Adam Koffler's Updated 2021-22 Fantasy Basketball Rankings

With the preseason underway and NBA storylines setting in, it's time to refresh our fantasy basketball draft rankings.

Below you'll find my updated 2021-2022 fantasy basketball rankings, compared to my original rankings prior to the start of the preseason. The nine categories include FG%, FT%, 3PM, Points, Rebounds, Assists, Steals, Blocks, and Turnovers.

I'll highlight a few of the biggest risers and fallers and explain why my stance on them has shifted. Let's get right into it!

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers received five total writing awards and 13 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, tops in the industry! Congrats to all the award winners and nominees including NBA Writer of the Year, Best NFL Series, MLB Series, PGA Writer and Player Notes writer of the year. Be sure to follow their analysis, rankings and advice all year long, and win big with RotoBaller! Read More!

 

9-Category Head-to-Head Rankings

Rankings updated on 10/11/2021

Tier	Adam's Ranking	Player	Team	Positions	Change
1	1	Nikola Jokic	DEN	C	0
1	2	Stephen Curry	GSW	PG	0
1	3	James Harden	BKN	PG,SG	2
1	4	Karl-Anthony Towns	MIN	C	0
1	5	Giannis Antetokounmpo	MIL	SF,PF	-2
1	6	Damian Lillard	POR	PG	0
1	7	Luka Doncic	DAL	PG,SG	0
2	8	Kevin Durant	BKN	SF,PF	3
2	9	Joel Embiid	PHI	C	-1
2	10	Jayson Tatum	BOS	SF,PF	-1
2	11	Paul George	LAC	SG,SF	-1
2	12	Bradley Beal	WAS	SG	0
2	13	Fred VanVleet	TOR	PG,SG	0
2	14	Anthony Davis	LAL	PF,C	0
2	15	Michael Porter Jr.	DEN	SF	0
2	16	Jimmy Butler	MIA	SG,SF	0
3	17	Bam Adebayo	MIA	PF,C	0
3	18	Domantas Sabonis	IND	PF,C	0
3	19	LaMelo Ball	CHA	PG,SG	3
3	20	Jaylen Brown	BOS	SG,SF	0
3	21	Nikola Vucevic	CHI	C	0
3	22	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	OKC	PG	-3
3	23	Zach LaVine	CHI	PG,SG	3
3	24	Chris Paul	PHO	PG	-1
3	25	Trae Young	ATL	PG	0
3	26	Jrue Holiday	MIL	PG,SG	3
3	27	Rudy Gobert	UTH	C	0
3	28	OG Anunoby	TOR	SF	0
3	29	Kristaps Porzingis	DAL	PF,C	5
3	30	Deandre Ayton	PHO	C	2
3	31	Donovan Mitchell	UTH	PG,SG	0
4	32	Richaun Holmes	SAC	C,PF	1
4	33	Khris Middleton	MIL	SG,SF	-3
4	34	Tobias Harris	PHI	SF,PF	1
4	35	Zion Williamson	NOR	PF	1
4	36	Christian Wood	HOU	PF	1
4	37	Brandon Ingram	NOR	SG,SF	1
4	38	Jaren Jackson Jr.	MEM	PF	4
4	39	Devin Booker	PHO	SG	1
4	40	De'Aaron Fox	SAC	PG	6
4	41	Dejounte Murray	SAS	PG	8
4	42	Julius Randle	NYK	PF,C	-3
4	43	Myles Turner	IND	C	0
4	44	Clint Capela	ATL	C	0
4	45	Malcolm Brogdon	IND	PG,SG	0
4	46	Derrick White	SAS	PG	4
4	47	John Collins	ATL	PF,C	1
4	48	LeBron James	LAL	SF	-7
5	49	Robert Williams III	BOS	C	-2
5	50	Tyrese Haliburton	SAC	PG,SG	5
5	51	Jusuf Nurkic	POR	C	0
5	52	Kyrie Irving	BKN	PG,SG	-28
5	53	Lonzo Ball	CHI	PG	0
5	54	CJ McCollum	POR	PG, SG	2
5	55	Anthony Edwards	MIN	SG,SF	3
5	56	Mikal Bridges	PHO	SF	-4
5	57	Pascal Siakam	TOR	PF	0
5	58	Kyle Lowry	MIA	PG	7
5	59	Marcus Smart	BOS	PG,SG	0
5	60	Terry Rozier	CHA	PG,SG	0
5	61	Jonas Valanciunas	NOR	C	1
5	62	Jakob Poeltl	SAS	C	-1
6	63	Caris LeVert	IND	SF,SG	0
6	64	Isaiah Stewart	DET	PF,C	9
6	65	Mike Conley	UTH	PG	2
6	66	Bogdan Bogdanovic	ATL	SG,SF	3
6	67	Darius Garland	CLE	PG	1
6	68	Ben Simmons	PHI	PG,SF	2
6	69	Jarrett Allen	CLE	C	-5
6	70	Ja Morant	MEM	PG	1
6	71	Russell Westbrook III	LAL	PG	-17
6	72	Gordon Hayward	CHA	SG,SF	0
6	73	DeMar DeRozan	CHI	SG,SF	1
6	74	Jerami Grant	DET	SF,PF	3
6	75	D'Angelo Russell	MIN	PG,SG	0
6	76	Spencer Dinwiddie	WAS	PG	0
6	77	Draymond Green	GSW	PF,C	1
6	78	Robert Covington	POR	SF,PF	1
6	79	Chris Boucher	TOR	PF,C	-13
6	80	Cade Cunningham	DET	SF	0
6	81	Collin Sexton	CLE	PG,SG	0
7	82	Nickeil Alexander-Walker	NOR	SG,SF	0
7	83	P.J. Washington	CHA	PF	0
7	84	Buddy Hield	SAC	SG	0
7	85	De'Anthony Melton	MEM	PG	46
7	86	Devonte' Graham	NOR	PG	0
7	87	Andrew Wiggins	GSW	SG,SF	0
7	88	Norman Powell	POR	SG, SF	0
7	89	Evan Mobley	CLE	PF,C	7
7	90	Kemba Walker	NYK	PG	0
7	91	Kyle Anderson	MEM	SG,SF,PF	0
7	92	Miles Bridges	CHA	SF	0
7	93	Harrison Barnes	SAC	SF,PF	0
7	94	Jordan Clarkson	UTH	PG,SG	0
7	95	Kevin Porter Jr.	HOU	PG,SF	0
8	96	Brook Lopez	MIL	C	-7
8	97	Jalen Green	HOU	SG	0
8	98	Daniel Gafford	WAS	SF	1
8	99	Al Horford	BOS	PF,C	22
8	100	Thaddeus Young	SAS	SF,PF	3
8	101	Jordan Poole	GSW	PG,SG	77
8	102	Evan Fournier	NYK	SG,SF	0
8	103	Keldon Johnson	SAS	SF	5
8	104	Mitchell Robinson	NYK	C	0
8	105	RJ Barrett	NYK	SF	2
8	106	T.J. McConnell	IND	PG	9
8	107	Jalen Suggs	ORL	SG	-6
8	108	Jonathan Isaac	ORL	PF,SF	-8
8	109	Kelly Olynyk	DET	PF,C	1
8	110	Mo Bamba	ORL	C	-1
8	111	Ivica Zubac	LAC	C	5
8	112	Duncan Robinson	MIA	SG,SF	7
8	113	Saddiq Bey	DET	SF,PF	0
8	114	Jae'Sean Tate	HOU	SF,PF	0
8	115	Josh Giddey	OKC	PG,SG	59
9	116	Nerlens Noel	NYK	C	-5
9	117	Seth Curry	PHI	PG, SG	5
9	118	Jaden McDaniels	MIN	PF	-20
9	119	Nicolas Claxton	BKN	PF,C	-1
9	120	Aleksej Pokusevski	OKC	SG,SF	14
9	121	De'Andre Hunter	ATL	SF	-1
9	122	Scottie Barnes	TOR	SF,PF	NR
9	123	Isaiah Roby	OKC	PF,C	0
9	124	Khem Birch	TOR	PF,C	0
9	125	Tyrese Maxey	PHI	SG	8
9	126	Wendell Carter Jr.	ORL	C	0
9	127	Tyler Herro	MIA	SG	57
9	128	Steven Adams	MEM	C	0
9	129	Mason Plumlee	CHA	PF,C	-4
9	130	Desmond Bane	MEM	SG	6
9	131	Kelly Oubre Jr.	CHA	SF	6
9	132	Bojan Bogdanovic	UTH	SG,SF	-3
9	133	Joe Ingles	UTH	SG,SF	8
9	134	Marvin Bagley III	SAC	PF	43
9	135	Will Barton	DEN	SG,SF	4
9	136	Dillon Brooks	MEM	SF	-6
9	137	Kevin Huerter	ATL	SG	-20
9	138	Daniel Theis	HOU	PF,C	35
9	139	Donte DiVincenzo	MIL	SG	9
9	140	Royce O'Neale	UTH	SF	-8
9	141	Chuma Okeke	ORL	PF	-3
10	142	Cole Anthony	ORL	PG,SG	14
10	143	Andre Drummond	PHI	C	0
10	144	Darius Bazley	OKC	PF	0
10	145	Aaron Gordon	DEN	SF,PF	1
10	146	Matisse Thybulle	PHI	SG	3
10	147	James Wiseman	GSW	C	14
10	148	Eric Bledsoe	LAC	PG,SG	-1
10	149	Reggie Jackson	LAC	PG,SG	-37
10	150	Bobby Portis Jr.	MIL	PF,C	-5
10	151	Lauri Markkanen	CLE	PF	-16
10	152	Klay Thompson	GSW	SG,SF	-47
10	153	Larry Nance Jr.	POR	PF,C	-13
10	154	Joe Harris	BKN	SG,SF	-1
10	155	Isaac Okoro	CLE	SG,SF	24
10	156	Victor Oladipo	MIA	PG,SG	-2
10	157	Luguentz Dort	OKC	SF	-2
10	158	Killian Hayes	DET	PG,SG	-31
11	159	Kyle Kuzma	WAS	SF,PF	-9
11	160	John Wall	HOU	PG	-75
11	161	Danilo Gallinari	ATL	SF,PF	-10
11	162	Thomas Bryant	WAS	C	0
11	163	Montrezl Harrell	WAS	PF,C	-11
11	164	Gary Trent Jr.	TOR	SG,SF	-6
11	165	Enes Kanter	BOS	C	0
11	166	Dennis Schroder	BOS	PG	-9
11	167	Moses Brown	DAL	C	0
11	168	Malachi Flynn	TOR	PG	-9
11	169	Immanuel Quickley	NYK	PG,SG	-1
11	170	Facundo Campazzo	DEN	PG	-1
11	171	Precious Achiuwa	TOR	PF,C	NR
11	172	Marcus Morris Sr.	LAC	SF,PF	-12
11	173	Patrick Williams	CHI	F	-10
11	174	Danny Green	PHI	SG,SF	-10
11	175	Tim Hardaway Jr.	DAL	SG,SF	0
11	176	Derrick Rose	NYK	PG	-6
11	177	Rui Hachimura	WAS	PF	-11
11	178	Monte Morris	DEN	PG	-2
11	179	Malik Beasley	MIN	PG, SG	2
11	180	Xavier Tillman	MEM	PF	-9
11	181	Ricky Rubio	CLE	PG	2
11	182	Davis Bertans	WAS	PF,C	-10
11	183	Kendrick Nunn	LAL	PG,SG	NR
11	184	Markelle Fultz	ORL	PG,SG	1
11	185	Luke Kennard	LAC	SG	1
11	186	Goran Dragic	TOR	PG,SG	1
11	187	Kawhi Leonard	LAC	SG,SF	-81
11	188	Coby White	CHI	PG	0
11	189	Juan Toscano-Anderson	GSW	SF,PF	-9
11	190	Derrick Favors	OKC	PF,C	-8
11	191	Josh Richardson	BOS	SG,SF	0
11	192	Brandon Clarke	MEM	PF	-3
11	193	Alec Burks	NYK	SG	0
11	194	T.J. Warren	IND	SF, PF	-4
11	195	Hassan Whiteside	UTH	C	-3
11	196	Dorian Finney-Smith	DAL	SF,PF	-2
11	197	Jamal Murray	DEN	PG	-55
11	198	Otto Porter Jr.	GSW	SF, PF	-3
11	199	Jae Crowder	PHO	SF,PF	-3
11	200	Kevin Love	CLE	PF,C	-2

 

Biggest Risers

James Harden (Updated Rank: 3, Change: +2) and Kevin Durant (Updated Rank: 8, Change: +3)

Nets head coach Steve Nash admitted recently that Kyrie Irving would not be able to play in home games in Brooklyn. That means at maximum, Irving plays in 41 games this season. Because of that, I'm bumping both James Harden and Kevin Durant up in my rankings, even if ever-so-slightly. Both guys sport a usage rate north of 33% when Kyrie is off the floor.

Kristaps Porzingis (Updated Rank: 29, Change: +5)

He's finished 17th and 22nd on a per-game basis the last two seasons. Granted, he's also missed a number of games, but he looks completely healthy coming into this season. I'll chalk the missed games the last two seasons up to the shortened and condensed schedule. In his first two preseason games, Porzingis is averaging 11 points (50% FG), 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, one steal, 2.5 blocks, and just one turnover in 17.5 minutes per game. Another big season is in store for Kristaps playing alongside Luka Doncic.

Dejounte Murray (Updated Rank: 41, Change: +8)

Murray heads into the season as the heart and soul of this Spurs team now that DeMar DeRozan is in Chicago. He and Derrick White will be called upon to lead this offense on a nightly basis. After just two preseason games, I'm sold on his ability to fill up the box score in all facets. Through two games, Murray is averaging 15 points (48% FG, 100% FT), five rebounds, 4.5 assists, two steals, and just 1.5 turnovers in 24.5 minutes per game. I'm bullish on both Murray and White this season.

De'Anthony Melton (Updated Rank: 85, Change: +46)

All we've ever wanted for Melton was more minutes. In two seasons with the Grizzlies, he's averaged just 19.7 minutes per game. But he's always performed admirably when on the court. Now, we've seen Melton start all three preseason games. Maybe the Grizzlies are just testing things out with Melton and Desmond Bane in the starting lineup, but at a minimum, Melton's minutes should certainly creep into the mid 20's. In those three preseason games, he's averaging 10.7 points, 2.7 3PM, 2.7 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and just 0.7 turnovers per game. He fills the stat sheet and rarely turns the ball over. Count me in even if it means I have to reach for the Memphis guard this season.

Evan Mobley (Updated Rank: 89, Change: +7)

I wasn't sure how Mobley would play alongside Jarrett Allen, but he seems to be doing just fine through four preseason games. In those four games, the 3rd overall pick out of USC is averaging 9.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, one steal, and two blocks in 28.5 minutes per game. He looks like the real deal, especially on the defensive end of the floor and on the glass.

Jordan Poole (Updated Rank: 101, Change: +77)

Poole has started all three preseason games and is taking full advantage of the opportunity while Klay Thompson is out. In those three games, he has averaged 25 points, 4.7 3PM, three rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. He's only turned the ball over once per game on average. He's going to be awesome at least until Thompson returns, which might not be until the new year.

Josh Giddey (Updated Rank: 115, Change: +59)

Giddey, the 6th overall pick out of Australia, started in each of the Thunder's first two preseason games. It's just two games, but he's averaging 13.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 27 minutes per game. The Thunder could lean on the rookie as soon as the first game of the regular season as they crave another playmaker alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Scottie Barnes (Updated Rank: 122, Change: not previously ranked)

Another rookie, 4th overall pick out of Florida State, has more than seized his opportunity in the preseason. With Pascal Siakam recovering from labrum surgery, Barnes has opened the preseason as a starter. Through three games, he's averaging 10 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists, one steal, and 1.3 blocks per game. His well-rounded game is gold in 9-category head-to-head leagues. He should capitalize on starter minutes from the jump.

Tyler Herro (Updated Rank: 127, Change: +57)

This one's interesting. Herro hasn't played alongside Jimmy Butler very often this preseason, but his performances are noteworthy nonetheless. Through three games, Herro is averaging 25.3 points, five rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. He won't continue this torrid pace playing alongside Jimmy Buckets and Kyle Lowry, but maybe he carves out a bigger role in the offense this season than he did last season.

 

Biggest Fallers

LeBron James (Updated Rank: 48, Change: -7)

LeBron and his newest teammate Russell Westbrook played one preseason game together. In that game, James scored just nine points and had just three rebounds and two assists. Granted, he played just 17 minutes and it's the preseason, but I'm concerned about those assist numbers this season. Last season, he averaged 7.8 assists per game, but with Westbrook now in town, LeBron probably won't come anywhere near that number this season. Add that to the fact that he probably won't score as much either, and I'm just generally out on the King this season from a fantasy basketball perspective.

Kyrie Irving (Updated Rank: 52, Change: -28)

See James Harden and Kevin Durant's write-ups in the Biggest Risers section above. Kyrie may only play half the games this season since he can't play in Brooklyn due to local COVID-19 regulations for unvaccinated individuals. I'd have a hard time taking a guy in the 2nd or 3rd round that may only play 41 total games this season (or even less).

Russell Westbrook (Updated Rank: 71, Change: -17)

For the same reason I'm off LeBron, I'm also off Russell Westbrook. He finished 77th overall on a per-game basis in 9-category head-to-head leagues, and that was with averaging a triple-double. His poor shooting and tendency to turn the ball over are going to hurt you more than the other stats are going to help you. I don't think he finishes inside the top-80 players this season playing alongside LeBron James in Los Angeles.

Jaden McDaniels (Updated Rank: 118, Change: -20)

I've been on Jaden McDaniels all offseason. While two preseason games shouldn't change that, I'm knocking him down just a bit in my rankings. In two games, he's scored just two total points on 1-of-7 shooting. He's also averaged just two rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.5 steals, and two turnovers per game in 17.5 minutes per game. He's got a ton of "potential," I'm just worried it doesn't translate to fantasy value with all the other pieces on the Minnesota roster.

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