Linsanity will get a fresh start in Los Angeles. (Getty)
Linsanity will get a fresh start in Los Angeles. (Getty)



In Fantasy sports you can capitalize on previous disappointments by identifying which players that scorned owners past will get back to producing as expected in the coming year. I've identified a handful of hoopsters who got overdrafted last season but might be due for a marked improvement this year. Their relative deficiencies from the previous campaign probably mean you can draft them at a bargain price in your upcoming Fantasy drafts.

Jeremy Lin - I just had a bad feeling last season that Patrick Beverley's defensive presence would be too much for the Rockets to keep sidelined long enough for Lin to be valuable in Fantasy. He still had his moments, but it was a long fall from the Linsanity days as a sixth man in Houston last year, as he averaged just 12.5 points and 4.1 assists on the year. But now he's basically the only point guard option on the Lakers, meaning he's due for a vast statistical jump. His 7.0 assists per game in just 24.5 minutes per game int he preseason so far is a good sign that he'll be back to being a focal point on offense. Steve Nash is likely on his farewell tour, so Lin really represents the only non-Kobe Bryant creator on the team. He'll navigate into the lane with ease and kick out to shooters or drop off to the bigs with ease this year. Target Lin just before the middle of the draft for a nice bargain at point guard. 

George Hill and Roy Hibbert - Lance Stephenson and Paul George's dual emergence really shoved these two guys into the back seat for the Pacers, but the roster looks a lot different for the coming year. In head-to-head points leagues, these two were among the worst players in Fantasy, but without the scoring prowess of George or the rebound/assist hogging tendenceies of Stephenson, it's safe to assume Hill and Hibbert will get back to start-able Fanatsy options this year.  In Roto Hill's efficiency was enough to keep him around, and Hibbert's blocks came at a premium, but there's a lot more upside this year considering they'll now be relied on to score a lot more. Hibbert should snap his rebounding funk with the combined 14.0 rebounds Stephenson and George left on the table, and Hill should get closer to the 1.7 threes per game he averaged two years ago. Look for each of them toward the beginning of the back half of your draft and capitalize on the statistical crater left behind in Indiana. 

Josh Smith  - I've always thought ill of Smith's small forward delusions, but last season the writing was on the wall. You just can't consider yourself a perimeter player if you shoot 41.9 percent formt the field and 26.4 percent from three. Now there's a new sheriff in town, and Stan Van Gundy doesn't seem like the type to put up with ill-advised jumpers from an oversized small forward. Smith will play a lot more power forward this year, which should do wonders for his efficiency and help him get back to the facilitator he was starting to become in Atlanta. Hopefully Smith is done being a punch line and makes the strides in efficiency that save his Roto value. Last year he was the very rare case of a guy who was terrible both from the field and the free throw line. This year, if he can get easier shots closer to the basket, it will help justify picking him for the blocks and steals he brings along too. Those who took him early on last year probably still have a sour taste in their mouths, so go ahead and scoop up Smith around pick No. 50 for solid, balanced production in the volume stats.

Larry Sanders - Considering he was going early in last season's drafts as a breakout candidate, then went on to appear in just 23 games, there's an awful lot for Sanders to bounce back from. And even in those infrequent stints, he dropped off two points, two rebounds and a block per game form his averages the season prior. The Bucks roster is a mess, but it seems Sanders' spot in the hierarchy hasn't gone by the wayside. John Henson played out of his mind during Sanders' absence, but even those numbers weren't enough to keep him in the starting center spot. Zaza Pachulia got his shot at it too, but neither of them seem like the kind of guy that's going to uproot Sanders. He has the length and timing to compete for the league leader in blocks, so he's well worth a mid-to-late round pick in Rotisserie leagues.