Cleveland Cavaliers PF/C Evan Mobley seems the likeliest option to win real-life Rookie of the Year honors and, frankly, he probably deserves the honor for fantasy basketball purposes as well. Mobley, the No. 3 pick in the draft from USC, has made an immediate impact for the Cavaliers and statistically, providing typical "big man" numbers in rebounds, blocked shots and field goal percentage. He is a strong defender and an emerging offensive option, someone fantasy managers relied upon and should be able to for many years.
Then again, Mobley is not the top rookie on the ESPN Fantasy Player Rater, and he may not finish among the top five first-year players on that particular metric. Are you surprised? Yeah, I was as well.
Orlando Magic SF/PF Franz Wagner is actually the lone rookie among the top 50 options on the Rater, offering the combination of scoring with solid shooting (the 84.8% free throw shooting matters) and he has played in every one of his team's games. Volume matters, too. The Cavaliers are very good. The Magic are not so good. Wagner took advantage of his opportunities. By the measure of the Rater and the fact so few drafted Wagner in ESPN standard fantasy leagues, there is a case for him as top fantasy rookie, though I will not make it.
Regardless, as we stride to the finish line of this fantasy basketball season, here are my general thoughts on 10 of the top rookies of this season, and moving forward.
