2024–25 Fantasy Basketball Rankings

Wembanyama's height combined with his well-rounded skillset makes him one of the highest-ceiling prospects most scouts have ever seen. Despite being well over seven feet tall, he can handle and shoot the ball like a playmaking wing, but he has skills in the post as well, allowing him to simply shoot over smaller defenders. He's a willing passer, able to punish double teams. Wembanyama's length will make him extremely disruptive as a defender and rebounder. His relative quickness allows him to defend some on the perimeter, where he's capable of blocking jumpers. Wembanyama could be vying for All-Star nods sooner than later, and it's hard to calculate how high his ceiling might be down the line. Last season, with Metropolitans 92 in the French LNB Pro A league, he averaged 20.9 points on 47/27/82 shooting, 10.3 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 2.4 assists. To much dissatisfaction, the No. 1 overall pick appeared in just two Summer League games. He looked to be a combination of tired and nervous in his first appearance. And while he still looked raw offensively in his second performance, he finished with an efficient 27 points on 14 shots. It's easier to have confidence in his defense, with Wembanyama racking up eight blocks and one steal in his two games. A more structured offense orchestrated by Gregg Popovich should benefit the rookie. So how high should he be drafted in fantasy? Based on his defensive upside alone, he could be a valid pick in the middle rounds. But if he can become the focal point of San Antonio's offense, or at least play efficiently within the structure, it's hard to knock optimistic fantasy managers reaching into the late second round.

After winning two straight MVP awards, Jokic missed out in 2022-23 but reached a higher achievement -- Finals MVP. Last season also marked Jokic's third consecutive season as the No. 1 ranked player in eight-category per-game and total fantasy value. He's arguably established himself as the best player in the NBA -- at least the best offensive weapon. He came up just 0.2 assists per game short of averaging a triple-double, racking up 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and 9.8 assists to go along with 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks. Though he didn't average one, Jokic's 29 triple-doubles led the league -- his second consecutive season doing so. He's now up to third in active-player triple-doubles (105) and sixth all-time. His efficiency remained off the charts, with Jokic slashing 63/38/82 for a league-leading 70.1 true-shooting percentage. Nothing suggests the center's production will fluctuate significantly in 2023-24, and he should be the most popular option at the 1.1 spot in fantasy drafts.

From a fantasy perspective, Doncic's 2022-23 campaign was the best of his career, with the star playmaker ranking eighth in per-game value. He reached a career-high 32.4 points per game while also converting a career-high 49.6 percent of his shots from the field. His 1.4 steals were a career mark as well. Doncic made his fourth straight All-NBA First Team selection and finished eighth in MVP voting. Few players are as heliocentric as Doncic, whose 37.6 percent usage rate was just second behind Giannis Antetokounmpo. His 10 triple-doubles ranked third in the association. The addition of Kyrie Irving in the middle of last season didn't drastically affect Doncic's numbers. The team remains shallow, so Doncic will still need to play his heliocentric brand of basketball, even if Irving is there to carry a bit of the burden. At this point, free-throw percentage is arguably the biggest negative of his fantasy profile. He's never shot better than 75.8 percent from the stripe. Turnovers were an issue in the past, but he brought those down to 3.6 per game in 2022-23. All things considered, Doncic is a clear first-round pick in all formats.

The 2022-23 MVP, Embiid was second in both per-game and total fantasy value to only Nikola Jokic. For the second straight season, Embiid led the NBA in points per game (33.1) and did so on an efficient 55/33/86 shooting. He rounded things out with 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.0 steals, making him the best two-way center in the league. We can't talk about Embiid without bringing up his injury history, but he's been relatively healthy lately. He played 68 games in 2021-22 and 66 games last season -- the two best marks of his career. And with so few stars lacing them up for all 82, Embiid's missed games aren't as impactful as they were at the start of his career. Looking to this season, Embiid will again be Philadelphia's No. 1 option and an MVP candidate. However, things are murky with James Harden, who has demanded a trade. It's not clear if he'll show up to training camp. If he doesn't play for the 76ers, that could mean even more usage for Embiid. Either way, the center is worth a pick in the first half of the first round.

It was a breakout 2022-23 season for Gilgeous-Alexander, who was a third-round selection in most fantasy leagues. The stellar guard ended up producing the third-best fantasy season in eight-cat total production and earning an All-NBA First Team selection. SGA had the seventh-highest usage (32.8%) in the league, increasing his effectiveness by shooting fewer threes and focusing on crafty paint scoring, which led to a career-high 10.9 free-throw attempts per game. The increased offensive load didn't detract from his defensive effort, as he still averaged 1.6 steals and 1.0 blocks. As far as the team context around him, playmakers Josh Giddey and Jalen Williams should continue making strides, while center Chet Holmgren is being added to the mix. That could result in fewer touches for SGA, but he should remain the team's clear No. 1 option after averaging 31.4 points, 5.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds on 51/35/91 shooting. The guard is still a worthy first-round selection, but there's a good chance he reached his ceiling last year.

Davis' injury problems continue to dominate the narrative surrounding his fantasy value, but he had an excellent season in 2022-23 despite playing in just 56 games -- ranking 22nd in eight-category total value. Part of that was fueled by career high marks of 56.3 field-goal percentage and 12.5 rebounds per game. He also had a bounce-back year from the free-throw line (78.4 FT%), though his three-point attempts have dropped for a third straight year (1.3). The Lakers had an active offseason after re-making the team at the trade deadline, but AD's role is not in jeopardy. He's the clear No. 2 option behind LeBron James, and the team's backcourt of D'Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves are talented enough to help Davis dominate the pick-and-roll game. Defensively, there aren't many players more talented than him, and he averaged 2.0 swats and 1.1 swipes last year. Ultimately, Davis is a first-round fantasy talent who can easily slip into the second due to injury concerns.

Haliburton's stats are created in a lab to generate fantasy value. He's a hyper-efficient scorer from all levels, a great passer (with a stellar assist-to-turnover ratio and a league-leading 47.6 assist percentage) and racks up steals. The point guard made his first All-Star game last year behind 20.7 points, 10.4 assists (2.5 turnovers), 1.6 steals and 3.7 assists -- doing so while slashing 49/40/87. That efficiency led to him having the 12th-highest true-shooting percentage (62.4) of any player averaging at least 20 points per game last season. Altogether, Haliburton was the 10th-ranked player in eight-category per-game fantasy value. Heading into 2023-24, Haliburton is expected to take on the same role for Indiana as the team's leader and No. 1 option. The surrounding roster is mostly the same, though the addition of rookie Jarace Walker could immediately be a significant positive at the power forward spot. Bennedict Mathurin figures to take a step forward as well, but it seems unlikely he'll take a large number of touches from Haliburton. Expect the young point guard to continue growing his game with a good chance of again returning first-round value.

The 2021-22 Rookie of the Year saw his development stall as part of a tough season overall for the Raptors that got coach Nick Nurse fired. Barnes traded some rebounds for assists as he took on more ball-handling duties, but his efficiency and three-point shooting both took steps backward, and the rest of his production stagnated. About 15 points a game with 10 boards-plus-assists and two blocks-plus-steals is still a solid fantasy package, but the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft seems capable of much more given his athleticism and skill set. Still just 21 years old, the Florida State product remains a key piece of Toronto's core, but as the last members of the team's championship roster from a few years ago slip away, the front office seems caught between trying to stay competitive and executing a full teardown around Barnes. With Dennis Schroder replacing Fred VanVleet at point guard, Barnes' usage could increase once again, but Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Jakob Poeltl will all be looking for the ball as well. Barnes will have to focus on improving his offensive game if he wants to reach the next level, rather than being one of many complementary assets on a balanced Raptors squad that needs someone to step up as the lead dog. He's got the upside and the opportunity to become a fantasy star in 2023-24, but he also has a lot to prove.

After missing the entirety of his rookie season due to a foot injury, Holmgren comes into the 2023-24 season with hype. While it is a very small sample size, Holmgren's numbers at the recent Summer League did very little to dampen the spirits of prospective managers. Across four games, he averaged 16.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 3.5 blocks. His percentages were serviceable, coming in at 48.9 percent from the field and 73.1 percent from the line. Obviously, the block numbers are an immediate takeaway, something his fantasy game is likely to be reliant on. He has the ability to stretch the floor, but as we saw in Las Vegas, he only connected on 0.3 three-pointers per game. He should open the regular season as the Thunder's starting center, providing him with an opportunity to be a fantasy-relevant player right out of the gate. The Thunder are a team on the rise, meaning he could very well be the third or even fourth option on offense at times. Coming off a foot injury could steer some managers in another direction. His upside on the defensive end should be enough to keep him afloat, even if his offensive game takes a while to come along. Walker Kessler finished as a fifth-round asset last season, blocking 2.3 shots per game. His offensive game is certainly a work in progress, averaging just 9.2 points. It's reasonably safe to assume Holmgren will average double-digit points, while potentially blocking more than two shots per game. Based on this very loose logic, managers should be looking to target him anywhere around pick 60.

Despite being much-maligned for his defensive deficiencies, Young is elite in fantasy. The star guard tallied the eighth-most total fantasy points out of all NBA players last season. One of Young's best abilities is his availability, as he has yet to play fewer than 60 games in his five-year career and logged 73 appearances in 2022-23. He ranked 10th in points per game and second in assists per game last year, averaging 26.2 points, 10.2 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 34.8 minutes. Even with the addition of Dejounte Murray, Young produced similar numbers to his previous season. However, the concern with Young is his efficiency. He shot just 42.9 percent from the field and 33.5 percent from three last year after shooting 46.0 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from three in 2021-22. While his efficiency will ultimately determine if he's worth a high second-round pick in fantasy in eight-category formats, his 88.6 percent shooting on 8.8 free-throw attempts has been a consistent strength throughout his tenure. Even with the loss of John Collins, Young's assist numbers shouldn't be affected much, as Clint Capela has been his preferred lob target. Going into his age-25 season, Young can be relied upon to put up between 25 and 30 points and roughly 10 assists on a nightly basis.

Following a serviceable showing by his standards last season, Harden appears to have enough of his time in Philadelphia. Limited to just 58 games due to multiple injuries, Harden ended as the 17th-ranked player in nine-category formats, averaging 21.0 points per game, adding 6.1 rebounds, 10.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.8 three-pointers. While he did lead the league in assists, his scoring and overall offensive game continue to regress. Looking at the numbers, his points production has fallen in each of the past three seasons. Now aged 34, there is a chance we have seen the best of Harden in terms of elite scoring. With that said, should he be granted his wish, his eventual landing spot could determine his role. His floor remains safe enough that drafting him in the second or third round should result in at least a wash when it comes to overall value. Managers will be hoping the trade issue is resolved sooner rather than later, to provide at least some clarity. Should that not occur, there is a chance Harden misses time to begin the season, opting to simply not play. Should that be the case, his ADP could drop as managers lean into more assured fantasy targets early in drafts.

Despite reaching his age 34 season, Curry's 2022-23 numbers remained MVP-caliber, and he made the All-NBA Second Team despite appearing in only 56 games -- missing time due to shoulder and knee injuries. Even with that being the case, Curry still ranked as the 13th-best fantasy asset in eight-cat roto leagues (total value). Putting aside his five-game 2019-20 campaign, Curry has never ranked lower than 10th in per-game value. His defense slipped some last season -- career-low 0.9 steals per game -- but his offense was nearly as potent as ever. The future Hall-of-Famer averaged 29.4 points on 49/43/92 shooting, 6.3 assists and 6.1 rebounds in 34.7 minutes. However, persistent injury issues are popping up. Since that five-game season, Curry has played 63, 54 and 56 games. Management's decision to trade Jordan Poole for Chris Paul throws a wrench into the equation as well, and an adjustment period may occur. Still, it seems unlikely Paul dominates the ball in a way that significantly detracts from Curry. The Warriors' star is still worthy of a first-round selection despite age, injury and a team shake-up.

It was another MVP-caliber campaign for Antetokounmpo, who was voted to his fifth consecutive All-NBA First Team in 2022-23. The Greek Freak managed to set career highs in points (31.1) and free-throw attempts (12.3) per game. However, he took a step back defensively, matching his career lows in steals (0.8) and blocks (0.8) per contest. That, combined with his woeful free-throw percentage (64.5) resulted in Antetokounmpo finishing 37th in per-game, eight-category fantasy value. Drafting him at this stage is practically a complete concession of the free-throw category, as his negative impact is one of the worst in the NBA. But, fantasy managers willing to do that or play in points leagues should remain comfortable drafting him in the first round. A persistent knee issue has started to affect Antetokounmpo's availability, however. He hasn't played over 67 games since 2018-19, and he underwent a minor knee procedure in early July (with the expectation of being ready for this season). Still, most of his absences are maintenance-based, like many other top-level players in the Association. Getting 70 games out of anybody is starting to feel like a bonus. Ultimately, it's hard to go wrong drafting a perennial MVP candidate like Antetokounmpo in the first round, even if Damian Lillard steals some usage away during his first season in Milwaukee.

Edwards put up career-high numbers across multiple categories during his third season in the NBA, averaging 24.4 points with 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 2.7 three-pointers. Not only was he able to up his scoring output, but he did so while increasing his efficiency from the floor. Sadly, the same cannot be said for his free throw shooting, where he shot a career-low 75.6 percent. The 2022-23 season was one full of frustration for the Timberwolves, and it's fair to say they will feel as though they never really got out of the blocks. An injury-free season for Karl-Anthony Towns will be priority number one for the medical and coaching staff. Towns' presence on the floor will impact what Edwards can do, especially offensively. However, Edwards' increase in production across all three of his seasons thus far would indicate he is on track for potentially the best season of his young career. He ended last season as the 27th-ranked player in standard leagues, all but assuring managers will have to reach into the second round to acquire his services moving forward. Should he get his free throw shooting closer to 80 percent, there is no reason to think he can't give the first-round a nudge.

The most enduring image of James' 20th NBA campaign took place on February 7, 2023, when he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the league's all-time leading scorer. That accomplishment was far from a ride-into-the-sunset moment, however, as James once again played at a level reserved for the game's elite. The ageless wonder averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.2 three-pointers over 35.5 minutes per contest, shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 76.8 percent from the charity stripe. His defensive numbers slipped a bit -- his 1.5 steals-plus-blocks was the lowest mark of his career -- but that was balanced by the fact that his 3.2 turnovers per game were his fewest since 2012-13. Logic suggests that James has to slow down at some point, yet he remains a physical specimen capable of hanging with players half his age. The rub, of course, is that James hasn't been able to dodge injuries late in his career. He played in only 55 of 82 regular-season contests last season and has missed at least 26 games in four of the past five campaigns. Of particular concern is a foot injury that nearly required season-ending surgery last year and that lingered even as the Lakers advanced to the Western Conference Finals. A bitterly disappointing sweep at the hands of the eventual champion Nuggets in that round led James to briefly hint at retirement, but he's since confirmed that he'll be returning for a 21st season. Los Angeles succeeded in keeping together the core that gelled late in the campaign and into the postseason. In an ideal scenario, that will lighten LeBron's load and prevent him from having to try to carry the team into playoff position as he did most of last season, when the Lakers needed a late push to finish as the Western Conference's seventh seed. Considering his recent history, fantasy managers shouldn't count on James logging a full season of good health in his age-39 campaign, but he's demonstrated time and again that he's capable of elite production when healthy even as he continues to rack up mileage.