The three-ball has arguably become the basis of scoring in the NBA – so we decided to take some shots downtown too. Here, fantasy basketball analyst Dan Titus will break down the three things fantasy managers need to know. Or he will divide various advice, analysis and more into three points – it just depends on how open he is from Deep.
Using one of Yahoo Fantasy’s search toolshere are three players who have appeared most frequently on the Public League’s top 500 teams in the 2023-2024 season.
Kawhi Leonard – SG/SF/PF – Los Angeles Clippers
Leonard has been one of the most frustrating players to draft in Fantasy over the years because of injuries and the dreaded phrase “load management.” Leonard has had to rest to preserve his long-term health, and while that is 1000% the right thing to do, it has significantly devalued his value in fantasy basketball. The 2023-2024 season was no different, as Leonard performed a third-round ADP in the preseason, and I remember seeing him go to the fourth round in some leagues due to injury issues.
And so he decided to play 68 games this season and add value in the first round. In addition to being sixth in value per game across nine category formats, he was also in 19.6% of Yahoo’s top public leagues this season – finishing in the top 10.
He was on the verge of a 50/40/90 season before injuries set him back, at literally the worst time for fantasy managers. Still, if we’re talking about a full season’s worth of production, Leonard finally got the fantasy managers.
As the Clippers prepare for a first-round matchup against the Mavericks, Leonard will have plenty of time to recover from a demanding season in which he played the most games since 2016-2017. At 32 years old, it’s time for fantasy managers to recognize that he is two years removed from his ACL injury and has returned to providing first-round value in fantasy basketball.
Donte DiVincenzo – SG/SF, New York Knicks
Big Ragù took the overall crown, appearing in 29% of the best teams in Yahoo leagues this season. With an average draft position (ADP) well into the 14th round and a miniscule 6% draft rate, DiVincenzo posted the best scoring numbers of his career, averaging 15.4 points per game along with 3.5 field goals. of three points, hitting them at 40%. clip.
He was also one of the best waiver wire catchers of the year.
Those who drafted him into deep, competitive leagues likely abandoned him after a not-so-attractive start to the season, when he averaged just 10 points, three rebounds and two assists per night from October through December. But if you were able to snag him early in 2024, congratulations because DiVincenzo really took off after that, averaging 18 points, four rebounds and three assists over the next 46 games.
At 27, he’s in his prime, but this may have been Donte’s prime considering he benefited from the RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley trade and the series of injuries that helped his substantial jump in his first year as a Knick.
The six-year pro started 60 of 78 games this season, which was significant because his offensive and defensive production, as well as his availability, catapulted his ranking to 31st in leagues across nine categories heading into the final week of the regular season. . Per game, he finished 60th, but what mattered most was that he was reliable and consistent for fantasy managers over the final three months of the season.
Here are DiVincenzo’s numbers during that period:
-
February: 37.5 MP / 21.7 PTS / 4.0 REB / 3.1 AST / 1.4 STL / 4.5 3PM
-
March: 37.3 MP / 19.2 PTS / 4.4 REB / 3.3 AST / 1.9 STL / 4.5 3PM
-
April: 36.4 MP / 21.8 PTS / 4.2 REB / 3.4 AST / 1.2 STL / 4.8 3PM
Heading into Thursday, he had made the third-most threes in the league and even set the Knicks franchise record for threes in a game with 11. He has undoubtedly helped the Knicks become a true contender in the East, elevating the teams of fantasy basketball to be among the best in head-to-head formats.
Ayo Dosunmu – SG/SF, Chicago Bulls
A-YO (in my voice Razor Ramon)! We have one outlier in the top 10 MVP list, and that’s Dosunmu. The third-year pro is the only player in the top 10 on Yahoo’s MVP list who is outside the top 120 in per-game value across nine-category formats. Despite that, Dosunmu has been one of the few iron men on a Bulls team that can’t seem to stay healthy. He never played fewer than 76 games in his first three seasons, which is impressive in the era of load management.
Considering season-ending injuries to Zach LaVine and Patrick Williams, as well as the oft-injured Alex Caruso, Dosunmu seized the opportunity and, with his production, jumped to 80th in total value this year. Finishing the year in the top 20% of Yahoo teams is pretty impressive considering he wasn’t drafted in every league this year. His 20% position in head-to-head leagues ranked sixth among players this season, and as I mentioned before, the production helped his case.
Dosunmu has recorded career-bests in points, steals, blocks, free throw percentage and threes made while starting 37 games this season. His numbers improved as a starter, but specifically after the All-Star break, he took a considerable leap as his increase in minutes led to more points (16.8), higher assists (5.2), and usage rates (18 %). He improved month after month, and fantasy managers who held out until the end were rewarded with a top-55 player in the final month of the fantasy basketball season.
He’s shown a lot of growth this year, and given his efficiency from the field (50/40/81 shooting splits), he could be a late target for fantasy managers if the Bulls decide to make offseason moves related to Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams or Alex Caruso.
