the Pistons and the injury is not considered one that is serious.
Analysis: With Jonas Jerebko expected to be out for five to six months after suffering an Achilles' injury, Villanueva is expected to play a major role again and is most likely going to be a starter at power forward. Villanueva started a career-low 16 games during the 2009-10 regular season. He averaged 11.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Jerebko's absence likely means an automatic boost to the 23.7 minutes per game he averaged a year ago. While Villanueva tends to be highly erratic, he has decent statistical upside and could be a late-round sleeper in Fantasy leagues as a result.
News:Jonas Jerebko is is expected to be out for five to six months after suffering an Achilles' injury in his first preseason game in Miami. He may be forced to sit out the entire season. In his absence, Charlie Villanueva is the most likely to start at power forward.
Analysis: Villanueva started a career-low 16 games during the 2009-10 regular season. He averaged 11.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Jerebko's absence likely means an automatic boost to the 23.7 minutes per game he averaged a year ago. While Villanueva tends to be highly erratic, he has decent statistical upside and could be a late-round sleeper in Fantasy leagues as a result.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva started a career-low 16 games during the 2009-10 regular season. He averaged 11.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
Analysis: Villanueva was erratic in his first year with the Pistons with a lot of ups and downs. But there were far more downs than ups in the second half of the season as he appeared to fall out of favor with the coaching staff. He averaged a career-low 23.7 minutes per game and continues to be a disappointment in Fantasy. He'll be a mid-to-late round pick in drafts this fall as a No. 4 or 5 forward in most formats.
News: According to the Detroit News, Pistons F Charlie Villanueva missed his team's flight to Philadelphia. He later joined the team after taking a commercial flight.
Analysis: The Pistons had no comment about any possible disciplinary action for Villanueva. The Pistons play the 76ers Tuesday night. Thankfully, the decision to sit Charlie has been made easy by his lack of production. He's quickly fallen out of favor in Detroit.
News: Detroit PF Charlie Villanueva was wondering why he never got a chance to play at all Wednesday against the Heat. The forward has been a disappointment since signing a large free-agent contract last summer, but had kept a spot in Detroit's rotation until this week. He didn't play in the second half of Sunday's loss to Chicago, then picked up his first DNP-CD in two years on Wednesday. "You're talking to the wrong man," he said. "I don't know what is going on. No one has said anything to me. All I can do is go out there, play if they put me in the game and cheer on my teammates if they don't."
Analysis: Villanueva has been bothered by a sore back, but neither he nor Pistons coach John Kuester said that had anything to do with his benching against Chicago and Miami. "We made some changes with our rotation and we wanted to give some other guys a look right now," Kuester said, adding that he'll decide on Villanueva's status on a game-by-game basis. "It was my decision. That's the direction that I want to go in right now." Villanueva clearly has no Fantasy value until he gets back and with such little season left, that might not happen.
News: For the second straight night, Pistons F Charlie Villanueva scored 11 points in a loss to the Pacers on Tuesday. Villanueva shot 4 of 12 from the field while adding six rebounds and a steal in 21 minutes. He has now scored in double figures in three of his last five games.
Analysis: Villanueva is now averaging 9.4 points and 4.2 rebounds over his last five contests. The former UConn star is averaging just over 19 minutes a game and is only putting up numbers that are worth using in the deepest of Fantasy leagues at this point.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva scored 11 points and grabbed five rebounds in a loss to the Cavaliers on Sunday. Villanueva shot 5 of 10 from the field while swatting away two shots and collecting a steal. It was the second time in his last three games that Villanueva has reached double digit scoring.
Analysis: Villanueva is averaging just nine points and 3.2 rebounds over his last five games. With the Pistons playing just three times during Fantasy Week 22 (March 22-28), Villanueva is a just a low-end Fantasy option who can only provide value in the deepest of leagues at this point.
News: Detroit PF Charlie Villanueva might be getting more minutes lately because Ben Wallace is injured. It sure worked for him on Wednesday against Utah. He played 27 minutes and scored 19 points, his highest output since Jan. 20 against Boston, on 8 of 18 shooting. Villanueva hit three 3-pointers for the second straight game and added two steals and a block with five rebounds.
Analysis: Villanueva has been a solid Fantasy option at times this season. He averaged almost 17 points and six boards per game through November. He's also been a non-entity at times and has been since 2010 began. Hopefully this latest opportunity means he'll get more playing time because he is a solid option when he gets it.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva scored 12 points in a loss to Cleveland on Friday. Villanueva shot 4 of 9 from the field while grabbing two boards and a block in 18 minutes. It was just the first time in his last five games that Villanueva scored in double digits.
Analysis: Villanueva is averaging just 7.4 points over his last five games to go along with four rebounds. He only provides Fantasy value in the deepest of formats.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva played just 17 minutes off the bench in Wednesday's game at the Clippers. He shot 3 of 6 from the field and scored eight points with two rebounds and an assist. He is averaging 5.6 points and 3.0 rebounds over his last five games.
Analysis: Villanueva is not getting even 20 minutes per game anymore and has fallen out of favor with coach John Kuester. He goes through lulls like this throughout the season, but still has enough upside to keep around because he is just as likely to go on a hot streak at any point down the stretch. You just can't activate him right now.
News: Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva, who has missed two of the last five games due to injury, continues to struggle. He had no points and four rebounds in 19 minutes Tuesday at Milwaukee. He did have 12 points against the Nets on Saturday, but all four of his makes were three-pointers.
Analysis: Villanueva has plantar fasciitis, which clearly hinders his ability to plant and fight for position in the post. Hopefully he can get healthy following the All-Star break or at least start to play a little better. Right now he's not helping Fantasy owners and should not be used in most formats.
News: Detroit F Charlie Villanueva (back spasms) returned to the Pistons lineup and scored nine points in a 99-92 victory over the Nets on Saturday. Villanueva played 17 minutes shooting 4 of 7 from the field while adding four assists and two boards.
Analysis: After seeing just eight minutes combined in three games due to back spasms, Villanueva will be a nice addition to the Pistons lineup. He is capable of scoring in double figures on a nightly basis. If Villanueva can play healthy and be productive, he is a solid No. 4 Fantasy forward.
News: Despite suffering from back spasms and missing Friday's game, Detroit F Charlie Villanueva will be back in the Pistons lineup on Saturday according to the official team Web site.
Analysis: Villanueva has sat out in two of the Pistons last three games. He is averaging 13.8 points per game this season to go along with 5.4 rebounds. If Villanueva can play healthy and be productive, he is a solid No. 4 Fantasy forward.
News: Pistons PF Charlie Villanueva returned to the Pistons' lineup Tuesday, playing eight minutes against the Nets. He was 0 of 2 from the field, finishing with zero points, one rebound and one steal.
Analysis: Villanueva only played eight minutes Tuesday, so owners should not rush to put him back in their lineups until he starts playing significant minutes again. Once he does he's a solid No. 4 Fantasy forward.
News: According to the Detroit News, reports that Charlie Villanueva (back) was able to go through Tuesday's morning shoot around and could be available for Tuesday night's game in New Jersey. Villanueva injured his back minutes before Sunday's game against Orlando.
Analysis: The report added that Villanueva is listed as "probable" for Tuesday's game so all signs point to him playing against the Nets. Fantasy owners in daily lineups can count on him for Tuesday night and it seems like this won't be an issue going forward, though it is not a bad idea to monitor him to make sure he plays without any lingering effects of the injury. When healthy, Villanueva should be counted on as a solid No. 3 forward in standard formats.
News: Detroit F Charlie Villanueva did not play in Sunday's game against Orlando due to back spasms.
Analysis: Fantasy owners will have to keep track of Villanueva's back injury. Detroit plays three game during Fantasy Week 15 (Feb.1-7) and Villanueva has scored in double figures in four of his last five contests while averaging 4.8 rebounds during that span. He is a No. 3 Fantasy forward in most leagues.
News: Detroit F Charlie Villanueva led the Pistons with 15 points as they fell 92-65 to Miami on Friday. Villanueva played 28 minutes going 6 of 11 from the field and adding four rebounds.
Analysis: Villanueva has scored in double figures in four of his last five contests while averaging 4.8 rebounds during that span. He is a No. 3 Fantasy forward in most leagues.
News: Detroit F Charlie Villanueva scored 17 points on 7 of 18 shooting as the Pistons fell 97-93 to Portland on Saturday. Villanueva also added five rebounds in the loss. He has not gotten over the 20-point hump in his last six games.
Analysis: Detroit faces a tough three game schedule during Fantasy Week 14 (Jan.25-31) with Orlando and the Heat coming to town. However, Villanueva has only failed to score in double figures just once in his last six games and has warranted a start as a No. 3 Fantasy forward in most leagues.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva had 16 points and six rebounds in Monday's game at the Knicks. He has averaged 15.0 points and 7.4 rebounds over his last five games.
Analysis: Villanueva is playing through pain in his foot due to plantar fasciitis, but that no longer seems to be impeding his production. Fantasy owners can once again feel comfortable starting him as a No. 2 or 3 forward, depending on the size of your league.
News: Pistons PF Charlie Villanueva scored 23 points Tuesday at Washington, marking the first time in 14 games he had scored at least 20. He also had nine rebounds and hit a season-high five 3-pointers in six attempts.
Analysis: After a slow finish to December, Villanueva is averaging 15.4 points over five December games, once again becoming an important part of the Pistons' rotation. He'll probably remain inconsistent as a bench player, but as long as he averages about a dozen points per game, he's worth using as a No. 2 Fantasy forward.
News: Detroit PF Charlie Villanueva scored 19 points on Saturday in a loss to the 76ers. Villanueva shot 7 of 13 from the field and hit two threes. He added five rebounds.
Analysis: Villanueva is still coming off the bench in Detroit but he's scored in double figures in four straight games and is getting back into rhythm. He averages 14.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game on the season and should continue to see action in deeper Fantasy leagues. The Pistons play four times in Week 12 (Jan. 11-17) and have favorable matchups.
News: Detroit PF Charlie Villanueva still seems bothered by his upset stomach that caused him to miss practice on Monday. The former UConn star saw just 10 minutes of action on Tuesday night in a loss to the Knicks. He failed to score on 0 for 4 shooting with one rebound.
Analysis: Averaging 14.4 points, 5.3 boards and almost a block per game for the Pistons on the season, it is clear Villanueva is struggling with this illness. He's scoring just 3.6 points per game in his last five contests and is getting just 18.6 minutes per night in those games. This could also be due to the fact that Detroit is healthier now with Tayshaun Prince, Ben Gordon and Richard Hamilton back from extended injury absences. He's been dealing with severe pain in his foot for over a week due to the effects of plantar fasciitis on top of everything else and right now should be reserved in most Fantasy leagues until he can get close to 100 percent health.
News: According to the Piston's official team Web site, Charlie Villanueva has been cleared to play. He was questionable due to an illness. Villanueva posted on his official Twitter feed Tuesday afternoon that he would be a game-time decision for Tuesday's game against the Knicks.
Analysis: Villanueva has also been dealing with severe pain in his foot for over a week due to the effects of plantar fasciitis. The injury has taken a bigger toll than expected on his production in the last week and we don't recommend activating him until he proves he can play through it and be productive.
News:Charlie Villanueva posted on his official Twitter feed Tuesday afternoon that he will be a game-time decision for Tuesday's game against the Knicks. Villanueva has been dealing with severe pain in his foot for over a week due to the effects of plantar fasciitis.
Analysis: Villanueva added that he will see how he feels during pre-game warm ups. A decision would then be made as to whether he would play or not. The plantar fasciitis has taken a bigger toll than expected on his production in the last week and we don't recommend activating him until he proves he can play through it and be productive.
News: The slumping Detroit Pistons didn't get any good roster news for their game against the Toronto Raptors. Detroit has lost five straight while missing three key players - Ben Gordon (left ankle), Richard Hamilton (right hamstring) and Tayshaun Prince (back) - and Pistons coach John Kuester wasn't expecting any of them back Wednesday night. Hamilton and Prince were inactive, while Gordon was on the active list because the Pistons don't have 12 healthy players, but did not dress. Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva (foot) was expected to play, despite being limited to 23 minutes in Tuesday's loss in Charlotte.
Analysis: Villanueva is worth using as a No. 2 or No. 3 Fantasy option, when healthy. That said, he's going to be playing through the pain and that could certainly limit his production going forward. He's not injured if he keeps playing but he's a liability to your Fantasy roster. Stay abreast of this situation.
News: Detroit PF Charlie Villanueva was limited by a sore foot on Tuesday against the Bobcats. Villanueva scored four points on 2 of 8 shooting over 21 minutes. "I just couldn't move out there really, man," said Villanueva. "I couldn't really take off. It's frustrating."
Analysis: Villanueva played through the pain on Tuesday but he certainly is a risk to miss some time now if he wakes up in the A.M. and the pain is worse. He is worth using as a No. 2 or No. 3 Fantasy option, when healthy, but you'll want to monitor him in practice Wednesday before activating him in daily leagues for the game against Toronto.
News: The Detroit Free Press reports that Charlie Villanueva injured his right heel in the first half of Friday's game against Oklahoma City. He is expected to play Sunday against the L.A. Lakers, however, the team announced at Saturday's practice.
Analysis: Villanueva was limited to 25 minutes in the game, but he still managed 16 points and 5 rebounds in the game. It appears he won't miss any time and Fantasy owners should continue to rely on him as a low-end No. 2 forward or a solid No. 3 option. He is averaging 17.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in December.
News: Pistons PF Charlie Villanueva had 16 points and four rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench Tuesday at Houston. He has now scored at least 15 points in four of his last five games.
Analysis: As a reserve, Villanueva won't put up huge numbers, but at least he's still scoring with enough consistency to serve as a low-end No. 3 Fantasy forward. He'll even contribute a few 3-pointers.
News: Pistons PF Charlie Villanueva had 27 points, five rebounds and five assists in 35 minutes off the bench Thursday against the Nuggets. He hadn't scored more than 20 points in 11 games, averaging 13.3 points during that stretch.
Analysis: The Pistons recently moved Villanueva to the bench, but his scoring began to dip before then. He's a power forward who can hit threes, but he's still too inconsistent to use as more than a No. 3 Fantasy option.
News: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva returned to action Friday against Milwaukee from a one-game absence following surgery to repair a broken nose. He used a facemask and was on the floor for 9 points and 2 rebounds.
Analysis: Villanueva was often seen fidgeting with the mask and didn't seem all too comfortable. However, it's not something that should keep him down for very long. He'll get his minutes back up to normal soon and is safe to activate in most scenarios. When healthy, he's good for around 15 points and 6 rebounds per game.
News: The Detroit Free Press reports that Pistons coach John Kuester said Thursday that Charlie Villanueva (nose) will play Friday against Milwaukee. He will wear a mask after undergoing surgery to repair the break this week.
Analysis: Villanueva tweeted on Thursday on his official Twitter feed that he was feeling a lot better and all signs point to him giving it a go Friday. When healthy, Villanueva can be used as a No. 2 Fantasy forward -- especially against his former team Friday.
News: Detroit F Charlie Villanueva was unable to return to action on Wednesday against Milwaukee due to a nasal fracture. He is questionable for Friday against the Bucks.
Analysis: Villanueva came into Wednesday as a game-time decision, so he is likely pretty close to returning to action. When healthy, Villanueva can be used as a No. 2 Fantasy forward.
News: The Detroit Free-Press reports Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva said he is still achy from the broken nose he suffered Sunday against the Hawks. He will be a game-time decision for Wednesday's game at Chicago.
Analysis: Keep an eye on Villanueva's status and hope he can return against the Bulls. When healthy, Villanueva is a No. 2 Fantasy forward.
News: According to the Detroit Pistons' official website, Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon could both play Wednesday at Chicago. Villanueva suffered a broken nose in Sunday's game against Atlanta.
Analysis: The Pistons play three games in Week 6, making both Gordon and Villanueva a tad risky, however, it does sound like both will give it a go for a full week. Start them at your own peril.
News: Detroit PF Charlie Villanueva suffered a broken nose on Sunday against the Atlanta Hawks. Team officials are hoping he'll be able to play through the injury with a mask and not miss any action, reports Yahoo.com. Villanueva scored 13 bench points in the game and added six rebounds.
Analysis: Villanueva has been averaging 15.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game this season and is a decent Fantasy option in deeper leagues, when healthy. He's clearly a bit of an injury risk for Week 6 now. Detroit plays three games in Week 6 and this might make benching Villanueva make sense.
News: Detroit F Charlie Villanueva scored 20 points on Wednesday, one night after being held to just two points at the Lakers. Villanueva went 9 for 15 from the field hitting two of four three pointers. He added three boards to his stat line as well.
Analysis: Villanueva had struggled in his two previous games before Wednesday, scoring a combined 15 points on 7 for 22 shooting. Hopefully he'll perform more like he did on Wednesday as he has the potential to be a major stats earner in Detroit with Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince nursing injuries. Get Villanueva active as a No. 3 Fantasy option.
News: Pistons PF Charlie Villanueva scored a season-high 30 points and outscored the opponents by himself in the third quarter Wednesday against the Bobcats. He also had four rebounds, two steals and three blocks, shooting 13 for 17 from the field and 2 for 4 from 3-point range. He has averaged 19 points in the last six games after scoring a combined 15 in his first two for the Pistons, who signed him to a $35 million, five-year contract. "Charlie started off slow," coach John Kuester said. "I didn't even know what Charlie was all about because of the hamstring. Now, he's getting comfortable. He was impressive tonight."
Analysis: A hamstring injury limited Villanueva all preseason, which might have contributed to his slow start. He's clearly on track now, though, emerging as one of the best scorers for the Pistons. Since he's also a good rebounder and 3-point shooter, he's worth starting as a No. 3 Fantasy forward.
News: Detroit PF Charlie Villanueva exploded for his best scoring game of the season on Friday in a loss at Orlando. Villanueva scores a season-high 28 points on 11 of 17 shooting with a three. He added five rebounds.
Analysis: Villanueva has had his best two scoring nights of the season in consecutive games and has three threes over that span with 12 rebounds. He's getting better within Detroit's new-look starting lineup and can be used in Fantasy as a No. 3 or 4 Fantasy forward.
News: PF Charlie Villanueva, who signed a free-agent contract with the Pistons this offseason, hasn't made a good first impression with his new team. He had 12 points and eight rebounds Tuesday against the Magic, which was surprisingly his best performance of the season. He's averaging only 9.8 points and 5.0 rebounds over his first four games.
Analysis: Villanueva missed most of the preseason with a hamstring injury, which might explain his struggles now. Either that or the Pistons might not need him for offense as much as the Bucks did. He's a good 3-point shooter for a big man, which makes him an intriguing option in Rotisserie leagues, but he looks like just a No. 4 forward in Fantasy right now.
News: Pistons PF Charlie Villanueva, playing in only his second preseason game after missing time with a hamstring injury, had 17 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in 31 minutes against the Timberwolves on Thursday. He shot 5 for 12 from the field, including 1 for 5 from 3-point range. "I played decent, and my hamstring was fine -- I was comfortable out there," he said. Villanueva, though, wasn't as pleased with Detroit's defense, which allowed 61 points in each half. "This is unacceptable," he said. "We've got to pick it up on the defensive end. Offensively, we don't have a problem at all, but we've got to play defense together as a team."
Analysis: Villanueva seems to be adjusting to his new team just fine, which should alleviate any concerns you have about using him as a No. 3 Fantasy forward. As a big man who shoots 3-pointers, he might have even more value than that.
News: Pistons PF Charlie Villanueva sat out again Thursday at Dallas with a hamstring injury. He has yet to play a preseason game, missing all five.
Analysis: This time off the court might not be such a big deal if Villanueva hadn't just joined the Pistons in the offseason. You'd like to have at least some idea how he'll perform in his new surroundings. He's enough of a scorer and rebounder for you to draft him as a No. 3 Fantasy forward anyway, but he certainly isn't gaining value right now.
News: Pistons PF Charlie Villanueva missed his fourth straight preseason game with a sore left hamstring Tuesday against the Wizards. He remains day to day.
Analysis: Villanueva played for the Dominican Republic over the offseason and is just playing it cautious with a minor injury. He should be fine for the regular season. With Detroit, we expect he'll have a starting job or should at least see heavy playing time. He's worth drafting as a No. 3 Fantasy F.
News:Charlie Villanueva has yet to play in a preseason game for Detroit, missing the team's first three exhibition games. He is dealing with a hamstring injury and is day to day.
Analysis: Villanueva played for the Dominican Republic over the offseason and is just playing it cautious with a minor injury. There is no reason to believe he will miss any regular season time. With Detroit, we expect he'll have a starting job or should at least see heavy playing time. He will be worth drafting as a No. 3 or 4 forward in most formats.
News: A person with the knowledge of the negotiations says the Detroit Pistons have agreed in principle to contracts with free agents Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday night on the condition of anonymity because NBA rules prohibit teams from announcing free agent signings until next week.
Analysis: Villanueva, who turns 25 next month, averaged 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds last season with Milwaukee. With Detroit, he'll have a starting job and should see heavy playing time. He will be worth drafting as a No. 3 forward in most formats.
News:Charlie Villanueva posted a message on his Twitter account, informing his followers he will sign with the Detroit Pistons. "It's a clear summer day in LA. I got my workout this morning," Villanueva tweeted Monday. "Now I'm off to Motor City: the process continues... physicals, signing on Wed." Villanueva and Ben Gordon agreed to five-year contracts with the Pistons, a person with the knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press last week, for at least $35 million and $50-plus million, respectively.
Analysis: The Pistons were allowed to begin negotiations with free agents on July 1, but the league prohibits its teams from announcing deals until the moratorium period ends Wednesday. He averaged 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds last season for the Bucks and was a prime offseason target for the Pistons, who appear to have big plans for him. He'll be worth drafting in most Fantasy formats as a No. 3 forward.
News: A person with the knowledge of the negotiations says the Detroit Pistons have agreed in principle to contracts with free agents Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday night on the condition of anonymity because NBA rules prohibit teams from announcing free agent signings until next week.
Analysis: Villanueva, the seventh overall pick by Toronto in 2005 who has played the last three of his NBA season with the Milwaukee Bucks, agreed to a five-year deal. His contract is worth at least $35 million. He averaged 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds last season for the Bucks and was a prime offseason target for the Pistons, who appear to have big plans for him. He'll be worth drafting in most Fantasy formats as a No. 3 forward.
News: The Milwaukee Bucks have made qualifying offers to restricted free agent guard Ramon Sessions and forward Ersan Ilyasova, but will not make an offer to forward Charlie Villanueva - allowing one of their top scorers from last season to become an unrestricted free agent. Posting on his Twitter account Monday evening, Villanueva noted that "my journey in Milwaukee has come to (an) end," thanking fans and Bucks owner Sen. Herb Kohl for "three great years."
Analysis: With a mid-level exception at their disposal, the Cleveland Cavaliers are expected to have interest in signing Villanueva - and the interest sounds mutual. Perhaps anticipating his free agency, Villanueva posted Sunday that "Cleveland fans are showing me mad love on twitter, appreciate the love." Villanueva, the seventh overall pick in the 2005 draft, played three seasons in Milwaukee after being traded by Toronto. He averaged a career-best 16.2 points last season, teaming with Richard Jefferson to make up for the scoring void left by significant injuries to guard Michael Redd and center Andrew Bogut. Follow his situation in the offseason, but Villanueva could be in line for a big season under the right circumstances.
News: Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva had 18 points and seven rebounds Monday against Orlando. Villanueva came off the bench with Luc Richard Mbah a Moute starting in his place. Mbah a Moute only had four points, six rebounds and two assists.
Analysis: The Bucks are likely putting Villanueva on the bench since he's a free agent and could leave the team. Mbah a Moute is a rookie who the Bucks could lean on as a starter in the future. For now, Villanueva has more Fantasy value even in a reserve role to end the season.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva scored 20 points on Monday against the Nets in a 107-78 win. Villanueva shot 8-of-16 with two threes and he added three boards and two assists. He also stole a ball and blocked a shot.
Analysis: Villanueva is averaging 15 points, five boards and less than a three per night over his last five games. This is down from what he was doing earlier in the year but still keeps him worth starting in most Fantasy formats. He should bounce back.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva scored 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds but it wasn't enough to defeat Portland on Saturday. Villanueva was 9-of-19 from the field and he hit a three in the game. He added a block.
Analysis: Villanueva is averaging 21 points, seven boards and 1.2 steals per game over his last five contests with a three per night. He's worth starting in all Fantasy leagues at all times.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter on Sunday as Milwaukee defeated the Boston Celtics 86-77. Villanueva added seven rebounds and a steal in the victory but didn't shoot particularly well at 8-of-20 from the field and 0-for-5 from deep.
Analysis: Villanueva is averaging 19 points and eight rebounds per game over his last five contests and that comes with a steal and a three per night as well. He's a must-start in all leagues with the way he's playing at the moment.
News: Milwaukee PF Charlie Villanueva scored 32 points and grabbed nine rebounds on Tuesday night in a loss to New York. Villanueva was 14-of-26 from the field with two threes and he added two steals and two dimes. He's averaging 20 points per game over his last five contests.
Analysis: Villanueva is playing at an extremely high level and also brings to the table 10 boards per night, a steal and a block with a three as well. He's a must-start in all leagues with the way he's playing at the moment.
News: Milwaukee forward Charlie Villanueva had 24 points, 15 rebounds and two assists Tuesday against New Jersey. It was Villanueva's third double-double in his past seven games.
Analysis: Villanueva continues to play well this season as he's in search of a new contract. Keep Villanueva active in all leagues as a No. 2 Fantasy forward.
News:Charlie Villanueva scored nine of his season-high 36 points in the fourth quarter to help the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Denver Nuggets 120-117 on Sunday. Villanueva tied his career high with seven 3-pointers in the game. He finished 14-of-23 from the field and added four assists and five rebounds.
Analysis: Villanueva was ejected from Friday's game and still managed 26 points and 13 rebounds against Cleveland's top defense. He's averaging 21 points, seven boards, four dimes and two threes per night over his last five games and he's only getting better right now. The Bucks play an awful schedule with just three games against good defenses in Week 18 and Villanueva should still be starting across the board.
News: With Cleveland leading Milwaukee 92-89 with 6:54 remaining, Bucks F Charlie Villanueva delivered a hard foul on Cleveland's Anderson Varejao. Ilgauskas went after Villanueva and a shoving match ensued, with officials assessing a flagrant foul-2 on Villanueva and ejecting him. Ilgauskas was called for a technical foul. Villanueva had a team-high 26 points before his ejection, and the Bucks had trouble making up for his lost scoring afterward, losing the game 111-103 thanks in large part to a 55-point game from LeBron James.
Analysis: Villanueva's antics didn't exactly steal the show as LeBron's performance is casting a shadow over the whole league on Friday. Villanueva was kind of a victim of a good acting job by Varejao, but Fantasy owners are satisfied with his performance in the game, leading the team in scoring. He should be starting across the board at this point.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva had 17 points and 12 rebounds on Wednesday as Milwaukee was blasted by the Bulls. Villanueva was 2-of-3 from long range in the game and turned the ball over three times.
Analysis: This double-double is just another example of how well Villanueva is playing for Milwaukee. He's averaging 20 points, seven boards, three dimes, two threes and almost a steal per game over his last five. Keep starting Villanueva across the board unless his status changes.
News: According to The Sports Xchange, Bucks officials will be closely monitoring the performances of Ramon Sessions and Charlie Villanueva before the Feb. 19 trading deadline. Sessions and Villanueva will both become restricted free agents this season and, because the Bucks don't want to pay the luxury tax next season, they may be forced to trade one of them. Both Villanueva and Sessions have played well this season, especially in recent weeks.
Analysis: Sessions, who has replaced the injured Luke Ridnour in the starting lineup, scored a career-high 44 points against the Pistons and then followed with a 26-point outing against the Rockets and a 15-point, 17-assist outing against the Pacers Wednesday. Villanueva, meanwhile, has emerged as a major player for the Bucks, whose next game is Feb. 17 against the Pistons in Auburn Hills, Mich. Villanueva entered Wednesday night's game against the Pacers, averaging 15.6 points and 6.6 rebounds. In the last 13 games, however, Villanueva has averaged a team-high 22.9 points and team-leading 8.1 rebounds. Keep starting Villanueva across the board unless his status changes.
News: Milwaukee PF Charlie Villanueva is hot and he likely isn't going to look back as he's the team's De facto leading scorer now that Michael Redd is gone for the year. Villanueva dropped 25 points on the Rockets in a win on Monday as he shot 9-of-18 from the field with five threes. He added eight rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Analysis: Villanueva is a big man who can score in bunches, hit the three, block shots, steal, pass, etc. Basically, he can do it all as he's blossomed into a Rotisserie stud and a must-start across the board in all Fantasy leagues.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva continues to play at an extremely high level. The Bucks fell to Detroit in overtime on Saturday and Villanueva scored 33 points with seven rebounds. Villanueva was 11-of-20 from the field and added two steals and a block. He also hit two threes and dished out four assists.
Analysis: Villanueva has been contributing in all categories for the Bucks and is averaging 25-8-3 over his last five games with two threes, a steal and a block. He's a Rotisserie stud right now that should be starting in all Fantasy leagues and formats.
News: With Andrew Bogut out for a minimum of eight weeks with a stress fracture in his lower back, the Bucks will use Francisco Elson and Dan Gadzuric at center. Elson, who has started the past three games, will start with Gadzuric in reserve. Coach Scott Skiles also has made use of a small lineup featuring Charlie Villanueva at the center spot, reports the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "We need a little bit more from everybody," Skiles said. "That's what you've got to do when key players go down."
Analysis: It's something worth keeping an eye on, but what will probably happen is Villanueva will move to center during games and not get enough starts at the position to help your Fantasy team. Still, Villanueva is playing well right now and should remain useful as a No. 3 Fantasy forward for the rest of this year.
News: Milwaukee PF Charlie Villanueva continued his recent surge on Friday, putting up 26 points against the Raptors on Friday. He has three 20-point games in his last five games and is averaging 22.8 points over that five-game stretch.
Analysis: Villanueva wasn't ready to simply hand over the starting job to Mbah a Moute is seems as he has really been on fire of late. Villanueva was thought of as only a No. 4 option only a few weeks ago, but is now performing like a high-end No. 2 option. Get Villanueva active while he's on this hot streak.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva fouled out of Wednesday's game against the Pacers with 28 points in 42 minutes. Villanueva went 9-of-19 from the field and added eight rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block but turned the ball over five times.
Analysis: Villanueva is putting up numbers worthy of starting as a high-end No. 2 Fantasy forward in all leagues right now with Michael Redd out. Villanueva is averaging 24 points, eight boards, a block, a steal and 2.4 assists per game over his last five and that comes with two threes. He could hit a cold spell but right now he's hitting on all cylinders.
News: Milwaukee PF Charlie Villanueva went 10-of-14 from the field for 27 points in a start against the Hawks on Friday. Although the team lost 117-87, Villanueva was a lone bright spot, adding seven rebounds and two assists.
Analysis: Villanueva is fighting for the starting job with Luc Richard Mbah a Moute in Milwaukee as he and the rookie continue rotating the starting job. Villanueva is more of the offensive presence while Mbah a Moute is on the court for his defense. Clearly Villanueva won Friday's battle, but remains nothing more than a No. 4 forward option.
News:Charlie Villanueva had 32 points and 10 rebounds lifting the Milwaukee Bucks to a 133-99 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night and snapping a two-game losing skid. Villanueva was 12-of-17 from the field as he hit four threes and also stole two balls.
Analysis: Villanueva has double-doubles in three of his last four games and is averaging 22 points, nine rebounds and a block per game in that span. Plus, he's also averaging well over a three per. That combination of scoring, rebounding, blocks and threes is rare and makes Villanueva worth using in all Fantasy leagues when he's going this good.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva scored eight points with four rebounds and two assists Saturday at the Clippers. Villanueva is averaging 12.4 points and 5.2 rebounds over his last five games.
Analysis: Villanueva continues to be erratic with his production and Fantasy owners can't trust him to be more than a No. 4 forward at this point. He scored 25 points with 12 rebounds in his previous game.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva scored 16 points and grabbed five boards in Monday's win over the Washington Wizards. He was 6-of-12 from the field and blocked a shot but was limited to 26 minutes and didn't start with Andrew Bogut moving back into the starting lineup.
Analysis: Villanueva had been playing great without Bogut but now has a total of 23 points in his previous two games with the Australian center back. He's averaging almost 20 points per game over his last five even with those last two games but at this point it seems obvious he's going to go back to posting mediocre numbers. He should be used as a low-end No. 3 Fantasy forward.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva scored 26 points on 9-of-15 shooting in Wednesday's loss to the 76ers. Villanueva added seven rebounds and was 3-for-4 from long range.
Analysis: Villanueva has 19 three-pointers made on the season and now has seven in his last five games. Adding that to his repetoire has boosted his scoring and is giving him an added dimension to his game. He's averaging 17-6-2 in his last five games as well and is playing like a worth No. 3 Fantasy forward across the board of late.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva picked up injured C Andrew Bogut's slack Monday against the Raptors, finishing with 25 points, six rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes off the bench. He has now scored at least 25 points in two of his last three games.
Analysis: Unfortunately, those two 25-plus efforts represent the only two times Villanueva has scored in double figures in his last six games. He has plenty of ability, but his inconsistent playing time makes him a low-end Fantasy forward.
News: Amid trade rumors, Milwaukee PF Charlie Villanueva was still a Bucks forward for Wednesday's loss to the Rockets. Villanueva played 14 minutes in the game and scored just one point with four rebounds. He was 0-for-6 from the floor.
Analysis: Villanueva is not scoring (6.8 ppg over his last five) or rebounding (3.4) or shooting well (13-for-39). The Bucks don't utilize him as much anymore with Andrew Bogut and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute playing well and he's really been nothing more than a low-end Fantasy player best used in deeper leagues. That could change with new scenery but until that happens keep him reserved.
News: Milwaukee PF Charlie Villanueva scored 26 points, 24 in the first half, to equal a season high and help the Bucks snap a three-game losing streak on Saturday night against the Pacers. Villanueva added 10 rebounds, three three-pointers and three blocked shots.
Analysis: Villanueva scored over 20 points for the second time in three games and is averaging almost 16 per game over his last five. He's also rebounding well and blocking shots of late and is playing well above his season averages. He's definitely worth starting as a No. 3 Fantasy forward.
News:The Sports Xchange notes that Charlie Villanueva has put up some strong numbers when given the opportunity to play major minutes lately. Villanueva played 30 minutes against the Warriors Wednesday and almost had a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. In 33 minutes against the Suns, Villanueva finished with 24 points and nine rebounds and, in 30 minutes against Bulls, he totaled 30 points and 10 rebounds.
Analysis: The problem with Villanueva has been inconsistency, but it has not always been his fault. He has seen an erratic role the last couple of years, battling Yi Jianlian for playing time last season and now Luc Richard Mbah a Moute who gets minutes mainly for his defense. Hopefully, the Bucks will look to parlay this production into more consistent minutes. This is the reason Villanueva is worth owning in most formats, but he's only worth starting when he's getting consistent minutes.
News: Milwaukee PF Charlie Villanueva came off the bench to score 11 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's win over the Bulls. Leading by four to start the fourth, Villanueva hit his first five shots of the fourth quarter as Milwaukee went on a 13-3 run that included a pretty give-and-go on the fast break between Villanueva and Ramon Sessions as the Bucks stretched it to 89-75. He added 10 boards.
Analysis: Villanueva was back in double figures after scoring six points in 16 minutes against the Cavs on Nov. 29. He's averaging about 12 points and seven boards on the year for the Bucks and remains a No. 3 Fantasy forward.
News: Milwaukee PF Charlie Villanueva (hamstring) played 16 minutes for the Bucks on Saturday night against the Cavs and scored six points. He left Friday's game with a left hamstring strain in the fourth quarter but was fine to start on Saturday. He added eight boards in the game.
Analysis: There is a reason he hasn't played 80 games since his rookie season because nagging injuries always seem to pop up. He just returned from a hamstring injury and hopefully it's not the same problem. Villanueva can average a double-double at times, but he remains more of a No. 3 or No. 4 Fantasy forward as an injury risk at this time.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva left Friday's game against the Pistons with a left hamstring strain in the fourth quarter. He had 10 points, six rebounds and one assist in 19 minutes before exiting the lineup. Villanueva has scored in double figures for five straight games.
Analysis: Here we go again with Villanueva. There is a reason he hasn't played 80 games since his rookie season because nagging injuries always seem to pop up. He just returned from a hamstring injury and hopefully it's not the same problem. Villanueva can average a double-double at times, but he remains more of a No. 3 or No. 4 Fantasy forward when healthy.
News:Charlie Villanueva tied a season high with 20 points in his return from injury, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the suddenly trade-depleted New York Knicks 104-87 on Friday night. Villanueva entered the game in the first quarter, his first game back after missing four games with a strained left hamstring. He played for just 13 minutes off the bench, but went 8-of-12 from the field and added six rebounds. He also had an assist.
Analysis: Villanueva hasn't played more than 80 games since his rookie season with Toronto and always seems to be plagued by injuries. It has really held him back from reaching his full potential. Villanueva can average a double-double at times, but he remains more of a No. 3 or No. 4 Fantasy forward when healthy.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva missed his fourth straight game with a hamstring injury Wednesday night against Utah.
Analysis: Villanueva hasn't played more than 80 games since his rookie season with Toronto and always seems to be plagued by injuries. It has really held him back from reaching his full potential. Villanueva can average a double-double at times, but he remains more of a No. 3 or No. 4 Fantasy forward when healthy.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva missed his third straight game with a hamstring injury Tuesday at Denver.
Analysis: Villanueva hasn't played more than 80 games since his rookie season with Toronto and always seems to be plagued by injuries. It has really held him back from reaching his full potential. Villanueva can average a double-double at times, but he remains more of a No. 3 or No. 4 Fantasy forward when healthy.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva sat out Saturday's game against the Celtics with a hamstring strain.
Analysis: Villanueva hasn't played more than 80 games since his rookie season with Toronto and always seems to be plagued by injuries. It has really held him back from reaching his full potential. Villanueva can average a double-double at times, but he remains more of a No. 3 or No. 4 Fantasy forward when healthy.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva sat out Friday's game against the Grizzlies with a hamstring strain. He remains questionable heading into Saturday against the Celtics.
Analysis: Villanueva hasn't played more than 80 games since his rookie season with Toronto and always seems to be plagued by injuries. It has really held him back from reaching his full potential. Villanueva can average a double-double at times, but he remains more of a No. 3 or No. 4 Fantasy forward when healthy.
News: Milwaukee PF Charlie Villanueva left in the second quarter of Wednesday's game against San Antonio with a hamstring injury. Villanueva did not return and he finished with six points and two boards in 11 minutes.
Analysis: Villanueva has three double-doubles this season and should continue to be viewed as a solid No. 3 Fantasy forward, when healthy. He's been solid on the boards for most of the season and hopefully he won't miss much time with the hamstring problem.
News: Milwaukee PF Charlie Villanueva started against the Cavs on Tuesday night and scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. He added four assists and a block in the game in 36 minutes.
Analysis: Villanueva got his highest minutes of the season against LeBron and the Cavs Tuesday and he responded with a double double -- his 3rd of the year. Continue to view him as a solid No. 3 Fantasy forward. He's been solid on the boards for most of the season.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva bounced back from his 6-point, 8-rebound game against Washington with 13 points and 12 rebounds Friday against Boston in 35 minutes of action. He's been held under 10 points in two of his first five games.
Analysis: Villanueva has been playing around 25 minutes per game since he was limited to nine minutes in the opener. He's getting anywhere from 10-15 shots per night and should be able to stabilize in terms of his offensive production. Continue to view him as a solid No. 3 Fantasy forward. He's been solid on the boards for most of the season.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva wrapped up Fantasy Week 1 (Oct. 27-Nov. 2) with 16 points, eight rebounds and a steal Sunday against the Knicks in just 20 minutes on the floor. The Bucks have three games in Fantasy Week 2 (Nov. 3-9) against Washington, Boston and Phoenix.
Analysis: Villanueva is already proving to be a bit erratic, but the production is there for him to be considered a solid start in any format. He barely played in the opener, but scored 20 points with 12 rebounds on Wednesday against Oklahoma City. He had 16-and-5 against Toronto Saturday and wrapped up the week with 16-and-8. Scott Skiles continues to ponder the best way to utilize power forward Charlie Villanueva. Skiles faces three options with Villanueva: He can start him, as he has done in the first two regular-season games. Or, Villanueva's potent offensive skills could be used in a reserve role, which would provide a boost for the team's anemic bench scoring. Either way, Villanueva should produce good numbers.
News: The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that Milwaukee Bucks coach Scott Skiles continues to ponder the best way to utilize power forward Charlie Villanueva. Skiles faces three options with Villanueva: He can start him, as he has done in the first two regular-season games. Or, Villanueva's potent offensive skills could be used in a reserve role, which would provide a boost for the team's anemic bench scoring. "Charlie hasn't done anything to warrant not being in the lineup," Skiles said. "(To not start him) would have just been an arbitrary decision by me to try and do something different rotationally. So I think he deserves first crack at it."
Analysis: Uncertainty regarding that position lingered until opening night Tuesday in Chicago, when Skiles said Villanueva would be the starter. Starting him puts all of the team's top scorers on the court at the same time, which isn't always desirable. Skiles could combine the two options by starting Villanueva but taking him out of the game earlier than normal in the first quarter with the idea of sending him back in with the second unit. The Bucks are going to give Luc Mbah a Moute some minutes at the four because he plays good defense, but Villanueva will have a chance to get his shots and rebounds every night. View him as a potential breakout forward who needs to prove consistent.
News: A night after playing just nine minutes in Tuesday's opener in Chicago, Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva scored 20 points with 12 rebounds in 34 minutes Wednesday in Oklahoma City. He added two assists, two blocks and a three-pointer.
Analysis: This is more of what Villanueva expected from himself when he declared he was aiming for a 15-and-10 season this year. We aren't sure what happened to him on Tuesday, but consistency has been a problem for him in the past. The Bucks are going to give Luc Mbah a Moute some minutes at the four because he plays good defense, but Villanueva will have a chance to get his shots and rebounds every night. View him as a potential breakout forward who needs to prove consistent.
News: After some talk late in the preseason that the Bucks would bring PF Charlie Villanueva off the bench, he ended up starting in the season opener Tuesday at Chicago. He played only nine minutes, though, finishing with three rebounds and four points on 1-of-5 shooting.
Analysis: Bucks coach Scott Skiles has expressed an appreciation of Luc Mbah a Moute's defensive ability, and Mbah a Moute ended up playing 26 minutes off the bench. Villanueva has double-double potential and entered the season as a popular sleeper because of it, but this early lack of playing time isn't a good sign. Keep an eye on this situation.
News: The Bucks will have four games in Fantasy Week 1 (Oct. 27-Nov. 2). They'll play at Chicago, at Oklahoma City, at home against Toronto and at New York. The Bulls allowed 100.4 ppg last season. The Thunder/SuperSonics allowed 106.3 ppg. The Raptors allowed 97.3 ppg. The Knicks allowed 96.9 ppg.
Analysis: Andrew Bogut and Charlie Villanueva will take on two teams with banged up front courts to start the season before meeting a formidable front line in Toronto against Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Bosh. They should do enough damage in the first two games to make it a positive first week and the extra game this week -- Milwaukee is the only team with four games this week -- certainly helps.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva shot 11-for-18 from the field in Friday's preseason game played in Beijing, China. He scored 26 points with eight rebounds and an assist. He added two steals in 25 minutes of action.
Analysis: Villanueva is hoping for a breakout season this year after a bitterly disappointing one last season when he was beaten out in training camp by then-rookie Yi Jianlian. He says he's shooting for a 15-10 season and it looks like that may be a possibility. Consider him a big time sleeper in Fantasy this season.
News: Milwaukee PF Charlie Villanueva started Saturday's preseason game against the Pistons and scored 26 points in 36 minutes of action. He was 10-of-20 from the field with eight rebounds and a block.
Analysis: After playing a very limited role in the first half of the season while Yi started at power forward for the Bucks, Charlie Villanueva had a great second half last season. He averaged 15.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists after the All-Star break. So his hopes for a 15-10 season are not that far off.
News:The Sports Xchange notes that Charlie Villanueva is hoping for a breakout season this year after a bitterly disappointing one last season when he was beaten out in training camp by then-rookie Yi Jianlian. "I'm shooting for a double-double season," the 24-year-old Villanueva said. "I need a 15-10 season. I know I can do that, too."
Analysis: That's exactly what Fantasy owners like to hear. After playing a very limited role in the first half of the season while Yi started at power forward for the Bucks, Charlie Villanueva had a great second half. He averaged 15.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists after the All-Star break. So his hopes for a 15-10 season are not that far off.
News: After playing a very limited role in the first half of the season while Yi Jianlian started at power forward for the Bucks, Charlie Villanueva had a great second half. He averaged 15.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists after the All-Star break.
Analysis: Villanueva started 31 games and averaged 14.9 points and 8.0 rebounds in those contests. Fantasy owners should consider that many of those games came with the team missing one more of their star players (Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut and Mo Williams), but he played like he wanted to prove to the team that he deserves to start over Yi Jianlian -- or at least alongside him. That could be something the new coaching staff in Milwaukee tries next year as Jianlian is more of a small forward anyway. Villanueva has revived his Fantasy value and will be worth selecting in the middle-to-late rounds in Fantasy drafts in 2008-09.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva returned to the starting lineup Monday against the Bulls after missing two games with a hamstring injury.
Analysis: Villanueva had one of his finest performances this season -- a 38-point, 12-rebound effort against the Raptors -- before missing a few games with a minor injury. Injuries have been nothing new to Villanueva. He is not exactly the most durable player in the NBA, but when he is healthy and starting, he can do some damage. He has averaged 12-plus points the last three months and has re-emerged as a No. 3 Fantasy forward. He will likely have the same value heading into Draft Day 2008, but it all depends on what the Bucks do with Yi Jianlin.
News: Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva did not dress for Saturday's game against New Jersey due to a strained muscle in his right calf. He is considered day to day.
Analysis: Villanueva could very easily miss the team's remaining two regular season games, but there is no indication that he will just yet. He's been erratic of late, but does have double-doubles in two of his last four games and had a 38-point, 12-rebound game at Toronto in his last appearance.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva missed Friday's game at Boston with a strained right hamstring. He is considered day to day.
Analysis: Villanueva could very easily miss the team's remaining three regular season games, but there is no indication that he will just yet. He's been erratic of late, but does have double-doubles in two of his last four games and had a 38-point, 12-rebound game at Toronto in his last appearance.
News: Former Raptor and current Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva had a season-high 38 points and a career-high seven 3-pointers Tuesday at Toronto. He scored 25 of Milwaukee's first 29 points. Villanueva, traded to Milwaukee after Toronto drafted Andrea Bargnani with the No. 1 pick in 2006, blew his fingers after making his third straight 3-pointer in the second quarter. The Raptors called timeout. Villanueva had 27 points and nine rebounds in the first 16 minutes, but wasn't a factor again until it was too late in the fourth quarter. He finished 14-for-25 from the field and grabbed 12 rebounds. "Every time I come here I feel like I got something to prove. It's just the way I feel," Villanueva said. "I was having fun out there. I was having a good time. It definitely feels good to go at the team that traded you."
Analysis: After a bad night against the Celtics on Tuesday, Villanueva bounced back with a solid outing. Hopefully this type of performance continues for the rest of the season.
News: Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva went for only two points and four rebounds in 15 minutes Tuesday against Boston.
Analysis: Villanueva had been playing well in the second half of the season, so hopefully this was just an off night. For now, consider Villanueva a No. 4 Fantasy forward.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva recorded another double-double Wednesday at Washington with 24 points and 12 rebounds. He also added three assists.
Analysis: Villanueva now has two double-doubles in his last four games and just missed a third when he had 26 points and nine rebounds March 29 at Chicago. He deserves to be starting in all formats as it appears Yi Jianlian won't be taking his minutes -- healthy or not.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva scored five points in Monday's loss at Miami, the second straight game he's had that many points.
Analysis: Villanueva had scored in double figures in seven straight games, but the fact that Yi Jianlian has seen 25-plus minutes in each of the last two games has had a bit of an effect on Villanueva's numbers. He hasn't tailed off in the rebound category, though, and will remain the starter at power forward the rest of the way. He should get back to around 10-13 points and 7-10 rebounds soon, making him a useful option as a No. 3 Fantasy forward.
News: Milwaukee forward Charlie Villanueva went for 24 points, 16 rebounds and three assists Tuesday at Washington.
Analysis: Villanueva continues to start in place of rookie Yi Jianlian and is seeing even more minutes now with Yi unable to play all together. If Villanueva is available in your leagues add him now because he's playing great.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva shot 11-for-20 from the field in Sunday's loss to Philadelphia. He scored a team-high 25 points in the process and also added 8 rebounds.
Analysis: Villanueva continues to start in place of rookie Yi Jianlian and is seeing even more minutes now with Jianlian unable to play all together. Look to add him as a possible No. 3 or 4 Fantasy forward in larger leagues down the stretch.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva took 18 shots in Friday's loss to Portland. He made eight of them and finished with 16 points in 29 minutes of action. He added 4 rebounds and a steal.
Analysis: Villanueva continues to start in place of rookie Yi Jianlian and is seeing even more minutes now with Jianlian unable to play all together. Look to add him as a possible No. 4 Fantasy forward in larger leagues.
News:Charlie Villanueva scored 32 points, his highest output in nearly two years, and had 11 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks scored a season-high 118 points to beat the Seattle SuperSonics 118-106 Wednesday night. "I was due, man. I was due," said Villanueva, who combined to shoot 2-for-15 and score six points in his previous two contests, losses to San Antonio and Indiana. "That's terrible. I'm a better player than that. I just tried to get out of that funk and just ball as hard as I can and try to give the team some energy."
Analysis: Villanueva continues to start in place of rookie Yi Jianlian, but he needed a game like this to make sure that would continue. He got hot early and the team just kept giving him the ball. He gave his teammates the credit afterwards. "I give a lot of credits to my teammates, as well. They kept finding me and giving me the ball. Once I made a few shots, I knew I was going to be hot." And Villanueva was, especially early. He scored 21 points in the first half for only the second 30-point game of his career; the other was for 48 points as a Toronto Raptors rookie at Milwaukee on March 26, 2006. This could be the start of something.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva shot 1-for-9 from the field in Saturday's loss to San Antonio, finishing with 4 points.
Analysis: Villanueva continues to start over rookie Yi Jianlian, but that wouldn't last long if he were to keep playing like this. He didn't lose any minutes to Yi, though, on Saturday and that's the good news. Yi finished with just 5 minutes and no points, rebounds or assists.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva just missed scoring double figures Thursday against the Nets as he finished with nine points in 28 minutes. He also had six rebounds and three assists. Villanueva had scored 10 or more points in his previous three games.
Analysis: Villanueva recently supplanted rookie Yi Jianlian as the Bucks starting power forward. He can put up double-doubles nightly as a starter, but is best used as a No. 4 Fantasy forward. The injury-prone forward is also likely to miss some time down the stretch.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva, who struggled with only eight points in his first game back from the All-Star break, remained in the starting lineup and scored 18 on Friday at Detroit. He also had four rebounds.
Analysis: Villanueva recently supplanted rookie Yi Jianlian as the Bucks starting power forward. He can put up double-doubles nightly as a starter, so grab him in your Fantasy league if he remains unowned.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva returned to the starting lineup Wednesday against the Pistons after missing the final game before the All-Star break with a sprained right ankle. He scored eight points, grabbed three rebounds and dished out one assist in 23 minutes.
Analysis: Villanueva has now combined to score 10 points in his last two games after scoring in double figures in his previous five games. He will remain the starter at power forward over Yi Jianlian for the time being, but expect the two to share minutes. He remains a low-end Fantasy forward.
News: According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Charlie Villanueva will remain the team's starting power forward for the remainder of the season and rookie Yi Jianlian will come off the bench. Villanueva has started in only four of the 49 games in which he has played this season. Yi, the team's highly publicized first-round draft choice, started in the other 49 at power forward. But with Yi sidelined by a shoulder strain, Villanueva got his first start of the season Feb. 5 in a game at Memphis and finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds in a 102-97 victory. Villanueva started the next three games also before missing the final game before the break - a home loss to New Orleans - with an ankle injury. Villanueva is wearing a brace on his ankle but plans to play Wednesday night against the Pistons.
Analysis: Villanueva is averaging 9.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 20.7 minutes per game this season. In his first three games as a starter, he averaged 32.7 minutes per game. Consider adding Villanueva at this time in all leagues and hope being a starter will help his game down the stretch.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva was not in the lineup Wednesday against the Hornets because of an ankle injury. It was the first game he missed since injuring himself Monday against the Clippers.
Analysis: The Bucks gave Villanueva an extra day to rest with the All-Star break right around the corner. Bad timing for Villanueva, who had just supplanted rookie Yi Jianlian as the Bucks starting power forward. Hopefully, he won't miss too much time because he can put up double-doubles nightly as a starter. Grab him in your Fantasy league if he remains unowned.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva left with a right ankle sprain Monday against the Clippers with 8:50 left in the third quarter. He finished with two points and five rebounds in 16 minutes.
Analysis: Bad timing for Villanueva, who had just supplanted rookie Yi Jianlian as the Bucks starting power forward. Hopefully, he won't miss too much time because he can put up double-doubles nightly as a starter. Grab him in your Fantasy league if he remains unowned.
News: Head coach Larry Krystkowiak continues to search for a productive rotation. With Desmond Mason back in the starting lineup, the team is as healthy as it has been all season and that gives them more options than they've had all year. Charlie Villanueva had played well enough that he could overtake rookie Yi Jianlian as the starting power forward.
Analysis: In three games starting, Villanueva has averaged 17.7 points and 12.0 rebounds. Monitor how the Bucks use him in the coming days, but go ahead and put in a waiver claim for him if you have a bench slot available.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva, who remained in the starting lineup despite the return of Yi Jianlian on Saturday against the Knicks, had 21 points and 13 rebounds in 35 minutes of play. He has two double-doubles in his last three games.
Analysis: In three games starting, Villanueva has averaged 17.7 points and 12.0 rebounds. He might have won the job away from Yi. Monitor how the Bucks use him in the coming days, but go ahead and put in a waiver claim for him if you have a bench slot available.
News:The Sports Xchange reports Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva was ejected from the game Wednesday night against the Mavs. Villanueva and Mavs F Brandon Bass each received a technical after their verbal altercation with four seconds left. Villanueva then threw a wristband at Bass, drawing a second technical and automatic ejection.
Analysis: Villanueva has started the last two games -- the first time he has done that all season -- with rookie Yi Jianlian out with a shoulder injury. He has scored in double figures for four straight games, but has averaged 16.0 points in his two starts. Who knows how long his run will last because Yi might be starting as soon as he is healthy. For now, consider Villanueva a low-end Fantasy forward, but monitor his upcoming performances.
News:The Sports Xchange reports Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva had been a little upset with his playing situation this season before getting his first start Tuesday against the Grizzlies. "I feel like I didn't get traded here (from Toronto) to be the ninth man. I'm playing 19 minutes a game. It's definitely frustrating," said Villanueva, who got the start Tuesday with rookie Yi Jianlian sidelined by a shoulder injury.
Analysis: Villanueva finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds, playing 32 minutes, Tuesday against the Grizzlies. Who knows how long his run will last because Yi might be starting as soon as he is healthy. For now, consider him a low-end Fantasy forward, but monitor his upcoming performances.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva, coming off a 14-point, six-rebound performance, got a start Tuesday at Memphis. He finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds, playing 32 minutes.
Analysis: Villanueva started in part because the Bucks were down Yi Jianlian, but if he puts up another stat line like Tuesday's, they might have trouble leaving him on the bench. For now, consider him a low-end Fantasy forward, but monitor his upcoming performances.
News: Brewers PF Charlie Villanueva had 14 points and six rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench Saturday against the Rockets. He has now scored in double figures in three of the last four games.
Analysis: Villanueva is an important part of the Bucks rotation, but his minutes fluctuate and so do his performances. Consider him nothing more than a low-end Fantasy forward at this time.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva returned to the lineup Tuesday against the Nets after missing one game with lower back strain. He had four points, seven rebounds and one assists in 15 minutes off the bench.
Analysis: Villanueva is an important part of the Bucks rotation, but his minutes fluctuate and so does his performances. Consider him nothing more than a low-end Fantasy forward at this time.
News: Bucks reserve PF Charlie Villanueva didn't dress for Sunday's game against the Wizards because of a lower back strain.
Analysis: Villanueva had scored in double figures in three of his last four games. As a decent provider of points and rebounds off the bench, he's a reasonable low-end Fantasy forward, but you should obviously reserve him for now.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva had 12 points and seven rebounds Friday at Toronto. He has now scored in double figures in three of his last four games, averaging 12.0 points over that span.
Analysis: Villanueva is an important part of the Bucks rotation, but his minutes fluctuate and so do his performances. He is averaging a season-high 9.9 points in January but remains a low-end Fantasy option.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva had a quiet night off the bench Thursday against the Pacers with just four points in 18 minutes. It was the first time in three games he didn't score in double figures. He did have four rebounds and three assists Thursday.
Analysis: Villanueva is an important part of the Bucks rotation, but his minutes fluctuate and so does his performances. He is averaging a season high 10.4 points in January, but still remains a low-end Fantasy option.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva had 18 points and five rebounds in only 22 minutes Monday at New Orleans. He has scored in double figures in two of the last three games and three of the last five.
Analysis: Of course, Villanueva has also scored zero and two points during that stretch, so how much do the double-digit performances really matter? With an average of close to 10 points and five rebounds per game, he can function as a low-end Fantasy forward, but you should probably use him more as a matchups type.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva went without a bucket Monday at Utah. He played only eight minutes off the bench, contributing two rebounds and one assist. Over his last four games, he has averaged 6.3 points in 14.8 minutes.
Analysis: Villanueva had a hot stretch for a while, but his production has come back down to earth of late. He still has some low-end Fantasy value as a streaky scorer and rebounder off the bench, but he should go unowned in most leagues.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva put together his first double-double of the season Tuesday at Philadelphia, scoring 15 points and pulling down a season-high 10 rebounds. He played 31 minutes off the bench.
Analysis: Villanueva scored a season-high 20 points his last time out and has scored at least 15 in five of his last eight. He has value as a low-end Fantasy reserve even if he comes off the bench, though keep in mind that this recent scoring surge might have stemmed from Michael Redd's absence.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva had 14 of his team-high 20 points during fourth-quarter garbage time Saturday as Milwaukee made it all too easy for visiting Washington to do whatever it wanted during any part of the game that mattered. He also had five rebounds.
Analysis: Villanueva scored 15 points in his last game and has scored at least 15 in four of his last six. He has value as a low-end Fantasy reserve even if he comes off the bench. However, don't expect him to score 20 points too often.
News: While it has been Bobby Simmons getting the starts in place of the injured Desmond Mason, it has been Charlie Villanueva who has benefited the most. Playing the "energy" role off the bench, he averaged 12.7 points and 20.3 minutes over his last three games coming into the week. Simmons is averaging just 5.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg over his last previous games.
Analysis: Neither player did much in Monday's 45-point loss at Detroit, but the Bucks had only two players in double figures in the game. It doesn't appear Simmons will be helpful in Fantasy play even as a starter. Villanueva can be useful as a low-end No. 4 forward option.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva, who missed two straight games with a sprained ankle, returned to the court Wednesday at Denver and had one of his best games of the season, scoring 17 points and pulling down six rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench.
Analysis: Villanueva's Fantasy value will likely rise in the coming weeks, as he stands to inherit some of the minutes vacated by Desmond Mason (thumb). He could emerge as a 10-point, eight-rebound type, so consider taking a flier on him if he remains unowned in your league.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva missed his second game in a row Saturday against the Bobcats with a sprained right ankle. He played in only 39 games last season to due various injuries, including a serious shoulder problem.
Analysis: The injury comes at an unfortunate time for Villanueva because he was in line to see more playing time with Desmond Mason (thumb) sidelined 6-8 weeks. There is a chance someone else steps up in Mason's absence and Villanueva loses PT. Continue to track the ongoings in Milwaukee, but Villanueva remains a low-end Fantasy flier at this time.
News: Milwaukee Bucks forward Desmond Mason will undergo surgery Saturday to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb that he injured in Wednesday night's game against Sacramento, General Manager Larry Harris announced Friday. Mason is expected to be out of action for six-to-eight weeks.
Analysis: Ouch. That's a tough blow. In his absence, the Bobcats will likely have to turn to Charlie Bell or Bobby Simmons to start in his place. This also benefits Charlie Villanueva, who will be able to play alongside Yi Jianlian, instead of just behind him all the time.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva had seven points and seven rebounds Friday at Boston. He now has at least seven rebounds in three of his last four games.
Analysis: With an average of nine points and five rebounds per game, Villanueva makes for a decent low-end Fantasy option even though he comes off the bench.
News: Since scoring in double digits in four straight games in mid-November, Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva has only gone over seven points twice in his six games since then. He was held to five in Milwaukee's 87-78 win over the Clippers on Tuesday night.
Analysis: Chuck Newhouse, as we call him here at CBSSports.com, hasn't been doing much of anything over the last couple of weeks. In his last six games he is only averaging seven points and 3.7 rebounds -- not exactly stellar Fantasy numbers. Leave him alone in all leagues for now.
News: With Jianlian Yi struggling, Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva has stolen the Chinese star's minutes in the past two games and has put together his best two outing of the season. In Tuesday night's 111-107 win over Cleveland, Villanueva had 17 points and nine rebounds in 27 minutes.
Analysis: Before getting a season-high 28 minutes in Saturday's win over Atlanta, Villanueva had only got more than 20 minutes in one of seven games. It appears Yi has fallen out of favor in Milwaukee for now and Villanueva will be the biggest beneficiary. If you need help at the PF position, grab him now as he could be starting very soon for the Bucks.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva is averaging just 18.0 mpg in six games coming off the bench while rookie Yi Jianlian is averaging 27.7 mpg in six starts. Villanueva is averaging just 6.7 ppg and 4.8 rpg.
Analysis: Villanueva has had just one double-digit performance and it came in the first regular season game with Yi still learning the ropes. He's taken double digit shot attempts in just two games and hasn't cracked double digits in rebounds yet.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva scored 14 points with seven rebounds and an assist in Friday's game at Charlotte.
Analysis: Villanueva continues to back up rookie Yi Jianlian at the four and he was a non-factor in the opener when the rookie had a decent game. On Friday, the rookie struggled and Villanueva capitalized. It might be an up-and-down season for both players, making them erratic, low-end Fantasy options in most leagues.
News: Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva shot 1-for-8 from the field in Wednesday's opener at Orlando. He added six boards and an assist in 19 minutes off the bench.
Analysis: The presence of Yi Jianlian has severely cut into Villanueva's Fantasy appeal. He doesn't look to be comfortable with a role off the bench and isn't exactly playing his way into more minutes. For now, stash Villanueva at the end of your Fantasy bench.
News: With Yi Jianlian expected to start at power forward for the Bucks this season, Charlie Villanueva will play off the bench.
Analysis: If Villanueva gets enough minutes, he can still make an impact in Fantasy, but that's a big IF. If you have space on your bench, he might be worth picking up as a possible sleeper, but you won't want to put him in your lineup to start the season.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva led his team with 21 points and 11 rebounds in a 114-102 preseason loss to the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night.
Analysis: If Villanueva gets enough minutes, he can definitely be an effective Fantasy contributor, but that's a big IF. If you have space on your bench, he might be worth picking up as a possible sleeper, but he's nothing more than a No. 3 forward in Fantasy play at the moment.
News: Coming off the bench, Bucks PF Charlie Villanueva had eight points, four rebounds and two assists in Milwaukee's preseason opener against the Bulls on Tuesday. He had arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder in the offseason.
Analysis: Villanueva has to compete with newcomers Desmond Mason and Yi Jianlian for time at forward this season, making him nothing more than a No. 3 F in Fantasy. He has the potential to become a star, but he needs minutes to make the most of it.
News: The Milwaukee Bucks picked up the final option year on the contract of forward Charlie Villanueva on Thursday. Villanueva, the seventh pick of the 2005 draft, is now signed through the 2008-09 season. Villanueva, 22, struggled with injuries after being traded from Toronto last June for point guard T.J. Ford. Villanueva appeared in 39 games and averaged 11.8 points and 5.8 rebounds. He missed 10 games with a torn ligament in his left elbow, three with a right ankle sprain and 30 more - including the final 18 - with right shoulder tendinitis that led to arthroscopic surgery.
Analysis: Villanueva should be considered a No. 3 Fantasy forward heading into 2007-08. He has the potential to be a future star, but he must stay healthy for that to happen.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva (shoulder) is recovering well from surgery and is still on pace to be ready for the start of training camp in early October.
Analysis: Villanueva, a second-year pro, had surgery for a slightly torn labrum. It appears Villanueva will be fine for the start of next season. He is worth holding onto in keeper leagues, and hopefully when he returns next season he will be injury free.
News: Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva will be sidelined for at least four months after undergoing successful shoulder surgery Tuesday in New York.
Analysis: Villanueva, a second-year pro, had surgery for a slightly torn labrum. It appears Villanueva will be fine for the start of next season. He is worth holding onto in keeper leagues, and hopefully when he returns next season he will be injury free.
News: Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva had arthroscopic shoulder surgery Tuesday and is expected to be fully recovered for training camp in October. The operation was in New York, and the team said he will immediately begin four to six months of rehabilitation on his right shoulder. Villanueva was Milwaukee's major offseason acquisition, but he played in only 39 games because of injuries. He averaged 11.8 points and 5.8 rebounds. The team decided last week to sideline him for the season, along with center Andrew Bogut (sprained left foot). "Charlie is a significant part of our team's development and future success," Bucks general manager Larry Harris said. "Today's surgery is the first step in having him healthy for next season. Charlie understands the importance of his rehabilitation."
Analysis: It appears Villanueva will be fine for the start of next season. He is worth holding onto in keeper leagues, and hopefully when he returns next season he will be injury free.
News: Milwaukee Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva is scheduled to have surgery on his right shoulder next week. The team made the announcement Thursday, one day after officials determined Villanueva would miss the final few weeks of the season because of nagging tendinitis in his shoulder. Bucks center Andrew Bogut also will miss the rest of the season because of a sprained left foot.
Analysis: Villanueva, the Bucks' major offseason acquisition, has been hampered by injuries all season and has played in only 39 games. He is scheduled to have the operation Tuesday in New York. "It's more exploratory," general manager Larry Harris said Wednesday. "It could be a short amount of time. It could be a longer amount of time." He is worth holding onto in keeper leagues and hopefully when he returns next season he will be injury free.
News: Milwaukee Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva will miss the rest of the season. Villanueva, a second-year player, has developed recurrent right shoulder pain that will require arthroscopic surgery. "Its more exploratory," Bucks general manager Larry Harris said of the surgery. "It could be a short amount of time. It could be a longer amount of time." Villanueva missed Milwaukee's last two games because of the injury and has played in 39 games this season. He was averaging 11.8 points and 5.8 rebounds.
Analysis: Keep Villanueva reserved in all leagues. He is worth holding onto in keeper leagues and hopefully when he returns next season he will be injury free.
News: Forward Charlie Villanueva flew to New York on Friday to get another opinion on his ailing right shoulder. Villanueva, who was sidelined earlier this season with a shoulder problem, said he recently experienced more pain in the area.
Analysis: Villanueva has been plagued by shoulder and elbow injuries this season. The team might just want to rest him the remainder of the season and have him ready for next year. He is listed as day to day. When healthy, he is a decent No. 3 Fantasy forward.
News: Milwaukee's Charlie Villanueva missed his second straight game Saturday with shoulder tendinitis.
Analysis: Villanueva has been plagued by shoulder and elbow injuries this season. The team might just want to rest him the remainder of the season and have him ready for next year. He is listed as day to day. When healthy, he is a decent No. 3 Fantasy forward.
News: Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva did not play because of tendinitis in his right shoulder Thursday against the Spurs.
Analysis: Villanueva has been plagued by shoulder and elbow injuries this season. The team might just want to rest him the remainder of the season and have him ready for next year. He is listed as day to day. When healthy, he is a decent No. 3 Fantasy forward.
News: Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva can only hope that the sharp-shooting exhibition he put on in the Bucks' victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night at the Bradley Center will put him on the fast-track to a satisfying and productive stretch run. Villanueva, who has missed 25 games because of three separate injuries, was on a roll Wednesday, sinking 10-of-12 shots and scoring a season-high 26 points in 25 minutes. He was feeling it from three-point range - he dropped in six shots, tying his career high, in eight attempts.
Analysis: Consider Villanueva a No. 3 Fantasy forward and hope this is a sign of things to come.
News: Backup forward Charlie Villanueva is starting to regain his scoring form. By scoring 26 points against the Lakers on Wednesday night, Villanueva has now scored in double-figures in five of the last six games.
Analysis: This is the type of production we have come to expect from Villanueva, but a slew of injuries have just derailed his season. He appears to be somewhat healthy at this time and Fantasy owners should continue to use him as a middle of the road option.
News: Charlie Villanueva scored a season-high 26 points Wednesday night to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 110-90 victory over the undermanned Los Angeles Lakers, who were without the suspended Kobe Bryant. He also had four rebounds and three assists in the game. Villanueva's previous season-high was 25 points, which came all the way back on Nov. 4 against the Kings. Villanueva has also scored in double-figures in five of the last six games.
Analysis: This is the type of production we have come to expect from Villanueva, but a slew of injuries have just derailed his season. He appears to be somewhat healthy at this time and Fantasy owners should continue to use him as a middle of the road option.
News: Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva connected on only 3-of-13 shots Monday against Orlando. He finished with 11 points and six rebounds for his third straight game in double figures.
Analysis: Consider Villanueva a No. 3 Fantasy forward at this time.
News: The Bucks welcomed back F Charlie Villanueva to their lineup Friday against the Knicks. He was out the previous three games with a sprained ankle. Villanueva has missed 25 games this season due to elbow, shoulder and ankle injuries.
Analysis: Villanueva continues to be a Fantasy headache this season as the injuries continue to mount. He has shown plenty of flashes when he is healthy to be useful Fantasy option. He was averaging 12.3 points and 6.1 rebounds heading into Friday's game. It appears safe to get him back into active Fantasy lineups, but proceed with caution. He could be knocked out of the lineup at any time.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva (ankle) was unable to play Wednesday against the Pacers, missing his third straight game after suffering the injury on Feb. 13 against the Spurs.
Analysis: Villanueva continues to be a Fantasy headache this season as the injuries continue to mount. He remains day to day and should be kept reserved in Fantasy leagues until he is able to return.
News: Charlie Villanueva (ankle) was unable to play in Tuesday's game against the Pistons, missing his second straight game after suffering the injury on Feb. 13 against the Spurs.
Analysis: Villanueva is questionable for Wednesday's game at Indiana. You might want to go another way in daily Fantasy leagues if you rolled the dice on him for Tuesday.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva averaged 12.3 ppg and 6.1 rpg heading into the All-Star break.
Analysis: Villanueva, who played in just 30 games due to injury, still has some growing to do. The upside is there, though, and we expect a great second half if he can stay healthy.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva was out Wednesday with an ankle sprain he picked up in Tuesday's game against Dallas.
Analysis: Villanueva is considered day to day and his return for after the All-Star break is questionable. Villanueva has been an injury-risk problem all season and his Fantasy value is beginning to drop. When at 100 percent, he produces quality numbers, he is just having a hard time staying healthy.
News: Charlie Villanueva sprained his right ankle in Tuesday's game against the Spurs. He was able to return briefly and then left for good.
Analysis: The team said that Villanueva is considered day to day. He is considered questionable for Wednesday's road game at Boston.
News: Charlie Villanueva can't buy a 3-point basket. He's hit on only one of his last 11 shots beyond the arc in the last six games.
Analysis: Villanueva is playing well after coming back from an elbow injury, but the long range game has been struggling. Still, he's worth a start as a No. 3 forward in most leagues.
News: Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva had 22 points and nine rebounds against the Magic on Tuesday.
Analysis: Villanueva is playing well after coming back from an elbow injury. Consider him a low-end No. 2 Fantasy forward.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva made his first start Wednesday since returning from a shoulder injury four games ago. He had six points and nine rebounds in 35 minutes against the Magic.
Analysis: Villanueva did not have a good game shooting against the Magic. He started the game 1-for-7 and finished 2-for-11. He hasn't been great since returning from a shoulder injury, but he could turn it on at any point. Continue to use Villanueva as a low-end Fantasy forward while he gets back into game shape.
News: Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva led the team in scoring against the Heat on Tuesday with 17 points. He also added four rebounds and shot 8-of-16 from the field.
Analysis: Consider Villanueva a No. 3 Fantasy forward and hope he stays healthy, which has been his problem this season.
News: In his second game back from injury, Bucks F Charlie Villanueva played just 16 minutes Sunday against the Knicks. He had four points and four rebounds.
Analysis: Villanueva had a much better game Friday with 10 points and 10 rebounds against the Suns. The Bucks are going to ease Villanueva back into action and make sure he doesn't aggravate his shoulder injury. When at 100 percent, he is a solid high-end Fantasy forward.
News: Charlie Villanueva, who has been sidelined since Dec. 30 with tendinitis in his right shoulder, returned to action Friday night against Phoenix. Villanueva came off the bench and played 27 minutes. He scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Analysis: The Bucks will likely ease Villanueva back into the lineup, but there is also a good chance that if he is at 100 percent, he could be starting in no time. Whatever the case, it appears safe to use Villanueva in Fantasy leagues. He was averaging 12.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 20 games this season. When at 100 percent, he is a solid high-end Fantasy forward.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva returned to the team's lineup on Friday after missing the last 11 games with tendinitis in his right shoulder.
Analysis: The Bucks will likely ease Villanueva back into the lineup, but there is also a good chance that if he is at 100 percent, he could be starting in no time. Whatever the case, it appears safe to use Villanueva in Fantasy leagues. Villanueva is averaging 12.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 20 games this season. When at 100 percent, he is a solid high-end Fantasy forward.
News: There is a possibility forward Charlie Villanueva, who has been sidelined since Dec. 30 because of tendinitis in his right shoulder, will play Friday night when the Bucks host the Phoenix Suns.
Analysis: Fantasy owners should keep him reserved until a return is more certain, but it will be good to see how he plays this weekend to determine if he should be activated for the upcoming scoring period.
News: According to published reports, Bucks F Charlie Villanueva is slated to miss one-to-two more weeks while he continues rehabilitation on his injured right shoulder, Bucks GM Larry Harris said Tuesday. Villanueva's injured shoulder was re-evaluated by orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, AL on Monday. Andrews agreed that Villanueva continues rehabilitation after receiving a cortisone shot in New York on Jan. 8.
Analysis: Villanueva is averaging 12.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 20 games this season. Billy Ceisler, the agent for Villanueva, told a local newspaper that his client could have surgery if a shot of cortisone for his ailing right shoulder doesn't reduce the inflammation. Villanueva, who has tendonitis in the shoulder, has already seen three different doctors. When healthy, he is a solid middle of the road Fantasy forward. Continue to keep him out of active Fantasy lineups and hope he returns sooner rather than later.
News: According to the Toronto Sun, Bucks F Charle Villanueva had a cortisone shot in his sore right shoulder on Monday in New York and team officials say they'll wait until next week to see how it responds. "It's getting better, getting better," Villanueva said Wednesday night when the Bucks played Toronto. If the joint doesn't come around, Villanueva may have to undergo season-ending surgery on the shoulder.
Analysis: That's the first time we've heard Villanueva's season could be in doubt. It's still too early to make that decision, though, so Villanueva should still be expected back some time during the next week or so.
News: Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva continues to nurse an injured right shoulder and will not be available for Milwaukee's game in Denver on Monday night. After sitting out the Bucks' last two games, Villanueva received a cortisone injection in his shoulder on Monday and will be re-evaluated in another week, the team said.
Analysis: Villanueva, Milwaukee's major offseason addition, is averaging 12.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists. He should be reserved in all leagues for the upcoming scoring period, but will be in for a big boost upon his return with Michael Redd out for a month.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva (right shoulder tendinitis) missed his second straight game on Friday and will be re-evaluated before the Bucks' next game Monday at Denver.
Analysis: Villanueva missed 10 games earlier in the season with an elbow injury after starting the first eight games on a tear. Since coming back from that injury, he hasn't been the same player and the Bucks have limited his playing time. There are even some rumors out there that Villanueva might need surgery to fix his most recent problem in his shoulder. It is best that you keep Villanueva reserved in all Fantasy leagues until the Bucks clear him to return.
News: In the five games since returning to action after being sidelined by tendinitis in his shoulder, Charlie Villanueva has played between 18 and 24 minutes. He has only scored in double-figures once during that same span.
Analysis: It looks as though the Bucks are trying to ease Villanueva back into the swing of things, which certainly doesn't bode well for Fantasy owners. We saw early in the season that Villanueva was capable of monster performances and we hope that he can return to that form. But in the meantime, use him as a No. 3 or lower Fantasy forward.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva (shoulder) had 16 points and seven rebounds off the bench on Wednesday against the Heat. He also had two assists in 21 minutes of action.
Analysis: It appears safe to get Villanueva back into active Fantasy lineups. He is a solid Fantasy forward when healthy.
News: The Bucks played on Saturday without forward Charlie Villanueva, who was inactive because of tendinitis in his right shoulder. Villanueva returned on Dec. 8 after missing 10 games with an elbow injury.
Analysis: Consider Villanueva an injury-risk start for the upcoming scoring period (Dec. 18-24). Since returning to action on Dec. 8, Villanueva has had two games where he has scored more than 20 points. He is usually a very good Fantasy option when healthy, but staying healthy has been his biggest problem this season.
News: Charlie Villanueva, who recently returned to action after having injured his left elbow, gave the Bucks a scare when he banged his elbow while attempting to dunk the ball on the last play of practice Monday. Villanueva yelled and ran off the court. Later, he said his elbow felt fine.
Analysis: Bucks coach Terry Stotts inserted Villanueva into the starting lineup against Seattle after having him come off the bench in the previous two games. Villanueva had suffered a torn ligament in his left elbow. He played 34 minutes against the SuperSonics, scoring 15 points and grabbing six rebounds. For all those Fantasy owners that dumped Villanueva onto waivers, pick him back up.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva (elbow) played on Friday for the first time since Nov. 14, when he tore a ligament in his elbow during a game in Atlanta.
Analysis: Before Villanueva injured his elbow, he was averaging 14.6 points and 7.4 rebounds in eight games. He came out of the gates strong and proved to be a valuable Fantasy option. For all those Fantasy owners that dumped him onto waivers (currently owned in just 68 percent of Fantasy leagues), it is time to add Villanueva back to Fantasy rosters.
News: According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Bucks F Charlie Villanueva likely will play tonight against the Grizzilies. "I'll be in uniform," Villanueva said. "But as far as how many minutes I'm going to get, I don't know. It feels good. I don't feel no pain. It feels good and there's no reason I shouldn't play. Whether it's 2 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes or 30 minutes, I'm going to play them as hard as I can." Villanueva has been out of the lineup since he tore a ligament in his elbow when he fell during a game in Atlanta Nov. 14. Villaneuva had hoped to play on Wednesday against Portland, but the team wanted him to practice before playing. The team ran some drills on Thursday.
Analysis: Before Villanueva injured his elbow, he was averaging 14.6 points and 7.4 rebounds in eight games. He came out of the gates strong and proved to be a valuable Fantasy option. It is looking as though Villaneuva will return on Friday, so for all those Fantasy owners that dumped him onto waivers (currently owned in just 65 percent of Fantasy leagues), it is time to add Villanueva back to Fantasy rosters.
News: The Bucks are optimistic about the return of forward Charlie Villanueva, who tore a ligament in his elbow when he fell during a game in Atlanta Nov. 14. Bucks coach Terry Stotts said Wednesday that he hopes Villanueva would be able to practice this week and possibly play in Milwaukee's game against Memphis on Friday.
Analysis: Before Villanueva injured his elbow, he was averaging 14.6 points and 7.4 rebounds in eight games. He came out of the gates strong and proved to be a valuable Fantasy option. It appears he is close to returning, so for all those Fantasy owners that dumped him onto waivers (currently owned in just 65 percent of Fantasy leagues), it is time to add Villanueva back to Fantasy rosters.
News: The Bucks announced Thursday that Charlie Villanueva has a torn ligament in his left elbow and will be sidelined at least four weeks. Villanueva, 22, suffered the injury in the second quarter of Milwaukee's 103-101 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.
Analysis: The Bucks initially diagnosed the 6-11 Villanueva with a minor sprain, but further testing of the injury revealed significant damage. He is averaging 14.6 points and 7.4 rebounds in eight games this season, his first with the Bucks. Brian Skinner and rookie Ersan Ilyasova will likely share time at power forward in Villanueva's absence.
News: Bucks starting small forward Charlie Villanueva, who sprained his left elbow late in the first half against Atlanta Tuesday night, didn't accompany the team to East Rutherford, N.J., and instead returned to Milwaukee for further evaluation.
Analysis: Villanueva is considered day to day. Keep him reserved in all daily leagues until he can officially return and prove his health.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva (elbow) did not play on Wednesday against the Nets. Villanueva sprained his left elbow late in the second quarter of Tuesday's game at Atlanta. Though he stayed in the game for the final 6.4 seconds, Villanueva didn't return in the second half.
Analysis: Villanueva is considered day to day. Keep him reserved in all daily leagues until he can officially return and prove his health.
News: Charlie Villanueva sprained his left elbow late in the second quarter of Tuesday's game at Atlanta. Though he stayed in the game for the final 6.4 seconds, Villanueva didn't return in the second half.
Analysis: Villanueva is considered day to day. Keep him reserved in all daily leagues until he can officially return and prove his health.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva scored 18 points Friday at Washington. He also added seven boards and four assists.
Analysis: Villanueva has gotten off to a terrific start this season and should be starting in all leagues at the moment.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva started on Saturday night against the Kings, a day after straining his calf muscle in a loss to the Raptors. He scored 25 points on 11-of-17 shooting from the field. He also had seven rebounds.
Analysis: For the time, it appears safe to use Villanueva for Fantasy purposes. But do keep an eye on his status in case the calf strain flares up again. Villanueva scored 17 points and had 11 rebounds on Friday and has gotten off to a great start. He has become a must-start Fantasy forward.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva started on Saturday night, a day after straining his calf muscle in a loss to the Raptors.
Analysis: For the time, it appears safe to use Villanueva for Fantasy purposes. But do keep an eye on his status in case the calf strain flares up again. Villanueva scored 17 points and had 11 rebounds on Friday and has gotten off to a great start. He has become a must-start Fantasy forward.
News: According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Charlie Villanueva strained his right calf during Friday's loss at Toronto. He is considered day to day.
Analysis: Villanueva scored 17 points and had 11 rebounds on Friday and has gotten off to a great start. Even if he isn't able to go Saturday, he'll make a great start for the upcoming scoring period. A calf strain shouldn't linger into next week's games.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva scored 17 points and had 11 rebounds on Friday against the Raptors. He shot 8-of-15 from the field and had three assists as well.
Analysis: Villanueva has now had a double-double in both of the Bucks games. Villanueva is one of our favorite breakout candidates this season and he's off to a great start. Play him in all Fantasy formats.
News: Bucks F Charlie Villanueva scored 16 points and brought down 12 rebounds in Wednesday's season-opening win at Detroit. He also added four assists.
Analysis: Villanueva is one of our favorite breakout candidates this season and he's off to a good start. He saw 21 shot attempts and looked to be the team's second scoring option behind Michael Redd. Consider him a great start in any league.
News: The Bucks announced Bobby Simmons will miss at least a month with a stress fracture in his right heel. It is the second significant injury for a Bucks starter in a week. Center Andrew Bogut sprained his lower left leg in a scrimmage last Saturday and will miss up to eight weeks.
Analysis: Simmons also missed time last season due to injury. With the injuries, expect Charlie Villanueva to see a very active role during the first month of the season.
News: Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut will likely miss the beginning of the season with a lower left leg sprain that is expected to sideline him for six to eight weeks. Bogut was helped off the court during a team scrimmage on Saturday after banging his leg into Steve Blake's knee. He did not return to the scrimmage.
Analysis: This means that Dan Gadzuric will enter the season as the team's starting center and it's a good idea for anyone who drafts Bogut in the middle rounds to take him as well. He won't be a major contributor in the offense, but should be good for five or six rebounds per night. Ha Seung Jin should also see increased playing time as a result. Look for Charlie Villanueva to be more active in the low-post and Brian Skinner should see a quick boost as well.
News: Larry Krystkowiak, the former Bucks forward whom the team hired over the summer as an assistant coach, will devote much of his time to the Bucks' big men, specifically Andrew Bogut. Krystkowiak wants Bogut, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft, to be more assertive on the offensive end of the floor.
Analysis: Bogut is in line for a big improvement this season and should be considered one of the better young centers in the league now that the path has been paved for him to become the everyday center. Krstkowiak should also help to improve the rebounding capabilities of young players like Charlie Villanueva and even Brian Skinner off the bench.
News: Second-year forward Charlie Villanueva was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday for guard T.J. Ford. Villanueva was expendable after the team's selection of Italian import Andrea Bargnani with the No. 1 pick overall in Wednesday's draft.
Analysis: Villanueva was consistent in his rookie season and will bolster what is shaping up as an impressive frontcourt in Milwaukee with Andrew Bogut and Michael Redd. The Bucks will have Maurice Williams and Charlie Bell to run the point, so they might get a little better with this move.
News: All-Star forward Chris Bosh is out indefinitely with a sprained left thumb, leaving the Raptors without their top scorer and rebounder. He was hurt in the first quarter of Sunday's loss in Milwaukee, colliding with teammate Pape Sow after chasing down a loose ball. Bosh left for the locker room, then returned to the sideline with his thumb wrapped. His thumb was examined Monday by Toronto hand specialist Dr. Brent Graham. Bosh will be re-evaluated by team physician Dr. Paul Marks in seven to 10 days to determine when he can return.
Analysis: Ouch. Not the right time to lose your top Fantasy producer. It sounds like he may be out for most of the remainder of the regular season. If Charlie Villanueva is available scoop him up immediately. Villanueva is clearly a must-start in all leagues down the stretch at this point and is a valuable commodity in keeper leagues.
News: The best game of his NBA career couldn't save a lousy day for Charlie Villanueva. Villanueva scored a career-high 48 points, but the Milwaukee Bucks got 35 points from Michael Redd to beat the Toronto Raptors 125-116 in overtime Sunday. That came less than an hour after Connecticut, Villanueva's college team, was upset by George Mason in the NCAA tournament. "Right now I am little disappointed and frustrated," Villanueva said. "We lost. If we won, it would have made my night even bigger. UConn lost, too. That's 0-for-2 for me." Toronto played much of the way without injured All-Star Chris Bosh, but stayed in the game behind Villanueva, who shot 20-of-32 and had the highest point total by an NBA rookie this season.
Analysis: Villanueva is clearly a must-start in all leagues down the stretch after this performance and is a valuable commodity in keeper leagues.
News: Rookie forward Charlie Villanueva was held scoreless by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, the first time this season he hasn't scored a point in a game.
Analysis: Despite the bad game, Villanueva is an nice starter in leagues of 12-plus teams and he is one of the most valuable keepers looking toward the future.
News: Charlie Villanueva's 14 points and 10 rebounds on Tuesday marked his fifth double-double of the season.
Analysis: Villanueva is an nice start in leagues of 12-plus teams and he is one of the most valuable keepers looking toward the future.
News: Charlie Villanueva enters his first career All-Star break ranked third among rookies in points per game (12.4) and fourth among first-year players in rebounding (5.3 rpg).
Analysis: Villanueva is an excellent start in leagues of 12-plus teams and he is one of the most valuable keepers looking toward the future.
News: Charlie Villanueva scored 16 points while also adding nine rebounds on Sunday vs. Portland.
Analysis: Villanueva is averaging 16.3 ppg over his last six games and he's been starting ever since Jalen Rose was traded. He has become a nice start in most leagues.
News: Charlie Villanueva got a start in the Raptors' first game without Jalen Rose and scored 18 points on 7-of-18 shooting with nine rebounds.
Analysis: He has been very inconsistent this season, but that could all change now. He would be a great Fantasy option if he becomes a permanent starter and is a solid pickup in all leagues.
News: Forwards Andrew Bogut of Milwaukee and Dwight Howard of Orlando led a list of 19 players selected for the Rookie Challenge in Houston as part of the All-Star weekend. Joining Bogut on the rookie team for the Feb. 17 game are Luther Head of Houston; Danny Granger and Sarunas Jasikevicius of Indiana; Chris Paul of New Orleans; Channing Frye and Nate Robinson of New York; Charlie Villanueva of Toronto; and Deron Williams of Utah.
Analysis: Villanueva is one of the league's most inconsistent players and can't be counted on too heavily for Fantasy purposes. He has great value in keeper leagues.
News: Charlie Villanueva scored 18 points on 8-of-15 shooting with seven rebounds vs. Sacramento on Sunday night.
Analysis: Villanueva is one of the league's most inconsistent players and can't be counted on too heavily for Fantasy purposes.
News: Charlie Villanueva scored 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting on Sunday at the Lakers.
Analysis: Villanueva is one of the league's most inconsistent players and can't be counted on too heavily for Fantasy purposes.
News: Charlie Villanueva scored 15 points with six rebounds on Sunday vs. New York.
Analysis: Villanueva is one of the league's most inconsistent players. He can score 24 one night, and then not reach double-digits in five straight games. For now, avoid using him if at all possible.
News: Charlie Villanueva scored 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting in Wednesday's game vs. Orlando.
Analysis: He's one of the league's most inconsistent players.
News: Charlie Villanueva scored two point on 0-of-3 shooting with two rebounds and no assists on Tuesday in Atlanta.
Analysis: He only played 22 minutes and is one of the league's most inconsistent players.
News: Charlie Villanueva scored 25 points while also bringing down 10 rebounds on Friday at Indiana.
Analysis: Villanueva has been spotty with his efforts, but he could post these sorts of numbers on a regular basis. Continue to start him.
News: Charlie Villanueva (calf) scored eight points on 2-of-5 shooting with zero rebounds in 13 minutes on Wednesday in Houston.
Analysis: He may not be 100 percent, monitor the situation.
News: Charlie Villanueva scored 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting with eight rebounds on Friday vs. Golden State.
Analysis: Villanueva only logged nine minutes in Toronto's last game but played 32 on Friday. He appears safe to use and is a solid No. 4 forward when Toronto plays a favorable schedule.
News: Rookie Charlie Villanueva has posted double figures in scoring in each of his last five games and has upped his average to 12.7 ppg on the season. He's getting nearly 28 minutes a night and is developing nicely for the Raptors.
Analysis: Villanueva will get every opportunity to learn on the job for the hapless Raptors. He remains a decent No. 3 or 4 forward in 12-team leagues when Toronto plays a favorable schedule.
News: Rookie Charlie Villanueva has been very inconsistent, but continues to receive 25-plus minutes almost every game for the Raptors. He's averaging 12.2 ppg and 6.4 rebounds per game and has also been a cheap source of some steals and blocks.
Analysis: Villanueva will only continue to mature and get better, down the road he seems like a multi-category Fantasy stud. Right now he is a decent No. 3 or 4 forward in 12-team leagues when Toronto plays a favorable schedule.
News: Rookie Charlie Villanueva scored 11 points and he gathered six rebounds in Wednesday's regular season opener against Washington.
Analysis: Villanueva is trying to prove a lot of doubters wrong, after the so-called experts ragged on Toronto for selecting him seventh overall in the 2005 draft. So far, so good.
News: Charlie Villanueva scored 15 points and added five rebounds in Wednesday's preseason game against the Jazz.
Analysis: Villanueva got off to a strong preseason start. He was nursing a strained groin in the summer league, but he appears fine now.
News: Charlie Villanueva is expected to miss the summer league in Minnesota due to a strained groin.
Analysis: Villanueva was expected to play in five games in Minnesota starting on Thursday, but that appears doubtful. He is expected to be ready for training camp.
News: The Raptors selected Charlie Villanueva with the seventh overall pick in the NBA draft. A lot of people did not like the move, considering it quite a reach for a player who has been knocked for his work ethic.
Analysis: The team also has Chris Bosh, so the experts the pick could have been used to fill a more pressing need. Villanueva might prove his doubters wrong or he might be the next Michael Bradley. Generally the Raptors have selected well, nabbing Bosh, Morris Peterson, Tracy McGrady and Marcus Camby to name a few, so time will tell on this year's selection.
