The fantasy basketball season is nearly upon us, and if you're serious about winning your Yahoo Points League, pay attention! We just wrapped an intense 12-team mock draft with industry experts, and the lessons learned are invaluable. Forget everything you thought about center strategy – the landscape has shifted, and a crucial late-round surge for bigs could make or break your championship hopes.
Key Takeaways from Our Expert Mock Draft
- The Center Rush is Real (and Later Than You Think): Elite bigs get snapped up in a frenzy around Rounds 6-7, so don't wait too long. Prioritize securing at least one strong center before this tier evaporates.
- High-Assist Guards Reign Supreme: Players like Nikola Jokić and Tyrese Haliburton are points-league gold due to Yahoo's generous scoring for dimes. Target these playmakers early.
- Value in Injury Risk & Rookies: Savvy drafters can unearth top-tier talent like Joel Embiid or promising rookies like Stephon Castle at a significant discount in later rounds.
- Don't Be a Slave to ADP: Trust your own projections! Identifying players who significantly outperform their Average Draft Position (ADP) in points leagues is a championship differentiator.
Early Rounds: Guard Dominance Sets the Tone
The draft kicked off with a pivotal choice at 1.01: Nikola Jokić or Victor Wembanyama? In a points league, Jokić is the undisputed king. His projected 63.1 fantasy points per game dwarf Wembanyama's total, largely thanks to Yahoo's 1.5 points per assist scoring.
The early selections clearly favored guards. Six of the first twelve picks were point guard-eligible, including superstars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić, and Anthony Edwards. These players offer high-volume scoring and playmaking.
Beyond the established names, Jalen Johnson and rookie sensation Cooper Flagg demonstrated their versatility, filling up every column of the box score. This multi-category production is precisely what you seek in a points league.
My personal strategy led me to select Tyrese Haliburton at pick No. 11. His elite assist-to-turnover ratio is a massive asset. Despite missing time last season, his projected 9.3 assists against just 1.9 turnovers makes him a high-ceiling anchor for my backcourt.
Mid-Rounds: Big Men Begin to Emerge
Round 2 saw the guard trend continue, with seven more PG-eligible players taken. However, intriguing bigs like Alperen Sengun (Pick 13) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Pick 20) started to filter in. The Jokić-Jamal Murray stack by Team Papi was a brilliant move, securing immense assist volume.
An astute pick was Josh Giddey at Pick 15. While his ADP hovered around 24, his projected 16.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 9.1 assists translate to a stellar 41.4 FPPG in this format. This highlights the importance of understanding how specific players benefit from points scoring.
I bolstered my backcourt with Donovan Mitchell at Pick 14. His consistent 24+ points per game scoring, coupled with solid assists and steals, made him a no-brainer. Even with a slight projection dip, he remains a top-15 points league asset.
Round 3 marked the definitive arrival of the first wave of centers. Evan Mobley, Anthony Davis, and Bam Adebayo were snapped up in quick succession. Anthony Davis, despite an ADP of 42.7, boasts a formidable 48.1 projected FPPG. His only major concern remains games played, making him a calculated risk.
My focus shifted to value, landing LeBron James at Pick 35. He was a remarkable 16 spots below my personal ranking. His all-around statistical contributions (projected 20-6.5-7.5 line) make him a points league dynamo, even with expected load management in Philadelphia.
The Center Cyclone: Rounds 4-7 Hit Hard
The second wave of bigs followed swiftly, with Chet Holmgren, Walker Kessler, and Donovan Clingan disappearing from the board. These players exemplify why centers are so valuable in points leagues: their low scoring numbers are often offset by monster rebound and block totals. Kessler, for instance, projects for only 13.3 PPG but racks up 38.7 FPPG due to 11.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.
Crucially, by the end of Round 4, three teams (including mine!) still hadn't drafted a single C-eligible player, despite needing to start two in Yahoo default leagues. This underscores the impending scarcity.
I found incredible value in Stephon Castle at Pick 38. Ranked 26th on my board, his ADP was 53.9. His projected 18-5-7 line, alongside over a steal per game, makes him an exceptional pick. His role as a primary playmaker for Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio will boost his assists significantly.
Round 5 saw Joel Embiid finally taken at Pick 58. While his 41.6 FPPG are elite, his notorious injury history (projected 48 games) drives his draft stock down. This is the sweet spot for a high-risk, high-reward center.
Still needing frontcourt depth, I seized Julius Randle at Pick 59. His consistent production and high usage for the Nets made him the best player available on my board, a full 27 spots ahead of his ADP.
The Critical Center Blitz: Don't Get Left Behind!
Here's the most vital lesson from our mock draft: The true center run explodes in Round 6! From Pick 62 through 79, a staggering 10 of 18 selections were C-eligible players. Names like Ivica Zubac, Zach Edey, Jarrett Allen, Onyeka Okongwu, Rudy Gobert, and Zion Williamson vanished.
If you plan to wait on centers in a points league, Round 6 is your absolute deadline. Failure to secure your foundational bigs here means settling for significantly riskier or lower-ceiling options. This tier of starting centers, projecting for 35+ FPPG, was completely depleted.
Knowing this surge was imminent, I grabbed Ivica Zubac at Pick 62. While a slight reach by my own numbers, his projected 14.8 points and 11.2 rebounds offer reliable double-double production. Edey and Allen were gone just three picks later, validating the proactive move.
Round 7 continued the big man exodus. I pivoted back to guard value, snagging De’Aaron Fox at Pick 83. He fell 26 spots past my ranking, offering an incredible return for his scoring and playmaking. His pairing with Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama on the Spurs roster promises a productive backcourt.
Late-Round Gems: Stashes, Sleepers, and Upside Swings
The later rounds saw ADP become less relevant, with managers targeting specific players for upside. Rookies started flying off the board, with Justin's Phenomenal Team heavily investing in youth like Caleb Wilson and AJ Dybantsa. In points leagues, these score-first rookies can still be valuable if they earn minutes, as shot efficiency isn't penalized as heavily.
The last of the starting-caliber centers, Nic Claxton and Myles Turner, were taken in Round 8. A notable sleeper was Collin Murray-Boyles (Pick 94), a player I'm high on for this season, despite his significantly lower Yahoo ADP.
I took a calculated gamble on Ja Morant at Pick 86. Despite his market concerns, his potential to average 20-3-7 makes him a top-50 player if he stays healthy. This is precisely the kind of boom-or-bust swing you take in these rounds.
Round 9 saw a mini-run on backup bigs, with Isaiah Hartenstein, Jabari Smith Jr., and Day’Ron Sharpe all being drafted. These players offer solid rebound and block numbers, crucial for filling center roster spots.
My pick, RJ Barrett at Pick 107, was another value steal. Often overlooked, his ability to consistently contribute across categories makes him an excellent points league option, especially with defensive attention potentially drawn away by Kawhi Leonard.
By Round 10, the gap between actual pick and ADP widened dramatically. This is where bigs, even those projected for lower overall fantasy points, still offer more production than comparable guards. Jusuf Nurkić (34.4 FPPG) at Pick 120 vastly outproduced guards drafted earlier in the round.
I secured Keegan Murray at Pick 110, valuing his projected 34.4 minutes, 6 rebounds, and nearly a steal and a block per game. This is starter-level production at a bench price, crucial for maximizing value in deeper rounds.
The Final Stretch: High-Upside Stashes and Depth
Some notable players went completely undrafted, including Kristaps Porziņģis (due to injury), Jonathan Kuminga, and Nikola Vučević. Keep an eye on Kuminga as a potential waiver wire gem if his preseason form continues.
My final picks focused on shoring up frontcourt depth and chasing high-upside stashes. Aaron Gordon (Pick 131) and Draymond Green (Pick 134) provide steady, multi-category contributions. My ultimate gamble was Jimmy Butler III at Pick 155. While projected for only 36 games due to injury, a healthy Butler in the second half of the season is an absolute league-winner – a worthy bet for a final-round pick.
This mock draft highlights the dynamic nature of Yahoo Points League strategy. Prioritize high-assist guards, time your center picks perfectly to avoid missing the critical run, and don't shy away from calculated risks on injury-prone stars or high-upside rookies in the later rounds. Get ready to dominate your draft!
