One week down and you probably already have a pretty good idea of the type of fantasy basketball team you have. There are probably some hits (um ... Ben Simmons!) and also some glaring misses (can you say Markelle Fultz?).
Guess what, though -- it's only one week, three to five games, and much can still change between now and the end of the NBA season.
In the first Fantasy 30 this season, we go around the league to look at the early standouts, themes and injuries impacting the world of fantasy basketball.
Atlanta Hawks: For the Hawks to compete this season, they are going to need their starting point guard and leading scorer, Dennis Schroder, to play 75-plus games. Already, an ankle injury has cost Schroder two games, but the 24-year-old could return to the court as soon as Friday against Denver. He leads the team with 23.3 points per game and is taking 23 shots per game while maintaining an impressive 21.50 player efficiency rating (PER) in the early going.
Boston Celtics: With Gordon Hayward (leg) out for the season, the Celtics need 19-year-old rookie Jayson Tatum to play beyond his years right out of the gate as an NBA player. So far, he's doing just that. The third overall draft pick in June is averaging 14.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 1.3 steals and 1.3 3s while logging an impressive 34.3 minutes per game. If there's a concern, it's that he could hit the rookie wall after a couple months of playing with this heavy of a workload.
Brooklyn Nets: D'Angelo Russell missed Wednesday's game against Cleveland due to a knee injury and is considered doubtful for Friday's game against the Knicks. Durability started to be a concern last season when he was with the Lakers and missed 19 games, so this is concerning for a young talent who has a chance to put up huge numbers in the Nets' backcourt with Jeremy Lin already sidelined for the season.
Charlotte Hornets: The Hornets haven't done a lot of things very well in recent years, but so far this season they are off to an impressive start on the defensive side of the ball. Their 94.4 defensive efficiency ranks third in the league, behind only the Clippers and Trail Blazers, and the presence of Dwight Howard and return of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist don't hurt.
Chicago Bulls: Let's talk Justin Holiday. I wrote before the season that the journeyman wing had a chance to be a top-60 fantasy player this season due to the lack of other true offensive options on the Bulls' roster. Since then, Nikola Mirotic was lost for the foreseeable future due to facial injuries suffered in the fight with teammate Bobby Portis, and Holiday has proceeded to attempt 17 shots per game. Holiday, who is averaging 18.3 PPG and 3.7 3PG thus far, is one of the big bright spots on this team along with the instant impact of rookie first-rounder Lauri Markkanen.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Lots was made of the value Jae Crowder brought to the Cavs in the Isaiah Thomas-Kyrie Irving blockbuster deal over the summer, but so far that hasn't translated to fantasy. While Crowder is playing 26 MPG, he is averaging only 8.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and fewer than one assist and steal per game. While he may be a decent "buy-low" candidate, it's clear that Crowder is one of those players who looks like a better real-life asset than a fantasy asset this season.
Dallas Mavericks: The Mavs have a roster that is too young in some spots and too old in others -- this could very well be Dirk Nowitzki's final season in a Hall of Fame career -- and defense has been the team's biggest problem so far. Dallas ranks 29th in defensive efficiency, allowing 111.5 points per 100 possessions. Only the Timberwolves are worse.
Denver Nuggets: The hype machine was in full effect in fantasy drafts regarding rapidly rising Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. He possesses rare talent as a passing big man who can also score, shoot the 3-ball and rebound. Only problem is, Jokic may be a little too passive in the early part of the season. He was held scoreless in 30 minutes against the Kings, taking only three shots, and is averaging just 9.5 shots per game thus far. Expect that number to rise and Jokic's fantasy value to follow in the months ahead.
Detroit Pistons: One of the biggest surprises in recent NBA history -- albeit possibly due to a small sample size -- is Andre Drummond's much-improved efficiency at the free throw line. A career 38.4 percent foul shooter, Drummond has made 13 of 18 (72.2 percent) attempts through the first four games and was even better than that before going 3-of-6 on Wednesday. This is something to keep an eye on, because if he can even get to 60 percent on the season, it'd make him a more valuable fantasy option than similarly skilled center DeAndre Jordan.
Golden State Warriors: What can you say about the Warriors? They lead the league in offensive efficiency (117.4). They are 21st in defensive efficiency (107). They are seventh in pace (104.2). And then there is Stephen Curry, who not only is getting to the line as frequently as ever in his career (9.4 FTA per game) but is also a perfect 47-of-47 from the stripe through the team's first five games.
Houston Rockets: Let's take a look at James Harden's numbers this season compared to last season, keeping in mind that he's played all but one game without Chris Paul in 2017-18. While Harden is attempting just under two more shots per game and playing roughly the same amount of minutes, his scoring is down 2.7 PPG, his rebounding is down 4.1 RPG and his assists are down 1.6 APG. That shows you just how incredible of a campaign Harden had from an individual standpoint last season.
Indiana Pacers: I wasn't right about every prediction heading into the season -- see: Paul ahead of Irving and Damian Lillard -- but I did have a good hunch that Victor Oladipo would bust out in his first season with the Pacers. So far, the 25-year-old has done just that, averaging 26 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 2.2 SPG and 2.6 3PG while winning his first five games with Indiana. If Oladipo can maintain even 80 percent of these impressive numbers for the duration of the season, he is going to end up being one of the best draft picks of the season (64.8 ADP in ESPN leagues).
LA Clippers: Blake Griffin has made 8 of 18 3-pointers, which may not sound like a big deal in an era of the NBA when so many bigs are firing it up from beyond the arc, but it's significant for Griffin and the Clips. Not only has Griffin connected at an impressive 44.4 percent clip, he also has attempted six 3s per game, which is significantly more than ever before. He set a career high last season with 1.9 3FG per game. As long as Griffin remains an impact player from long range, his stock rises into the top 30 going forward.
Los Angeles Lakers: Kyle Kuzma is averaging 27.8 MPG in his first four NBA games while Julius Randle is coming off the bench and averaging considerably less (18.5 MPG). Not many people saw this coming, including me, but it could be here to stay, given how well Kuzma has meshed with whatever players are on the court and Randle's energy as a scorer and rebounder off the bench. For now, Kuzma's stock is way up and Randle's is way down.
Memphis Grizzlies: You simply can't talk about the Grizzlies' impressive start to the season without mentioning Gasol (25 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 3 APG, 1.8 BPG, 2.3 3PG). He's basically a much better fantasy version of Al Horford, and as long as he can stay healthy and continue to play like this, Gasol is a top-20 fantasy player this season. His footwork and confidence both in the block and out beyond the 3-point line are second to none.
Miami Heat: Josh Richardson ranks second on the Heat in minutes, playing 35.8 per game through the team's first four contests, and he's off to an impressive start: 12.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1 BPG, 1.3 SPG and 2 3PG. Richardson's ability to do a little of everything while still having the potential to blow up for a big game just about every night out makes him a strong fantasy option this season. That's already clear.
Milwaukee Bucks: Rumors on Thursday are linking the Bucks to Eric Bledsoe, with reigning rookie of the year Malcolm Brogdon reportedly being the primary target the Suns are seeking in return. Gery Woelfel writes: "But sources claim the Bucks are somewhat reluctant to trade Brogdon, whose all-around game, unselfishness and maturity have meshed nicely with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. The scuttlebutt is, if the Suns got their way, they'd acquire Brogdon and either veteran big man John Henson or former Suns forward Mirza Teletovic."
Minnesota Timberwolves: Aside from their league-worst defensive efficiency (114.0), another concerning early takeaway from the Timberwolves is Jimmy Butler's slow adaption to the team. The All-Star swingman is regarded as one of the best two-way wings in the game today but is averaging only 13.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 4 APG with a usage of 20.3 that is drastically lower than last season in Chicago (26.6). It's only three games, but this is something to keep a close eye on after the 28-year-old put up 23.9 PPG a season ago.
New Orleans Pelicans: The knee injury that forced Anthony Davis out of Tuesday's game is also expected to keep him sidelined on Thursday against the Kings. The good news is the injury appears to be minor, and Davis, who played a career-high 75 games last season, is expected to return to the court as early as Saturday's home game against Cleveland.
New York Knicks: There are fast starts, and there are slow starts, and unfortunately for Tim Hardaway Jr., who signed a lucrative deal to rejoin the Knicks over the summer, he is dealing with the latter. Hardaway ranks third on the team in scoring at 9.3 PPG but is shooting just 24.3 percent and 22.7 percent from long range, which renders him fairly worthless in fantasy. When he's right, Hardaway is a streamer who can help your scoring and 3-point shooting.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Not surprisingly, the individual numbers of Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony are all down this season, as there is only one ball to go around. What tends to go overlooked in all this, though, is the rise of Steven Adams, who is off to a terrific start (13.8 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.8 BPK, 2 SPG). All of these numbers would mark new career highs if they continue through the season, and maybe most shocking of all is the fact that Adams is attempting a career-high 9.0 FGA per game this season -- even with the additions of George and Anthony.
Orlando Magic: How's this for an early-season shocker -- after the Warriors, the Magic have the top offensive efficiency in the NBA. While this isn't a trend anyone expects to continue, the improvement and big performances of Evan Fournier, Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon certainly bode well for the young Magic roster.
Philadelphia 76ers: While Fultz is out of the lineup for at least two more games recovering from a shoulder injury and possibly some other issues, T.J. McConnell is a point guard worth considering in fantasy. Although he's never going to be a big scorer, especially with guys like Joel Embiid and Simmons around him, McConnell is a catalyst who racks up steals and assists -- two of the most precious commodities in category leagues. McConnell had six points, nine assists and six steals in the loss to Houston on Wednesday.
Phoenix Suns: The early returns on Josh Jackson -- the fourth overall draft pick in 2017 -- are a bit lukewarm from a fantasy standpoint. Dubbed as the next Andre Iguodala by some experts back in June, Jackson looks the part but is averaging just 0.6 APG and shooting under 42 percent from the field, which renders him unworthy of a spot on fantasy rosters at this point when you consider that his scoring (10.8 PPG) and rebounding (2.8 RPG) are far from impressive at this stage as well.
Portland Trail Blazers: Many, including myself, expected Jusuf Nurkic to continue to build on his impressive final stretch last season with a huge 2017-18, but so far that isn't the case. The Trail Blazers center has seen his playing time fall nearly four minutes per game from a season ago, and his scoring (12.8 PPG), rebounding (7.8 RPG), assists (1.8 APG) and blocks (1.0 BPG) are all down. Given what Nurkic showed last season, consider this an excellent opportunity to buy low on a player who figures to be a big part of Portland's plans this season.
Sacramento Kings: The rise in 3-point shooting around the league is putting a premium on not only wings who can shoot from deep but also those who can defend it. One of the most underrated 3-and-D types around the league is Garrett Temple, who drilled a career-high six 3s in the loss to Phoenix on Monday. If Temple continues to be a big presence from long range, it won't be surprising if he steals some of Buddy Hield's minutes going forward. That's worth keeping a close eye on.
San Antonio Spurs: Dejounte Murray is a great story -- a big-time prospect who left the University of Washington after one season only to fall all the way to the Spurs with the 30th pick in the 2016 NBA draft. Already, the talk around the league is that "San Antonio did it again," finding one of the biggest steals of the draft. If the 2016 draft was held again today, there's a good chance Murray would be the No. 3 overall pick after Simmons and Brandon Ingram. He is showing leadership, maturity and a renewed commitment to defense that few people could have imagined for the youngster, who draws comparisons offensively to Jamal Crawford.
Toronto Raptors: One of the silver linings to Jonas Valanciunas' sprained ankle is the opportunity for second-year center Jakob Poeltl -- the ninth overall pick in 2016 -- to get extended playing time and show what he can do. And, boy, has he done just that. The 22-year-old Austrian has recorded double-doubles in back-to-back games, and that came against the Spurs and the Warriors. He is also averaging 1.8 blocks per game and shooting an impressive 68 percent from the field. Don't forget about Poeltl in your league, because even when Valanciunas returns, he will remain a good streaming option when you need rebounds and blocks.
Utah Jazz: The Jazz haven't sped up like so many other teams around the league. In fact, their 97.3 possessions per game ranks as the second fewest, with Memphis being the only team playing at a slower pace. This doesn't bode well for fantasy purposes, especially when you consider that the Jazz have been the slowest-paced team in the league each of the past two seasons, so there's no indication of the pace changing in the months ahead.
Washington Wizards: Marcin Gortat's sluggish second half of last season caused him to drop in many fantasy drafts, with an ADP of 90.6 in ESPN leagues. Guess what, though -- the veteran center is back to his old tricks, with two double-doubles in his first four games and averages (12.5 PPG, 11.3 RPG and 1 BPG) that look a lot like the Gortat we've come to know over the years. In a redraft, he'd probably go in the high 70s.
