Debate Team - Kobe's Final Fade Away

Each week, two of theScore's Fantasy experts weigh in on a contentious topic. This week: Given Kobe's recent production and his remaining 28 games, are you rolling him out in all fantasy formats or not?

Josh Ghatak: As much as I want to believe, I simply can't trust Kobe.

Kobe's recent resurgence has been driven by an increase in scoring but also a surprising 32 rebounds over his past five games. Obviously, his play over this stretch has come completely out of the blue. But even more surprising, it is superior even to his career averages - a sure sign of impending regression.

Kobe is playing some of the best and most aggressive basketball of his career in his last five games. But he's still 37 and is a candidate to break down at any time - so don't get swept up in his current scoring spree.

Josh Wegman: You may not be a Bryant believer, but I surely am. Does this mean we have a Kobe beef?

To think that he will average 26.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG and 11.6 3-point attempts per game is a bit ridiculous. However, there's still significant value to be had in a player who averages 17 PPG - a rate he surely can maintain.

Bryant is still the focal point of the offense. He averages over three more field-goal attempts and three more 3-point attempts per game than anyone on the team. This isn't going to change anytime soon, giving him stellar fantasy value in all formats for the remainder of the season.

Josh Ghatak: Kobe's fantasy value and shot totals compared to his teammates is almost as irrelevant as the fantasy value of the other Laker players themselves. If you're in a league of Lakers only then yes, Kobe has some value, but would likely still surrender top honors to Julius Randle.

Kobe is a hot option in DFS right now but his overall fantasy value is still extremely hard to assess. Up until now, Kobe was predominantly owned in fantasy circles for the personal satisfaction of having Kobe on your team; he offered little to no fantasy value. With the All-Star break looming, expect Kobe to cool off once the NBA resumes.

Josh Wegman: Kobe ranks ninth among small forwards in PPG this season. He should be owned in just about every fantasy league out there - and not just for what he's done in the past.

SF is arguably the thinnest scoring position out there. You do have the big name players like Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, but the 10-30 range is much weaker than it is at other positions. In DFS, this often times leaves Bryant as one of the most reliable small forwards on thin slates.

The All-Star break should be extremely beneficial to Bryant. Though he's playing in the game, the rest should do him well as he prepares for the final stretch of the season. He'll surely leave everything he has in the tank out on the court during the final months of his illustrious career.

Josh Ghatak: The scarcity at SF is a valid point; I cannot disagree with you there. But Kobe's 'reliability' has to be questioned. Would you honestly roll him in cash games knowing his health concerns and the struggles he had early on? Or, would you rather spend down at SF and save your DFS cash?

Considering Kobe's main fantasy value comes in points scored, he ultimately has to have a big game to return great value in DFS. Prior to this five-game streak, Kobe had only scored 20 or more points 11 times all season. And in the four games prior to this hot streak, Kobe accumulated a measly 39 points.

Did you mention something about reliability?

Josh Wegman: I'll agree that Kobe definitely makes for a better tournament option than a cash-game play in DFS, but what player doesn't go through his ups and downs throughout a long, grueling season?

This isn't Kobe's first hot streak this season, and it certainly won't be his last:

That makes five significant hot streaks in addition to his current run. That's five weeks where Bryant - who was drafted anywhere from 65th to 82nd overall in most fantasy leagues - was a major factor in a head-to-head victory in season-long fantasy. I'd say that's pretty good value for a mid-round pick.

The vast majority of Bryant's remaining road games will be his last stop in each city, giving him extra incentive to put on a performance. His final games in Los Angeles will be in the midst of the fantasy playoffs, where he'll surely play big minutes in hopes of putting on a show for the fans one last time.

He won't be bringing home the Larry O'Brien Trophy this year, but Kobe can still be a key cog in a fantasy championship team.