Cason Wallace, Dyson Daniels and Donovan Clingan are difficult to carry together when you still need to win points. Give up the scoring chase and their steals, passing, rebounds and blocks become much easier to use. The early picks still need to do the heavy lifting: Jokić gives you elite assists from center, Wembanyama establishes a block advantage, and Scottie Barnes combines passing with defense from forward. This guide builds around weekly matchups in a 12-team, nine-category head-to-head league.
Shooting is what makes the roster work. Amen Thompson and Daniels each made only 0.3 threes in 2025-26, so teammates such as Derrick White and OG Anunoby have an important job beyond their defense. At the line, attempt volume matters as much as accuracy: Daniels shot 61.5% on 1.6 attempts, while Jalen Duren's 74.7% came on 6.1. Desmond Bane's 90.8% on 4.2 attempts can support a weaker shooter much more effectively than a high percentage on occasional trips to the line.
The live board uses corrected 2025-26 production with points removed. For the coming season's outlook, compare it with the projected Top 150 and current Yahoo ADP. Written draft ranges use the September 26 ADP snapshot and Yahoo standard pre-ranks checked October 2, with player analysis accounting for role changes, shooting volume and the needs of the surrounding roster.
The strategy
Some of the most useful category players are difficult to draft together when you still need to win points. Cason Wallace scored 8.6 a game last season, Dyson Daniels 11.9 and Donovan Clingan 12.1. Put several of them on a conventional roster and you spend the rest of the draft trying to catch up in scoring. Punt points gives you permission to stop that chase. Wallace can earn his place through steals and ball security, Daniels through passing and rebounding, and Clingan through boards and blocks. The value comes from being able to use those players together at sensible prices.
The opening rounds still need stars. Jokić gives you enough passing from center to spend later picks on defenders, while Wembanyama makes blocks a realistic strength before you draft a second big. Near the first-round turn, Jalen Johnson and Scottie Barnes offer a different foundation: rebounds and assists from forwards, with Barnes doing much more of the shot blocking. Their scoring will sometimes win you a week anyway. In head-to-head categories, the commitment is to stop spending picks to rescue points when another category would benefit more.
The difficult part is keeping enough shooting. Many of the players who rise here also make very few threes, and taking every attractive defender can leave you conceding points, threes and FT%. That is a narrow path through a nine-category matchup. White, Anunoby and Pritchard matter because they let you keep the defensive specialists without surrendering the whole perimeter. This guide assumes a 12-team, nine-category head-to-head league; deliberately finishing near the bottom in points is a much more expensive concession in roto.
Natural strengths & weaknesses
Rebounds and defensive stats are the easiest place to start, but the guards determine how flexible the finished team becomes. Daniels gave you 6.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists; Wallace supplied only 3.1 and 2.6 despite matching his two steals. They solve different problems. Likewise, Duren's 10.5 rebounds came with 0.8 blocks, while Holmgren gave 8.9 boards and 1.9 blocks. A collection of players who improve in the punt rankings can still leave you short in one of the categories you meant to win.
Free-throw percentages can be misleading without the attempt volume. Daniels shot 61.5%, but on just 1.6 attempts per game. Duren made a much more respectable 74.7% while taking 6.1. Against an 80% target, each costs roughly three-tenths of a made free throw per game. You can absorb either with the right teammates: Bane and Daniels together shot about 82.7%, combining their 2025-26 makes and attempts with equal games for each. A strong percentage on tiny volume will not do the same job. Pritchard's 89.0% came on 1.7 attempts, so he helps without providing Bane's influence over the team total.
FG% and turnovers also depend on who you choose. White's 39.5% on 14.4 shots can pull down an otherwise efficient frontcourt; Duren's 65.0% on 11.5 shots is enough to bring their combined shooting to about 50.9%. With turnovers, the attraction of a low-scoring roster disappears if all your assists come from high-usage creators. Jokić and Johnson averaged 3.7 and 3.4 turnovers. Pritchard, Bridges and Tre Jones give you ways to add passing without letting that column get away from you.
The round-by-round draft targets, the building blocks and the example rosters for this build come with a Draft Pass.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I wasting an early pick on a player who scores a lot?
Some of the scoring value will go unused, but the rest of the line can still justify the pick. Jokić gives you elite passing from center; Wembanyama supplies an exceptional block advantage; Shai has enough accurate shooting volume to support several specialists. Take that foundation when the price is right. The punt becomes a mistake when you pass on a better overall contribution simply to find someone with a lower points average.
Can I combine Amen Thompson and Dyson Daniels?
Yes, if the rest of the roster can supply the shooting. Together they offer excellent guard rebounding and passing, but only about half a three per game between them. The FT% problem is more manageable than the individual percentages suggest because Daniels takes relatively few attempts. A Shai or Bane can provide useful support at the line; White, Anunoby and a shooting big can keep threes competitive. Without that support, the pair can push the team toward more category concessions than you intended.
Why not just load up on Gobert, Ausar and other defensive specialists?
Their defense still has value, but removing points does nothing to remove weak free throws or missing threes. Several such players together can leave you needing to win almost every remaining category each week. Wallace is often easier to fit when steals are the goal, while Holmgren or Okongwu can add frontcourt defense and some shooting. Choose the specialist whose weaknesses your existing roster can absorb.
What should I stream once the draft is over?
Use the open spot for the closest winnable category. If rebounds and blocks are already comfortably ahead, another center may do less than a guard who can add threes or steals. Turnovers and percentages need particular care late in a matchup: extra games can hurt as well as help. An open slot does not have to be filled when the additional attempts or turnovers would put a category lead at risk.
Does this work in eight-category leagues or roto?
In eight-category head-to-head leagues, the idea still works, but you lose the turnover advantage that makes players such as Wallace and Pritchard attractive. High-usage passers become easier to draft, and you should reassess the player order with turnovers removed. In roto, a season-long concession in points costs standings points that must be recovered elsewhere. This guide and its sample teams are aimed at weekly head-to-head matchups, where you can build a more direct route to five category wins.