Drafting your 2025-26 fantasy basketball team? Getting the first-round picks right is crucial! We dive into the definitive top 12 players for your 8-Category fantasy basketball league, excluding turnovers. Is Victor Wembanyama the undisputed No. 1 with his elite blocks? Where do perennial MVPs like Nikola Jokic and high-upside talents like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander land? Discover the ultimate first-round strategy and must-have players to dominate your fantasy league this season.
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Top 12 Fantasy NBA Players for 2025-26 Season
| Pick | Player | Team | Drafter | Analysis Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Victor Wembanyama | San Antonio Spurs | Ken | Unrivaled blocks production (projected 4 blocks per game) combined with strong contributions across all other categories makes him the dominant first pick. |
| 2 | Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets | Alex | The most consistently elite fantasy player over the last half-decade. Offers an exceptionally high floor across all statistical categories, save for blocks. |
| 3 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Oklahoma City Thunder | Alex | Selected over Luka Dončić for his defensive upside, great field goal and free throw percentages, and superior durability. |
| 4 | Cade Cunningham | Detroit Pistons | Ken | A "rock the boat" pick over Doncic based on his strong percentages, high assist numbers, and upside at just 24 years old. The improved team around him should lead to more efficient scoring. |
| 5 | Luka Dončić | Los Angeles Lakers | Alex | A "talent bet" pick. While durability and conditioning questions linger, his elite usage and immense upside are too high to pass on. Now with LeBron James and the Lakers. |
| 6 | Anthony Edwards | Minnesota Timberwolves | Ken | His scoring has improved every season, with career-high triples and steady peripheral stats. At only 24, he still has room for upside, plus high durability (rarely misses games). |
| 7 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks | Alex | The quintessential "punt free throws" pick. If you ignore FT%, he vaults into the elite tier. With the Bucks projected to be a weaker team, Giannis is set up for a massive usage and statistical season. |
| 8 | Trae Young | Atlanta Hawks | Ken | Provides elite, high-volume free-throw shooting and was the NBA's best assist man last year (11.6 APG). A high-floor player with rising steals production. |
| 9 | James Harden | LA Clippers | Alex | A late first-round risk/reward pick. Still one of the best sources of 20 points and 10 assists in the NBA. If the Clippers struggle, his role as the offense's primary driver could make him a top-five fantasy contributor. |
| 10 | Anthony Davis | Dallas Mavericks | Ken | A huge boom-or-bust pick due to injury history. With the Mavericks, he is the clear number one option with Kyrie Irving sidelined early in the season. Provides elite 25/12/2 blocks at center, and even flashed more three-point attempts last year. |
| 11 | Devin Booker | Phoenix Suns | Alex | A clear number one option on the Suns, who have no incentive to tank (no draft pick). Booker is expected to reach new career highs in both points and assists this season. |
| 12 | Tyrese Maxey | Philadelphia 76ers | Ken | Selected over LeBron James due to higher faith in his durability and games played. Maxey is now the most reliable and primary option for the 76ers and provides extremely useful production with almost 2 steals per game last year. |
In-Depth Pick Analysis
The Top Tier: Wembanyama and Jokic
Ken started the draft by selecting Victor Wembanyama at No. 1. While a high pick, the argument is simple: no one else comes close to his projected 4 blocks per game while being productive in all seven other categories. Alex countered with the perennial fantasy king, Nikola Jokic, at No. 2, acknowledging that while Wembanyama brings the unique block upside, Jokic provides the highest statistical floor across all categories.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Luka Dončić
The debate for the third spot came down to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Dončić. Alex chose SGA for his superior defensive stats, excellent shooting percentages (FG% and FT%), and better durability compared to Dončić. Ken then made a bold move, "going off the rails" at pick four by selecting Cade Cunningham over Dončić, citing Cunningham's youth, upside, strong percentages, and higher assist numbers, while expressing distrust in the "slim Luka" conditioning narrative. Alex ultimately took Dončić at No. 5, betting on his supreme talent and usage, despite the conditioning and potential team context concerns with the Lakers.
High-Usage Upside and Category Punters
Anthony Edwards was a high-upside pick at No. 6, praised for his continuous scoring improvement and durability. At No. 7, Alex secured Giannis Antetokounmpo, a quintessential "punt free throws" strategy pick. With the Milwaukee team perceived to be less talented, Giannis is projected for a season of career-best usage. Trae Young at No. 8 offers elite free-throw volume and a league-leading assist rate, making him a high-floor point guard option.
Risk/Reward in the Late First Round
The final picks of the top 12 carried more risk but massive upside:
James Harden (No. 9): Harden, the engine of the Clippers' offense, could return top-five value if the team deals with injuries or struggles, further increasing his usage.
Anthony Davis (No. 10): The biggest boom-or-bust player. With Kyrie Irving's injury, AD is the clear number one option on the Mavericks and will be relied upon heavily for points, rebounds, and elite blocks.
Devin Booker (No. 11): Chosen for his expected high usage on a Suns team that has no incentive to tank (no draft pick). He is projected for potential career highs in both points and assists.
Tyrese Maxey (No. 12): The final selection, chosen for his reliability and potential to thrive as the new undisputed No. 1 option and star of the Philadelphia 76ers. His high steal rate is an added bonus to cap off the first round.
Essential Fantasy Basketball Resources
Check out RotoWire's How to Play Fantasy Basketball guide for a complete walkthrough, but here is some basic advice:
- Check out custom NBA Fantasy Projections
- Look into Fantasy Basketball Mock Drafts
- Listen to a Fantasy Basketball Podcast
- Check in on Fantasy Basketball Player News
- Read Fantasy Basketball Articles
- Dive into RotoWire's Fantasy Basketball Draft Kit
- Study NBA Depth Charts
- See RotoWire's Fantasy Basketball Dynasty Rankings
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