The first, most important thing you can do after joining any fantasy league is learn your league rules. The two most common types of fantasy basketball league differences come in Category vs. Points Leagues. These leagues have all the same players, but are not the same at all.
You’re going to want to own Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama, and Luka Doncic in every league. But some players are better in points leagues, while others are more helpful in category leagues.
It is important that you get the right information when looking for advice! Some articles are written about points leagues, and some about category leagues. The advice often doesn’t overlap. So let’s see what kinds of players are good in each format, and why.
What Kinds of Players Are Better in Points Leagues?
In points leagues, you mainly want the guy with the ball. Points, assists, and rebounds get you the highest fantasy score. Other statistics are worth more points, but have less impact because of rarity. Missed shots and turnovers are bad, but okay if the player is putting up his main stats. A good points player that shoots well and/or posts defensive stats is rare, and usually a high pick in either type of league. For some advice on points leagues targets, read my article on usage rate.
Points Leagues Players
PF Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
The Greek Freak is a monster in real basketball and is an absolute stud in points leagues, a justifiable #1 overall. In category leagues, you have to account for his invisible outside shooting, his large number of turnovers, and his category-wrecking free-throw percentage (FT%). His full body of work has about a third or fourth-round value. However, if you are ignoring, or “punting” FT%, he’s a great pick early.
PF Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
Banchero was a top 30 player in points leagues by averages, with the potential for more. However, he was outside the top 50 by averages in category leagues and, in some cases, outside the top 100. His strong points, assists, and rebounds were his only positive categories. His field goal percentage (FG%) and FT% were crushing you, especially since Banchero averaged the 8th-most shots and free throws per game.
Banchero would probably be considered a good sleeper if he were drafted lower. He finished the year with better percentages, posting a good 49.7 FG% and a mediocre 79.7% FT in March. So he might have improved in those categories. Alas, he usually goes in the first four rounds. The third or fourth round is likely Banchero’s ceiling in categories, not his floor. If you play in a category league, you’re likely better off not drafting Banchero.
SF RJ Barrett, Toronto Raptors
Barrett finished comfortably inside the top 100 in points leagues, as his points, rebounds, and assists were all strong totals. However, in category leagues, Barrett is only draft-worthy in deep leagues.
Why? Barrett hurts you in too many categories. Barrett shot a terrible 63% last year from the free-throw line on the 16th-most shots per game. His 44% career FG% is a significant minus. Worse, he had the 35th-highest average number of shots per game, meaning missed shots hurt more. He doesn’t help enough in the defensive categories, and turns the ball over a ton. In points leagues, draft Barrett in the middle rounds with confidence, since these negatives don’t matter as much.
PG Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets
FVV’s 40% career field goal percentage is so low, it kills his overall value in category leagues. His 37% shooting last year would have ranked last in the NBA if he qualified. In points leagues, FG% doesn’t matter as much. He also gets lots of bonus points in steals and three pointers. This makes VanVleet way more valuable in a points format. You can and should still aggressively draft FVV in category formats if you are punting FG%.
Other Points League Players (IMO):
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks (though he’s a first-rounder in either type)
Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
Keyonte George, Utah Jazz
All of these guys have category deficiencies. They are either low-FG% players or are deficient in the defensive stats, or both. However, they still get enough volume to register points.
What Kinds of Players Are Better in Category Leagues?
The player who does better in category leagues is the guy coaches love. The 3 and D player. The blocks specialist. The mid-scoring guy who puts up great percentages and 2 treys a game. These are your category guys. If that sort of player also scores points, that is often a high draft pick in either league.
Category League Players
C/PF Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
The third wheel of the Big 3 in OKC is a superior category player. He gives you plus value in seven out of eight categories, which makes him an easy player to build around. He’s also a blocks specialist, which fills a rare category. Some outlets have him as a first-round pick in category leagues, which is justifiable! He’s about a fourth or fifth-rounder in points leagues, mostly because his teammates are so strong. His points, rebounds, and assist totals aren’t as strong as his granularized statistics.
PF/SF PJ Washington, Dallas Mavericks
Washington is one of the rare players we call a 1-1-1 player, meaning he averages a block, a steal, and a three-pointer each game. If you round up a little, Washington has done this every year of his career. He’s useful in every category other than percentages, and his low volume isn’t damaging there. PJ Washington is around a 7th-round pick in category leagues, and is a couple of rounds lower in points leagues.
SG/SF Herbert Jones, New Orleans Pelicans
How does a guy with a career 10-point-per-game average get $68 million over three years? He’s good at everything else. Jones either helps you or doesn’t hurt you in every category. His percentages are outstanding in general and superb for a guard. He’s a top-notch defender who gets statistics in defensive categories. Jones is consistently a top 100 player in category leagues, but shouldn’t be drafted in shallow points leagues.
Other category league players (IMO):
SG/SF Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
SG/SF Josh Hart, New York Knicks
PF/C Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
C Myles Turner, Milwaukee Bucks
SG/SF Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks
None of these guys is likely a first or second option on offense. However, their across-the-board production makes them very strong category players.
Good in Both (but not in the top twenty)
It doesn’t help your draft to know that superstars are good, so I cut the top twenty or so from this section. These players are good targets for either type of league and are usually found in the middle rounds.
PG Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Murray is a scoring point guard who helps you in a large number of categories. He shoots well for a guard and registers at least a little bit everywhere, which makes him a great category player. However, Murray scores and dimes enough to make him just as valuable in points leagues.
SF/PF Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans:
Murphy’s FG% is a little bit subpar (45.4 career shooter). However, he is positive in every other category. He took a big step forward offensively last year and is one of the best three-point specialists in the NBA. Murphy gets production in every category and is good in literally any build.
C Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz
Kessler is a great category player, and he is slightly more valuable in that format. But he also does enough in the side categories, especially blocked shots and FG%, that it strongly registers in points leagues.
