Week 5 Start 'Em and Sit 'Em

Start 'Em & Sit 'Em is our weekly look at players around the NBA we feel could help or hurt your Fantasy squad based upon matchups and other factors. Don't expect to read about why you should start LeBron James or why you should sit Brian Scalabrine. In this space, we will try to help you make the call on players you could be on the fence about while also pointing out some players you may not have thought about sitting, but you should consider doing so.

Start of the Week

The Nets may not win many games this season on the floor, but that does not mean they can't help you win some games in Fantasy hoops.

Brook Lopez has emerged as an elite Fantasy center. Devin Harris, when healthy, is a high-end No. 1 guard. But there is one player seems to be slipping under the radar in Fantasy -- Chris Douglas-Roberts.

CDR is in his second year out of Memphis and has quickly become an integral part of the Nets' rotation. With the team building for the future after shipping away Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter over the last couple of seasons, there has been room for young developing players like Douglas-Roberts to step up. And that's exactly what he has done.

A bout with the H1N1 virus early in November has been just about the only thing that has been able to slow CDR down. He is showing that he can be a go-to scorer, averaging 18.1 points per game this season and scoring at least 24 points in each of his last three games. But he can also rebound, averaging 6.2 boards in his last five games -- including two games with 10 or more. He can pick up steals, gets to the foul line often and shoots well when he gets there. He is also seeing big minutes (40-plus in three straight games) with around 20 shots per game.

Yet, somehow, he is active in only 62 percent of CBSSports.com leagues.

That should definitely change for Fantasy Week 5 (Nov. 23-29). The Nets have a four-game West Coast road trip this week that includes a couple of very favorable matchups against Denver and Sacramento. The Nuggets allow 101.3 points per game while the Kings give up 105.3. Those aren't FM radio stations, people. That's just a typical score for an opponent.

CDR is coming off his best overall week of the season, scoring 118 points in standard Head-to-Head formats on CBSSports.com. That happened with just three games. Imagine what he could for you with four this week.

Sit of the Week

The loss of Chris Paul has affected a lot of Fantasy owners. But not only those who own CP3. David West's numbers have also suffered and a two-game slate in Week 5 makes him a player you should try to avoid in cumulative leagues.

West, who has averaged 20 points and 8 rebounds over his last two seasons, is averaging just 13 points over his last five games since Paul's injury. The amount of easy buckets he has been scoring has diminished greatly.

That is not to say West is all of a sudden a Fantasy bum. He is averaging 9.2 rebounds over that same span and will be a player you will want to start during most weeks. But with the Hornets playing just two games in Week 5, including one against a Milwaukee team allowing under 95 points per game, you will want to carefully weigh your options.

We figure West will score somewhere in the neighborhood of 30-35 points, with around 20 rebounds, 6 assists, a few blocks, maybe a steal or two and a few turnovers. The high end of those estimates would put him at 69 Fantasy points in a cumulative Head-to-Head league on CBSSports.com.

If you have reserves with more favorable matchups this week, they can easily outscore that. Think you don't? Pay attention. We've got some for you.

Guards

Start 'Em

Jason Terry (GS, @HOU, @IND, @CLE): We absolutely love this week's matchups for Terry. The Mavs play four games and three come against teams that regularly allow 100 points or more per game. Terry will begin the week against the most Fantasy-friendly opponent in the NBA, the Warriors, who allow 111.7 points per game. Terry could easily average 20 points per game this week and the continued absence of Josh Howard should ensure that output is approachble.

J.R. Smith (NJ, @MIN, NY, MIN): Smith will play three games this week against opponents who allow over 103 points per game, including one game against a Knicks team that gives up 108 points per game. He has scored at least 18 points in all but two of the six games since returning from his suspension and that kind of productivity should absolutely continue this week.

Sleeper alert: Beno Udrih, (@MEM, NY, NJ, NO): He is starting in only 47 percent of CBSSports.com leagues, but is averaging 17 points, 5 rebounds and just under 3 assists over his last five games, getting around 38 minutes per contest. The injury to Kevin Martin opened up a big opportunity for him to step up and he has done just that. He offers good three-point shooting as well and his numbers across the board should be up in a four-game week that includes matchups against three teams that allow 103-plus points.

Sit 'Em

Mike Bibby (ORL, @PHI, @DET): The presence of Jamal Crawford has cut into Bibby's production and his consistency this season. He is averaging under 10 points per game for the first time in his career and his assists and rebounds have also dipped. A three-game week that includes two games against top-five defenses doesn't sound too promising and the fact that he had to leave Saturday's game with a sprained ankle certainly doesn't help matters. There are likely better options this week among your reserves or even on the waiver wire.

Stephen Curry (@DAL, @SA, LAL): The absence of Stephen Jackson and Kelenna Azubuike should mean added production in the long run for the rookie, but that hasn't been the case just yet. He is averaging decent numbers lately, but not great. Over his last five games, he has managed 10.6 points, 4.8 assists and 3.0 rebounds. In Week 5, he will play three games against teams that allow under 100 points per game and his appeal in average-based or cumulative play is limited.

Bust Alert: Darren Collison (MIL, @SAC): Collison has quickly become a Fantasy hero of sorts thanks to the added production he is enjoying while starting in place of the injured Chris Paul. He managed 22 points and 11 assists (CP3-type numbers) Saturday night against Atlanta and has averaged 15.4 points and 5.6 assists in his last five games. However, that bubble could burst in Week 5 with the Hornets playing just two games. One of which, as mentioned above, against a Bucks team that allows under 95 points.

Forwards

Start 'Em

Al Thornton (MIN, @IND, @DET, MEM): Thornton got off to a slow start this year, but his low season averages (11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds) should not deter you from starting him this week. He is averaging 18.0 points over his last five games and is getting 10-15 shots per game in the offense. A favorable four-game slate that includes two games against teams that allow over 103 points per game should allow him to maintain his recent production.

Richard Jefferson (MIL, GS, @HOU, PHI): The Spurs brought Jefferson to help them become less reliant on their aging stars, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili. So far, it has paid off. With Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili missing considerable time early on this season, Jefferson has had several big games like the 29-point, 7 rebound, 4-assist effort against Dallas on Nov. 11. The Spurs have a very favorable four-game slate this week that includes a tilt against Golden State, so it should be a big week for RJ.

Sleeper alert: Ersan Ilyasova (@SA, @NO, @OKC, ORL): The injury to Andrew Bogut that will sideline him for up to a month has benefited Ilyasova, but the truth is he had been turning in good performances under the radar even prior to that. He had 19 points and 12 rebounds on Nov. 16 against Dallas, and that was with Bogut healthy. In the two games since Bogut went down, he has managed 15.5 points and 9.5 rebounds. He is an excellent three-point shooter and is a great sleeper play in a four-game week.

Sit 'Em

Luol Deng (@POR, @UTA): Deng has had a resurgent year so far, coming off the worst year of his career in 2008-09. He is averaging 16.8 points and 8.5 rebounds and the way his stock fell last season, he could be considered one of the better steals in drafts this season considering where he was drafted in most leagues. But Week 5 could be a slow week. The Bulls have the worst schedule in Fantasy hoops this week with just two games, one of which comes against a Portland team allowing the fewest points in the NBA.

Paul Millsap (OKC, CHI, POR): Millsap is a future Fantasy stud in the making. Anybody who pays attention knows that. Whenever he has gotten a chance to step up for either Carlos Boozer or Mehmet Okur, he has put up big numbers. That was the case again this past week with Okur out with the flu. But with Okur expected back and the Jazz facing the least favorable three-game slate in the NBA this week, Millsap's Fantasy viability has run its course again -- for now.

Bust Alert: Andrei Kirilenko (OKC, CHI, POR): AK-47 has been harkening back to his days as a Fantasy stud so far this season, putting up good scoring performances to go with the peripheral production he offers in rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and three-point shooting. He has scored 20-plus points in two of his last three games and is averaging a Rotiserrie dream 16-7-3-1-1 line over his last five games. But much of that has come without Mehmet Okur in the lineup and the big man should be back for a full week's worth of games in Week 5. Not to mention that the Jazz have the worst schedule among three-game teams this week. They will play three teams that allow under 95 points per game and Kirilenko's scoring production, at least, should decline.

Centers

Start 'Em

Spencer Hawes (@MEM, NY, NJ, NO): Hawes has gotten off to a rocky start this season, but he showed good signs of putting things together on Saturday at Houston with 24 points and 9 rebounds in 36 minutes. He should have a chance to keep that momentum going in Week 5 thanks to a favorable schedule that includes three games against teams that allow over 103 points per game. The matchup against the Knicks, in particular, should be very favorable for him.

Greg Oden (CHI, NJ, MEM, @UTA): Oden has had few games this season where he has put it all together. Early on, his rebounding and blocks were excellent, but not his scoring. Lately, he has been scoring more and his rebounding has suffered. Well, in Week 5, he could begin to become the total package. The Blazers play a four-game slate that includes a very favorable matchup against Memphis, with the Grizzlies allowing 106.0 points per game. The Bulls and Nets allow the sixth and seventh most rebounds in the NBA to opposing players.

Sleeper alert: Kurt Thomas (@SA, @NO, @OKC, ORL): With Andrew Bogut sidelined, Dan Gadzuric got the first start in his place Saturday night in Memphis. However, it was the veteran Thomas who saw the majority of the action and it led to a very useful 10-rebound, 8-point night with 2 blocks and 3 steals. Thomas' ceiling isn't very high at this stage in his career, but he could be of some use in the upcoming four-game scoring period where a stopgap No.2 center is needed.

Sit 'Em

Emeka Okafor (MIL, @SAC): Okafor's scoring has taken a hit over the last five games with Chris Paul out of the lineup. He is averaging just 7.8 points over his last five contests and is barely getting over five shots per game. Just like with David West, the amount of easy baskets he'd been getting early on in the season has dropped. In Week 5, with just a two game slate, he is a candidate to be reserved in cumulative formats.

Joakim Noah (@POR, @UTA): Noah has been one of the better breakout performers of the first month of the NBA season. He is averaging a double-double (11.9 points, 12.3 rebounds) and has established himself as both an offensive and defensive presence for the Bulls. In Week 5, however, the matchups are not in his favor. The Bulls play just two games and both come against teams with strong front courts. He could be limited both in scoring and on the glass and his chances of a big week in cumulative formats is extremely low.

Bust Alert: Jermaine O'Neal (@ORL, WAS, BOS): O'Neal, who was avoided by most owners in Fantasy drafts until the late rounds, has been a very pleasant surprise this season. He has been relatively healthy and that has led to a very solid 14.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game out of him in the early going. However, the Heat have some very unfavorable matchups in the upcoming scoring period. O'Neal will start the week off against Dwight Howard and will end the week against a Boston team that allows just 88.4 points per game. There will be better weeks ahead.

Do you have a Fantasy hoops question for our staff? You can e-mail us at DMFantasyHoops@cbs.com. Be sure to put Attn: Start 'Em and Sit 'Em in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state. You can also follow Sergio on Twitter (@CBSGonzalez).