The three-ball has become arguably the staple of scoring in the NBA – so we figured we’d take some shots from downtown, too. Here, fantasy basketball analyst Dan Titus will break down three things fantasy managers need to know each week. Or, he’ll break down several three-point tips, analysis and more – it just depends on how open he is to De Profundo.
Today, I’m breaking down three weird fantasy nuggets that stood out to me as we pass the Week 4 halfway point.
The Golden State Warriors have zero players averaging more than 30 minutes a night
Many wrote off the Dubs before the season started but the Warriors are off to an impressive 9-2 record to start the year. Much of their success is drawn from their deep roster, composed of youth and overlooked vets who seem to have bought into Steve Kerr’s philosophy of having fluid rotations as long as it translates to wins.
And it is!
But the weird part is, because of how well this team is playing, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga – none – are averaging more than 30 minutes per game. Even in the load management era, having seven players average at least 20 minutes per game but none exceed 30 minutes a night is unprecedented. Draymond Green is a top 100 player in 27.5 minutes, while Curry and Buddy Hield make up two-thirds of the non-centers whose production under 30 minutes provides fantasy managers with top 40 or better per-game value. Given Curry’s age, it’s probably best he doesn’t play minutes like Kevin Durant (36), who is already on the shelf with a calf injury.
Curry is playing the fewest minutes since his third NBA season, yet his efficiency and productivity make him one of the top 10 players in fantasy right now. Although unconventional in today’s game, Kerr introduces a unique wrinkle to his rotations, allowing his players enough playing time to be effective. He could also set up for a potential trade scenario down the line.
However the Warriors decide to move, they are now a well-oiled machine that gets contributions from almost everyone up and down the depth chart.
Hawks G/F Dyson Daniels averages 3.6 steals per game
The league leader in steals is none other than three-year pro, Dyson Daniels.
Daniels moved up to the fifth shortest odds in the Defensive Player of the Year race, according to BetMGM, when he wasn’t even on the list of picks to start the year. He was a threat on defense, averaging an absurd amount 7.6 deflections per game in addition to converting those deflections into more than 3.5 steals per game.
If Daniels continued this pace for the rest of the season, he would be the third player in NBA history to average at least 3.5 steals per game. He has amassed 23 steals over his last four contests, including three straight performances with six or more. Daniels is the fourth player in NBA history to swing six or more steals in three straight games.
He’s good, but his length, depth and disruption have catapulted him into one of the best perimeter defenders in the league.
Daniels was undrafted in 66% of Yahoo leagues and now, thanks mostly to his defense, he’s 78th in point leagues and 34th in per-game value in 9-cat leagues. I don’t want to discount what Daniels does offensively though. He increased his scoring from six points to 14 points this season and improved his FG percentage to 47% through Thursday. However, Daniels’ jump in fantasy production is driven by his current dominance in a regularly scarce category: steals.
Nuggets C Nikola Jokić is averaging 1.78 fantasy points per minute
As if a three-time MVP, Finals MVP and one of the best players ever had anything more to accomplish, through 10 games, Jokić is on track to lead the NBA in rebounds and assists per game. No one has done that in the history of the league since Wilt Chamberlain in 1967. Analyzing the wild card’s unreal start to the 2024-2025 season, he puts up the best numbers of his career per minute. In fact, Jokić’s 1.78 fantasy points per minute are the second highest rate since 1977.
It’s no surprise that Jokić is the #1 overall player in point leagues (67.73 fantasy points per game) and 9-cat formats. The dependence of the Nuggets on Jokić is fantasy and despite a lackluster game from Jamal Murray, Jokić raises the floor for Christian Braun, Michael Porter Jr. and others. Fantasy-wise, he’s playing better than Wemby, but it’s still very early, and I still believe Jokić and Wemby will be the best two players in every format.
