2022–23 Fantasy Basketball Rankings

The Nuggets entered the 2021-22 season needing to rely even more heavily on Jokic with Jamal Murray still recovering from a torn ACL. Murray would ultimately end up sitting out the entire season, and things got even worse for the Nuggets with Michael Porter Jr. (back) being limited to just nine games. Not only did Jokic average a career-high 27.1 points per game, but he also hauled in a whopping 13.8 rebounds, which shattered his previous career best of 10.8 per game. Add in his averages of 7.9 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.9 blocks and 1.3 three-pointers, to go along with 58.3 percent shooting from the field and 81.0 percent from the free-throw line, and Jokic was the top player in fantasy. He added another MVP award to his resume in the process. Murray and Porter should be back this season, so it might be difficult for Jokic to duplicate his 31.9 percent usage rate. Still, Jokic is still firmly in the discussion for the first overall pick and is one of the safest fantasy options, regardless of position. He's been incredibly healthy, playing at least 72 games every season of his career.

After an impressive first campaign that netted him first First Team All-Rookie in 2021, Haliburton improved as a sophomore last year. He began the season with the Kings, where he started slow but picked things up in December and January, which coincided with De'Aaron Fox missing significant chunks of time. During his final 31 appearances with Sacramento in December through February, he averaged 16.1 points, 8.9 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals. However, the promising young guard was shockingly traded to the Pacers at the deadline for Domantas Sabonis. Haliburton quickly became the focus of Indiana's rebuild, and he saw his usage increase the rest of the way. In his 26 appearances with the Pacers, Haliburton averaged 17.5 points on 50/42/85 shooting, 9.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 36.1 minutes. Heading into 2022-23, the point guard will remain at the center of Indiana's rebuild, along with No. 6 overall pick Bennedict Mathurin. Across 2021-22, Haliburton ranked 22nd in per-game fantasy production, but his ceiling is clearly higher than that since he'll remain in a very high usage role and will continue developing as a 22-year-old. It appears he'll be a consistent source of efficient 20-and-10 double-doubles with steals thrown in, making him one of the best point guard options for fantasy. It won't be surprising come draft day if Haliburton is off the board in the early-to-middle stages of the second round.

For the second time in as many seasons, Harden found himself on the move. He wanted out of Brooklyn after having just landed there the prior season. Whether it was his relationship with Kyrie Irving and/or Kevin Durant, or frustration with the front office, things just didn't work out as the Nets had planned when they united the star trio. He was ultimately dealt to the 76ers -- a move that landed Ben Simmons with the Nets. Overall, Harden had a down season offensively by averaging 22.0 points per game -- his lowest mark since the 2011-12 season when he was still with the Thunder. His efficiency also cratered, with him shooting 41.0 percent from the field and 33.0 percent from behind the arc. Still, he wasn't exactly a fantasy dud with his averages of 7.7 rebounds, 10.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.3 three-pointers. He signed a two-year extension with the 76ers this summer, taking less money so that they could build up the roster around him and Joel Embiid. If he shows renewed energy and comes into training camp in shape, a very productive season could be on the horizon. Even if he continues to struggle with his efficiency, he does enough across the board to likely make him a mid-to-late first-round pick.

Last season was the best of Embiid's career, thanks, in large part, to his ability to stay healthy. The center played a career-high 68 games while averaging career highs in points (30.6), assists (4.2) and steals (1.1) and adding 11.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 33.8 minutes. Embiid ranked second in MVP voting and was second-team All-NBA for a second straight season. In fantasy, Embiid ranked third in both total and per-game production. In raw totals production, 2021-22 marked the first time Embiid ranked higher than 13th due to issues staying on the court. Those concerns remain, but Embiid's upside ensures that he's worth a first-round pick, especially given that the only center better in fantasy basketball is Nikola Jokic, and center is a position of scarcity. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect much to change for Embiid in 2022-23. An entire season from a reportedly revitalized James Harden could, in theory, decrease Embiid's usage. Tyrese Maxey is also bound to make strides. But, Embiid is the offense's driving force and can dominate the game from any area of the court. He had the second-highest usage rate (37.2%) in the NBA last season.

Tatum returns to the Celtics after an All-NBA First Team season in 2021-22. The three-time All-Star is the unquestioned scoring leader for Boston. The durable star forward set career highs last season in points (26.9), rebounds (8.0), assists (4.4) and made three-pointers (3.0) per game. At only age 24, we see no reason for Tatum to slow down. Tatum also played a career-high 35.9 minutes per game last season, which might be the one stat Boston would like to curtail. With Malcolm Brogdon now in the fold, plus a full season of Derrick White, coach Ime Udoka is provided with more small-ball options that allow Tatum and veteran Al Horford to get a tad more rest. Otherwise, all systems should be go for Tatum and a Celtics squad with championship aspirations. Few players rank in the Top 12 of fantasy points per game while also shooting 45-plus percent from the field and 85-plus percent from the charity stripe. Oh, did we mention durability? Tatum has averaged only five missed games per season over his five-year NBA career.

Doncic entered last season firmly in the discussion among the top players to select in fantasy. He came through with another monster stat line, averaging 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 8.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 3.1 three-pointers per game. He had a career-high 37.4 percent usage rate, which was also the highest mark in the NBA. If there was a downside, it's that his 45.7 percent shooting from the field and 74.4 percent shooting from the free-throw line are nothing to write home about. The Mavericks bolstered their frontcourt over the summer by adding Christian Wood and JaVale McGee, filling an area of significant need. However, they lost Jalen Brunson to the Knicks and didn't make any noteworthy additions at the guard spot, leaving Spencer Dinwiddie and Tim Hardaway Jr. as Doncic's top running mates. If he could improve his free-throw shooting percentage to around 80 percent, Doncic could be the top player in all of fantasy. Even if he doesn't, he's still a top target who should be gone by the end of the first round of all leagues. His floor is as high as anyone's, and his ceiling is a player who could average 30 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 3.0 three-pointers.

Durant was the talk of the town this offseason, demanding a trade off the Nets in early August, something that has since been rescinded. From a fantasy perspective, Durant is coming off another strong season in which he compiled 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.9 blocks and 2.1 three-pointers per game. Those numbers were good enough to see him end the campaign as the second-best player in fantasy basketball on a per-game basis in eight-category leagues. Now seemingly locked in with the Nets, Durant feels like a relatively safe target. Although the team has added some depth pieces, such as T.J. Warren and Royce O'Neale, Durant is clearly still going to demand the ball, and along with Kyrie Irving, he forms one of the best one-two punches in the NBA. With the team pushing hard for an NBA title, Durant should be able to replicate his 2021-22 production, placing him firmly at the top of draft boards as a top-five target. From there, managers will need to cross their fingers that he can stay relatively healthy throughout the season.

Curry added to his already-Hall-of-Fame resume last season, claiming the 2022 Finals MVP award - his first. That said, Curry's regular season was a bit up and down. He still finished seventh in per-game fantasy production, but December and January were tough months for managers leaning on Curry. In those 27 games, he shot just 39.4 percent from the field. Curry made up for it with a scorching hot February and March (49.8 percent), but the full-season result was still just 43.7 percent shooting from the field - the lowest mark of his career and a significant drop-off from the 48.2 percent mark he hit in 2020-21. The veteran guard also took fewer shots, with Klay Thompson returning to the fold after two years on the sidelines. Decreased efficiency and volume led to Curry's points per game dropping from 32.0 to 25.5, which is what caused him to rank outside of the top five in per-game fantasy production for the first time since 2011-12. It's understandable if fantasy managers have concerns about Curry heading into his age-34 season, especially coming off his worst shooting year from the field and three. However, he demonstrated in the playoffs that he's still one of the league's best players. In the vast majority of fantasy drafts, he'll be selected in the top five, where he's finished most of his career.

Last season, Gilgeous-Alexander provided stellar all-around averages of 24.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists. 1.3 steals and 1.6 three-pointers per game. His shooting percentage declined from the season prior, but it still wasn't bad at 45.3 percent, and he also shot 81.0 percent from the charity stripe. Even his 30.8 percent usage rate was the highest mark of his career. The problem was that he only played in 56 games. Over the last two seasons, he's combined to play 91 games. Some of his absences have been because of legitimate injuries, but others were likely the Thunder using "injuries" as an excuse to sit their star player and improve their draft positioning. Will they change those ways this season, especially with Chet Holmgren set to miss his entire rookie campaign? Given the prize jewel that is Victor Wembanyama on the horizon for the 2023 Draft, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Thunder again try to lose as many games as possible. With that in mind, Gilgeous-Alexander could continue to be a risky fantasy option.

The 2021-22 campaign was another dominant one for Antetokounmpo. He earned his fourth consecutive All-NBA First Team honor as well as a fourth consecutive All-Defensive First Team. He also finished among the top four in MVP voting for a fourth straight season. The Greek Freak hasn't stopped improving, reaching new highs in points per game (29.9) and free-throw attempts per game (11.4). In addition, he averaged 11.6 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.1 steals. His three-point shooting remains shaky (29.3 percent), but he still knocked down 1.1 per game - his third straight year making at least one per contest. While he'll likely never ascend much in that department, he at least improved his free-throw shooting from 68.5 percent in 2020-21 to 72.2 percent last season. Antetokounmpo's poor performance from the charity stripe ultimately prevents him from being a better fantasy asset in category leagues. He ranked 10th last season in per-game fantasy production despite being arguably the best player in basketball. It's hard to imagine the two-time MVP slipping out of the top five in any league, given his ridiculously-high floor and clear upside to be the best player in fantasy if he can become a better shooter. Fantasy managers shouldn't hold their breath on that front, but any serious critics of Antetokounmpo are nitpicking at this point.

Even in a massively disappointing season for the Lakers, James once again defied Father Time, putting together one of his finest campaigns on a per-game statistical basis. The ageless veteran averaged 30.3 points per contest -- his first season over the 30-point threshold since 2007-08. James earned that mark by averaging a career-best 2.9 three-pointers per game and shooting an efficient 52.4 percent from the field. He even improved from the charity stripe, making 75.6 percent of his free throws -- his highest rate since 2011-12. Though his playmaking dipped a bit to 6.2 assists per game, James put up his usual substantial numbers on the boards (8.2 RPG) and even averaged over a block per contest for the first time in 12 seasons. That said, James' fantasy value was impacted by his inability to stay healthy. He often played hurt and sat out 26 games, marking the third time in four seasons that he's played in fewer than 60 contests. The impact of his injuries was especially felt during the fantasy playoffs, as James missed eight of the Lakers' final 10 games. Los Angeles appears increasingly unlikely to make any major additions in the offseason, so James will probably be counted on to carry a heavy load again next to the similarly injury-plagued Anthony Davis and the enigmatic Russell Westbrook. Until he shows tangible signs of a decline in play, it would be imprudent to count James out of being a prodigiously productive player when he's on the court. The question fantasy managers have to wrestle with in deciding how high to draft him is whether the injury risk is worth the per-game reward.

Fantasy managers who drafted Lillard last year got burned. The All-Star point guard played in just 29 games in a lost year for the Trail Blazer, who was dealing with chronic abdominal pain that clearly affected him when he played. He shot just 40.2 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from three - both career lows. He underwent surgery in mid-January and never returned to the court. When it was clear Lillard wasn't returning, Portland made some major roster changes to tank the remainder of the season. The biggest move was dealing Lillard's longtime backcourt mate, CJ McCollum, to the Pelicans. Josh Hart represented the best returning player in the deal and Hart could start at small forward in 2022-23. Portland also dealt for Jerami Grant while re-signing both Anfernee Simons and Jusuf Nurkic. With McCollum out of the picture, optimistic fantasy managers could entertain the idea of Lillard walking into the highest usage rate of his career. His prior two years were excellent, averaging 29.4 points on 46/40/91 shooting, 7.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 36.6 minutes. That resulted in him ranking fifth in per-game fantasy production in 2019-20 and seventh in 2020-21. Given that the 32-year-old returned first-round value for four straight years before last, it's reasonable to draft him in the late first round. Some managers may be scared off by his injury and age, but his floor is extremely high given his skill and role within the Blazers' offense.

There's little debate that Davis is among the game's most talented big men, but his inability to stay healthy has put a significant dent in his fantasy value during the past two campaigns. Last season, he played in only 40 of the Lakers' 82 contests after missing exactly half of the team's games in 2020-21. The impact of his absences was especially painful in fantasy last season, as he played in only three contests beyond the All-Star break. When he was on the court, Davis' offensive numbers -- 23.2 points per game on 53.2 percent shooting from the field -- were in line with his career output. However, he has inexplicably fallen off as a free-throw shooter over the past two years, shooting a then-career-worst 73.8 percent from the line two campaigns ago before falling even further to 71.3 percent last season. His three-point shooting has also taken a hit, and he made an ugly 18.6 percent of his tries from beyond the arc during his most recent campaign. On a positive note, Davis bounced back from a down season in the blocks department in 2020-21 to register 2.3 swats per contest last year, and he pulled down nearly 10 rebounds per game. Davis is one of the few players on the Lakers who is locked in with the organization for multiple seasons, and the team's success next year should again primarily ride on the shoulders of him and LeBron James. From a fantasy perspective, Davis' combination of offensive production and difference-making defensive numbers are salivating. Any questions about his value revolve far more around health than talent.

Young continued to shine as one of the league's top point guards last season, ranking fourth among qualified players with 27.2 points per game and third with 9.7 assists per contest. He enjoyed his most efficient shooting campaign to date, making 46.0 percent of his attempts from the field, 38.2 percent from three-point range and 90.4 percent from the charity stripe -- each of which was a career-best mark. The increased percentages and general good health -- Young played in 76 of 82 games -- pushed the fourth-year star into top-five territory in terms of overall fantasy production. However, it may be difficult for Young to replicate his numbers in the coming campaign now that Atlanta has added Dejounte Murray to its backcourt. The move was partially made to give the Hawks another ballhandler and playmaker, which sounds good from a team perspective but not so much from a fantasy angle. That's not to say that Young should be expected to experience a steep statistical drop -- he's too good for that. However, he probably isn't going to post a 33.3 percent usage rate (fourth-highest in the league) again now that he's sharing the backcourt with Murray, whose usage was at 26.8 percent last season. If Young can maintain his increased shooting efficiency and mesh well with Murray, he should still rank among the league's most productive point guards. Still, it's logical to anticipate a slight reduction from last season's gaudy stats.

The Pelicans underwent significant changes last season. Lonzo Ball was sent to the Bulls in a sign-and-trade, Jonas Valanciunas came over from the Grizzlies, and Zion Williamson started out on the sidelines. Williamson would end up not appearing in a single game, leaving Ingram to shoulder more of the scoring load. New Orleans eventually brought in CJ McCollum to help offset the loss of Ball, but Ingram still finished with terrific averages of 22.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.3 three-pointers per game. With a full season of McCollum in the fold, and Williamson looking ready to return, Ingram could see a decline in two areas. First, it will likely be difficult for him to duplicate what was a career-high 29.3 percent usage rate. Second, his assists totals could decline. Not only is McCollum a good passer, but Williamson averaged 3.7 assists during the 2020-21 season. Ingram's overall averages could still make him a valuable fantasy option, but asking him to match his numbers from last season might be too much. On the bright side, he's an asset with his efficiency, shooting at least 46.1 percent from the field and 82.6 percent from the free-throw line in each of the last three seasons.