Landing an early pick in your 2026-27 fantasy basketball draft sounds great until you're on the clock. Should you take Nikola Jokic or Victor Wembanyama at No. 1, or grab Shai Gilgeous-Alexander? How far should Giannis Antetokounmpo slide in category leagues? And when does upside beat safety once the superstars are gone? The answers shift across nine-category, head-to-head points and Yahoo High Score formats, but some players are first-round locks in any league. This draft strategy guide breaks down fantasy basketball rankings and the best first-round picks at every draft slot in a standard 12-team league.
Fantasy Basketball Rankings: First-Round Draft Strategy
Quick Guide
| Pick | Primary Targets | Key Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama | No wrong answer |
| 3–4 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic | SGA edges Doncic in category leagues |
| 5–8 | Cade Cunningham, Jalen Johnson, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo | Balance vs. ceiling |
| 9–12 | Anthony Edwards, Cooper Flagg, Scottie Barnes, Tyrese Maxey, Alperen Sengun | Each has a flaw to draft around |
Picks 1–2: You Simply Can't Go Wrong
There's no need to get creative here.
Nikola Jokic averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists last season and remains the rare player without a meaningful fantasy weakness. Wembanyama has a legitimate case for No. 1, particularly in category leagues because of his extraordinary shot-blocking, but Jokic provides the safest format-independent foundation. His combination of scoring, rebounding, assists and elite efficiency gives managers complete freedom with their second-round pick. There's no better building block
Landing an early pick in your 2026-27 fantasy basketball draft sounds great until you're on the clock. Should you take Nikola Jokic or Victor Wembanyama at No. 1, or grab Shai Gilgeous-Alexander? How far should Giannis Antetokounmpo slide in category leagues? And when does upside beat safety once the superstars are gone? The answers shift across nine-category, head-to-head points and Yahoo High Score formats, but some players are first-round locks in any league. This draft strategy guide breaks down fantasy basketball rankings and the best first-round picks at every draft slot in a standard 12-team league.
Fantasy Basketball Rankings: First-Round Draft Strategy
Quick Guide
| Pick | Primary Targets | Key Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama | No wrong answer |
| 3–4 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic | SGA edges Doncic in category leagues |
| 5–8 | Cade Cunningham, Jalen Johnson, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo | Balance vs. ceiling |
| 9–12 | Anthony Edwards, Cooper Flagg, Scottie Barnes, Tyrese Maxey, Alperen Sengun | Each has a flaw to draft around |
Picks 1–2: You Simply Can't Go Wrong
There's no need to get creative here.
Nikola Jokic averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists last season and remains the rare player without a meaningful fantasy weakness. Wembanyama has a legitimate case for No. 1, particularly in category leagues because of his extraordinary shot-blocking, but Jokic provides the safest format-independent foundation. His combination of scoring, rebounding, assists and elite efficiency gives managers complete freedom with their second-round pick. There's no better building block in fantasy right now than the Nuggets' star center.
Victor Wembanyama is the pick if Jokic goes first, and you'll enjoy an advantage nobody else in the league can realistically replicate. He averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 blocks in only 29.2 minutes per game in the 2025-26 regular season. The blocks alone can reshape a category matchup, but his appeal extends far beyond 9-cat. He scores, rebounds, hits threes and produces defensive stats at a level few centers can approach.
The bottom line: There isn't a wrong answer between Jokic and Wembanyama. You'll do great with either one at No. 2.
Picks 3–4: Elite Options Remain
This is where format might begin to influence the decision.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is also format-proof and a consensus top-three fantasy player. The two-time MVP is particularly devastating in category leagues because he combines elite scoring with excellent percentages, steals and relatively manageable turnovers for a superstar. High Score diminishes some of those advantages, but not enough to push him out of this tier. Luka Doncic is a legitimate alternative here, especially in points and High Score, but SGA's combination of floor, durability and across-the-board production gives him a slight edge over the Lakers star.
Luka Doncic is the clear choice if Jokic, Wembanyama and Gilgeous-Alexander are gone, and there's no realistic scenario in which he falls outside the top four in most drafts. He becomes particularly intriguing after LeBron James' departure from Los Angeles: the Lakers' offense now belongs unequivocally to him, opening the door to another monster usage season like those he had in Dallas. His turnovers and percentages keep him below the players above him in some categories, but those concerns largely disappear in points and High Score formats. Doncic offers elite scoring, assists and rebounding from a guard spot, so managers drafting fourth shouldn't overthink it.
Picks 5–8: Choose Your Foundation
Assume the "Big Four" of Jokic, Wembanyama, Gilgeous-Alexander and Doncic are off the board. This is where the first round gets considerably more interesting, because several players can serve as your centerpiece regardless of format.
Cade Cunningham has developed into one of fantasy basketball's premier all-around guards, and his enormous playmaking responsibility gives him a particularly high floor in points formats. He can hurt managers with turnovers in nine-category leagues, but his scoring, rebounds, assists and defensive contributions offset much of that damage. After the clear top four, Cunningham is the player I'd want to build around.
If you'd rather not take a guard, three other options stand out:
Jalen Johnson is the safest pick of the group thanks to his all-around ability.
Jayson Tatum can't be overlooked as a scoring-first option. The offseason trade that sent Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia hands him the undisputed keys to Boston's offense.
Giannis Antetokounmpo offers elite scoring and rebounding but sits a step below in other areas despite being an absolute star. His offseason trade to Miami adds another layer of uncertainty, though a healthy, motivated Antetokounmpo still has a very high ceiling.
The bottom line: Any of these four would be a great selection in this range.
Picks 9–12: Drafting Around Flaws
Anthony Edwards could reasonably go higher than ninth overall. He's one of the NBA's best pure scorers, but fantasy value requires more than scoring. His biggest issue could be a lack of assists, as LaMelo Ball's arrival via trade from Charlotte will reduce Edwards' playmaking responsibilities. Managers picking here can lock in an elite scorer, then target players who complement him in assists and big-man categories.
Other options at the end of the first round all have flaws that keep them from ranking higher:
Cooper Flagg's weakness is his percentages, though that's hardly an issue in High Score and points formats. He's set for an astronomically high usage rate as Dallas' go-to scorer in his second season, and he's expected to take another leap after averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists as a rookie.
Tyrese Maxey is one of the best fantasy guards in the NBA, but usage concerns are real now that he'll share the ball with James, Brown and Joel Embiid.
Scottie Barnes lacks the scoring upside of Edwards and Maxey, but he's more balanced and can realistically sustain a loaded stat line over a full season.
Alperen Sengun is a strong choice if you want to start with a big man, but his subpar three-point shooting and the presence of Kevin Durant and Fred VanVleet can cap his upside.
Always Consider Your League Format
The first round shouldn't lock you into an entire draft strategy; it should provide the foundation for one. Jokic and Wembanyama offer unmatched statistical profiles at the top, while later picks require weighing upside, positional production and format-specific weaknesses.
Most importantly, don't treat any ranking as absolute. If someone from a higher tier falls, take the value. The best first-round strategy often starts with knowing when to abandon the plan.
