Early on, a big three has emerged out of this year’s crop of first-year players. Of course, I’m talking about Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren and Ausar Thompson. This trio is living up to the hype and they’re extremely fun to watch play. So if you’re lucky enough to have one or more of them on your fantasy team, I don’t suggest trading them away unless you’re absolutely blown away by the offer.

Looking past the big three, here are my current next 10 rookies for fantasy purposes.

Rookie Watch — After the Big Three

1. Scoot Henderson — POR, 63% rostered

I know that Scoot struggled mightily in his first few games, and that he’s currently sidelined with an ankle injury. But I still expect him to have a solid rookie season, and he should be rostered in more than 63% of Yahoo leagues. I like him as a free agent pickup before he returns from injury, or having him thrown into a trade as part of a larger deal.

2. Dereck Lively — DAL, 47% rostered

I didn’t find out until after the season had started that former Mavericks center Tyson Chandler was working closely with Lively. If I had known that ahead of time, I would have drafted Lively more frequently, as Chandler used to be a favorite of mine. The tutoring is paying off, and Chandler has stated that, “he reminds me a lot of myself.” Sure enough, the 71% shooting from the field is very Chandler-esque.

3. Keyonte George — UTA, 19% rostered

Henderson and Lively better watch out, because George could leapfrog both of them soon. His court vision and strong passing skills have been on full display recently, with 20 dimes and just three turnovers over his past two games. Looking at his college stats, it’s shocking that George averaged a mere 2.8 assists in over 28 minutes per game last year. A big key here is that George is making it easier for his teammates to score, and I expect him to remain a starter the rest of the way. After placing huge FAAB bids to beat out my colleague Stan Son in multiple leagues for George on Sunday, he proceeded to curse me out. Go big or go home, Stan!

4. Brandon Miller — CHA, 55% rostered

After a hot start, Miller has cooled off a bit lately, and is now nursing a minor ankle injury. He doesn’t excel in one particular area, but his feel for the game is apparent and I think he’ll continue to play major minutes moving forward, even with Miles Bridges back in the rotation. If he’s available in your league, I suggest monitoring him closely.

5. Marcus Sasser — DET, 29% rostered

Injuries to Alec Burks and Jaden Ivey opened the door for Sasser to get serious minutes, and he’s made the most of them, with 13.7 points, 4.1 assists, 1.3 steals, 2.1 threes and only 1.0 turnovers per game in November, while shooting over 48% from the field. With that kind of production, it will be hard to keep Sasser out of the rotation from here on out.

6. Bilal Coulibaly — WAS, 20% rostered

It only took one game for Coulibaly to remind people that he should be on their fantasy radars, turning in 20 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals and 4 threes on Sunday. He also played a season-high 34 minutes, with a Delon Wright injury opening up more playing time. Both Stan and I grabbed a few shares of Bilal as a result, and since he followed it up with a nice game on Monday, I suggest others do the same.

7. Jordan Hawkins — NOR, 38% rostered

As far as rookies go, Hawkins is pretty proven, as he played two seasons of college ball and won a national title with UConn last year. After making 2.9 treys per game on 39% shooting from deep last season, he’s doing more of the same in the pros, with 3.0 threes per game on 34% shooting in November. He’s getting extra minutes with C.J. McCollum sidelined, but remember that Trey Murphy’s impending return will likely hurt him.

8. Jaime Jaquez — MIA, 16% rostered

Speaking of college seasoning, Jaquez played all four years at UCLA, and his well-rounded game is fitting in nicely on the Heat. He’s been getting extra run lately because of Tyler Herro’s ankle injury, and has filled in admirably. His 3-point shot is inconsistent, but he’s averaging 3.6 assists and 2.1 steals per 36 minutes.

9. Cason Wallace — OKC, 4% rostered

After 10 games in the NBA, Wallace is shooting 64% from the field and has made 10-of-19 threes. It’d be impressive for anybody to start a season off that hot, let alone a rookie who shot under 45% FG during his lone college season. But Wallace passes the eye test and checks off a lot of boxes as far as his confidence, quick decision-making and unselfishness.

10. Anthony Black — ORL, 4% rostered

It’s easy to spot Black when he’s on the court thanks to his hairstyle, but also because he’s all over the floor, playing with maximum hustle and intensity. His shot selection is as good as it gets, as he’s scoring just 6.3 points per game but is shooting 65% from the field. And Black’s floor stats can be useful when he’s getting enough minutes. With Markelle Fultz having some knee soreness recently, you’ll want to keep Black on your fantasy radar.

Suspension/Injury Watch

Ja Morant — MEM, 92% rostered on Yahoo

Memphis is struggling to stay afloat during Morant’s 25-game suspension, but we’re already 10 games down, with 15 left to go. Assuming there are no setbacks, the Grizzlies and Ja’s fantasy managers will be getting an early Christmas present, and I expect him to play with an even bigger chip on his shoulders once he returns. If he’s somehow available in your league, you know what to do.

Miles Bridges — CHA, 65% rostered

Perhaps not surprisingly, the Hornets have chosen to sweep Bridges’ off-court issues under the rug in hopes that people will forget about them the moment he throws down a windmill dunk. With his suspension almost over, Bridges is set to make his season debut on Friday, so it’s surprising that he’s still a free agent in 35% of Yahoo leagues. While you shouldn’t expect a repeat of his excellent 2021-22 season, somewhere around 16-17 points, 6-7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 threes per game is a safe projection.

Trey Murphy III — NOR, 64% rostered

Given that Murphy is currently available in over one-third of Yahoo leagues, I suggest going to your league’s free agent page immediately to see if he’s available. If so, you’ll want to beat others to the punch in adding him. Murphy has been participating in pre-game warmups, and his return from meniscus surgery might happen in the next couple of weeks. With no timetable for C.J. McCollum’s return, and the Pelicans being a below average 3-point shooting team once again, Murphy should step into a big role as soon as he shakes off the rust.

Trade ideas: Buy low, sell high

Sell high: Gordon Hayward — CHA

As mentioned above, Bridges is about to return for Charlotte, and Miller should continue to get steady minutes all season long. As such, Hayward shouldn’t be expected to continue posting 17-5-5 lines every game. I suggest getting what you can for him and moving on.

Buy low: Keegan Murray — SAC

Since Andrew Wiggins’ slow start is truly scaring me, I’m going to suggest going after a younger and better shooting forward instead. Murray was lights out from deep as a rookie, draining 41% of his 3-pointers. This season his shot attempts are way up, but he’s made less than 30% of his threes thus far. Given Murray’s impeccable shooting form, and the fact that De’Aaron Fox’s absence was likely part of his struggles, we know that his slump won’t last for long. And thankfully, his defensive stats are way up this season.

Sell high: Paul George — LAC

George is coming off a nice 26 point, 7 rebound, 7 assist, 3 trey game on Sunday, but he had a major dud the game before that, and he’s likely to be much more inconsistent now that James Harden is a Clipper. Given his hot start and the fact that he’s fully healthy, you should consider selling high before his value starts to slide.

Buy low: Damian Lillard — MIL

It’s been a rough adjustment period for Lillard, as he’s scoring under 23 points per game and shooting just 37% from the field after eight games with the Bucks, including a lowly 27% from 3-point range. Given that he’s a career 37% shooter from deep, we know that all of those numbers are bound to improve.

Sell high: RJ Barrett — NYK

Barrett is a player who would sometimes fall extremely far in Roto drafts due to his terrible shooting percentages last season. But he’s been a different player early on, as he’s currently posting superb shooting marks of 49% FG, 50% 3P and 85% FT. I’m buying into the fact that he’s an improved young player who better understands his role this season. However, there’s no chance he can keep up this pace, and when Barrett goes cold, he often goes ice cold.

Buy low: Walker Kessler — UTA

Kessler is currently out with an elbow injury, meaning it’s a good time to check in with his fantasy manager, especially if they’re desperate for center help. Even before he got hurt, Kessler wasn’t setting the world on fire, with his points, rebounds and blocks per game all lower than last season, and his 55% FG mark looking downright pathetic next to last year’s 72% FG. But I do expect Kessler to improve once he comes back, and there’s always the chance that Kelly Olynyk gets traded, which would really open up more playing time for Kessler. Let’s hope Utah management remembers that he’s supposed to be their star center, both for the present and the future!

(Photo of Keyonte George: Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports)