Is it worth rostering fantasy players who only excel in one stat?

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Players who provide healthy contributions in a variety of categories are a rarity in fantasy basketball, especially those who do so at an elite level. Another rare breed is the player who specializes in just one category, primarily scoring, 3-point shooting, or rebounding.

But despite their limited scope of production, these players are usually so proficient in their category that they are still legitimate fantasy options. This style of production can often be frustrating for owners, however, as these specialists are prone to streaky play and can see their value fluctuate depending on a multitude of factors.

Ultimately, specialists are worth rostering, but they should be utilized in specific ways and in specific situations in order to maximize their value.

Team composition determines a specialist's value

The main problem with determining the value of a specialist is that their value fluctuates relative to your team's value overall. If you find yourself constantly losing the points category, then a player who can score 20 points a game is going to be highly valuable. On the other hand, if you find yourself dominating the points category, scorers like Lou Williams are worth next to nothing.

Conversely, if your roster is predicated on balance and competes in most categories, a specialist will have less appeal. While they could put you over the edge in one area, dropping one of your already established contributors will simply lead to another deficiency elsewhere.

As a result, each specialist will have a different value to each and every owner, and that value is intrinsically tied to how your team produces as a whole. In order to determine the true value of a specialist, owners will need to analyze how they score on a week-to-week basis and in which categories they excel and fall short in.

Draft Day

Valuing a specialist on draft day is a somewhat difficult proposition. These specialists typically won't demand high or even mid-round draft picks, but some of them will invariably cost you a late-round pick. And at this point in the draft, many drafters are looking to find a diamond in the rough rather than an established specialist.

But, as mentioned, the composition of your team is going to determine the value of a specialist. If, in the later rounds, you see a glaring weakness in one or more categories, these specialists can be attained at a minimal cost and will provide maximum value.

For those who went guard-heavy at the onset of the draft, use the later rounds to scoop up a proven rebounder in order to remain competitive. While it may cost you a late-round flier, it will guarantee some proven production at a point of weakness. If your late-round flier develops into a solid scorer, that's an added bonus in addition to their specialized production.

Fantasy players should see specialists as more of a stopgap rather than a highly sought after commodity. Their limited fantasy profile already places a cap on their appeal, but that doesn't mean they can't be implemented into your roster without success. Your managerial acumen will truly be on display if you can use these players to the best of their abilities.

Week-to-week streaming

With their temporary and fluctuating fantasy value dependent on numerous factors, fantasy owners can also use these players in a streaming fashion. Streaming allows for owning these players at points at the season which best suits their needs and in matchups where their production is most valuable.

For example, fantasy owners should look to add a specialist if they see a chance to exploit a weakness in their opposition. If you're going up against an opponent that has shown a weakness in rebounding, adding a strong rebounder could be the difference between a 5-5 tie and a 6-4 victory in head-to-head formats. The same applies down the stretch in rotisserie leagues when you know where you stand in a category.

Streaming allows you to maximize a specialist's output in a fashion that fits your fantasy matchup to its fullest. This strategy will require you to do a little digging into matchups and how your opponent tends to score in each category, but by doing so, you will better be able to identify and capitalize on the value of a specialist.