26/27 Oct. 25 Box Score Analysis (7 Games)
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Austin Reaves: Obviously, Luka was the story in this game, but Reaves managers should be thrilled as well. Reaves scoring 29 on a night Luka went nuclear is an excellent sign. Doncic is limiting his backcourt partner, but Reaves is doing so much in the non-Luka minutes that it doesn’t matter. With Doncic on the floor, Reaves is producing 24.0 PP36 and 4.8 AP36 and is sporting a usage rate of 19.7 percent. When Luka sits, Reaves’ production jumps to a ridiculous 29.2 PP36 and 10.1 AP36 and his usage rate spikes to 37.2 percent. All of those numbers can be found using EFB’s On/Off Tool. The first round is in play this year, in both points and category leagues. The only guards that are locks to be more productive than Reaves in category leagues on a per-minute basis are Luka, SGA, and Maxey. Only Luka, SGA, and Cade will be notably more valuable in points leagues.
Ziaire Williams (Pick Up in 16+ team leagues): This was the second game in a row in which Williams hit the 30-minute mark. As long as Doncic and Reaves are healthy, Williams’ upside will be limited. However, if the minutes stick, he should do enough in points, threes, and steals to be a solid 16-team league option. Over his first three games, Williams has averaged 11.3 PPG on 52.2 FG%, 1.7 3PG, 3.3 RPG, 1.7 APG, and 1.3 SPG.
Matisse Thybulle (Pick Up in 16+ team leagues): Thybulle’s role has been very consistent so far. He’s started and played at least 23 minutes in all three of the Lakers’ games. As long as he is in his current role, he will be a must-roster in 16-team leagues, and an elite defensive categories streamer in shallower settings. In punt points setups, he’s fine to roster in shallower leagues as well. Through three games, Thybulle has given us 9.0 PPG on 50.0 FG%, 2.3 3PG, 2.0 SPG, and 1.0 BPG. In points leagues, where steals are less valuable, he has no value.
Quentin Grimes (Drop): Grimes can be dropped in both 12- and 14-team leagues. In 16-team leagues, it’s fine to give him a couple more games, but he could end up useless there as well. He’s not playing as much as he was expected to, and his usage rate has been nonexistent. Over his first three appearances of the season, the Laker has averaged just 8.7 PPG on 53.3 FG%, 1.0 3PG, 3.7 RPG, 3.0 APG, and 0.7 SPG. Grimes needs an injury to one of the top two to have any shot at being useful in shallower settings.
Collin Sexton: Sexton looks like he’s going to be stuck in a 20 MPG role. Like Grimes, he should be viewed as a so-so points and threes streamer, even in deep leagues. He will be worth a flier if one of the top two goes down.
Darryn Peterson (Hold): Peterson continues to struggle. That should not be surprising. If you drafted him, you should have been expecting a slow start. It’s rare for a rookie guard, especially one that isn’t a point guard, to be useful early in their maiden NBA campaign. Over the first three games of his career, the second-overall pick has averaged 10.7 PPG on 40.6 FG%, 0.3 3PG, 3.3 RPG, 2.0 APG, and 1.0 SPG. In both category leagues and points leagues, we should hold for now. There are 79 games to go and an elite prospect like Peterson is going to trend up as the year goes along.
Ace Bailey (Pick Up in 14+ team leagues): Bailey is just a 12-team streamer for now, but he could become a long-term hold if he continues to start and play minutes in the high-20s. Since moving into the starting lineup two games ago, the second-year man has averaged 11.5 PPG on 52.6 FG%, 1.0 3PG, 9.5 RPG, and 3.0 APG. The boards aren’t real, but he should do more in points and threes going forward. He’s a better flier in points leagues than in category leagues due to the nature of his game.
Jaxson Hayes (Pick Up): After playing 26 minutes in each of the Jazz’s first two contests, Hayes failed to hit the 20-minute mark in this one. We should pick him up or continue to hold for now. The big man’s role is going to be very matchup-dependent, but even in a low-20s role, he can be a very strong source of FG% impact, who also helps us in rebounds and blocks. Through three games, Hayes is averaging 10.3 PPG on 81.2 FG%, 5.0 RPG, and 2.3 BPG. Those are top-75 nine-category numbers. In points leagues, he’s much less interesting and is just a streamer in 12-team setups.
Jay Huff (Pick Up): Huff is a short-term add in all category leagues. In points leagues, he is just a streamer. He played just five minutes over the Pacers’ first two games, but with Zubac now looking at some time on the sidelines, the Pacers will need to lean on the stretch big. Huff is a top-end per-minute producer who can produce top-100 numbers in a low-20s role. He should be an excellent source of swats while Zubac recovers. In 2025-2026, Huff averaged 9.5 PPG on 47.6 FG%, 1.5 3PG, 4.0 RPG, and 1.9 BPG in just 21.0 MPG.
Aaron Nesmith (Pick Up in 14+ team leagues): Nesmith will likely be limited for a while since he’s coming off a hamstring injury. In 12-team leagues, we should watch the Pacer, but we don’t need to add him. In 14-team category leagues, he is worth a flier. Nesmith was a standard league player for most of 2024-2025. He is much more productive with Haliburton in the lineup. Last season’s dip in efficiency was due to Nesmith being miscast. In a high-20s role, Nesmith can score in the low-to-mid-teens while averaging about 2.0 3PG. In 2024-2025, he averaged 12.0 PPG and 1.9 3PG while shooting 50.7 percent from the floor and 91.2 percent from the line. In points leagues, he’s safe to ignore.
Kelly Oubre (Watch): We should keep an eye on Oubre because he always has stretches where he is a useful 12-team asset, but for now, we don’t need to add him in 12- or 14-team leagues. Through three games, Oubre is averaging just 7.0 PPG, 0.7 3PG, and 2.0 RPG in 22.3 MPG.
Keon Ellis: This is an excellent line, but not one that makes Ellis a 12-team add. He’s a poor man’s Cason Wallace and Wallace is just a borderline 12-team player himself. The steals will be very useful, but everything else will be low-end. Thus far, Ellis is playing 26.4 MPG and is averaging 7.3 PPG on 50.0 FG%, 1.3 3PG, 2.7 APG, and 2.7 SPG. Like most steals specialists, Ellis has no value in points leagues.
Egor Demin: The low minutes were due to the score, but Demin was going to post a dud even if he played another 10 minutes. The second-year guard has been very mediocre so far. He didn’t look great in preseason and struggled in two of his first three regular season appearances. He is fine to hold onto if you are punting FG%. In other builds, he should be viewed as a streamer. His upside in category leagues is limited because he is going to come with a major FG% hit. Demin is currently averaging 9.7 PPG on 30.8 FG%, 2.0 3PG, 2.7 RPG, 3.0 APG, and 1.0 SPG. He’s more interesting in points leagues where the efficiency issues doesn’t matter as much, but so far, he is looking like a streamer in that setup as well.
Day’Ron Sharpe: Sharpe also lost minutes to the score. It’s been a frustrating start to the season for Sharpe managers, but anyone who invested in the big man shouldn’t panic just yet. It does look like a close-to-30 MPG role is in play. Sharpe was around that range in the opener and should be in that range on nights when the Nets are competitive and he’s not in foul trouble. There is a lot of upside here, so we need to be patient. He’s not a bad buy-low target if you are in need of big man numbers.
Paul Reed (Pick Up): Reed remains a must-roster in all category and points leagues. The low minutes were due to foul trouble. He should see minutes in the high-20s until Jalen Duren is back. In a role of that size, he can be a top-50 player in all formats. Reed is a per-minute stud who can dominate the big man categories while also doing more in steals than most centers. In 2025-2026, the Piston produced 20.1 PP36 on 61.7 FG%, 11.8 RP36, 3.2 AP36, 2.3 SP36, and 2.4 BP36.
Duncan Robinson (Pick Up in 14+ team leagues): Robinson is off to a very hot start and is fine to add in 14-team category leagues if you need threes. If you don’t need triples, ignore him. The big start in points and steals isn’t real. Through three games, Robinson is averaging 19.7 PPG on 47.1 FG%, a ridiculous 5.0 3PG, 2.3 APG, and 1.0 SPG. In points leagues, where his threes matter less, he may not be a top-200 option.
Daniss Jenkins: Jenkins could be a useful short-term option with Ausar Thompson dealing with an ankle injury and Isaiah Joe likely to miss time with a hip injury. Jenkins won’t be more than a very forgettable 16-team league option when the Pistons are at full strength, but for the next couple of games, he could give us top-100 numbers. I wouldn’t add him just yet, but if Ausar is ruled out for Tuesday’s game against the Knicks, I would stream Jenkins. In a big role, he can help us win all of the guard categories.
Jaylen Brown: Brown has gotten off to a somewhat slow start to the year. His usage has been a little lower than expected but not dramatically so. The mediocre start is mostly due to some poor shooting that won’t stick. The Sixers are still figuring things out, and it could take a bit before Brown really settles in. We should also keep an eye on his rebounding rate. So far, Brown is producing just 5.6 RP36. Last year, he managed 7.3 RP36.
LeBron James: LeBron has also looked so-so over the Sixers’ first few games. Some of the slow start is just LeBron easing himself in, but at his age, it’s hard to not be a little concerned. He’s going to slip this year, and while James has proven that he doesn’t age like a normal human being, a sizable dip is possible. I wouldn’t make any moves based on the slow start, but if you took him around his ADP, you are very likely to end up disappointed. We need to watch LeBron’s assist rate. Right now, he’s sitting at just 6.1 AP36. If his dimes continue to be somewhat weak, he could end up as just a top-75 per-game player in nine-category leagues. In points leagues, his per-game outlook is stronger, although in that setting the missed games will hurt more. James can still be a top-40 player in Yahoo points leagues.
Jakob Poeltl (Hold): Give Poeltl a couple more games. The Raptors have had only one normal game so far. Two of their three games have ended in massive blowouts. The big man is moving noticeably better than last season, but thus far, it hasn’t led to much production. His role on the offensive end is especially worrisome. Somehow, he has a usage rate of just 6.3 percent through three games. That should rise. Last year, his usage rate was 15.3 percent, even though he played with a busted back for the entire year. If Poeltl is still giving us nothing at the end of Week 2, then we can move on in standard leagues. In deep leagues, you need to give him a lot of leash due to his upside.
Scottie Barnes: Disgusting stuff from Scottie, who has been very inefficient to start the year. Fortunately, everything else has been very good, and while the massive FG% hit that accompanies him has been very damaging, his role on the offensive end has actually been very encouraging. Barnes’ usage rate currently sits at 30.3 percent. In 2025-2026, he finished the season with a usage rate of just 23.4 percent. There is nothing to worry about here.
Collin Murray-Boyles (Buy Low): CMB is yet to have a normal game. He’s lost minutes to two blowouts, and in the Raptors’ lone competitive game, he got into major foul trouble. Try to use the slow start to buy low on the second-year player. I don’t buy that CMB is going to play 30 MPG this year like Darko suggested he would prior to the opener, but it would be surprising if he didn’t eventually start playing around 27 MPG consistently, which is all the big man needs to live up to his ADP. His per-minute numbers in boards and the defensive categories have been very strong thus far, and were excellent both in 2025-2026 and during preseason. If you can get CMB for a player that is unlikely to be a top-100 option this year, I would make the move.
LaMelo Ball: The low minutes were due to foul trouble and the Wolves not needing Ball in the fourth. LaMelo has had a quiet start to the year, not because he hasn’t been good, but because the Wolves have blown out all three of their opponents. Ball’s usage has been solid so far, after it came in a little low during preseason. He’s not going to score like he did in Charlotte, but he doesn’t need to as long as his minutes get into the low-30s. They likely will. It will be difficult for the Wolves to limit Ball this year due to the depth they lost while acquiring the point guard.
Jonathan Kuminga (Pick Up in 14+ team category leagues/Pick Up in 12-team points leagues): The steals continue to be there. Kuminga has picked up seven steals over three games, and that has made him a top-100 category league player. The big start in swipes is likely a mirage. Since entering the league, the forward has produced just 1.1 SP36. He’s fine to take a flier on in 14-team category leagues, but in anything shallower, I would view him as just a streamer. Kuminga’s game is a very poor fit for category leagues and he may not be a top-200 player once the steals dry up. In points leagues, he’s much more interesting, although he is also not a lock to be more than a back-end piece. In that setting, he should be rostered in 12-team leagues for now.
Ayo Dosunmu: Dosunmu is another member of the Wolves who has been better than his per-game ranking suggests. He’s needed just 26.3 MPG to average 13.0 PPG on 51.6 FG%, 1.0 3PG, 5.0 RPG, and 5.3 APG. Once Minnesota slows down a bit, Dosunmu should end up playing closer to 30 MPG. In a role of that size, he can be a top-120 player in both category and points leagues.
Jalen Suggs (Hold): Suggs managers dodged a bullet. A late-game knee buckle put the combo guard’s season at risk, but it looks like he avoided major damage. Suggs has a bone bruise in his knee and will be evaluated in two weeks. Try to hold the oft-injured guard. He’s going to be annoying to roster, but we shouldn’t give up on a player who has shown a top-50 gear in category leagues this early in the season. While Suggs is out, Black will be a must-roster, and Bane and Franz will pick up extra usage and touches. da Silva will benefit as well, although he remains just a back-end option. Richardson could end up as a solid points and threes streamer, but I would not add outside of extremely deep leagues.
Anthony Black (Pick Up): Black is a must-roster in all leagues and formats with Suggs out for at least two weeks (and likely longer) and Banchero set to miss four-to-six weeks. He will likely be just a back-end option when the Magic are fully healthy, but how often will that be? Magic and fully healthy are words we haven’t seen in the same sentence much over the last couple of years. His numbers as a starter in 2025-2026 give us an idea of what to expect over the next few weeks. Last season, over his 40 starts, Black averaged 16.5 PPG on 44.9 FG%, 1.9 3PG on 35.3 3P%, 3.7 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.7 BPG, and 2.1 TOPG in 32.4 MPG.
Tristan da Silva (Pick Up in 14+ team leagues): da Silva should be a very solid 14-team league option in both category and points leagues. In 12-team leagues, he viable, but I would not call him a must. da Silva had some big stretches last season when the Magic were beat up, but his overall value was limited. Last season, as a starter, he averaged 12.0 PPG on 46.9 FG%, 1.9 3PG, 4.2 RPG, 1.8 APG, and 0.9 SPG in 28.8 MPG. da Silva may not start going forward, but he should play minutes in the high-20s.
Mikal Bridges (Hold in category leagues): It’s been a brutal start to the year for Bridges, who is currently averaging just 3.3 PPG on 21.7 FG%, 0.0 3PG, 3.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, and 0.3 SPG in 30.0 MPG. He was awful in preseason as well. It’s hard to say when he will figure things out, but he likely will. Bridges was a top-50 nine-category asset in 2025-2026 and a mid-round player in eight-category setups. He also produced his usual numbers during the Knicks’ playoff run. The 30-year-old Bridges becoming washed overnight doesn’t make sense. It’s more likely he’s in his head or is nursing some kind of injury we don’t know about. Hold and hope he turns things around sooner rather than later. In points leagues, I would give him a couple more games, but in that setting, we don’t need to give him nearly as much leash. Even when he’s playing well, Bridges is just a back-end option.
Josh Hart: Hart has looked very solid so far after a quiet preseason. Through three games, he is averaging 12.3 PPG on 41.2 FG%, 2.3 3PG, 9.0 RPG, 3.3 APG, and 2.0 SPG in 33.5 MPG. His minutes are up, which is something that felt like it was in play during preseason. The Knicks losing Mitchell Robinson weakens their bench, which may lead to Mike Brown relying on his starters more. New York also had excellent injury luck in 2025-2026, which is unlikely to repeat itself. There should be more stretches this year where the Knicks are down a key piece or two and Hart is forced to play minutes in the mid-30s. He is a must-roster in all leagues.
Kris Dunn (Pick Up): If minutes in the low-30s are in play, Dunn needs to be rostered in 12-team category leagues. In points leagues, he’s fine to take a flier on, but he is less likely to stick as a 12-team option. Dunn’s current shooting is not sustainable, but he will be an elite source of steals and a very strong source of dimes if Lue continues to play him as much as he has. Through three games, Dunn is putting up 9.7 PPG on 61.1 FG%, 1.3 3PG, 4.7 RPG, 6.0 APG, an absurd 3.3 SPG, and 1.3 BPG in 31.1 MPG.
Rui Hachimura: So far, Hachimura has flopped as the Clippers’ second option. The usually efficient forward has connected on just 26.3 percent of his shot attempts this year. In 12-team leagues, he’s a borderline option. He’s fine to hold, but I would not hesitate to swap him for a player with top-100 upside. Hachimura won’t be in that range even once he starts shooting better. He doesn’t do enough in the defensive categories to be more than a back-end option in both points and category leagues.
Isaiah Jackson (Hold): Foul trouble has stopped Jackson from being more than a back-end player up to this point. The center has picked up at least four fouls in all three of his appearances. Despite the somewhat frustrating start, he remains a must-hold in both 12-team category and points leagues. His per-minute numbers have been strong so far, and he only needs to play a few more minutes to crack the top 100. Jackson still has a solid shot at being a mid-round player in punt threes and punt assists as well. He is currently averaging 9.7 PPG on 66.7 FG%, 5.7 RPG, 2.3 APG, 2.0 SPG, and 0.7 BPG in 22.2 MPG.
Keaton Wagler (Pick Up in 14+ team leagues): For now, Wagler is just a deep league flier. He should have some 12-team stretches this year, but those won’t come until he starts playing 30+ MPG consistently. In 14-team leagues, he’s fine to add in both category and points leagues. Through the first three games of his career, the fifth-overall pick has averaged 13.0 PPG on 34.8 FG%, 2.0 3PG, 4.3 RPG, 4.0 APG, and 1.3 SPG in 26.1 MPG.
Impact of the Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace injuries: With J Dub’s season almost certainly over, and Cason Wallace now expected to miss most of the season, Ajay Mitchell becomes a must-roster in 10- and 12-team category leagues. In shallower points leagues, he should be added as well, although his ceiling isn’t nearly as high in that setting. Mitchell could now play 30+ MPG. In a low-30s role, he could be a mid-round player. In 2025-2026, Mitchell averaged 15.1 PPG on 47.2 FG%, 1.1 3PG, 3.4 RPG, 3.8 APG, and 1.5 SPG while shooting 86.6 percent on his 3.3 FTA. Those numbers were achieved in 27.0 MPG. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should also pick up some extra touches. We should expect SGA’s line to look a lot like it did last year. Chet Holmgren is also a good bet to match last season’s offensive numbers now. The Thunder won’t push Alex Caruso, so his role shouldn’t change much. Jared McCain should now play minutes in the mid-to-high-20s. He’s worth a look in 14-team leagues. In 12-team leagues, I wouldn’t rush to him just yet. Bennett Stirtz should be in the rotation now, but likely won’t play enough to matter.
Ty Jerome: If Jerome stays healthy, he is going to be the player that shows up on the most championship squads. It looks like he’s going to play 30+ MPG and have a usage rate north of 30. The Grizzlies have him in a superstar-level role and he is playing like one. I would not be selling high. There is some injury risk here, but if you move Jerome for even a top-30 per-game player, you could easily lose that trade. He’s not going to continue to shoot 56.3 percent from the floor, but the dip in efficiency should be partially offset by an uptick in steals. Jerome has always been a strong per-minute producer in the category and is averaging just 0.7 SPG. The top-15 is in play. In points leagues, he’s not quite as dominant, but he can be a 40-point player the rest of the way.
Jaylen Wells (Pick Up in 14+ team leagues): Wells looks improved this season and is worth a flier in 14-team leagues. In 12-team leagues, we are just watching him for now. His big start to the year has been driven by some unsustainable shooting and a steal rate that is significantly stronger than what he managed during his first two seasons in the league. He’s probably improved, but it is hard to say by how much. In a high-20s role, Wells should be a quality source of points and threes. Through three games, he’s sitting at 15.0 PPG on 61.5 FG%, 2.3 3PG, 4.7 RPG, 2.0 APG, and 2.0 SPG.
Cameron Boozer (Buy Low): It will be a tough move to pull off, but we should be trying to buy low on the rookie. Once the efficiency comes around, Boozer could start flirting with the early rounds. He’s shooting an ugly 28.6 percent from the field thus far, but is still ranked inside the top 65 in nine-category leagues and the top 40 in Yahoo points leagues, which shows how much he is doing elsewhere. Boozer is currently averaging 16.0 PPG, 2.0 3PG, 11.7 RPG, 5.0 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.7 BPG, and 2.7 TOPG in 34.0 MPG. I would not wait to make an offer. Once Boozer has his first 50+ percent shooting night, his price will spike.
Isaiah Stewart: Stewart got the start due to this game being the front half of a back-to-back set. The resting Edey will return against the Jazz on Monday. Stewart is a strong streaming option when Edey sits, but will be somewhat limited when the starter is active. He’s a better option in Roto leagues than in H2H leagues since there is no penalty to sitting him on the nights when Edey starts.
Zach LaVine: It’s been a dream start to the season for LaVine managers. He’s now averaging a ridiculous 29.0 PPG on 49.2 FG% and 87.0 FT%, 3.0 3PG, 3.7 RPG, 3.3 APG, and 1.3 SPG in 37.8 MPG. We will want to sell high on LaVine due to his iffy late-season outlook, but we shouldn’t make that move just yet. We should enjoy the big numbers for a couple of months and then try to move him for a safer option.
Precious Achiuwa (Pick Up): With Keegan Murray’s bum ankle acting up again, Achiuwa needs to be rostered in all leagues. He is always quite valuable when he plays big minutes. In a 30+ MPG role, he can be a mid-round player in both category league and points league formats. Nothing he did in this game is a fluke. As long as he’s starting, Precious will be a quality source of rebounds and defensive numbers. Don’t be in a rush to drop him once Murray is back. Precious can still be a 12-team piece off the bench with Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell out.
Darius Acuff Jr.: The efficiency continues to be terrible, but the touches and usage continue to be massive. The rookie now has 67 points on a whopping 73 shots this year. Acuff is clearly going to be useful this year, but his value will vary wildly from build to build and setting to setting. In Roto leagues, he’s going to be a hard player to start. The points and assists will be helpful, but the FG% hit and the low-end numbers elsewhere will keep his overall value low. In H2H leagues, he could be a monster in punt FG%, but in other builds, he could be just a back-end player. In Yahoo points leagues, he should be a mid-round player. In ESPN points leagues, he will be useful, but he won’t be nearly as valuable as he is in Yahoo leagues due to his efficiency issues mattering. In Yahoo points leagues, he’s been a top-60 player so far. In ESPN points leagues, he is currently ranked outside the top 120.