Championship week has arrived for many fantasy basketball leagues, and Week 24's schedule delivers a favorable setup with 18 teams playing four games. However, managers must navigate tricky decisions, including a two-game slate for Denver that potentially sidelines Nikola Jokic as a viable starter. This week's start/sit guide highlights under-the-radar plays like Daniss Jenkins, who continues to thrive in Cade Cunningham's absence, and Matas Buzelis, who is riding a career-best stretch in Chicago. We also flag players worth benching despite their name value. Here are the top fantasy basketball start/sit calls for Week 24.
TEAMS WITH FOUR GAMES: Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards
TEAMS WITH THREE GAMES: Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings
TEAMS WITH TWO GAMES: Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers
Fantasy Basketball: Week 24 Start/Sit Guide
Guards
Start: Daniss Jenkins, Pistons 
14% start rate
Cade Cunningham remains without a firm timetable for return to action from a collapsed lung, which tees up Jenkins for a continuation of what has been a very productive starting tenure in his stead. The second-year guard is averaging 18.7 points (on 43.8% 3-point shooting), 7.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds over his last six games with the first unit,
Championship week has arrived for many fantasy basketball leagues, and Week 24's schedule delivers a favorable setup with 18 teams playing four games. However, managers must navigate tricky decisions, including a two-game slate for Denver that potentially sidelines Nikola Jokic as a viable starter. This week's start/sit guide highlights under-the-radar plays like Daniss Jenkins, who continues to thrive in Cade Cunningham's absence, and Matas Buzelis, who is riding a career-best stretch in Chicago. We also flag players worth benching despite their name value. Here are the top fantasy basketball start/sit calls for Week 24.
TEAMS WITH FOUR GAMES: Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards
TEAMS WITH THREE GAMES: Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings
TEAMS WITH TWO GAMES: Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers
Fantasy Basketball: Week 24 Start/Sit Guide
Guards
Start: Daniss Jenkins, Pistons
14% start rate
Cade Cunningham remains without a firm timetable for return to action from a collapsed lung, which tees up Jenkins for a continuation of what has been a very productive starting tenure in his stead. The second-year guard is averaging 18.7 points (on 43.8% 3-point shooting), 7.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds over his last six games with the first unit, a stretch that includes one 30-point effort and one points-assists double-double as well. With Detroit still looking to hold off the Celtics for the No. 1 seed and four games on the docket, Jenkins is a very appealing play.
Start: Naji Marshall, Mavericks 
15% start rate
The Mavericks are playing out the string on a non-playoff season, but Marshall's emergence has been one of the bright spots alongside the rookie-season development of Cooper Flagg. The veteran wing is averaging career highs in points (15.5), assists (3.3) and steals (1.1) while also shooting a career-best 51.6%. Marshall is heading into the final two weeks of the season running hot as well, averaging 20.4 points (on 48% shooting), 4.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.4 steals per contest over his last eight games. The Xavier product should continue playing a critical complementary role over Dallas' four-game week, making him a very viable consideration.
Sit: Cade Cunningham, Pistons
61% start rate
As alluded to in Jenkins' entry, Cunningham remains sidelined due to his lung injury, and he's not due for a reevaluation until late in the week. Detroit will have played three of its four games by that point, and naturally, it's very likely the Pistons remain very cautious with the star point guard and potentially hold him out until the postseason. Consequently, keeping Cunningham on your bench is prudent despite the high stakes involved this week.
Forwards
Start: Kon Knueppel, Hornets 
50% start rate
Knueppel has already had a record-setting rookie season and would arguably be a shoo-in for Rookie of the Year were it not for his former college teammate, Flagg. Nevertheless, Knueppel has rewarded fantasy managers throughout the campaign, and he'll remain a strong consideration for the penultimate week of the season. The Duke product has averaged 17.6 points (40.7% 3-point shooting), 5.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists across 30.4 minutes in his 14 March games, and he's a virtual lock for multiple threes anytime he's on the floor. Charlotte is guaranteed in a play-in spot but is still within striking distance of a No. 6 or No. 5 seed, so Knueppel should remain busy and aggressive during the Hornets' upcoming four-game week.
Start: Matas Buzelis, Bulls 
31% start rate
Buzelis has enjoyed a breakout second season with career highs across the stat sheet, and he's heading into the new scoring period playing what is arguably the best basketball of his young career. The second-year forward has contributed 22.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.0 steals across 34.8 minutes per contest in the last 10 games, posting one 41-point tally and a pair of 29-point efforts during that span. As that aforementioned stat line corroborates, Buzelis is capable of contributing in every category, and Chicago's tendencies to get into plenty of high-scoring battles essentially ensures he'll remain heavily involved over a sizable allotment of playing time most nights.
Sit: Mikal Bridges, Knicks 
52% start rate
Bridges is healthy, but so are the rest of his star teammates and he has just three games this week. The veteran wing hasn't exactly been churning out irreplaceable production either, as he's averaging 9.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists across 29.8 minutes per contest over the last 12 games. That's a fairly sizable sample, and it's one where Bridges has scored in single digits or gone scoreless (once) in half of the contests. As such, he deserves consideration for a seat on your bench if there are similarly talented three- or four-game options available to you.
Centers
Start: Jabari Smith, Rockets 
41% start rate
Smith is understandably overshadowed by Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun, but the fourth-year forward has become a rock-solid No. 3 option that has rewarded fantasy managers throughout the season with stellar multi-category production. Smith enters Houston's four-game week – one that still carries plenty of postseason significance for the Rockets – having recorded back-to-back 20-plus-point outings and averaging 17.2 points 7.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per contest in his last 11 games. He's logged a robust 36.9 minutes per outing in that span as well, and he's contributed a pair of double-doubles and multi-block efforts apiece too. Feel confident in firing Smith in your lineup on a critical week, as his consistency has endured throughout his career-best campaign.
Start: Kyle Filipowski, Jazz 
19% start rate
Filipowski has been a prime beneficiary of the Jazz's injury-hampered roster throughout the season, and the second-year big is particularly thriving down the stretch. The 2024 second-round pick has generated 25- and 26-point performances in tough matchups against the Suns and Nuggets his last two games, shooting 67.7% over that stretch. Zooming out to the last 11 games, Filipowski is averaging a well-rounded 15.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals, and he's posted these numbers over a modest 26.6 minutes per game. The Duke product will continue in a starting role during Utah's upcoming four-game week, and the Jazz's pace and profound defensive deficiencies practically guarantee he'll be in excellent game environments for production each night.
Sit: Donovan Clingan, Trail Blazers 
54% start rate
Clingan has the ability to put up some monster double-doubles, so it isn't easy to leave him out of your starting rotation during a critical week. However, the Trail Blazers are saddled with a two-game schedule this week, and the big man's scoring can also fluctuate without warning from time to time. Such has been the case in three of the last four games, as Clingan has scored six or sevem points in those instances. If you're in dire need of rebounds and/or blocks, it may be difficult to pull the trigger on sitting him, but otherwise, consider a three- or four-game big man that may be capable of outpacing him with more opportunities.
