Fantasy Basketball Week 20 Start/Sit: Trusting Reed Sheppard with the playoffs on the line
CBS Sports
by
Adam King
March 2, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Fantasy Basketball Week 20 presents crucial start/sit decisions as playoff contention looms for many teams. With varying game counts—some teams facing four matchups while others have just two—the challenge of optimizing lineups is more critical than ever. Fantasy managers must carefully evaluate player availability, back-to-back situations, and injury impacts to maximize points.
Reed Sheppard of the Houston Rockets emerges as a key player to start this week. Following an ankle injury to Jabari Smith, Sheppard has been elevated to the starting lineup, logging significant minutes and delivering strong fantasy numbers. Averaging 20.7 points, 3.7 assists, and 5.3 three-pointers over his last three games, Sheppard offers borderline top-30 value for those willing to trust him with playoff stakes on the line.
On the flip side, Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers is a player to sit due to his limited availability. After missing two consecutive games because of a groin injury, Mitchell’s return may be delayed or limited. With multiple teams featuring more favorable matchups and higher game counts, it might be prudent to bench him in favor of deeper options.
CJ McCollum of the Atlanta Hawks is another player worth sitting this week. Despite his recent productivity since joining the team, McCollum’s fantasy ceiling remains relatively low, offering contributions mainly in points and three-pointers. With only two games on
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Originally published on CBS Sports on 3/2/2026