Slightly more than 30 years ago, the NBA recognized the value of the first player off of the bench and made he “Sixth Man” a true position on the roster. 26 different players have been given the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award, including four players that won it twice. The rise of fantasy basketball has made the sixth man relevant in a different way as basketball fans identify players that can have a significant statistical impact while coming off the bench for their respective teams. Usually, it’s starters who get the first look at the top of drafts but some of the guys on this list play just as much as starters. Here is a look at the best NBA fantasy contributors that come off the bench.
SG: Jamal Crawford, Los Angeles
Crawford is an obvious target as a two-time Sixth Man of the Year award winner and his offensive explosiveness has made him a key weapon for the Clippers again this season. Crawford has averaged 16.1 points, 2.5 assists, 1.9 rebounds, 1.9 threes and 3.6 free throws per game for Los Angeles this year. What separates him from some of the other sixth men around the league is the fact that he can do so much himself without relying on teammates to help him create shots and open looks. A versatile player that can shoot the three, any conversation about the best sixth men in the NBA should both begin and end with Crawford.
In terms of fantasy, he’s played 26.6 minutes per game this season but that’s light work for him as he’s averaged 31.2 in his career. He’s been banged up and his minutes have been limited as a result. He’ll be a valuable commodity in drafts next season.
SG: Lou Williams, Toronto
One of the most underrated aspects of the Raptors success this season has been the contributions of Williams, who ranks third behind only Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan in points per game with 15.5. Williams has long been an underrated scoring threat but he can help contribute in a number of areas as a consistent three-point shooter that also averages slightly 2.0 assists, 1.9 threes, 1.8 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 4.2 free throws coming off the bench this season.
PF: Ryan Anderson, New Orleans
There aren’t many teams that have the luxury of bringing a player like Anderson off the bench and while his shooting numbers have wavered at times this season, it’s hard to argue with the raw statistics. He has averaged 13.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game despite not even starting for New Orleans. He’s sixth in terms of minutes played per game but fourth on the team in scoring.
Anderson has the unique combination of being a big man that can stretch the floor with his ability to shoot the three. That makes up for his rebound numbers, which are a little light, because he’s still giving you 2.1 three-pointers per outing this season.
SG: Gerald Green, Phoenix
It has largely been a year of transition in the desert for the Suns but one constant has been the production of Green coming off the bench. The fact that he has averaged 11.7 points per game this season is even more impressive when you consider that he has played just 19.3 minutes on average with a supporting cast that has been largely in flux.
Green has also provided 1.8 threes, 2.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.6 steals, which is quite good considering the amount of time he’s playing.
PF: Taj Gibson, Chicago
The Bulls have overcome a ton of injuries this season and one reason they have been able to persevere is the play they have gotten from their depth players coming off the bench. Gibson has led the way from a statistical standpoint, averaging 10.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks while averaging just over 27.4 minutes off the bench this season. He is the perfect example of a sixth man that can contribute across the board.
