Cooper Flagg is the rookie everybody is talking about this season, and expectations are sky high for Dallas’ versatile forward after one standout season at Duke.
But will the production match the hype for the talented 18-year-old?
We asked our fantasy basketball experts André Snellings, Eric Moody, Eric Karabell, Jim McCormick and Steve Alexander what they expect out of the 2025 first overall pick and whether they are in on drafting him at his current draft position (right around 31).
Snellings: I’m in on Flagg. I was intrigued before I scouted the Las Vegas summer league, but after watching him live I’m even more convinced that he has the game, the size and the mentality to produce at the NBA level right away. Flagg has an all-around game, as evidenced by him leading Duke in all five major counting categories last season, and that combination of scoring, offense creation and defensive intensity should play well for a team full of talented big men that has a hole on the perimeter with the Kyrie Irving injury. But more than that, Flagg has the ultracompetitive mindset that leads great players to make the leap to the pro level right away. I won’t race someone to take Flagg if they want him in the first couple of rounds of fantasy hoops drafts, but by Round 3 or after, I think his upside is worth consideration.
McCormick: It’s tempting to play things safe and assume that the market is overpricing and overhyping a young, if generational, prospect. The reason I’m willing to invest at the going draft price with Flagg is that he provides something most wing prospects don’t: potentially elite defensive production from the first tip. As ESPN’s Kevin Pelton has noted throughout the years, defensive stats from collegiate levels are often “sticky,” in that they translate at a strong rate to the NBA. Flagg’s defense also passes the eye test; he leverages his wingspan constantly in passing lanes and around the rim. The potential for passing upside on a team starved for creation adds to the fun, but I’m mostly banking on steals and blocks as the driving force here.
Karabell: Flagg is going to be a valuable fantasy option this season, perhaps the only first-year player we can really count on. I am in on Flagg playing big minutes (that is half the battle, really) and contributing across the statistical board for roto/categories investors and finishing among the top 50 players, though I do think expectations are a bit too high based on early ADP figures. Perhaps someone in your league pounces in Round 2 or 3, but Flagg probably won’t average 20 PPG, or 10 RPG, or block shots as he did at Duke. He should be good in Year 1, a top-50 player.
Moody: Flagg should be an instant-impact player in fantasy hoops, so I’m in. He’s the Rookie of the Year favorite and brings a great all-around game, averaging 19.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.2 APG and 1.4 BPG at Duke last season. Pair that with Dallas’ post-Luka rebuild, and he should have a high usage rate and heavy minutes from day one. In fantasy, you want a player who can score, rebound, pass and contribute defensively, and Flagg fits the bill. Even as a rookie, his ceiling is too high to pass up.
Alexander: I am in on Flagg, who has an early industry ADP in the mid-30s. Flagg should carry a huge workload this season, especially with Irving likely out for the year. He’s the savior who is supposed to make Dallas fans forget about the Luka Doncic trade, and GM Nico Harrison is hoping he’ll take some of the heat off of him by playing at a high level. I see averages of 22.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 steal, 1.0 block and 1.5 3-pointers, which should return some solid value on a third-round selection. Sign me up.
