Fantasy Basketball Mid-Season Draft Strategy Guide

Did you get eliminated from your fantasy football league? Don’t worry, there is still plenty of fun to be had. We are two months into the NBA season, but you can still draft a fantasy basketball team on multiple platforms, including Yahoo! And ESPN. Here are five tips to keep in mind when selecting your team.

1. Key Injuries

We have already lost some players for the rest of the season. Walker Kessler, who is one of the more promising young centers in the league, suffered a torn labrum that will keep him out until next season. Dereck Lively II, who is another intriguing young big man, has undergone season-ending foot surgery. Bradley Beal (hip) also won’t return for the Clippers.

There are also some stars who are currently dealing with long-term injuries. Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is expected to be out into January for the Bucks. Evan Mobley (calf) is on a similar timeline. Jalen Green has been sidelined twice with a hamstring injury and there are no positive updates regarding his potential return.

On the plus side, there are some players who have missed a lot of time already who are close to coming back. Trae Young (knee), who has only played five games, is expected to be back before the end of December. Victor Wembanyama, Paolo Banchero, and Jalen Williams are all players who have recently returned from extended absences already.

2. New Roles

Some players have seen their roles change since the beginning of the season. As Joel Embiid continues to battle knee issues, the 76ers have limited him to averaging just 26 minutes per game. He had averaged at least 30 minutes in each of the last eight seasons. Given his limited minutes and injury concerns, he’s someone to avoid drafting.

Ryan Rollins didn’t get much playing time for the Bucks during the first three seasons of his career. Kevin Porter Jr. then got hurt in the first game of the season, which has propelled Rollins into the starting lineup. He continues to start even now that Porter is healthy. He has averaged 17.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 2.2 three-pointers for the season, so expect Rollins to continue have fantasy value.

On the negative side of things, Malik Monk has become someone who shouldn’t be rostered in fantasy. Last season, he set career highs with averages of 17.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. The key was, he logged 32 minutes a night. With the Kings adding Russell Westbrook and Dennis Schroder, Monk is averaging 13.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists over just 24 minutes a game. Unless the Kings make a trade, Monk doesn’t have a path to becoming fantasy relevant anytime soon.

3. Pace Stats

Teams that play at a fast pace generally result in more fantasy production. The faster they play, the more opportunities the players on their roster have to contribute key counting stats line points, rebounds, and assists.

Last season, the Heat played at the fourth-slowest pace in the league. This season, they have played at the fastest pace. That has helped the likes of Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, and Norman Powell. Even Andrew Wiggins, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Davion Mitchell have been valuable in fantasy.

Another big mover in the pace department is the Trail Blazers. They have played at the third-fastest pace in the league after ranking 16th in the category last season. That has contributed to Deni Avdija averaging 25.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 2.4 three-pointers. As the focal point of the team, he is worth a top-20 selection in mid-season drafts.

4. Tanking Concerns

The regular season standings have started to take shape and we have some teams that already present tanking concerns. The Jazz sat many of their key players down the stretch last season to try and improve their draft lottery odds. They are off to a 10-15 start through 25 games. Monday, they sat veteran center Jusuf Nurkic for rest. Lauri Markkanen has been terrific and would normally be worth a high pick in fantasy. However, with the potential for him to be rested down the stretch, it might be best to avoid him.

After making the NBA Finals last season, the Pacers are fighting an uphill battle with Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) out until next season. They are 6-20 out of the gate, which is the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference. As their playoff hopes fade, we could see frequent rest days for their top players, including Pascal Siakam, Bennedict Mathurin, and Andrew Nembhard. They are all risky draft options.

5. Potential Trades

Trade rumors are already swirling across the league. Antetokounmpo is the biggest name in the headlines. Given the massive haul that the Bucks would likely get for him in a trade, it could change the fantasy prospects for several players. However, trading a player of Antetokounmpo’s magnitude during the season is not easy, so a move might not be made until the summer, if at all.

The Pelicans are only 5-22, so they could be one of the more active sellers in the league. Contending teams would likely love to get their hands on Trey Murphy III. Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey are two veterans who could also be on the move. Still, it’s Zion Williamson who could have the biggest fantasy impact if he is traded. Williamson has dealt with various injuries throughout his career and has been limited to just 11 games this season. The Pelicans have a promising rookie in Derik Queen who is already starting to make a name for himself. Since becoming a starter, he has averaged 14.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks across 15 games. If Williamson were to be dealt, Queen could quickly become the centerpiece of the franchise and see a huge boost in his fantasy value. He’s someone to target in drafts.