We’re now 11 weeks into the fantasy basketball season, but before we head into 2023, I’m going to compare some of the biggest movers from my preseason rankings to my rest of season rankings (ROS) this season. Rather than focus on notable players who were drafted in the first few rounds of drafts, I’m going to break down mid-to-late round selections whose value has exceeded expectations.
Next week, I’ll dive into the other side of the spectrum — players who are discouragingly inconsistent and not meeting expectations.
Preseason rank: 100
ROS rank: 37
Gain: +63
JJJ was one of the most significant misses from my preseason rankings because I was concerned about his history of knee injuries (specifically to his meniscus) and didn’t project him to make a meaningful impact this early into the season. Jackson Jr., however, is 13th in per-game value since returning from injury. He’s only played in 17 games this season, so he doesn’t qualify to lead the league in blocks, but he’s swatting 3.1 shots per game, which is higher than the current block leader, Brook Lopez, at 2.5 per contest (more on Lopez later).
JJJ is also shooting more efficiently from the field this season (49 percent), which is on pace for the second-highest mark of his career. Plus, he’s on pace for a career-high in rebounds (6.1) and stocks (4.2) per game despite averaging only 25 minutes per game. The Grizzlies have enough frontcourt depth off the bench with Santi Aldama and Brandon Clarke to fill in for JJJ, so there’s no need to put additional wear on an oft-injured player.
Given his injury history, I expect his minutes to stay under 30 per game. But like Robert Williams, he can thrive without heavy minutes and still be an upper-echelon fantasy player. I have JJJ ranked 37th (where he finished last season) because his field goal percentage will regress a bit, but even so, a top-30 finish is definitely in the cards this season.
Story continues
Preseason rank: 135
ROS rank: 58
Gain: +77
I firmly believed that Capela would be traded before the New Year (along with John Collins) or outplayed by Onyeka Okongwu. My bold theories didn’t come to fruition, and…
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