2024-2025 Fantasy Basketball Category Studs: Blocks And Steals

Thunder Dan Palyo takes a look at players who can help you out in blocks and steals in the 2024-25 fantasy basketball season.

Anyone can score points in today's NBA, right? I mean, does anyone still play defense?

True NBA fans get tired of hearing that from casuals. Yes, games are high-scoring, and it may seem like no one is playing defense, but that's not anything close to the truth. The reality is that the rules favor the offense, and players continue to get bigger, faster, stronger, and more skilled, so stopping guys from scoring has become increasingly more difficult.

In fantasy basketball, we love hunting down defensive stats because they are far more rare than offensive stats. And the players who can rack up these stats in bunches are incredibly valuable in H2H categories and Roto leagues. Let's examine who we want to target for blocks, steals, and a mixture of both. Let's get defensive!

Fantasy Basketball Studs for Stocks (Steals Plus Blocks)

There's a reason that Wemby is being drafted No. 1 overall. We haven't seen this type of defensive dominance before, and he might just be scratching the surface of what he can do with that frame.

His steals and blocks could increase as he gets more experience in the league and understands when to play, how to help defense, how to time his blocks, etc. The point is that he just posted 4.8 stocks in his rookie season as a baseline just because he was enormous and athletic.

Anthony Davis has been doing this for years now but finally played close to a full season last year. He's sitting fifth in my overall rankings and I'm drafting him with confidence this season. You can wring your hands over the injury risk all you want, but AD is one of the best 9-cat players in the game.

Speaking of injury risks, Joel Embiid is going to sit out the rest of the preseason. That sucks, and it's going to have people panicking a bit. If he falls into your lap in the late first or early second rounds, it's going to be hard to pass on that kind of potential. I hope I don't have to do it in any of my remaining drafts!

Jaren Jackson had a bad year (for him) in blocks, as he was up around 3 blocks per game in 2022. He could see a nice increase in blocks if he gets shifted back to his natural position of power forward.

Scottie Barnes is a guy I love this year, as he does a little bit of everything. The defensive stats are what set him apart from others being taken in the first two rounds at his position.

Caruso and Hartenstein are both on the Thunder now (I guess they wanted to bring in some defense?), and while both will probably be limited to 28-30 minutes at most, they are very efficient players who don't need to score to have great fantasy value. I like them both a lot this season at their respective ADPs.

Nice little two man game between Caruso and Hartenstein, Hartenstein with the no look to Caruso for a midrange jumper pic.twitter.com/fb44LJqon3

— 𝘈𝘭𝘦𝘹 (@AlexDrProf) October 8, 2024

Derrick White is an incredible player for the categories format and has managed to outperform his ADP in both of the last two years. He's being taken in the fourth round this year, but it's warranted - he's that good.

Jusuf Nurkic might have his warts (injury troubles, free throw shooting), but he has always been a solid steals guy for a big man and has a career average of 2.0 stocks in just 25 minutes per game.

Others Who Just Missed the 1 + 1 Club

• Daniel Gafford (2.1 blocks, 0.9 steals)
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2.0 steals, 0.9 blocks)
• Kawhi Leonard (1.6 steals, 0.9 blocks)
• Evan Mobley (1.4 blocks, 0.9 steals)
• Nikola Jokic (1.4 steals, 0.9 blocks)
• Tari Eason (1.4 steals, 0.9 blocks)
• Kevin Durant (1.2 blocks, 0.9 steals)
• Ausar Thompson (1.1 steals, 0.9 blocks)
• Bam Adebayo (1.1 steals, 0.9 blocks)
• Draymond Green (1 block, 0.9 steals)

Fantasy Basketball Studs: Blocks Specialists

Walker Kessler - C, Utah Jazz

Kessler was one of the best shot-blockers on a per-minute basis last season, swatting 2.4 shots in just 23 minutes per contest. The Jazz have a crowded frontcourt, but Kessler has been in the starting five this preseason and only needs a 25

Brook Lopez - C, Milwaukee Bucks

Lopez has blocked 2.4 and 2.5 shots per game over the last two seasons, playing right around 30 minutes a game for the Bucks. Unlike a traditional center, he also offers 1.9 threes per game. He won't shoot as well from the field as big men who play exclusively in the post, but he's still a 49% career shooter and an excellent free throw shooter as well (79.6% career average).

Rudy Gobert - C, Minnesota Timberwolves

The "Stifle Tower" blocked more than two shots per game for the ninth time in his 11-year career in 2023. You know exactly what you're getting when you draft him - 15 points, 12 boards, and 2 blocks with elite FG%. The biggest knock on Gobert is still his FT%, which he has improved, but he has still been just 64% in the last two seasons.

Josh Minott driving baseline interior pass to Rudy Gobert for the layup pic.twitter.com/kLzHHOHHrY

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) October 13, 2024

Nicolas Claxton - PF/C, Brooklyn Nets

Claxton's 2.1 blocks last season were down from the 2.5 swats he had in 2022. Brooklyn is going to be a mess this season as they are in a full rebuild, but Claxton should continue to play around 30 minutes and produce elite defensive stats. Maybe he will even get more involved on offense and improve his scoring numbers a bit.

Fantasy Basketball Studs: Steals Specialists

Marcus Smart - PG/SG, Memphis Grizzlies

Smart appeared in only 20 games for the Grizzlies last season - his first one in Memphis. Last season was a forgettable one for that franchise as they were without Ja Morant most of the year and several other key players.

Smart did, however, manage 2.1 swipes per game last season and has averaged 1.6 per game over his 9-year career. The Grizzlies need his defense, and he should start alongside Morant in the backcourt. Don't sleep on him in the late rounds of drafts.

De'Anthony Melton- PG/SG, Golden State Warriors

Melton is probably going to be coming off the bench in Golden State but has shown the ability to rack up usable stats even in a bench role in the past. He posted 1.6 steals per contest last season in 27 minutes a night while in Philly and could see enough run with the Warriors' second unit to be a solid steals asset again this year.

Matisse Thybulle - SG/SF, Portland Trailblazers 

Thybulle is a true specialist, as you aren't going to get much from him other than stealing a few threes. But he can pile up steals quickly, as he averaged 1.7 last season in just 23 minutes per game. The Blazers need defenders on the wing, so he should be in the rotation. The injury to Shaedon Sharpe could help him play for enough minutes to stay relevant in standard leagues.

Jalen Suggs - PG/SG, Orlando Magic

Suggs has earned the reputation of being one of the toughest on-ball defenders in the league. His offensive game is slowly becoming more consistent, but he is still far from polished. But his defensive prowess is well-established, as he averaged 1.4 steals per game last season and added an impressive 0.6 blocks (for a guard).

splash zone @jalensuggs for three pic.twitter.com/IiI1rAfkNC

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) October 10, 2024

Dyson Daniels - PG/SG, Atlanta Hawks

Daniels is on just about everyone's "sleeper" list this year, as he looks as if he could end up starting alongside Trae Young in the Atlanta backcourt. Daniels' defense might be the perfect compliment to  Young's offense, as he managed 1.4 steals last year in a 22-minute bench role for the Pelicans.

Daniels can do a little of everything across the board, with his only real weaknesses being points and threes. He's available at the end of drafts and a great pick, as he should have every opportunity to be a very productive fantasy player in Atlanta this season.

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