Centres

Roy Hibbert, Indiana Pacers: The Georgetown alum hasn’t exactly set the league on fire during his inaugural campaign, but he is averaging 8.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in five February tilts – both of which are monthly bests. The Pacers (4 1/2 games out of the eighth seed) aren’t going anywhere and may be more inclined to give the rookie some additional run in the final months. Chalk him up as a second-half sleeper in deeper leagues, especially since none of the other centre options on the Pacers have exactly grabbed the job and run with it.

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While the Wizards have been exiled to hoops purgatory this season, JaVale McGee was a bit of a bright spot heading into the All-Star break. The University of Nevada product has averaged 11.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game over his last seven contests, though his propensity to rack up the whistles (28 fouls in that stretch) is limiting his minutes…Those in very deep leagues might want to sneak a peek at Sean Marks if Tyson Chandler’s ankle injury lingers…The situation is a bit murkier for constant Troll resident Joakim Noah this week as Amare Stoudemire could be headed to the Windy City. If Noah stays his minutes could be cut, if he goes who knows what his role will be in Phoenix? He’s still a solid addition, but don’t view him as a season-long option just yet.

Forwards

Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves: The loss of Al Jefferson (knee) will almost certainly push Love into a more prominent role offensively for the Wolves. In his first game without Big Al, Love played a career-high 38 minutes and launched 14 shots (his second-highest total), finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds. If for any reason he remains available in your league, add him immediately.

Travis Outlaw, Portland Trail Blazers: He has already been a pretty steady performer this season, but Outlaw has ramped up his play in February, totaling 16.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He’s absolutely deserving of a roster spot in all but the shallowest of leagues.

Ryan Gomes, Minnesota Timberwolves: Love doesn’t figure to be the only statistical beneficiary from Jefferson’s injury as Gomes should carry a larger offensive load going forward. He’s averaging 14.3 points and north of 36 minutes a night this month and is a capable three-point shooter to boot. Gomes’ peripheral numbers are modest at best, but those looking for a scoring boost needn’t look any further.

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Wilson Chandler is back in the starting lineup after a six-game hiatus and hung 27 points on the Clippers on Wednesday. If someone discarded him when he went to the bench feel free to snatch him off the waiver wire…The Lakers recently shipped Vladimir Radmanovic to the Bobcats, where the veteran figures to see a lot more playing time. He has scored 34 points and gone 8-for-15 from downtown in two games since the move and could be worth a flier for his scoring potential…Marreese Speights poured in 49 points in Philly’s final three games before the break – put him on your radar…With Andris Biedrins out with an ankle injury, Ronny Turiaf is putting up 10.7 points and 7.0 boards a night. He’s worth a look in deep leagues, but Biedrins is expected to return immediately after the All-Star break…Jason Kapono has tallied 51 points in his last three contests and is a great natural shooter. However, he hasn’t produced with any consistency this year. Proceed with caution.

Guards

Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies: Everyone that was ready to write off the former fourth overall pick needs to take a step back and re-evaluate what’s going on in Memphis under the stewardship of Lionel Hollins. Conley has started the team’s last 13 games and over the last eight he’s averaging 14.5 points, 6.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds per contest. Those aren’t ideal assist totals for a point guard, but he has huge talent and is a great second-half sleeper.

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Charlie Bell dropped 21 and 20 points, respectively, in Milwaukee’s last two games and knocked down 17 of his 26 shots in the process. He figures to see plenty of time at least until Luke Ridnour returns, making him a solid addition…A pair of injured players (Cleveland’s Delonte West and Dallas’ Jerry Stackhouse) should be returning soon and could immediately step into prominent roles. Those hurting for backcourt depth can consider either man as a possible flier…Kyle Weaver has started the last seven games for the Thunder. His numbers haven’t impressed thus far, though the fact that he’s averaging nearly 31 minutes a night makes him worthy of watch-list status in deep leagues.

Centres

Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls: The second-year Florida product has taken up a semi-permanent residence on the Wire Troll by continuing to produce solid totals both in points and rebounds. The big test will come once Drew Gooden (groin) is back in action, but at this juncture owners in all but the shallowest leagues should make room on their rosters for Noah.

Darko Milicic, Memphis Grizzlies: Everyone’s favorite bust returned to action on Wednesday after missing 18 games with a broken knuckle. He has produced modestly in his first two games back, but prior to getting injured he had reached double figures in scoring in five of seven games. Owners that find their roster depleted by the recent rash of injuries in the NBA can consider rolling the dice on Milicic.

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Injuries continue to mount for the Bucks, who will now be without Andrew Bogut for the next two-plus months. That’s a bitter pill for fantasy owners to swallow as Bogut (11.7 points, 10.2 rebounds per game) was a rock solid contributor when healthy. Francisco Elson should see most of the minutes in Bogut’s stead – he’s not much of a scorer, but he can contribute on the glass…Other options for Bogut owners are Oklahoma City’s Nick Collison and Nenad Krstic. Collison is the starter and the better choice at this point, though Krstic figures to continue cutting into his minutes as he rounds into shape. Neither man is an ideal selection, though at this point beggars, can’t be choosers…An abdominal strain will keep Brad Miller out until at least the All-Star break, giving Spencer Hawes a chance to start some games. In three starts since Miller’s injury, Hawes is averaging 9.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per contest.

Forwards

Lamar Odom, Los Angeles Lakers: Well, well, well…it looks as though Andrew Bynum’s pesky labia injury has flared up again, sidelining the 7-foot pink taco for 2-to-3 months. That should be great news for Odom, whose minutes have been way down this year with Bynum and Pau Gasol holding down the five and four positions, respectively. Odom is no star, but most of his shortcomings (clutch play, toughness) don’t affect the way he fills up a box score. He’s an immediate must own.

Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves: Much like Noah, Love has earned a recurring role on “As the Troll Turns,” though his value is already much higher than that of Noah. Love has reached double digits in rebounds in five of his last seven games, which includes four double-doubles. After such a long run on here there’s not much more to say about Love, whose stellar play dictates he should be owned in all leagues, but especially now with Craig Smith — his main competition — out for the next couple of weeks.

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Anyone in the market for rebounds? If so, check out what’s going on in Motown where Antonio McDyess has averaged better than 10 boards per game in 2009…Ryan Anderson has scored 17 or more points in three of his last four games (while hauling in a tidy 7.5 rebounds a night). He has done a nice job in the absence of Yi Jianlian, who is fairly close to returning. Yi’s return could severely undermine Anderson’s value, so be aware of that when considering a move…Andrei Kirilenko appears to be ahead of schedule in his recovery from ankle surgery and may return shortly after the All-Star break. If someone else cut him free you should consider stashing him on your bench.

Guards

Ramon Sessions, Milwaukee Bucks: What the hell is going on in Milwaukee? With Luke Ridnour joining Michael Redd and Bogut on the injured list, Sessions becomes a focal point of the Buck offense — so much so that he dropped 44 points and 12 assists on the Pistons on Saturday. Fantasy owners will be quick to remember the huge numbers he put up on a depleted Bucks team late last season so don’t delay another minute in adding him to your roster.

Francisco Garcia, Sacramento Kings: The return of Kevin Martin was supposed to spell the end of Garcia’s fantasy usefulness, but more than a month later Garcia is still racking up the points. He hit a little dry spell in late January – scoring 19 points over the month’s final three games combined – though for the most part he has continued to produce respectable totals. Still, at a deep position like shooting guard he’s more suited to larger leagues.

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The loss of Jameer Nelson down in Orlando should create fantasy value for some combination of Courtney Lee, Anthony Johnson and Tyronn Lue – Lee is the best option for points, but don’t overlook Lue, who averaged double figures in scoring in four of his last five seasons…Owners on the prowl for cheap assists should check out Earl Watson, who is dropping nearly six dimes per game this season…Our third visit to Brew City reveals Charlie Bell and newly acquired Keith Bogans as options in deep leagues – Bell has scored 46 points in his last four games and Bogans logged 26 minutes (scoring eight points) in his Milwaukee debut…D.J. Augustin returned on Friday after missing roughly three weeks of action. He was up and down before getting hurt, making him more of a watch list candidate for now…Another rookie to keep an eye on is Mario Chalmers, who has scored 10 or more points in seven of his last nine games…Mike Miller has made 20 of his last 28 shots – we’re just saying.

Centres

Shaquille O’Neal, Phoenix Suns: With Shaq no longer sitting out a game in back-to-back situations, there’s no longer any reason for him not to be owned in all leagues. He’s probably on a roster in your league already, but just in case he’s not he should be added immediately.

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After reaching double figures in scoring just twice in Chicago’s first 42 games, Joakim Noah has done it three times in the last four. His board work was rock solid in January (7.4 RPG) so if his scoring is coming around he would make a quality pickup especially while Drew Gooden remains out…Hilton Armstrong has started the Hornets’ last four contests – his numbers haven’t opened many eyes yet, but he’s at least worth watching in deeper leagues.

Forwards

Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves: The rookie wrapped up an excellent month of January (12.6 points, 10.0 rebounds per game) with his sixth consecutive double-digit point performance on Friday against the Lakers. His minutes are still fairly low, which should help him avoid the rookie wall, making him a potentially solid long-term investment for the rest of the season. It won’t hurt that since Love has picked it up, Minny has turned its season around.

Jason Thompson, Sacramento Kings: Sacramento has been a disaster this season, but the play of Thompson has to be considered a silver lining for the Kings. Over his last 11 games, the 12th overall pick of last year’s draft has scored at least 10 points and posted four double-doubles. At this point he’s a must own in all leagues.

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In four games since returning from a brief absence, Brian Skinner has averaged 9.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per night – those aren’t numbers worthy of consideration in shallow leagues, but he holds value in deeper formats…Love isn’t the only player in Minnesota’s frontcourt producing fantasy-worthy numbers as Ryan Gomes totaled 13.2 points and 5.4 boards per game (both seasonal bests for a month) in January. Consider adding him if you’re shorthanded up front.

Guards

Mickael Pietrus, Orlando Magic: After missing most of the past two months due to injury, Pietrus returned with a vengeance on Tuesday, pouring in 27 points and 10 rebounds against the Pacers. Before he got hurt he was averaging 13.2 points and 3.8 boards per outing in December. Don’t wait too long to pull the trigger on Pietrus, who plays a solid all-around game and is a more than capable shooter from downtown.

Flip Murray, Atlanta Hawks: What has gotten into Murray in recent weeks? The journeyman has reached double figures in 10 of his last 11 games, including three outings of 20 or more in his last six. However, Murray contributes little outside of his scoring – he doesn’t dish out many assists or do much work on the boards and most of his points come from inside the three-point line.

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Names we mentioned last week that have done nothing to diminish our enthusiasm: Milwaukee’s Ramon Sessions (15.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG and 4.5 APG in four games without Michael Redd), Toronto’s Anthony Parker (hit double digits in scoring in each of the final 10 games in January) and Charlotte’s Raja Bell (137 points in his last seven contests)…Another name we’ve mentioned numerous times in the past remains inexplicably available in some leagues – Daequan Cook knocked down 35 threes in January and averaged 11.1 points per game…Those looking for additional help from beyond the arc should consider Eddie House. The veteran knocked down an amazing 23 triples in his final five games of the month – get him while he’s hot.

Greg Oden, Portland Trail Blazers: While he’s still experiencing some growing pains in his first season on the court, Oden showed exactly what he is capable of with his 24-point, 15-rebound performance against the Bucks on Monday – he also sandwiched a pair of six-block efforts on either side of his work against Milwaukee. There are still going to be nights where he disappears, but he should be owned in all leagues. If he’s available in yours he should be added immediately.

Kendrick Perkins, Boston Celtics: Last Sunday I noted that Perkins wasn’t expected back for about a month. Well, disregard that as the bruiser is already back in action after missing only five games. Thanks for the accurate injury information <site name withheld>. Douchebags. But I digress; Perkins would make an excellent addition if another owner cut him loose a couple weeks back. He’s not much of a scorer, but he does strong work on the glass and is a capable shot blocker.

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There’s no denying things are a mess in Clipperland right now, but rookie DeAndre Jordan might be worth a watch list designation – in three starts, he’s averaging 11.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game…Former Florida Gator Joakim Noah has started Chicago’s last six games, and while his scoring has been underwhelming, he recently logged 29 rebounds in a two-game stretch. If you’re hurting on the glass he could be worth a flier in deeper leagues…I liked Amir Johnson coming into the season, and while he hasn’t done a lot to justify my pre-season endorsement thus far, his insertion back into the starting lineup creates a glimmer of hope. Take note…Al Horford’s continued absence allows Zaza Pachulia to retain his modest value, though he has had as many poor games as good ones during his ongoing seven-game stint as a starter.

Forwards

Charlie Villanueva, Milwaukee Bucks: A popular sleeper candidate entering the season, Villanueva has had more than his fair share of snooze-inducing performances thus far. However, since re-entering the starting lineup on January 16, the former UConn star has averaged 22.2 points and 8.8 rebounds in six games – that includes four double-doubles. He has tantalized with his talent before and is a must own in all leagues based on his enormous potential.

Danilo Gallinari, New York Knicks: The rookie returned January 17 after missing nearly three months. He has played sparingly thus far, but performed well in his limited run. He’s a quality shooter and could post strong numbers in Mike D’Antoni’s offense if he gets enough minutes, which is something the Knicks figure to provide him given their 18-25 mark. Add him if you’re looking to roll the dice on some upside.

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Travis Outlaw has had some big games this month, highlighted by his 33-point outing on January 12 – overall he has reached double figures in seven of his 10 January games. However, his peripheral numbers could still use some work, which makes him an option only for owners trolling for scoring…Don’t let the fact that he looks like a mid-’80s villain in a Jean-Claude Van Damme flick dissuade owners in deep leagues from taking a look at Louis Amundson. He’s ringing up 5.9 points, 5.4 boards, 1.1 blocks and 2.4 bottles of pony tail wax per night this month – not bad…Could a rash of front court injuries in the Big Easy actually be enough to make Melvin Ely a fantasy factor? Unlikely – but just in case owners in deep leagues should place him on their watch list.

Guards

Ramon Sessions, Milwaukee Bucks: A season-ending knee injury to Michael Redd should mean we’ll be seeing the back court pairing of Luke Ridnour and Sessions quite a bit in the coming weeks. Sessions has been quiet in January (6.8 points, 3.8 assists per game) but has shown before to be capable of posting very strong fantasy numbers. He deserves consideration in all leagues. Charlie Bell (ankle) should also appear on your radar, though he continues to deal with an ankle injury of his own and hasn’t played in the team’s last three games.

Kirk Hinrich, Chicago Bulls: The 28-year-old continues to impress off the pine in the Windy City, pouring in 43 points and 22 assists in his last three games combined. He isn’t shy from beyond the arc either (12-for-30 in seven games this month), making him a solid three-category addition even in shallower formats.

Anthony Parker, Toronto Raptors: December was a terrible month for Parker, who averaged 6.9 points per contest in 14 games. He has bounced back since the calendar changed to 2009, returning to the starting lineup and posting respectable point (13.3 PPG) and rebounding (4.9 RPG) numbers. His overall shooting has been solid, though he continues doing masonry work beyond the three-point line, heaving up bricks at a 27.8 per cent clip. If you’re adding him, make sure your three-point percentage can take the hit.

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Injuries have forced Sasha Pavlovic into the starting lineup for the past four games, during which he has logged nearly 34 minutes per night. His numbers (11.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG) aren’t stellar, but his minutes suggest those in need of back court help find a spot for him…In seven games since returning from injury, Raja Bell has launched 31 triples – unfortunately he has only hit nine of them. Still, that kind of volume makes him a possibility for teams searching for a boost from downtown…A strong December gave way to a brutal January for Mario Chalmers, but he has shown signs of playing out of his slump recently. If a less patient owner gave him his walking papers you can consider bringing him on board.