Danny Granger of the Indiana Pacers is gone for at least four weeks. I feel for you, poor and distraught, fantasy owners.

Where, oh where, will the Pacers find 24 PPG?

Where should fantasy managers look to for consolation? No where. That's why he's a first-rounder folks. The 3 3PTM, 6.1 RPG, and 20-something PPG doesn't just grow on trees. The best thing to do is rummage through his supporting cast and scrounge for whose value/fantasy production will improve the most.

Danny's injury is going to open doors for Brandon Rush and Dahntay Jones to boost their fantasy value. Brandon is expected to start, but Dahntay has proven to be the more consistent scorer between the two. I would grab Dahntay in 12-man leagues or deeper and take Brandon in 16-man leagues or deeper. A.S.A.P.

For the next four to six weeks of Granger's absence, the biggest fantasy impact should really be expected from "White and Whiter". That would be Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy Jr.

They're the proven fantasy commodities in the Pacer stable. The problem is that both of them are not quite at 100% health, just yet. Both of these gentlemen are still slowing recovering from injuries. We know Troy is not going to morph into a super-scorer overnight, well at all, actually. So that leaves us with Mike, who in the past, has proven that he can easily average 20 PPG or more.

The question is now whether he, well more like his knees, can pull it off. At this point, his health is the only thing limiting his minutes. I expect them to rise considerably, and with it his real-life and fantasy production. I would, however, prefer to see him go through this progression slowly. As opposed to the risk of him overexerting himself and potentially re-injuring his busted knees.

Another factor is Roy Hibbert. You know, Indiana's foul-prone supposed post-up scorer and defender of all that is painted, made of wood, under a basketball hoop. His battle with early foul trouble and "Doh!-inspiring" turnovers is well documented and whose ramifications are felt, resoundingly, by his fantasy owners. IF (hopefully, "when") this young Georgetown product can up his basketball I.Q. a few points, then his presence will definitely be more of a boon to the Pacers, and less "I have to insert Jeff Foster now..." kind of situation.

T.J. Ford should also be able to bring in 15 or so PPG, but he hasn't exactly a Victoria's Secret Model of health either.

Bottom line, is that the Pacers coaching will spread the pressure to produce across all of Granger's support crew and here is my hierarchy of who gets the biggest fantasy bumps:

1. Mike Dunleavy - PTS, FG%, AST, 3PTM, STL
   
2. Troy Murphy - REB, 3PTM, STL
   
3. TJ Ford - PTS, AST, STL
   
4. Dahntay Jones - PTS, FG%
   
5. Roy Hibbert - Erratic PTS, REB, BLK
   
6. Brandon Rush - Erratic PTS, 3PTM, occasional STL
7. Earl Watson - AST, STL, 3PTM
8. Tyler Hansbrough - Rookie, with a darkhorse opportunity to add REB, PTS, and some occasional 3PTM. Place him on your "Deep League Watch Lists".
   
9. Jeff Foster - Nevermind. He'll give some REB, but Roy Hibbert has to F-up first.

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