Every Monday, I’ll be re-ranking my top-250 players for fantasy baseball moving forward. Use it to scout out trades and pickups or to self-scout your own roster. You can still also draft another team, so consider this a fresh sheet to work off.

Here are some of the risers and fallers from this week’s list. You’ll find my full rest-of-season fantasy baseball rankings at the end of this story.

Risers

Oneil Cruz, OF, Pirates and Elly De La Cruz, SS, Reds

I’m going to link these guys this week because they’ve been linked most of their careers. Similar names, enormous shortstops, NL Central kids on the rise. A few years ago, it was the hot thing to pick your preference among these rising stars.

Of course, life is what happens to you while you’re making other plans. Oneil Cruz has moved off shortstop (and he’s not much of an outfielder, either) and had some speed bumps to his career. Elly’s push has been cleaner, though we were worried when his pop disappeared in the second half last year (four homers, .363 slugging).

Both players are off to glorious starts this spring. Oneil Cruz has been the top hitter in 5×5 formats so far (.339, five homers, six steals) and his Baseball Savant hard-hit sliders are too good to be true, a wave of Hawaiian Punch red. Pittsburgh also has an improved offense, standing a respectable 11th in runs scored.

Moving slightly west, Elly’s pop has returned and he’s also running liberally (five steals); he’s also showing more potential in batting average, as he develops a more discerning eye at the plate. The Cruz/De La Cruz party we signed up for two years ago is finally here in 2026.

Michael Soroka, SP, Diamondbacks

My podcast mate Michael Salfino gave us a great rule of thumb many years ago, basically positing that anytime a pitcher struck out 10 batters in a game, it was probably worth a pickup on spec, no matter the context. I suspect that rule is even more applicable today, with starters working shorter. Soroka has a past pedigree and is finally healthy again. He’s also given us two 10-whiff games, so he checks the Salfino box twice.

Mason Miller, RP, Padres

Normally I’m against relief pitchers winning major awards because they simply don’t work enough. Rollie Fingers and Dennis Eckersley were legitimate Hall of Famers, but when they won MVP Awards in their day, it never made sense.

Miller won’t be in the MVP chase, but maybe a Cy Young push would be justified. He’s struck out 19 of the 24 batters he has faced this season, and since he joined the Padres last year, it’s been one long game of Wiffle Ball: 0.46 ERA, 0.62 WHIP, 64 strikeouts (just 11 walks) over 30.2 innings. Unfair.

I don’t like to chase relievers early in my drafts because of their high volatility, but having the most dominant stopper in the game is also an enormous advantage. My FOMO with Miller is off the charts these days.

Jordan Walker, OF, Cardinals

Another reminder that player development is not always linear. Walker is aiming to lift the ball this year, and several of his home runs have been dented, too. He doesn’t turn 24 until the end of May. This is a plane taking off.

Colt Keith, Utility, Tigers

In the effort to celebrate the Kevin McGonigle emergence (and I’m there for it), let’s not forget about Keith, the former key prospect who’s now setting into his age-24 season. His .340/.375/.472 start is validated by a hard-hit tag of 95% and the ability to spit on borderline pitches just outside the zone. The homers haven’t come yet, but they’re likely to arrive.

Fallers

Cal Raleigh, C, Mariners

A repeat of 2025 was never a realistic thing. Perhaps the 2023 haul (.232/.306/.456, 30 homers) should have been our target all along. One thing that keeps Raleigh’s moving-forward rank somewhat afloat, it hasn’t been a great opening month for catchers.

Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Tigers

I didn’t move him down that much, given that the bad-luck signs are flashing (his expected average is .245, his expected slugging is .427). But the Tigers have a deeper lineup this year and Torkelson might spend the entire season in the bottom half.

Holding steady

Julio Rodríguez, OF, Mariners

I get that he’s not producing like a first-round pick, but we have to be mindful of his career track. Rodríguez generally doesn’t hit in April (.640 career OPS), but things gradually come around after that. And his second-half OPS is 140 points higher, something to be mindful of if you’re in a trading league.

Scott Pianowski’s updated rest-of-season fantasy baseball rankings (as of April 13):

Injury woes continue to plague the Houston Astros, exacerbating a 6-10 start that has them

After batting 1-for-3 on Saturday, Peña’s triple-slash line is .256/.304/.349 with four extra-base hits in 46 plate appearances. While it’s early in the season and Peña has played in only 10 games, those numbers are a notable decline from the .304 batting average and .840 OPS he posted last year.

However, his preparations in the spring were sidetracked by a fractured right ring finger that prevented him from playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.

The 28-year-old was limited to 125 games last season due to a fractured rib (sustained when he was hit by a pitch) and left oblique injuries.

Tatsuya Imai is third Astros starting pitcher to go on IL

The Astros feared that an IL stint for Imai was imminent when he was sent back to Houston on Saturday to evaluate what the team called “right arm fatigue.”

Houston has already placed starting pitchers Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier on the injured list, both due to strained right shoulders. Brown is expected to be out until May, while Javier will be reevaluated in two weeks. Beginning this past Friday, the Astros play 13 straight games without a day off, putting even more pressure on an undermanned pitching staff.

Imai faced the Mariners on Friday for his third start of the season but lasted only one-third of an inning. Facing eight batters, the right-hander allowed three runs on one hit and four walks in an eventual 9-6 defeat. He threw only 17 of his 37 pitches for strikes in the outing.

Following the game, Imai complained of the hard mound at T-Mobile Park and the cooler weather than he’s accustomed to. The temperature was 64 degrees at first pitch in Seattle.

In his three starts, the 27-year-old has walked 11 batters and struck out 13 in 8 1/3 innings. He has allowed seven runs on seven hits, resulting in a 7.27 ERA. The Astros were hoping for better production from a pitcher signed to a three-year contract that could pay him up to $63 million.

However, Imai showed what he was capable of in his second start, throwing 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the Athletics with nine strikeouts.

During his eight seasons pitching for the Seibu Lions in Nippon Professional Baseball, Imai compiled a 3.15 ERA and 58-45 record in 159 appearances with a strikeout rate of 8.5 per nine innings. But his walk rate of 4.4 hinted at the concerns that have manifested thus far in his MLB career.

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The New York Yankees started the season on fire, opening with an 8–2 record and sparking thoughts about whether this could be a team that rivaled their infamous 1998 campaign. Since then, the Bronx Bombers have gone on a five-game losing streak and now sit at 8–7, with quite a few red flags popping up. However, they’re not the only team in town dealing with a losing streak and major concerns.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman get into the messy, offense-less weekend from the Yankees and the New York Mets, while also trying to figure out which team should be more concerned about the recent rough stretch. They also discuss the interesting comments made by Jazz Chisholm Jr. after he misplayed a ball that led to the Tampa Bay Rays winning on Saturday night.

Later, Jake and Jordan talk about the San Diego Padres mopping the Colorado Rockies and why Mason Miller has been an absolute cheat code coming out of the bullpen during his unreal stretch. Then the guys discuss the Washington Nationals’ offense coming alive during their sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers, as well as catch you up on all the other action from MLB this past weekend.

0:59 – The Opener: Yankees and Mets slide

11:27 – Jazz Chisholm’s interesting comments

25:20 – How Sweep It Is: Mason Miller, the cheat code

38:42 – Nationals come alive vs. Brewers

45:24 – Turbo Mode: Weekend recap

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

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Two of the most powerful entities in NBA content have officially joined forces. We’re combining power rankings with report cards to wrap up the regular season.

First, we power ranked all 30 teams into perfect order, based on where they finished in the hunt for a championship. In what order would I pick the postseason-bound teams to win the title? As for lottery-bound teams, how pathetic were they — intentionally or not — in the pursuit of a ring?

Hardest, probably, was the Los Angeles Lakers, who have lost Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves to injury. The Houston Rockets may have a better shot to get out of the first round, but if L.A. can squeak by and get both Dončić and Reaves healthy, it has a slightly better chance to win it all.

Or at least that was my thinking there.

Then, the grades. We provided you with (17-65)

Nobody figured the Wizards for a winner this season, and they delivered, losing more often than any other team — with some cushion to spare. Bam Adebayo scored 83 points in a single game against them. It wasn’t all bad. Alex Sarr is a rising star. Tre Johnson and Bilal Coulibaly are players, too. They traded for both Trae Young and Anthony Davis, who played five games combined for Washington, almost certainly by design. There is something interesting to this roster. Grade: B

29. Indiana Pacers (19-63)

In their Tyrese Haliburton-less season, the Pacers did what they set out to do, which was to put themselves in the best position for a top draft pick. Their top lineup — Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Jarace Walker, Johnny Furphy — played only 47 minutes together across six games. But it did feature Walker and Furphy, two developmental projects. They added Ivica Zubac at the trade deadline. This is a winner in 2026-27. Grade: A

28. Sacramento Kings (22-60)

The NBA investigated Kings head coach Doug Christie, if only to check if he was losing games on purpose, and it turned out he wasn’t — he was just incompetent. The front office didn’t cover itself in glory, either, turning Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis into De’Andre Hunter’s hefty deal. This team is not without talent. Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Malik Monk and Russell Westbrook are proven performers. Only none of it made sense together. Grade: F

27. Brooklyn Nets (20-62)

The Nets used all five of their first-round draft picks and almost certainly will not put a single one of them on an All-Rookie team. That is a disappointment. But Michael Porter Jr. was a revelation for Brooklyn. The Nets didn’t turn him into anything at the deadline. It would have been nice if Brooklyn took even a half-step toward constructing an identity. I’m not sure they’re any better off than they were last season, when they were similarly banking on ping-pong balls. Grade: C

26. Utah Jazz (22-60)

The Jazz identified a future star in Keyonte George (24-4-6 on 46/37/89 shooting splits). Ace Bailey may be one, too. They added one-time Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. to a core that already included All-Star big man Lauri Markkanen. That is the foundation of a good team, only they were terrible, once again, almost entirely on purpose, so they can add another high-end draft pick to a roster that increasingly has designs on competing next year. Grade: B

25. Milwaukee Bucks (32-50)

The Bucks and head coach Doc Rivers wasted no time parting ways in the aftermath of a disastrous season. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s relationship status with Milwaukee is uncertain, only “it’s complicated” doesn’t capture the entirety of the disaster. Myles Turner’s contract, combined with Damian Lillard’s waived-and-stretched deal, is an albatross on their books, and the only way out is to maximize what they can get in return for Antetokounmpo. Grade: F

24. New Orleans Pelicans (26-56)

There is a 29.3% chance the Pelicans hand Atlanta a top-four pick and a 6.8% shot they give the Hawks the No. 1 overall selection. Not great! On the other hand, rookies Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears showed enough to believe in both. Trey Murphy III is their best asset. Saddiq Bey is good. Dejounte Murray returned from an Achilles injury. Zion Williamson played 52 of 53 games at one point. There is stuff to like in New Orleans. Maybe just not together. Grade: D

23. Chicago Bulls (31-51)

The Bulls were a story to start the season, only to choose an alternative direction. They traded Ayo Dosunmu, Nikola Vučević, Coby White and Kevin Huerter for a few restricted free agents and a slew of second-round picks. The acquisition of Jaden Ivey was the final straw for outgoing executives Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley. I’m not sure there is anything of value in Chicago, other than Matas Buzelis and whomever they choose with their lottery pick. Grade: D

22. Dallas Mavericks (26-56)

Cooper Flagg has a case for Rookie of the Year. He had the most responsibility, both offensively and defensively, of any first-year player, delivering a 21-7-5 on 47/30/83 splits with 2.1 combined steals and blocks per game, albeit for a terrible team. He is going to be great. It wasn’t his fault the Mavericks entered the season without a true point guard. It wasn’t his fault, after firing Nico Harrison, they dealt Anthony Davis to get from underneath the Luka Dončić ordeal. Grade: D

21. Memphis Grizzlies (25-57)

The Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to start this campaign. A prudent decision as it turns out. The Ja Morant experience went south quickly, though he remains. They dealt Jaren Jackson Jr. at the deadline. Gone is the Grit ‘n’ Grind redux. This team has been stripped to the studs, and there are some gems — Zach Edey and Cedric Coward —among them. Whoever was left played hard for head coach Tuomas Iisalo, who didn’t have the talent, or the centers, to compete. Grade: D

20. Orlando Magic (45-37)

How the heck the Magic lost to Boston’s bench on the final day of the regular season I do not know. They just didn’t try hard enough, which was a microcosm of their entire campaign — a year that will almost certainly end in the ousting of head coach Jamahl Mosley. Now, they must win one of potentially two play-in tournament games, just for the right to get beat by the Celtics or Detroit. Do not be surprised if a trade comes for this team in the offseason, too. Grade: D

19. Golden State Warriors (37-44)

Losing Jimmy Butler to an ACL injury was a bummer. I still think, with Butler, with a 37-year-old Stephen Curry, with an aging Draymond Green and an aged Al Horford, with a more ambitious acquisition at the deadline, these Warriors could have been on upset alert in the opening round. Instead, they lost Butler, then Curry for half the season. Now, given their age and how much has to go right for them, we must wonder if they can ever again compete in the Curry era. Grade: D

18. Portland Trail Blazers (42-40)

Deni Avdija is an All-NBA candidate, averaging a 24-7-7 for a team that now has two shots at cracking a crowded Western Conference playoff picture. I bet you didn’t think that was possible to start the year. Donovan Clingan may be the most impactful player nobody talks about. Even Scoot Henderson ended the season on a high note. It is almost enough to make us forget their head coach, Chauncey Billups, was arrested in a gambling ring to start the season. Grade: B

17. Miami Heat (43-39)

Bam Adebayo would not have averaged 20 points per game if he had not scored 83 against the Wizards. Remarkable. He added 10 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. He could be the second-best player on a title team. The Heat just lack a No. 1. They have talent. Norman Powell, Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Davion Mitchell, Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, they’re all good. Miami just needs someone else great. Grade: C

16. Toronto Raptors (46-36)

No team had more All-Stars on its roster this season than the Raptors, who put both Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram in the exhibition. Do not ask me how that is possible. Toronto was consistently good and never great throughout the season, mostly since everyone on the roster was consistently good and rarely great, including Barnes and Ingram. It makes you wonder if they could possibly find a higher gear in the playoffs, or if they too need a superstar. Grade: C

15. Philadelphia 76ers (45-37)

Honestly, the Sixers might be cursed. They lost Tyrese Maxey and Paul George to ailment and issue throughout the season, and just as they looked like they may get healthy for a playoff run, Joel Embiid required an appendectomy. Now, their season could be over in the play-in tourney. It’s a good thing the 76ers have Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, a backcourt for the future, because all else in Philadelphia is a question mark — or the exclamation point on an expletive. Grade: C

14. Atlanta Hawks (46-36)

The Hawks traded Trae Young and got better. No other way to say it. Nickeil Alexander-Walker should be the favorite for Most Improved Player. He joins Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher in a wing core that is as sound as any team’s in the NBA. Swap CJ McCollum in for Young, give the center keys to Onyeka Okongwu, and suddenly you have one of the best lineups in the league, one still capable of giving the Knicks a scare without Ice Trae. Grade: B

13. Phoenix Suns (45-37)

The Suns suffered a miserable season last year, when Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal were playing on max contracts. They traded Durant, waived and stretched Beal, and they, too, got better. Devin Booker remains awesome. Dillon Brooks is the human embodiment of everything head coach Jordan Ott wants from his team — effort. Collin Gillespie was one of many players who took a step forward for Phoenix, where the whole is greater than the parts’ sum. Grade: B

12. Los Angeles Clippers (42-40)

Despite the Aspiration scandal, despite a 6-21 start to the season, the Clippers have given themselves a chance, even if it is a slim one, of making the playoffs. That is mostly because Kawhi Leonard robotically put up a career season in the face of scandal, at least statistically. And partly because the Clips were able to turn 36-year-old James Harden into 26-year-old Darius Garland. For all the turmoil in Inglewood, there is something to like here. Grade: C

11. Charlotte Hornets (44-38)

The Hornets were 12 games below .500 on Jan. 21. Since then, they are the Eastern Conference’s second-best team by record (28-10) and its best by net rating (+10.8). Credit Kon Knueppel, whose ability to unlock a winner is his own Rookie of the Year case. Credit LaMelo Ball for unlocking Knueppel. Credit Brandon Miller for taking a step forward beside them. Credit Moussa Diabate for working so hard. Credit all in Charlotte for turning this around. Grade: B

10. Houston Rockets (52-30)

The Rockets lost point guard Fred VanVleet before the season and center Steven Adams in the early going. Without the table-setter and the guy who gets them seconds, respectively, Houston had to scrape together an offense. Kevin Durant and Alperen Şengün are not such bad starting points. Nor is Amen Thompson so bad to start a defense. They could use help on either side of the floor, but their depth, even without VanVleet or Adams, is impressive nonetheless. Grade: C

9. Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30)

Things weren’t going so great for the Cavaliers, who made the Garland-for-Harden swap in hopes it would shake things up. And it did. The Cavs looked like contenders, for a spell, if only to return to what they looked like before, which is an easy second-round playoff out. (Which is the mark of a Harden team.) Bigger changes are on the horizon if that is the case. How much longer can Donovan Mitchell wait for Evan Mobley’s development to stop stagnating? Grade: C

8. Los Angeles Lakers (53-29)

It took some time, but head coach JJ Redick sorted it out. Give the ball to Luka Dončić, slot Austin Reaves as a secondary playmaker beside him and shift LeBron James to an outsized third option. Rotate a cast of characters, including Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton, around them, and they’ll figure it out. And they did. Until Dončić and Reaves suffered injuries that could force them from the first round of the playoffs, leaving James to reclaim a lead role. Grade: B

7. New York Knicks (53-29)

If you had told the Knicks at the start of the season that they would be fourth in offensive rating and seventh in defensive rating at year’s end, they probably would have taken it. How they got there isn’t a story they want to tell. There were questions about everyone on the roster at some point, save for Josh Hart, their constant. After it all, they still have yet to answer the question of whether Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns can lead a serious title contender. Grade: C

6. Minnesota Timberwolves (48-33)

Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels and Donte DiVincenzo played 710 minutes together, and no other lineup across the NBA played more than 550 as a unit. That they outscored opponents by 7.9 points per 100 possessions is reason for optimism they could reach a third straight Western Conference finals. Ayo Dosunmu is just what they needed as a sixth man, where Naz Reid was already an award winner. Watch out for the Wolves. Grade: B

5. Detroit Pistons (60-22)

The Pistons were the class of the East all season long. Even when they lost Cade Cunningham to a collapsed lung, giving rise to the 65-game rule discussion, they kept up the fight. Props to Jalen Duren, who also belongs on an All-NBA team. Ausar Thompson is a defensive weapon. They have shooters. They have most everything except for a secondary playmaker, and they haven’t needed that … yet. We shall see if it comes back to bite them in the playoffs. Grade: A

4. Denver Nuggets (54-28)

Nikola Jokić became the first player ever to lead the league in assists and rebounds per game, adding a hyper-efficient 28 points a night. The team around him was not always complete. Even he missed a month of the season to a knee injury. And still the Nuggets won 54 games. There is reason to believe in Jokić, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson and Christian Braun as a unit, because they have outscored opponents by 13.5 points per 100 possessions. Grade: B

3. Boston Celtics (56-26)

No team overachieved this season quite like the Celtics. They lost Jayson Tatum to an Achilles injury in last season’s playoffs, before losing Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet to the luxury tax. Jaylen Brown was an MVP candidate. Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Neemias Queta and a horde of wings supported him. They bided their time in second place until Tatum’s return hoisted their ceiling to serious championship consideration. Grade: A

2. San Antonio Spurs (62-20)

Victor Wembanyama is a force who, if he can stay healthy, should alter the NBA for a decade to come. He is already the face of the sport in his third year, commanding courts and microphones alike. He even made the MVP case for himself and might have been right. With so much young talent burgeoning around him, including a guard trio of De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, it is hard not to imagine just how many championships they can win together. Grade: A

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18)

For as long as I have been doing NBA power rankings, and I have been doing them in some form or fashion for a long time, I cannot remember a time that a team ranked No. 1 wire to wire, and yet here we are. The Thunder have remained in the top spot for the entire regular season. The path to consecutive regular-season and Finals MVP awards on a back-to-back champion is laid out before Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whose ascent up the all-timer’s list persists. Grade: A

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The Los Angeles Lakers are expecting to be without star guards Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves for their first-round NBA playoff series versus the Houston Rockets.

Dončić will return to the United States this week and be reevaluated by team doctors after receiving treatment overseas for his strained left hamstring, according to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania.

“He spent the last week in Spain, from my understanding,” Charania said on Monday’s “The Pat McAfee Show.” “He underwent multiple injection treatments in that hamstring to see if it could promote quick healing. Can it expedite a return?”

“My understanding is that he’ll be back in the states on Tuesday and they’re gonna re-evaluate him,” he added.

Charania and veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein later reported Dončić is scheduled to rejoin the Lakers on Friday ahead of their first-round NBA playoff series against the Houston Rockets, but a timeline for his return to play has yet to be set. Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday night. Times for the remaining games of the series have yet to be determined.

Dončić reportedly went to Spain for treatment on what was diagnosed as a Grade 2 hamstring strain just over a week ago.

During the regular season, the Lakers won two of their three matchups with the Rockets. Dončić averaged 33.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7 assists, and hit 38% of his 3-pointers in those three games. Reaves averaged 13.7 points and 4.7 assists while shooting 19% from long range.

That will leave the scoring burden to LeBron James, who averaged 22 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists versus Houston in their regular-season meetings.

The Indiana Pacers finished their lost 2025-26 season on Sunday with a 133-121 loss at home to the Detroit Pistons. That left last year’s Eastern Conference champions with the second-worst record in the NBA at 19-63 — the worst mark in franchise history — and waiting to see if they win the NBA Draft Lottery.

A major reason for the Pacers’ downfall was the absence of their star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who ruptured his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, ensuring he would miss all of this season.

Yet Haliburton also dealt with another health issue late in the season, revealing on national TV that he was diagnosed with shingles during the NBA All-Star break. Nearly two months later, the two-time All-Star is still recovering from the virus, as he revealed to reporters during an exit interview following the conclusion of the Pacers’ season.

“I’ve lost part of my eyebrow; my eye’s always been swollen,” Haliburton said, explaining that he developed a rash and blisters on his face because of the virus.

“For the most part, it’s bad days,” he continued.

Haliburton acknowledged that his weight gain has been a topic on social media. While he didn’t reveal how much weight he’s gained because of the medication he’s been taking, he said he’s “out of shape like crazy.”

In a January interview, Haliburton said he’d gained 30 pounds from his playing weight and admitted it was partly because “I’ve been drowning my sorrows in cookies and ice cream.”

While Haliburton still acknowledges his recent weight isn’t the healthy kind, he now partly blames the medication rather than inactivity.

For those more concerned about his recovery from the Achilles injury, Haliburton reassured reporters that he’s on track to return next season.

“I don’t even think about it anymore, to be honest with you,” he said, via the Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak. “I’m not really all that concerned at all. … I feel great. My body feels great. I feel like I’m in a great spot in terms of my leg.”

During the 2024-25 regular season, Haliburton averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game, shooting 39% on 3-pointers. In the postseason, he scored 17.3 points and 8.6 assists with 34% shooting on 3s as the Pacers nearly won the NBA championship.

The 2025-26 regular season wrapped up on Sunday and my mind is already shifting to next year’s drafts. Before you call it obsessive, analysts are already drafting — and that’s exactly what we want. Debating how this season’s performances should shape next season’s decisions is part of the fun. So, before the NBA playoffs, draft and free agency begin, let’s get an early jump on projecting the first round.

Here’s how my way-too-early top 10 is shaping up — and why.

1. Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

Another year, another season averaging a triple-double. Jokić joined Russell Westbrook as the only players in NBA history to accomplish that feat in consecutive seasons. Another notable record was that Jokić was the first player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounds and assists in a season — ridiculous.

Though Jokić uncharacteristically missed 17 games this season, he finished the campaign as the top player in 9-cat and High Score on a per-game basis. Until he gives you a legitimate reason to doubt him, he remains your consensus first overall pick.

2. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

After completing his third NBA season, Wemby is already the best defensive player in the league and on the shortlist for MVP. He improved his scoring, rebounding and FG% despite averaging fewer than 30 minutes per night. More impressively, he’s generated 4 stocks per game for the third consecutive season and showed his durability, playing in at least 65 games in two of his first three seasons. The two-way production is so tantalizing, I wouldn’t be mad at anyone taking Wemby at 1.01.

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Career highs in field goal percentage (55.4%) and assists (6.4) to go with 31.1 points per game, and he’s shaping up to win back-to-back MVPs. SGA is the safest pick next to Jokic in the entire draft. Elite scoring, steals, efficiency and he’s the engine for the best team in the NBA. You know exactly what you’re getting — a top-three asset in 9-cat and top-five in High Score.

4. Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers

Dončić led the league in scoring at 33.5 points per game and had an absolutely absurd March — the first player to score 600 points in a calendar month since Michael Jordan in 1987. The hamstring injury that cost him the tail end of the regular season shouldn’t be an issue heading into next year, but it could be something worth monitoring. It’s also worth following what LeBron James decides to do in free agency. Should Bron go elsewhere or retire, Luka’s ceiling goes even higher, making him every bit worthy of a top-four pick.

5. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons

Cunningham was second in the NBA in assists (9.8) and averaged 24.2 points per game while leading Detroit to the best record in the Eastern Conference. As a guy who had a few Cunningham shares this season, Cade sustaining a collapsed lung in the heat of the fantasy playoffs was brutal. But that doesn’t discount how well he played throughout the season.

He was a second-round value in 9-cat and top-three in High Score. He could be the next point guard to average 20-10-5 in fantasy, while averaging over 2 stocks per game — that’s more than enough counting stats to take him in the mid-first round.

6. Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers

Maxey was an All-NBA player, leading the league in minutes played and closing the fantasy season fifth overall in 9-cat and sixth in High Score. The all-around growth for Maxey was evident, as he increased his value in 7 of 9 categories, including a significant boost on the defensive end, averaging 2.7 stocks per game (1.9 steals and 0.8 blocks, respectively). At 25 years old and the franchise clearly in his hands, Maxey’s trajectory is of the caliber of a top-five player across formats.

7. Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks

The breakout is official. Johnson cemented himself as Atlanta’s offensive anchor in the post-Trae Young era. The five-year pro finished 18th overall in 9-cat and 7th in High Score this season. He was a nightly triple-double threat, ending the season top-seven in rebounds and top-five in assists per game. As with most players projected to be drafted in this area of the first round, there is some injury risk; however, it’s nothing that would prevent me from selecting him. The Hawks’ revamped roster is exciting and offers plenty of fantasy value across positions for managers next season, beginning with Johnson.

8. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves

Edwards played in at least 72 games in every season except for this one. A runner’s knee limited him to 61 games, but he continues to improve various aspects of his game, increasing his fantasy value. In terms of per-game pedigree, Edwards seldom sits among the rest of this crew. However, his superstar trajectory offers some ceiling expectations that haven’t been reached. Edwards had his best finish in 9-cat (14th) this season and ranked 17th in High Score, averaging 47.8 fantasy points per game. He posted nearly 29 ppg while shooting more efficiently from the field and added over 2 stocks per night. While he certainly is an aesthetically pleasing rising star, I’m confident he has the counting stats and the efficiency potential on both ends to warrant being a top-10 selection next season.

9. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

After missing most of the season and not returning until March, Tatum quickly re-established himself, ranking 26th in 9-cat and 19th in High Score over that stretch. What stands out most is that he averaged 21 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in 32.6 minutes per game — a workload that suggests little restriction, defying expectations that he’d be brought along slowly. A strong postseason run would further indicate he’s on track to regain his first-round form. Even though he shot just 41% from the field and 32% from three in that 16-game stretch (well below his career averages), those numbers should rebound with more time and confidence. Assuming he stays healthy, there’s a strong case for Tatum to rejoin the elite fantasy tier next season.

10. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.6 stocks — a down campaign by his standards. His value would take a bigger hit if he stays in Milwaukee, but he’s likely to be traded, which should improve his outlook. He turns 32 in December and has some injury risk (recurring calf issues), but the production floor remains high.

He’s a top-five pick in points leagues and top-10 in 9-cat, with a floor of 27-10-5 per night, though you’ll likely need to punt a category.