With fantasy football championship week here, a lot of managers are just now turning their attention to the NBA. If you haven’t been tuned in since Opening Night, don’t worry. Christmas marks a clean checkpoint in the fantasy basketball season. Here’s a quick catch up on what you’ve missed so far — and what you should know if you’re jumping into a fantasy hoops league now.
Roles are real now — and that helps late entrants
We’re a third of the way through the season and things are finally starting to make sense. The early-season experiments are mostly over and most rotations have settled (well, except if you’re Steve Kerr). That matters for fantasy basketball, because you’re no longer drafting off hope or hype — you’re reacting to how teams are actually operating. For managers jumping in now, that clarity is an advantage, not a drawback.
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Of course, there will be the inevitable late-season tanks from bottom-feeding teams that’ll influence player minutes and usage come playoff time, but that’s nothing that new players need to wrestle with around Christmas.
The young star and rookie waves arrived earlier than expected
The usual tried-and-true first-round vets have shifted to the next crop of young, emerging talent like Cade Cunningham, Tyrese Maxey, Jalen Johnson and Alperen Şengün. Building balanced rosters with a healthy mix of youth and experience is the right strategy, especially with the scheduling demands and the dizzying pace at which the NBA is played in 2025.
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At the very top, the elite tier of fantasy assets has remained intact. Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Luka Dončić continue to define the ceiling across all formats. Victor Wembanyama would be right there too if it weren’t for injuries.
Now, I’m not usually a rookie guy, but No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg is the real deal. What’s more surprising is the impact of fellow rookies Kon Knueppel, Derik Queen, VJ Edgecombe, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Cedric Coward, who all rank in the top 150 in 9-cat leagues through Wednesday. And that class doesn’t stop there, as I anticipate Dylan Harper, Maxine Raynaud, Ace Bailey and a few others becoming rosterable guys in 12-team leagues as the season progresses.
Still can’t turn injuries off …
One of the defining fantasy storylines this season has been the rise of calf injuries to star players. The season began without Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard, who all went down with Achilles tears last year, leaving teams extra cautious around any lower-extremity injury. There’s been a reported 40% increase in calf strains through December. Fortunately, these strains haven’t led to mass shutdowns; they have caused short absences, maintenance days and minute restrictions for players like Evan Mobley, Austin Reaves, Anthony Davis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ja Morant, Jrue Holiday, Karl-Anthony Towns and more. Missing those players for any number of games is a challenge that has forced fantasy managers to utilize their depth more than ever.
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If I’m drafting now, I’d do some simple math to determine which players have played in at least 80% of the games this year. Most teams have played 30 games, so I’d be targeting the guys who’ve played at least 24, since availability matters. Insulate your stars with depth and flexibility so your roster can absorb short-term volatility.
Some draft mistakes have repeated themselves
The pitfalls have been consistent for a few years now, yet some of us can’t quit. Oft-injured players like LaMelo Ball, Anthony Davis, Zion Williamson, Joel Embiid and Kristaps Porziņģis have once again tested managers’ patience.
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This isn’t about just fading these type of players — it’s about pricing in the risk. Cost matters. When these guys play, they still move the needle, but you have to have contingency plans ready to go. By this point in the season, you know exactly which stars require some coverage and which ones don’t.
The trade window is open, and fantasy value could swing
The NBA trade window is officially open at this point, and several struggling teams could reshape the fantasy landscape. The Bucks, Mavericks, Wizards, Grizzlies, Kings and Jazz are all teams to monitor, as movement could unlock new roles — or completely reset them.
Fantasy managers should keep an eye on potential headliners like Giannis Antetokounmpo, DeMar DeRozan, Ja Morant, Lauri Markkanen and Tyler Herro. Even rumors alone can shift usage trends, minutes and fantasy outlooks as teams might showcase their stars ahead of the deadline.
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You might’ve also missed Yahoo’s newest fantasy hoops format
One of the most significant developments this season has been High Score, Yahoo’s newest fantasy basketball format. High Score offers the cleanest entry point into fantasy basketball thanks to its simple scoring, flexible lineups and emphasis on total production over daily micromanagement.
Like fantasy football, the goal is to maximize your weekly total score to beat your opponent. In High Score, each of your six starter’s single-highest point total of the week counts toward your overall score. If you want a low-maintenance way to try out or get back into back fantasy hoops, High Score makes it easy. If you’re ready for more depth, 9-category and standard points leagues still reward managers willing to grind.
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There’s still plenty of time to join a league, so get up to speed with our High Score 101, use the High Score 100 rankings to prep for a draft, and jump in as the NBA season hits its stride. No matter what format you pick, there’s a chance to compete for a fantasy championship at Yahoo!
