Fantasy Basketball: Pick-up or Pass on 6 players who stepped in season openers

Fantasy Basketball pass on No. 1: We need to see more from Max Strus.

Now in his fourth year out of DePaul, Miami Heat sharpshooter Max Strus is a reliable off-ball player whose knack for navigating through screens and pulling up during key scenarios makes him a fantastic role player. With that being said, it’s going to take an impossible level of efficiency for Strus to score at the level he did in Miami’s season opener.

The 26-year-old came off the bench and poured in 22 points on nine shots including five made triples to go with seven rebounds. He made wise decisions, positioned himself on the floor well and proved that he’s going to be an important part of Miami’s pursuit of a fourth championship. However, that doesn’t necessarily translate to fantasy basketball unless he takes a drastic step forward from where he previously stood in the rotation.

Strus’ 31 minutes were encouraging, and with Tyler Herro entering the starting lineup, it’s feasible that he’ll be deployed as a volume shooter more often than in years past. Still, the peripheral stats won’t equate to the box score value necessary to make him a legitimate option in fantasy lineups.