2025 Fantasy Basketball Draft Kit: Strategy, rankings — everything you need to win your league

Fantasy basketball draft season is here! We’ve gathered all of our top-notch analysis and advice in one place to help you build those eventual championship-winning teams.

The 2025-26 Yahoo Fantasy Basketball Draft Kit is being updated daily and weâ€ll continue to add new content here all the way up until the NBA season tips off. So, whether youâ€re playing fantasy basketball for the first time or a seasoned pro looking to add another title to your trophy case, our draft kit will provide all the advice you need to win.

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

Ultimately, the only way youâ€ll miss out is if you donâ€t play. Be sure to join or create a league if you haven’t already and let the fun begin.

Now, let’s get you ready to draft!

Nikola Jokić should likely be the No. 1 pick whether we’re talking about category leagues, points leagues or High Score — our new and streamlined way to play, which we’ll explain in more detail below.

But how should things shake out behind the superstar big man? Dan’s rankings can help you maneuver each format.

High Score

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9-Category

• Hardest players to rank (coming 10/6)

Points

High Score

Introducing High Score, the brand-new way to play Yahoo Fantasy Basketball. Itâ€s designed to be easier and more fun.

Welcome to the dawn of a new age of fantasy basketball with Yahoo’s High Score format! During the 2025-26 NBA season, High Score will give you a fresh take on the traditional fantasy hoops format. It streamlines the way you play, so you’ll have more time to enjoy the game rather than having to make countless lineup decisions throughout the week.

You simply draft your 10 favorite NBA stars and pick your best six to start each week. Hereâ€s the twist: You only get credit for each playerâ€s single highest-scoring game of the week. That means every big performance counts, without the stress of guessing when itâ€ll happen. For more info on how to play, check out the links below:

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[High Score is a new way to play Fantasy Basketball on Yahoo with simple rosters and scoring. Create or join a league]

Mock Drafts

Want a quick way to prep before making your picks? Try a mock draft — practice makes perfect! We’ll also share big-picture takeaways you can take into your drafts.

• High Score mock draft (coming 10/13)

🧠Draft Strategy

Whether you decide to punt certain stats in a category league or want to learn the ins and outs of High Score, we have content to help you come to an educated decision.

🤩 Sleeper and Breakout Picks

There are few better feelings in fantasy than when that non-star draft pick erupts — when the sleeper awakens, when the breakout breaks out. Here’s the release schedule for our favorite sleeper and breakout picks.

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Sleepers

• Top 9-cat hidden gems (coming 10/9)

• Late-round lottery tickets (coming 10/16)

Don’t sleep on these guards in your High Score fantasy basketball drafts.

Breakouts

🛑 Fades at ADP

Knowing which players to avoid during your draft can be just as important as landing your favorite sleeper picks. Here’s the release schedule for the players we’re fading at ADP this season.

More player and team analysis

• Players with the safest floor (coming 10/7)

• Risky players worth picking (coming 10/15)

• Bold season predictions (coming 10/21)

Keep it locked here as we continue to bolster our fantasy draft kit with more analysis. Your one-stop shop for all things fantasy basketball drafts is just opening its doors — you won’t want to miss it!

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