While the fantasy football season has entered its playoffs, rendering a good portion of participants as frustrated onlookers, the fantasy basketball season remains in its early stages.
We have months to go, and already we have seen so many intriguing fantasy performances from players young and old. It is not too late to play!
Check out ESPN's fantasy basketball midseason draft kit and get into the game!
Here are a few hints on players you should and should not be drafting at expected value.
Do Draft
James Harden, PG/SG, LA Clippers: Let's hear it for the older players still thriving! There aren't many carrying fantasy rosters these days, but Harden leads the way. He deserves featured notice since he was a third-round pick in ESPN average live drafts, and he has been among the top 10 fantasy standard (points) league scorers all season long. Harden desired major usage like the good old days, and with SF/PF Paul George off to the 76ers and SF/PF Kawhi Leonard out with a knee injury, Harden has it, just like in his Rockets days. He has raised his production in most categories, even in his age-35 campaign. Harden is again worthy of a latter first-round selection in midseason drafts. Look for his surprising scoring buddy SG/SF Norman Powell in the middle rounds, too!
Jakob Poeltl, C, Toronto Raptors: Unlike Harden, Poeltl has never been close to a coveted fantasy option, and for good reason. This season, the Raptors needed more minutes and production, and Poeltl is finally emerging as a top 10 fantasy center in his ninth NBA campaign. Fantasy managers love it when late-round draft picks turn into top 50 players, and Poeltl, with career-high marks in scoring and rebounding for a lottery bound team lacking in both areas, has been one of the fantasy MVPs of the season if comparing draft day value to actual production. There is little reason to expect the production to stop. Ditto for Clippers C Ivica Zubac, another late-round pick (if picked at all) suddenly a fantasy star due to circumstances around him, and each is worthy of a top 50 pick in pending drafts.
Dennis Schroder, PG, Brooklyn Nets: Sometimes the best place to look for fantasy sleepers is to check out veterans on lousy teams. Schroder may have gone undrafted in your league(s), but we should embrace what he is producing at age 31, as he delivers what may end up being the top fantasy season of his journeyman career. Someone needs to score and pile on assists for the Nets, and it isn't going to be Ben Simmons. Schroder averages better than 35 ESPN fantasy points per game, making him a near-top 50 fantasy option, but you shouldn't have to reach near that high in drafts.
Dyson Daniels, SG/PG, Atlanta Hawks: This third-year talent from Australia remains a rather raw scorer and rebounder (he's only 21), but he so dominates in the steals category that it makes up for other deficiencies. Daniels averages three steals per game, far above others in the category. One could debate that Daniels is as dominant in steals as the great Spurs C Victor Wembanyama is for blocks, and surely those in roto/category formats have noticed. Daniels should only improve in other areas, while remaining a defensive superstar.
Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets: Yeah, not exactly breaking news here, but we add Jokic to this section to remind you he should be the first pick off the draft board. There was doubt in October, but no longer. Jokic has won league and fantasy MVP awards and yet he has never played at this historic level, literally averaging a triple double and carrying the Nuggets. Many wanted Spurs sophomore C Victor Wembanyama as the No. 1 pick instead. He certainly has not disappointed, but Jokic averaging 70 ESPN fantasy points per game - when nobody else is averaging 60! - is simply too ridiculous to ignore.
Do Not Draft
Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers: This section is not nearly as much fun. One of the top fantasy options when healthy, Embiid is anything but healthy and, unfortunately, there is little reason to believe things will change soon. His worrisome left knee has held him back for months, and it is more than "load management." Embiid averaged 62 ESPN fantasy points per game last season, which is awesome, but he missed half the season, too. This season, just a few games played, he offered half the production. Optimistic fantasy managers may covet Embiid's upside for the second half of the season and target him with an early pick, but this is a mistake. It may be a lost season, who knows for sure? Let someone else deal with this.
Zion Williamson, PF, New Orleans Pelicans: Somewhat similarly, Williamson is hardly known for his durability, even though he suited up in 70 games last season. We applauded that progress, but those that bother to look closer at his numbers may be surprised at what they see. Since the start of last season, Williamson has not scored close to 25 PPG, nor does he do much rebounding or any 3-point shooting. His free throw percentage and turnover rate actively hurts fantasy teams. Williamson's current hamstring injury is not progressing as fast as the Pelicans expected, and based on his history, few should be surprised. Again, do not make this your problem unless it is one of your final draft picks. We will include LA Clippers SF/PF Kawhi Leonard (knee) here as well and move on to players not defined by health.
Mikal Bridges, SF/SG, New York Knicks: One of the most durable players ever and a wonderful defensive option for the Knicks, Bridges is not worth a top 50 spot in fantasy drafts because the actual statistical production we measure our game by is simply not there. In fact, other than his brief stint with the Nets, it never has been there. Bridges is not scoring close to 20 PPG, he offers little for rebounds and assists, and he has barely found his way to the free throw line in New York. Myriad players rostered in half the leagues of Bridges average 30 ESPN fantasy points per game. Durability is important, but we should use draft picks in the first six or seven rounds on better fantasy providers with upside.
D'Angelo Russell, PG/SG, Los Angeles Lakers: A top 50 option from preseason drafts, Russell got unceremoniously bumped from the starting lineup and is delivering statistics barely worth rostering at all in most leagues. The Russell who averaged 18 PPG and 6.3 APG last season, and 36.5 ESPN fantasy points per game, is down to 12.1 PPG, 4.8 APG and 25.1 fantasy points, with little reason to expect things to change.
Jrue Holiday, PG/SG, Boston Celtics: Holiday still starts for the Celtics, but his numbers bear little resemblance to what he used to provide. Fantasy managers, however, certainly know his name and they continue investing. Holiday, like Russell, is barely among the top 150 fantasy scorers in ESPN standard (points) leagues. At this point, there is little reason to even draft him at all.
Just about every rookie player: OK, this may be a bit too general for some, but then again, the reason why there is so little talk about the eventual Rookie of the Year is because nobody has stepped up and provided consistent, reliable production. We are all about the production, you know. No first-year player is among the top 100 fantasy scorers (though the Pelicans C Yves Missi is close), and fantasy managers should not target any rookies with top 100 picks. Perhaps Missi, Wizards C/PF Alexandre Sarr, Hawks PF/SF Zaccharie Risacher, 76ers SG Jared McCain, Grizzlies C Zach Edey and SG Jaylen Wells and others become reliable producers, but if you must covet someone new to the association, do so only with a late investment.