Jeremiah Fears

With no Dejounte Murray, fears is the clear PG on the team, and he will have to run this offense at a high level to keep the Pelicans in games. He will have more opportunities to score points without him there, and there should be more of an offensive hierarchy on the team.

His efficiency has gotten better in recent games which is good to see. The 3PT% still needs to improve but it’s nice to see some improvement at least. He was one of the only players that could get his way in this game against the Nets, but the Pelicans needed more in this one.

Fears led the Pelicans with eight assists, but he also recorded six turnovers in Monday’s 138-87 defeat. This was one of his poorer performances of the season, and the Pelicans not having Trey Murphy or Zion Williamson didn’t help either. Fears will look to bounce back on Wednesday when the Pelicans host the Nets. That should be a better matchup for him than the red-hot Warriors were.

Fears continues to spread his wings as the Pelicans’ point guard, scoring at least 19 points in three straight games and in five of his last six appearances. What’s especially encouraging for those rostering the second-year guard is that the return of Dejounte Murray (6/3/3 in 28 minutes) has not led to a decrease in production. Fears’ current fantasy value sits just outside the top-100, but that will change if he continues to play as he has over the last week.

The good news for fantasy managers rostering Fears is that his production hasn’t suffered in the two games that Dejounte Murray has played since rejoining the team. Against the Jazz and Timberwolves, the second-year guard totaled 43 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and four steals while shooting 15-of-32 from the field. Murray (7/2/4/1/1 with one three-pointer) played 35 minutes while Fears played 36, so playing time won’t be an issue for the latter. The question hanging over the Pelicans is whether they’ll look to move Murray, as it would free up even more room for Fears to grow as a lead guard.

The front office is very high on Jeremiah Fears, so his value is relatively safe. That being said, the numbers haven’t been better than last season. He still struggles with inefficiency. You hope that improves because it starts to get a bit dicier. His next opportunity to play will be on Friday against the Timberwolves.

The Pelicans have been without Dejounte Murray for the past two games due to personal reasons, and Fears has been excellent as the lone point guard in the starting lineup. Coming off a 22-point, 13-assist performance against the Kings on Thursday, the second-year guard had another strong showing on Saturday. Will New Orleans hand the key to Fears sooner rather than later? We’ll see.

Fears has started all year, but with Dejounte Murray (personal) out for this game, he was able to be the primary playmaker for New Orleans, and the results were excellent. He approached triple-double territory, and the defensive stats were a huge bonus. Fears hasn’t been great this season, but he went off to help the Pelicans get their first win of the year. If Murray were to end up being traded at some point this season, Fears would likely see the usage he got in this game. That won’t lead to many performances of this level, but it should help his overall production.

Jeremiah Fears looks to grow upon what he did in his rookie season with the Pelicans. Notably, he had five assists to two turnovers which is an encouraging sign. If he hadn’t reclassified when he was in high school, he would be a rookie this season. Fears could’ve easily been in the same tier as the top guards from this past draft. He should be a consistent producer sooner rather than later.

Fears and Mathurin return to the starting lineup on Wednesday. Karlo Matkovic and Saddiq Bey will take Trey Murphy and Zion’s spot in the starting lineup for their first starts of the pre-season.

With Dejounte Murray sitting out Thursday’s game, Fears moved into the starting lineup in Miami. The second-year guard logged 19 minutes, finishing with one more turnover (three) than assists. Playing time shouldn’t be an issue for Fears this season, but a healthy Murray lowers his fantasy ceiling considerably. At best, Fears is a late-round flier in redraft leagues.

Fears finished his rookie season on a tear, scoring at least 36 points in each of his final three games. The ability to get to the foul line boosted his point total on Sunday, but the overall stat line was one that many fantasy managers will take. With Dejounte Murray back in the fold, Fears’ value in redraft leagues won’t match his dynasty league value next season.

Fears now has 76 points in his last two games. The 19-year-old is certainly showing what he’s made of at the end of his rookie season. Fears wasn’t much of a factor in redraft leagues this season, but is still a coveted dynasty asset. He could be in line for another big game against the Timberwolves in the season finale on Sunday.

Given the many absences from the Pelicans’ rotation, Tuesday’s game was set up to be a showcase for Fears. The rookie guard took full advantage, as he set the Pelicans franchise rookie record for points in a game. And this wasn’t an inefficient 40, either. Fears shot over 50 percent from the field and committed just two turnovers. He was 1-of-7 from beyond the arc, but that’s the only negative to take away from the rookie’s performance.

Fears did not have a good night shooting the basketball, finishing 2-of-7 from both inside and outside of the three-point arc. But the rookie did record a complete stat line, and the turnover count of three could have been much worse. Dejounte Murray (hand) being out the last two games has freed up additional opportunities for Fears, which the Pelicans hope will pay dividends down the line. New Orleans plays three games in Week 24, and Fears should continue to log heavy minutes.

The Pelicans won’t have Dejounte Murray or Trey Murphy for Sunday’s game. As a result, Fears and Missi move into the starting lineup.

Fears followed his 21-point outing against the Trail Blazers on Thursday with another 20-point performance on Friday’s back-to-back. The rookie guard was exceptional from beyond the arc, impactful as a passer, and his effort on the glass led him to finish as the team’s leading rebounder. Fears has been one of the bright spots for New Orleans in what’s been another underwhelming season overall. He will have a chance to finish his rookie season on a high note over the Pelicans’ final four games.

The Pelicans aren’t playing for a postseason spot, but these late-season games are highly valuable to young players like Fears. The rookie guard had an excellent night in Portland, recording a complete stat line in 26 minutes on the court. Fears still has work to do, especially defensively, but there’s a clear willingness to compete on that end of the floor. On Thursday, his efforts were rewarded with two steals and two blocks. New Orleans still has two more games in Week 23, starting with the Kings on Friday.

Fears got the nod with both Dejounte Murray (Achilles) and Trey Murphy (ankle) sidelined for this game. In his first start since January, the rookie wasn’t able to take advantage of the opportunity. The 19-year-old should get more starts as the season comes to a close with the Pelicans officially eliminated from the postseason. While there will certainly be unproductive outings like this one, he should be able to put together some strong performances as well.

The Pelicans won’t have Dejounte Murray or Trey Murphy on Friday, with the latter missing a second consecutive game due to an ankle injury. Those absences push Fears and Missi into the starting lineup, raising the fantasy ceilings of both players.