The 2024-25 NBA season begins on October 22 with a doubleheader between the Lakers-Timberwolves and Knicks-Celtics. With opening night just three weeks away, fantasy basketball season is officially upon us, which means multiple platforms have released rankings. Maybe you already have a preferred platform, you play on multiple platforms, or you’re still undecided. In any case, comparing rankings from multiple platforms is a helpful exercise in determining potential busts and value picks.
We will attempt to “hack the consensus rankings” by comparing fantasy basketball rankings from ESPN, Yahooand Fantrax to our own rankings here at Rotoworld.
C Domantis Sabonis (Sacramento Kings)
Ours: 26
ESPN: 9
Yahoo: 17
Fantrax: 10
Sabonis led the NBA in triple-doubles and double-doubles last season, beating Nikola Jokic in the former and setting the NBA record for most consecutive occasions of the latter. He led the league in rebounds per game and finished seventh in assists per game. Sabonis finished the campaign with averages of 19.4 points, 13.7 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 0.4 triples while shooting 59.4% from the floor and 70.4% from the charity stripe. The big man is a huge asset as a scorer, rebounder and facilitator, but he gets value in overall value because of his lackluster defensive contributions. He finished 30th in per-game fantasy value last season, and we project a slightly better finish for the 2024-25 campaign. Fantrax and ESPN have him down for a top-10 finish, and Yahoo is bullish on him inside the top 20. We’ll fade him inside the top 10, where he’ll have a tough time living up to that expensive draft capital.
SF/PF Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic)
Ours: 55
ESPN: 26
Yahoo: 37
Fantrax: 46
The Rotoworld team is optimistic about Banchero’s Year 3 production. We have him pegged for a fifth-round finish, but that’s not high enough for the other sites we’re comparing. Yahoo and Fantrax aren’t too far off our Rotoworld ranking, but ESPN ranks Banchero just outside the top 24.
PF/C Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City)
Ours: 14
ESPN: 46
Yahoo: 22
Fantrax: 75
God, these rankings are all over the place! Holmgren’s incredible rookie campaign would have earned him Rookie of the Year honors had he not been competing with the out-of-sorts Victor Wembanyama. Holmgren was a fantasy first-rounder for large chunks of the season and finished as the 20th-ranked fantasy player. The Gonzaga product averaged 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.6 steals, 2.3 blocks and 1.6 triples. He shot 53% from the floor and 79.3% from the charity stripe. The Rotoworld crew projects a small step forward, while Yahoo expects a similar 2024-25. Fantrax has him down at 75, offering managers the chance to grab him at a massive discount. The same is true at ESPN, although the discount is less desirable.
PG/SG Coby White (Chicago Bulls)
Ours: 112
ESPN: 56
Yahoo: 81
Fantrax: 67
White finally broke out in Year 5, logging a career-high 36.5 minutes and posting career-best averages across the board of 19.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.2 blocks, and 2.6 triples while shooting 44.7% from the. floor and 83.8% from the free throw line. White’s monster explosion and increased opportunity was largely aided by the absence of Zach LaVine and a true PG on the roster. LaVine is expected to be back and healthy to start the season, and the Bulls added reliever Josh Giddey in the offseason in a trade with Oklahoma City for Alex Caruso. The Rotoworld team projects White — who finished 98th in per-game fantasy value — to take a small step back with Giddey and LaVine on the radar, but our three comparison sites are much higher on his outlook. White is a fade at his current ranking on these sites, and fantasy managers can find much better value than him at a potentially exorbitant draft price.
C Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz)
Ours: 85
ESPN: 73
Yahoo: 111
Fantrax: 100
After a strong rookie season that ended with increased minutes, expectations were sky-high for “The Ranger” heading into Year 2. He didn’t meet those expectations, but Kessler still finished 84th in per-game fantasy value. Kessler is a clear example of a “post-hype sleeper” who will be overlooked and undervalued in fantasy rings. Yahoo and Fantrax have him ranked outside the top 100, which feels a little low considering the elite production he provides as a shot blocker.
SG/SF Brandon Miller (Charlotte Hornets)
Ours: 82
ESPN: Not ranked
Yahoo: 66
Fantrax: 59
Miller was electric as a rookie, getting big minutes out of the gate and producing at a high level. The Alabama product finished the 2023-24 campaign with averages of 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.6 blocks and 2.5 triples. His shooting percentages left a little to be desired, but Miller’s ineffectiveness was not surprising for a first-year player. He finished 116th in per-game fantasy value, and we project improvement in Year 2. That improvement has him ranked inside the seventh round in our projections, but Yahoo and Fantrax like him at or near the fifth round. ESPN’s current rankings only go to 100, and Miller is not ranked. Based on his current ranking, he will be a great asset on that platform and a player to fade on Yahoo and Fantrax.
PG/SG Jalen Green (Houston Rockets)
Ours: 120
ESPN: 59
Yahoo: 104
Fantrax: 83
Green is always a polarizing player in fantasy hoops. He is hyper-athletic and will go for 40 points and several highlight plays in one game, only to disappoint with little on the court in the next. Green’s production has been mostly empty calories for fantasy managers throughout his career, racking up points and triples with poor shooting percentages and few outside shots. He finished 146th in per-game fantasy value last season, and our 2024-25 rankings expect him to be a bit better than that with relevance in 12-team leagues. Fantrax and ESPN rank him in the top 100, but Yahoo’s ranking is closer to ours. Green is a worthy scoring guy, but he’s a tough sell in category leagues. We fade him hard at his current rankings on these comparison sites.
Other notable comparisons
ESPN
Alperen Sengun: 17; Ours: 34
Stephen Curry: 35; Ours: 17
Grayson Allen: 51; Ours: 96
Jonas Valanciunas: 86; Ours: 108
Josh Hart: 88; Ours: 176
To Horford: 97; Ours: 159
Fantrax
Immanuel Quickley: 47; Our 90
Anfernee Simons: 63; Ours: 74
Brandon Ingram: 81; Ours: 60
Tyus Jones 127; Ours: 64
Yahoo
Kristaps Porzingis: 97; Ours: 38
Trey Murphy III: 90; Our 111
Chris Paul 95; Ours: 158
Deni Avdija: 144; Ours: 76
