Jeremiah Fears

Poole returned to the Pelicans' rotation after a nine-game absence, and he wasted no time getting up shots. The scoring guard led the team in shot attempts and notched his third 20-point game of the season. For those who may have been concerned about how Poole's return would affect Jeremiah Fears, the rookie's minutes decreased somewhat, but the efficiency and production were good. Fears finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, four assists and one steal in 25 minutes. Even with Poole back, there should be more than enough room for Fears to have an impact offensively, especially if he remains the starter.

Rostered in 27 percent of Yahoo! leagues, Fears has been close to a top-100 player in eight-cat formats over the past week. Also, for the first time, the rookie guard has scored at least 20 points in three consecutive games. Fears is making strides after a rocky start to his first NBA season, one of the few positives for a team that is now 3-20. And with backup Jose Alvarado (13/3/1/2 with three three-pointers) doing his best to play through a left wrist injury, there could come a point when the Pelicans ask Fears to do even more as the starting point guard.

Not many rookie point guards are able to have the offensive success that Fears has had. This was his fifth 20-point outing of the season, and his second in a row, which is the first time he's scored at least 20 points in consecutive games. Fears' inefficiency has limited his fantasy output this season, but he has shot over 50 percent from the floor in each of the last two games while turning it over a total of four times.

One game removed from scoring 16 points and giving the Pelicans a needed boost off the bench in a win over the Bulls, Alvarado was even better on Wednesday. He recorded season-highs in points and three-pointers while finishing a blocked shot shy of a complete stat line. Jeremiah Fears (10/2/3 with one three-pointer in 26 minutes) remains the starting point guard, but Alvarado's increased playing time and production make him worth a look in deeper leagues.