2025-26 Fantasy Basketball Rankings: SF/PF draft tiers

The 2025-26 NBA season is around the corner, so in conjunction with my latest fantasy basketball points and category rankings, I’ve combined the top small forwards and power forwards into tiers to help guide draft strategy in points leagues.

[Join or create a fantasy basketball league for the 2025-26 NBA season]

As always, tiers aren’t strict rankings — they group players with similar upside and value. Drafting from tiers gives you flexibility while ensuring you don’t miss out on positional depth. And of course, there are relevant player insights for those playing in category formats.

Advertisement

Tier 1: The fantasy pillars

• Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

• Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks

Giannis Antetokounmpo: Giannis is as elite as it gets in points leagues, with his blend of scoring, rebounding and playmaking. The turnovers and free throws that sometimes ding him in category leagues don’t matter here. He should be a top-three selection.

Anthony Davis: Davis thrives in points leagues thanks to his defensive stats, rebounding and scoring. His lengthy injury history always lingers, but when healthy, he’s been a top-five fantasy player over the past three seasons, averaging over 52 FPPG.

Tier 2: Elite anchors

• LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers

• Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic

• Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets

• Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks

• Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors

• Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

LeBron James: Even at 40 years old (turning 41 in December), LeBron remains a points-league monster. Father Time apparently has no interest in coming for the King.

Advertisement

Paolo Banchero: Orlando’s young cornerstone is shaping into a LeBron-like fantasy asset for his ability to stuff the stat sheet across categories. It may feel rich putting him into the second tier, but he’s increased his scoring, shooting volume and rebounding in each of his first three seasons. Buy into the upward trajectory.

Kevin Durant: Durant will be worth an early-round pick regardless of format. He’s a basketball mercenary and a new home in Houston won’t prevent him from scoring 25 points a night and over 40 FPPG.

Jalen Johnson: A revamped Hawks squad will only increase his assist potential after already becoming one of the most versatile two-way forwards in the league. He’ll join the esteemed crew of Giannis and Nikola Jokić in the 20-10-5 crew this year.

Advertisement

Scottie Barnes: Barnes’ all-around game shines in points leagues, with rebounds and assists boosting his floor. As Toronto’s centerpiece, his heavy usage locks him into Tier 2 value.

Jaylen Brown: It’s bold, but Brown will likely put up the best numbers of his career. Since 2021, Brown has averaged 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.3 steals in 31 games without Jayson Tatum. When factoring in Brown committing nearly four turnovers per contest, that’s still hovering around 45 FPPG. He’s better for points leagues, but he should still be off the board by Round 4 in category leagues.

Tier 3: All-Star caliber

• Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers

• Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder

• Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic

• Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans

• Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies

Jalen Williams: The third-year pro will comfortably average 20-5-5, making him reliable in points formats. He’s also among the league leaders in steals. With such a high floor, he’s a consistent, safe pick in the early rounds in all formats.

Advertisement

Franz Wagner: Fresh off a EuroBasket victory, Wagner is entering the season on a high note. He’s increased his scoring, rebounds and assists each year of his career, and the Magic will be one of the best teams in the East. Buy the hype.

Zion Williamson: Durability remains his biggest hurdle, but a healthy Zion could enter Tier 2 status as the focal point of the Pelicans’ offense.

Tier 4: Reliable starters

• Deni Avdija, Portland Trail Blazers

• Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans

• Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets

• Josh Hart, New York Knicks

• Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers

• Jimmy Butler, Golden State Warriors

• DeMar DeRozan, Sacramento Kings

• Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks

Deni Avdija: In 20 games after the All-Star break, Deni averaged 23.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. This man is about to become a household name in fantasy basketball this season across all formats.

Advertisement

Josh Hart: Hart does a bit of everything, and his rebounding and assists from the wing position add sneaky value in points leagues. He’s a utility forward who rarely posts duds. Just be aware that last season was likely his peak.

Pascal Siakam: Siakam’s usage and production are pretty similar with and without Tyrese Haliburton on the floor. His early third-round ADP is a bit too high for points and category leagues, but I think he’ll be a solid, high-floor asset no matter the format. I’d rather select other Pacers later, like Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin or Jay Huff.

Cooper Flagg: The rookie enters with high expectations. His defensive instincts, athleticism and scoring ability make him an intriguing upside play in all leagues. You might have to reach into the third round if you want to get him.

Tier 5: High-risk, somewhat high-reward vets

• Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers

• Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz

• Paul George, Philadelphia 76ers

• Brandon Ingram, Toronto Raptors

Advertisement

Kawhi Leonard: Assuming there’s no punishment looming from the NBA’s investigation, Leonard appears to be healthy and ready for the start of the season. He’d be at least two tiers higher if it weren’t for load management.

Lauri Markkanen: Another player who showed out in EuroBasket was Markkanen. It was a nice reminder of how good he is after last season’s blunder. The Jazz should be more competitive this season, but I think his ADP is a bit too high at 43 right now. I’d rather select Markkanen in the fifth round in 12-team leagues.

Brandon Ingram: An ankle sprain forced Ingram to miss over 3/4 of the 2024-25 season. He also got traded midseason to the Raptors. Injuries have been a constant in BI’s career, but from a pure production standpoint, when healthy, he delivers. He joins George as a faller whose ADP is past 70 on Yahoo.

Tier 6: Upside swings

• Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn Nets

• Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls

• Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons

Advertisement

Michael Porter Jr.: I like MPJ this year because he’s poised to average the most points per game of his career. Also, 10 rebounds per game isn’t out of the question. He could be more valuable than people think, given that Brooklyn’s set to be one of the worst teams in basketball.

Matas Buzelis: The minutes should be near the 30s and the Bulls will give him more opportunities to create in Year 2. I’m anticipating he’ll produce more than the 13 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists he averaged as a starter last season. I prefer him for category leagues, but any bump in scoring benefits his potential in points leagues.

Ausar Thompson: The other Thompson twin is on breakout watch. If his minutes can creep into the high 20s, low 30s, we could see a jump to 13-15 PPG along with 6 boards, 3 assists and upwards of two stocks per contest. The Pistons will be good, and his ascension is key to their growth.

Advertisement

Tier 7: Solid vets playing big minutes

• RJ Barrett, Toronto Raptors

• Julius Randle, Minnesota Timberwolves

• OG Anunoby, New York Knicks

• Cameron Johnson, Denver Nuggets

• Mikal Bridges, New York Knicks

• John Collins, Los Angeles Clippers

• Andrew Wiggins, Miami Heat

RJ Barrett: I could be sleeping on a consistently undervalued points league asset, but I’m skeptical he’ll keep it up with Brandon Ingram also vying for touches. Barrett averaged 37 FPPG last year …

Julius Randle: Randle finally found his footing with the Wolves in the postseason. However, I’m concerned he won’t generate the counting stats we’re used to. For the first time in his career, he averaged fewer than eight rebounds per game. His scoring also dropped to 18.7 PPG, the lowest in four seasons. He has refined his game and is actually better for category leagues than points.

John Collins: The Clippers are stacked, removing Collins’ tank risk that impacted his fantasy value playing in Utah. He’s also an efficiency guy but still offers plenty from a scoring, rebounding and defensive standpoint.

Advertisement

Cameron Johnson: Like Anunoby, efficiency drives much of Johnson’s fantasy value. I prefer them both for category leagues because they’ll average between 15-18 PPG with middling rebounding and assists, but a steady starting role playing 30+ minutes per night.

Tier 8: Reliable role players

• Santi Aldama, Memphis Grizzlies

• Bobby Portis Jr., Milwaukee Bucks

• Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets

• Kyle Kuzma, Milwaukee Bucks

• Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors

• De’Andre Hunter, Cleveland Cavaliers

• Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings

• Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors

• Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers

• Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves

• Tobias Harris, Detroit Pistons

• Klay Thompson, Dallas Mavericks

Santi Aldama: We don’t know if Jaren Jackson Jr. (toe) will be ready for the start of the season, but Aldama is a sneaky option to consider for points and category leagues. His ADP is climbing over the past seven days to 119th overall, but he could outperform that ADP with Desmond Bane gone and JJJ shelved temporarily. Many wouldn’t have suspected that Aldama’s improved in almost all categories, year-over-year, except for blocks per game and FT%.

Aaron Gordon: Gordon thrives next to Jokić and will quietly contribute across scoring, rebounding and assists. He’s an underrated stat-stuffer.

Advertisement

Keegan Murray: He needs a change of scenery. There are too many players ahead of him in the pecking order for me to get excited in points or category leagues.

Jonathan Kuminga: I doubt he’ll get traded by the start of the season, which means he’ll be coming off the bench for the Warriors. It’s far from an ideal scenario, but Kuminga could be one of the top scoring bench options in the league.

Tier 9: Back-end depth

• Jeremy Sochan, San Antonio Spurs

• Herbert Jones, New Orleans Pelicans

• P.J. Washington Jr., Dallas Mavericks

• Obi Toppin, Indiana Pacers

• Keldon Johnson, San Antonio Spurs

• Kyshawn George, Washington Wizards

• Tari Eason, Houston Rockets

• Terrence Shannon, Minnesota Timberwolves

• Bilal Coulibaly, Washington Wizards

• Naji Marshall, Dallas Mavericks

• Jabari Smith Jr., Houston Rockets

• Rui Hachimura, Los Angeles Lakers

• Gradey Dick, Toronto Raptors

• Grayson Allen, Phoenix Suns

• Aaron Nesmith, Indiana Pacers

• Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers

• Kelly Oubre Jr., Philadelphia 76ers

• Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks

• Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies

• Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets

• Khris Middleton, Washington Wizards

Ace Bailey: Bailey is on track to start at SF this year and, despite his shortcomings as a defender, he can score with the best of them. Given the efficiency concerns, I would target him late in points leagues over category formats.

Advertisement

Herbert Jones: I hope Herb can stay healthy because he’s one of the best defenders in the league. His skill set is more impactful for category leagues, but keep an eye on him if you’re looking for stocks and 3s late.

Kyshawn George: The injury to Bilal Coulibaly could pay off for the Canadian forward, as George could sneak into the starting unit. George is a budding two-way player who played extremely confidently across the Vegas Summer League and AmeriCup tournaments. He’s one of my sleepers whom I’ll be targeting late in drafts regardless of format.

Tari Eason: He’s going to have to wait, but he’ll remain an effective per-minute player, especially in category leagues. Jabari Smith Jr. is another option to consider.

Advertisement

Toumani Camara: Similar to Herb Jones, Camara has become one of the top defensive players in the NBA. If he can take a step forward offensively, it’d elevate him a tier or two, but there’s a lot of mouths to feed in Portland.

Tier 10: Streamers

• Luguentz Dort, Oklahoma City Thunder

• Harrison Barnes, San Antonio Spurs

• Guerschon Yabusele, New York Knicks

• Jalen Smith, Chicago Bulls

• Alex Caruso, Oklahoma City Thunder

• Cam Whitmore, Washington Wizards

• Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami Heat

• Sam Hauser, Boston Celtics

• Royce O’Neale, Phoenix Suns

• Vince Williams Jr., Memphis Grizzlies

• Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers

• Aaron Wiggins, Oklahoma City Thunder

• Justin Edwards, Philadelphia 76ers

• Ronald Holland II, Detroit Pistons

• Taylor Hendricks, Utah Jazz