2025–26 Fantasy Basketball Rankings

Coming into the league with some of the highest expectations of any rookie, Wembanyama exceeded even many optimists' hopes. The 7-foot-4 phenom led the NBA in blocks per game (3.6) and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. That's before considering the bulk of his statistical output, which only improved as the season went along. In his 43 games after the New Year, the Rookie of the Year averaged 23.1 points on 48/34/80 shooting, 10.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 3.9 blocks and 1.2 steals in 29.7 minutes. Almost hidden in Wembanyama's stats are his relatively low minutes, and if he can start seeing closer to 35 minutes more consistently, that will create a boost in his numbers by default. After the team sandbagged the point guard position for much of last season, that's set to change this time around. Chris Paul signed a one-year deal with the Spurs and should be a massive boost to Wembanyama's effectiveness, acting as a true floor general capable of directing traffic and dropping dimes. The rest of the surrounding core is mostly the same, creating no new questions about someone fighting for touches. Regardless of league type - redraft, keeper, points, 8-category, 9-category, head-to-head-, roto, you name it - Wembanyama can, and probably should, be drafted No. 1 overall.

Winner of his third MVP, Jokic continues to make his case for best player on the planet. He didn't set any meaningful career highs, but that's not exactly an indictment for a 28-year-old who averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.9 blocks in 34.6 minutes. His job isn't getting any easier, though. After last season saw the departure of Bruce Brown, this offseason saw the departure of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - an important 3-and-D piece. KCP was effectively not replaced, so it will be up to Christian Braun and Peyton Watson to step up. But the Nuggets will start to look really thin really quickly if any member of the starting five suffers a significant injury. That could potentially lead to more usage, or at least more shot attempts, for Jokic in spurts. Whether that potential is enough for fantasy managers to select him No. 1 over Victor Wembanyama is one thing, but Jokic should practically be locked in as a Top 2 fantasy selection this season. It's arguable he's the safest bet on the board in that respect.

Gilgeous-Alexander is the driving force behind a Thunder team that exceeded expectations in 2023-24, finishing with the best record in the Western Conference (57-25). After taking fifth in MVP voting the previous season, SGA finished as last year's runner-up. While he did not set a high in points per game (30.1), he averaged highs in assists (6.2), steals (2.0) and field-goal percentage (53.5%) and notably led the league in total steals (150) and made free throws (567). For the second straight year, the guard was the fourth-ranked eight-category player in per-game value, truly establishing himself as an elite fantasy asset. Though OKC lost to Dallas in the Western Conference Finals, the Thunder are clearly on the upswing and are a legitimate contender. Notably, the team traded Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso and added Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency this summer. There's only so much more usage SGA can handle, so Giddey's departure will likely benefit other players on the roster, like Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace. Ultimately, there's no reason to believe Gilgeous-Alexander won't be worthy of a high-first-round pick again in almost all fantasy leagues.

Edwards and the Timberwolves took a step forward last season. Minnesota made it to the Western Conference Finals, while Edwards was voted to the All-NBA Second Team amid his second straight All-Star campaign. His fantasy value remained essentially unchanged, but he reached career highs in points (25.9), assists (5.1), field-goal percentage (46.1%) and free-throw percentage (83.6%). He's shown an ability to score from all areas of the court, notably adding more mid-range jumpers to his arsenal. In terms of his role, it should be more of the same for Edwards as he enters his age-23 season. Minnesota swapped Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, but the rest of the core remains intact. There's potential for Edwards to take on more playmaking responsibilities as Mike Conley's twilight years carry on. And given Edwards' age, he still has plenty of potential development ahead of him. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable taking Edwards in the second round of almost all league types as an emerging star who can shoot, pass, defend and rebound.

Despite a 14-win season, Cunningham showed signs of growth in Year 3, averaging career highs in points (22.7) and assists (7.5) per game. He also posted career-high shooting splits -- 44.9/35.5/86.9. It was a great individual bounce-back season after missing the majority of the 2022-23 campaign due to a shin injury. For the most part, Cunningham was healthy in 2023-24, but he was shut down at the beginning of April due to left knee tendinopathy. Before missing the final seven games, Cunningham scored at least 32 points in three consecutive appearances, so it seems fair to say the medical staff was just being cautious. While the counting stats are there, Cunningham hasn't delivered elite fantasy production in his career, failing to crack the top 50 players in eight-category leagues in each of his first three seasons. The Pistons improved their roster this offseason behind Cunningham, who should remain the offensive focal point. Detroit drafted Ron Holland at No. 5 overall and signed veterans Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway. Increased floor spacing and better shooters should help Cunningham take another step in Year 4, but fantasy managers counting on the Oklahoma State product to deliver top-30 production may be in for a rude awakening.

The 25-year-old is coming off his first NBA Finals appearance, losing to the Celtics. Even in the regular season, Doncic had his best season to date, finishing third in MVP voting. He led the NBA with 33.9 points per game, doing so on efficient 49/38/79 percent shooting, even posting a 73-point performance against the Hawks. He also led the league in usage rate (36%) for the third time in four seasons. Close to averaging a triple-double, Doncic also racked up 9.8 assists, 9.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. Few players have as safe of a floor as Doncic, and that shouldn't change in 2024-25. The team will look a bit different this season, with Klay Thompson added to the mix among a full season of trade-deadline acquisitions P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford. But nothing that Dallas has done in the offseason suggests Doncic will take any step back in production, and he's actually still young enough to make strides in his game. Ultimately, he's a clear first-round fantasy selection worthy of being selected in the top five of nearly every league.

Last season was one of Davis' healthiest recently, with the big man's 76 appearances representing the first time he's crossed the 70-game threshold since 2017-18. He produced at an elite level, finishing on the All-NBA Second Team and the All-Defensive First Team behind 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.2 steals in 35.5 minutes. Even though Davis had his most productive season in half a decade, fantasy managers still have reason to be cautious regarding the 31-year-old's health. He's a first-round talent, but drafting him there still incurs risk. In terms of the team around AD, it will be much of the same. LeBron James is leading the way, with D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura presumably filling out the rest of the starting five, though it's possible Jarred Vanderbilt gets a nominal starting spot for defensive purposes. Regardless, fantasy managers shouldn't expect any massive swings in per-game production from AD, who is one of the best two-way bigs in the game.

After missing the All-Star game in 2022-23, Young re-secured the accolade last season. Entering his age-26 season, Young should have more opportunities for usage. During the offseason, Atlanta bailed on the Dejounte Murray experiment, sending him to New Orleans for picks and depth pieces. The Hawks are now in a soft rebuild focused around Young, Jalen Johnson and No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher. Putting aside the finger injury that limited Young to 54 games, Young had a successful 2023-24 from a fantasy perspective, returning near-first-round per-game value in category formats. That was despite a drop in usage to 30.5 percent - a significant downturn compared to the 34.4 percent rate he boasted the year before Murray's arrival. Young still led the NBA in assist rate (45.1 percent), averaging 10.8 dimes per game in addition to 25.7 points on 43/37/86 shooting, 2.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals. His assists and steals were career highs. Given his youth, role and proven fantasy production, Young should be in the conversation for a late first-round fantasy pick this season. He's already posted two seasons averaging more than 28 points and two seasons averaging more than 10 assists.

It was another excellent season for the perennial MVP candidate, who finished fourth in the award voting. The addition of Damian Lillard did little to reduce Antetokounmpo's production. If anything, it actually helped his fantasy value through increased efficiency, with Antetokounmpo averaging 30.4 points per game on a career-high 61.1 percent shooting. He also dished a career-high 6.5 dimes per game. Plus, after a season of decreased defensive numbers, he got his steals average back to 1.2 and his blocks to 1.1. It should be much of the same for the two-time MVP as he enters his age-30 season. The Bucks' core is the same, though it will be interesting to see how the team adjusts with a full season of Doc Rivers. It's possible Lillard takes on some more usage as he gains comfort, but that shouldn't stop Antetokounmpo from being one of fantasy's top producers. As always, fantasy managers in category leagues need to take note of his poor free-throw shooting on high volume, but there are enough ways to work around that to make him worthy of a first-round selection.

Despite age no longer being his friend, James continues to defy father time, once again putting together an elite fantasy season during the 2023-24 campaign. He compiled averages of 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.1 three-pointers in 35.3 minutes per game, good enough for top-20 value in standard leagues. Perhaps even more impressive was the fact he played 71 games, the first time he has eclipsed the 70-game mark since the 2017-18 season. James will turn 40 in December, making him the oldest player in the league. As has been the case for the past few years, the impending drop-off in production could be just around the corner. However, based on what we have seen at the recent Olympic Games, he could very well just continue producing at an elite level. There is a very real chance he slides in drafts, with managers still assuming age will catch up with him. With skepticism still present, James could end up being a nice value pick once again, for anyone willing to plant their flag on the aging superstar. At this point, his floor still feels relatively safe, meaning even if his numbers do take a hit, he should land inside the top 40, come April.

Sabonis led the NBA in rebounds in 2023-24, and his playmaking took another step forward, making him a nightly triple-double threat. He may never be as imposing as Joel Embiid or Nikola Jokic, but Sabonis has catapulted himself into the top echelon of fantasy players in recent years. Despite mediocre numbers at the free-throw line and a lack of three-point makes, Sabonis has finished inside the top 10 players in eight-category leagues in back-to-back seasons. The Kings made a splash this offseason by adding DeMar DeRozan, but the veteran's presence likely won't take away too much from Sabonis' playmaking responsibilities. The big man should still be Sacramento's primary offensive hub, with De'Aaron Fox, Keegan Murray and DeRozan operating as finishers. Sabonis has missed just two regular-season games over the last three years and has never played fewer than 62 games across eight NBA campaigns.

Last season was one to forget for Giddey, who moved to the bench partway through the season and almost fell out of the rotation altogether during the playoffs. As the Thunder developed into one of the best teams in the Western Conference, Giddey was seen as carry-on baggage, often supplanted in the rotation by superior role players. When all was said and done, he ended by averaging just 25.1 minutes per game, during which time he put up 12.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.0 three-pointers. On a positive note, his efficiency from the perimeter continues to improve, as does his free-throw stroke. To no one's surprise, Oklahoma City opted to part ways with Giddey shortly after the season, sending him to Chicago in return for Alex Caruso. A fresh start is just what Giddey needs to revitalize his career, especially playing for a team that can afford to roll him out there, no matter the result. Although he will be competing for minutes with players like Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White, not to mention Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball, Giddey could very well get the first look at the starting point guard position. If he continues to improve his range on the offensive end as well as becoming a more sturdy defender, Giddey could make for a nice target in the mid-to-late rounds of drafts.

After missing all of his true rookie season with a foot injury, Holmgren debuted last season. The No. 2 overall pick from 2022 didn't disappoint, putting together a strong season that would have landed him Rookie of the Year honors were it not for Victor Wembanyama. Offensively, Holmgren was efficient, averaging 16.5 points and 1.6 threes on 53/37/79 shooting. On defense, his shot-blocking was elite, averaging 2.3 swats per game, which was good for the second-highest block percentage (7.3%) in the league. His rebounding was solid (7.9 per game) but certainly lower than hoped for given his 7-foot-1 frame. The Thunder were one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA last season, and they addressed that issue in the offseason by adding center Isaiah Hartenstein. Regardless of how much center or power forward Holmgren plays, he could be in the mix for more offensive responsibilities as his game develops, especially with the team trading away Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso. Holmgren's rebounding and shot-blocking could be affected negatively, but it's possible he will make up for it with more points, assists and steals. Either way, with Holmgren already establishing himself as a top-40 fantasy asset, managers shouldn't feel like they're taking much risk taking him in the second or third round as he enters his age-22 season.

Shortly after the 2023-24 season began, Harden forced his way off the 76ers and to the Clippers, joining Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Playing next to that pair led to Harden's least productive season since his final year in Oklahoma City. He averaged 16.6 points and 2.6 threes on 43/38/88 shooting, 8.5 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 34.3 minutes. Despite the reduced numbers, he was still able to return third-round value in most fantasy formats. Harden is still a great passer and three-point shooter, but he's showing his years entering his age-35 season. The primary change is his reduced shot attempts at the rim and fewer free throws as a result. Harden's free-throw attempts have declined in two straight seasons. He took just 4.8 attempts last season, contrasted with 8.2 attempts in 2021-22 and 11.8 attempts in 2019-20. Despite signs of Harden's decline, he may experience a mini-bounceback in 2024-25. George left for Philadelphia in the offseason, with the Clippers failing to replace him with another high-usage player. That leaves plenty of usage on the table for Harden and Leonard. And considering Leonard's injury history, there will be plenty of nights where Harden is the true, clear No. 1 offensive option. Drafting Harden comes with risk, but there's more upside than last season.

The 2023-24 season was a career year for White. In addition to winning his first NBA championship, White delivered career highs in games started as well as minutes, assists, blocks and three-pointers per game. It was also only his second season in which he scored 15+ points per contest. White also shot a career best from three-point range (39.6 percent) and the charity stripe (90.1 percent). He even joined the USA Olympic Team. The dream season led Boston to sign White to a four-year contract extension this summer. He'll return to Boston with the same role he had last season, where he'll share point guard duties with fellow starter Jrue Holiday. Note that last season White had more assists per game than Holiday (5.2 vs 4.8). White frequently takes over the point guard role on offense while Holiday hunts for easy corner threes and offensive rebounds. The Celtics roster remains essentially unchanged from their championship squad, so a second high-quality season seems very reasonable for White.