With the new NBA season just around the corner, fantasy basketball players are preparing for another thrilling draft day. With players further developing their already impressive talent and others aiming for a breakout year, this season is bound to be filled with excitement. Superstars in the making such as Anthony Davis, Josh Giddey and 2023 no. Beyond the high-profile veterans, rookie twins Amen Thompson and Ivica Zubac are all set to take this star-studded league by storm. Figuring out these tides is going to be key for fantasy players looking to pad their rosters with the right names.
Emerging Stars and Potential Breakouts
This year, Sheppard is set up for a true breakout season. He appears poised to assume as heavy a load as he ever has. How many starting minutes he’s able to lock down will certainly dictate his fantasy value, but he’s worth the gamble for managers looking for a nice flyer return. With the 10-player WNBA rosters being finalized at this moment, Sheppard’s role will be watched with great interest.
Josh Giddey had a breakout season after the Zach LaVine trade to Sacramento. During those last 19 games of the second half of last season, Giddey proved why he is such a special talent. He averaged some eye-popping numbers — 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game. This surge indicates his potential to be a fantasy powerhouse moving forward, especially if he maintains this level of performance.
Amen Thompson is another potential breakout star who’s due for a humungous year in his third NBA campaign. His diverse skill set, combined with size and athleticism make him a dynamic contributor on both ends of the floor. If he’s able to figure it out, fantasy managers will be greatly rewarded. His enlarged role within the team’s lineup creates a variety of ways to achieve success.
Veteran Stability and Production
Anthony Davis, a 6-10 forward out of UC Irvine, heads into his final season with increased expectations, expected to be the first offensive option on the Mavericks. Last season he finally put it all together and it resulted in a career-high 76 games played. He has 5th overall fantasy production upside as a points and category league player now. So long as health and production are always top priorities, Davis can be a league-winning force in fantasy realms.
Mark my words, don’t take your eyes off Jalen Green! He ranked 44th amongst all players in fantasy points scored last year while being the primary scoring option for the Houston Rockets. One point in Green’s favor is that at 23 years old, he’s already proved a measure of durability by playing all 82 games the last two seasons. Whether or not he can keep this pace up will go a long way toward his value as a high floor play in fantasy drafts.
It’s the advanced metrics behind these statistics that has Deni Avdija supporters so hopeful. Foster’s averages over that span were remarkable—23.3 points per game on 53 percent shooting, 9.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists. This late-season surge suggests that Avdija can be a viable asset moving forward, particularly as he gains confidence and experience on the court.
The Fantasy Landscape: Top Players and Strategies
For Fantasy managers, trepidation rules as they prepare with strategies. Nikola Jokic is running away with points leagues, with some of the best all-around play we have ever seen. It’s his all-encompassing skill set that allows him to dominate various statistical categories. This has made him a fantasy rosters’ best-kept secret.
In category leagues, there’s no contest. Victor Wembanyama takes the crown here, as his all-around talents lead to easy buckets in a variety of ways. His block/rebound combo potential really jumps out next to his scoring ability. This unique combination of skills and talent potential makes him an attractive selection for teams looking to pad their category stats.
Cade Cunningham is another one to watch, having really found his groove in his fourth year with the Detroit Pistons. More importantly, he finally stayed healthy for 70 games giving him the opportunity to put his full array of talents on display. Entering this year with that momentum, Cunningham could be an interesting value in drafts.
Lastly, Donovan Mitchell’s situation requires careful attention. Last year, he posted a career low with just 31.4 minutes per game. Now, we wait with great anticipation to see how his featured role morphs in his first full season in the NFL. If he can return to earning solid playing time and productivity, Mitchell could find his way back onto the fantasy radar as a strong weekly contributor.
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