Fantasy Basketball – Early Look Rookie Rankings
The fantasy basketball draft season has yet to start but for those of us in dynasty or keeper leagues we are researching rookies both pre and post NBA draft and now that most of the free agent signings have been complete we have a more accurate depiction of how the playing time may look for this years rookie crop.
1. Marvin Bagley – Yes, it is Bagley and not Ayton who ranks as the top fantasy rookie as he looks to be a 20-10 lock from year one. Sacramento was the perfect place for him to land from a fantasy perspective as he will likely get heavy minutes and workload from the start. Expect his usage rate to be the highest of all true bigs in this draft class.
2. Luka Doncic – The Mavericks were not the best place for him to land as he will only reach his true fantasy ceiling operating as a point but he should still see a high usage rate and have plenty of touches despite the presence of young point guard Dennis Smith Jr. Doncic has star potential but may prove to have a bigger impact on the real hardcourt as opposed to the virtual.
3. Jaren Jackson Jr. – Every thing about Triple J screams fantasy superstar. Jackson is already one of the best shot blockers in the league and as he proved in summer league he does indeed have NBA 3-pt range and should get the green light for Memphis when he is on the floor. The most promising aspect of summer league however was the Grizzlies using him as a stretch four which leads one to believe he could log heavy minutes both beside and behind veteran Marc Gasol.
4. DeAndre Ayton – DeAndre Ayton seems poised to make a big impact for the Suns in his rookie season and should flirt with 17 and 10 for the season. While he is talented enough to put up even bigger numbers Devin Booker remains the top dog in Phoenix and his ability to consistently block shots is still in question at this point in time keeping Ayton from being ranked higher on this list.
5. Trae Young – Trae Young has the Hawks all to himself with the departure of Dennis Schroeder to the Atlanta Hawks. Young will get the green light from the get go and while he will likely shoot a low percentage he should land top-25 in three pointers made with top-15 upside. His volume will make him an attractive option and he should also chip in at least a steal per game with six plus dimes per game.
6. Mo Bamba – Bamba seems primed to log heavy minutes for the Magic this season and if he can consistently hit the three ball he will soar past a few of the names ahead of him on this list. Bamba has massive upside in the blocks and rebound departments and should be a solid fantasy contributor from day one.
7. Michael Porter Jr. – Porter was in the conversation to be the first overall pick before his injury marred lone college season began and the talent has not disappeared. Back and hip injuries can indeed prove to be of the chronic nature but even with a shortened career Porter has the upside to become the best player and only true superstar from this draft class. Draft and stash with confidence.
8. Wendell Carter – While Carter will probably never be a 20 ppg scorer he should be one of the solid across the board contributors that makes him a very valuable fantasy asset. Carter possesses upside in the rebound, blocks and three point categories and if he can manage a steal per game he will easily return third round value when all is said and done.
9. Collin Sexton – One has to think Sexton will be given the keys to the kingdom sooner rather than later in Cleveland and he should flourish when given the opportunity. A better pure point than Trae Young he will need to consistently contribute in the steals category to realize his fantasy potential but possesses 16 and 6 potential nonetheless.
10. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Shai may prove to be the best point guard in this draft when all is said and done. Alexander may not reach his potential as fast as some of the other names in this class but he should not be wanting for opportunity playing for the Clippers. SGA’s size, length and upside make him an ideal pick for competitive teams looking for long term value versus a Kevin Knox and Miles Bridges who may see reduced offensive roles as soon as 2019.
