X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Fantasy Basketball Draft Day Disappointments

It is your turn to pick and your mouth salivates at the thought of getting that player that you just know is going to break out. That player everyone else is sleeping on, but you know deep in your gut this player will exceed all expectations and show everyone else what a fantasy basketball guru you really are. Some people in your draft may scratch their heads at what they consider you reaching, but you know you'll have all the validation in the world when you're hoisting your league championship proudly above your head.

Despite all of your scouting and research however, the impossible has happened...your "stud" is looking more like a bust. The buyer's remorse starts settling in and you start thinking of all the amazing players you passed on your quest to acquire your sleeper. Players you did not look twice at are producing at levels that make you envious. Suddenly what once seemed like a steal, now feels like a gigantic burden.

This scenario is one that is all too familiar to anyone that plays fantasy sports. As the imperfect humans that we all are, we all buy into hype, or perhaps find a little too much pleasure in being the one to discover "a hidden gem". While finding sleepers will always be one of the most gratifying aspects of crafting your team, finding out your pick was more Anthony Randolph than Rudy Gobert will cause you to lose sleep at night. In this article I want to discuss some of the players that I personally identified as draft day studs, but so far have looked a lot more like busts.

 

Draft Day Disappointments

Jamal Murray, PG/SG, Denver Nuggets

Jamal was easily one of the most overhyped players I witnessed the entire off-season in fantasy basketball circles, including by yours truly. Jamal Murray who for his young age is an incredibly skilled players was getting comparisons to fantasy studs such as C.J McCollum and Bradley Beal. Ambitious owners identified him as the clear cut favorite for the starting point guard on a Nuggets team already sporting other fantasy beasts such as Gary Harris, Paul Millsap and Nicola Jokic. His potential to score, hit 3s at a high rate, while boosting your percentages and assists was simply too alluring.

While on paper his raw stats of 13.4 points per game, three rebounds per game and 2.3 assists per game are not terrible, they are not nearly enough to offset his complete lack of peripheral stats. His .7 steals and .2 blocks are not the only ugly side to his fantasy game however, as this overhyped baller is only shooting 42% from the field and a stinky 1.1 three pointers made per game at 25.3% shooting (much maligned Lonzo Ball is shooting 25.7 percent from three at 1.3 per game). This abysmal production was definitely not what his owners were expecting when they burned a mid-round pick on him.

Josh Richardson, PG/SG/SF, Miami Heat

Josh Richardson serves as living proof that old habits do indeed die hard. Josh Richardson's hype in fantasy basketball circles has been ongoing for much of the last two seasons. After showing the potential to be an elite 3 and D player as a rookie for the Heat, many people bet on Josh Richardson providing value similar to fantasy studs such as Patrick Beverley and Trevor Ariza. After starting the 2016-2017 season at a snail's pace, Josh proceeded to average 15 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.5 blocks, 2.3 steals, 2.8 3 pointers on a red-hot 53% from that range in six April games. That small 6 game sample-size was enough to make everyone forget the mostly abysmal production he displayed the rest of the season.

Josh Richardson proceeded to validate those owners who reached for him by looking like a stocks (steals and blocks) monster in the preseason. That is right around where the fun ended, however, as he proceeded to tank the field goal percentage of anyone who gave him a chance. With meager averages of 9.6 points on 39% field goal, three rebounds, two assists, and 2.2 turnovers with 1.4 threes at a abhorrent 28% from that range in 32 minutes per game, those who haven't cut bait have heavily considered it. While his 1.3 steals and .7 blocks per game are fairly decent for a guard, it's a far-cry from the production those who drafted him were banking on. While he has looked a lot more productive over the last week, it's too early to tell if it's another mirage from a very inconsistent player.

Nerlens Noel, PF/C, Dallas Mavericks

After an off-season full of rumors claiming that Nerlens Noel turned down a near maximum contract extension with the Dallas Mavericks and instead took his qualifying offer, many owners used a mid-round pick to acquire his services. I personally drafted Noel in over half of my leagues, with visions of his elite blocks and steals potential while helping to anchor my field goal percentage. Noel burst out of the gate with 16 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and a steal on a spotless six for six from the field, making all of those who drafted him look like geniuses.

Things soured very quickly, though, as his minutes continued to drop from the low 20s, to the mid-teens, to suddenly not even playing at all. The player many reached for to be a game-changer, was suddenly losing his minutes to players such as Salah Mejri and Dwight Powell. With constant news coming out of Dallas that the Mavericks are not at all thrilled with his work ethic, I dropped Nerlens Noel in leagues deep as 20 teams. While the potential still exists for a break-out from Noel, it looks like he has gotten himself an extended lease in Rick Carlisle's dog house.

Russell Westbrook, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder

Some of you may be asking how Mr. Triple Doubles finds himself on my list. On paper his popcorn stats are still as savory as ever, with 22 points per game, 9.1 rebounds and 9.7 assists per game. Everything has to be kept in context however, and so far Mr. Westbrook is not performing at the level in which he was drafted, with many people picking him within the top 5 picks. With Paul George and Carmelo Anthony joining the fray, and decent role players such as Patrick Patterson coming onboard to shore up the Thunder's shooting, many expected Westbrook to replace some of his volume scoring, with higher efficiency. Instead of producing at the top 5 level in which he was drafted, Westbrook is currently ranked in the 40s on Yahoo mostly due to his 40% field goal percentage on 19 shots per game, and a pedestrian 72% from the free-throw line. While this lack of elite production may be seen as simply early seasons struggles, I don't think anyone expected this type of drop-off after an MVP clinching campaign.

Gorgui Dieng, PF/C, Minnesota Timberwolves

While Dieng may not be a house hold name, for the past two seasons he was considered an elite fantasy producer among competitive fantasy basketball owners. As a big man who could contribute in every category while not hurting you in any category, many owners brushed off the Timberwolves signing Taj Gibson and used a mid-round pick to have him on their team. It did not take very long however for owners to realize that Taj Gibson was a more disruptive force than he was given credit for. Dieng is only averaging 16.7 minutes per game, which is the lowest minutes he has received since his rookie year. While his per 36 numbers are in line with his career production, his blocks took a very steep drop from 1.3 blocks per 36, to an almost non-existent .2 per game. A big man that was once known for shooting above 80% from the free-throw line, is now shooting a much less impressive 74% on freebies. While there is still hope of a resurgence, many owners might consider a turn-around as too little, too late.

 

More Fantasy Basketball Analysis

 

NBA DFS Premium Subscription

Get a free trial of our powerful NBA Premium Tools. Our famous DFS Cheat Sheets, and NBA Lineup Optimizer & Generator with daily matchup projections.

Win more. Try the most advanced lineup optimizer in daily fantasy basketball.

Sign Up Now!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Pete Crow-Armstrong

Homers Twice, Drives in Three
Brice Matthews

Joining Astros
MLB

White Sox-Guardians Postponed on Thursday
Brandon Aiyuk

Likely to Begin Season on PUP List, but Not Ruled Out for Week 1
Jameson Williams

Not in the Team's Long-Term Plans?
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Micah Parsons

Plans to be Present for Start of Training Camp
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Ikem Ekwonu

Next Up for Extension in Carolina?
Jalen Thompson

Heading into Last Year With Cardinals?
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Najee Harris

Suffers Eye Injury in Fireworks Mishap
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Alex Bregman

Will Return to Red Sox This Weekend
Chris Sale

Braves Won't Consider Trading Chris Sale
Clarke Schmidt

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery on Friday
Nick Nash

Unlikely to Make Falcons Active Roster
Lane Johnson

in No Rush To Retire
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Blake Corum

has "Gotten His Speed Back"
Jarquez Hunter

Picking Up Rams Offense Quickly
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Kirk Cousins

Feels Misled by Falcons
Bijan Robinson

Says Falcons Have "Outlandish Goals" for the Running Game
Luther Burden III

Bears Expect Luther Burden III to be Ready for Training Camp
Cole Kmet

an Unlikely Trade Piece
Tony Pollard

Titans Hope to Balance Rushing Attack With Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Quentin Johnston

Not Assured of Starting Role
Cordarrelle Patterson

on the Roster Bubble in Pittsburgh?
Shedeur Sanders

Not Assured of Roster Spot in Cleveland?
Wan'Dale Robinson

Hoping For More Downfield Opportunities
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome on the Trade Block?
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Zach Tom

An Extension Candidate in Green Bay
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Expected to Return on Friday
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Chet Holmgren

Agrees to Rookie Max Extension
Alex Bregman

Not Returning Wednesday
Jhoan Duran

Unavailable Due to Illness
Shane McClanahan

Tosses Clean Frame in First Rehab Appearance
Jacob Wilson

Day-to-Day After HBP
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. to be Reassessed Wednesday
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Malaki Branham

Traded to Washington
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Blake Wesley

Moves to Washington
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Kelly Olynyk

on the Move Again
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF