Fantasy Basketball 2022: Top NBA Player Rankings and 1st-Round Mock Draft
The fast-approaching 2022-23 NBA season brings with it the opportunity for fantasy basketball bliss.
Or fantasy frustration, but, hey, let's indulge in the offseason optimism a little longer, right?
In order to put together a successful fantasy season, your work starts right now. The best fantasy manager is a well-informed one, so we're here to inform you with our top-30 rankings, a mock first round and a batch of sleepers to target in your draft.
Top 30 Rankings
1. Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF/C, Milwaukee Bucks
3. Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers
4. Stephen Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors
5. Luka Doncic, PG/SG, Dallas Mavericks
6. Jayson Tatum, SF/PF, Boston Celtics
7. Kevin Durant, SF/PF, Brooklyn Nets
8. Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Minnesota Timberwolves
9. Damian Lillard, PG, Portland Trail Blazers
10. James Harden, PG/SG, Philadelphia 76ers
11. Trae Young, PG, Atlanta Hawks
12. LaMelo Ball, PG, Charlotte Hornets
13. Jimmy Butler, SG/SF, Miami Heat
14. Paul George, SG/SF, Los Angeles Clippers
15. Devin Booker, PG/SG, Phoenix Suns
16. Bam Adebayo, PF/C, Miami Heat
17. Tyrese Haliburton, PG/SG, Indiana Pacers
18. LeBron James, PG/SF/PF, Los Angeles Lakers
19. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG/SG, Oklahoma City Thunder
20. Ja Morant, PG, Memphis Grizzlies
21. Kyrie Irving, PG/SG, Brooklyn Nets
22. Anthony Davis, PF/C, Los Angeles Lakers
23. Dejounte Murray, PG/SG, Atlanta Hawks
24. Anthony Edwards, SG/SF, Minnesota Timberwolves
25. Bradley Beal, SG, Washington Wizards
26. Fred VanVleet, PG/SG, Toronto Raptors
27. Pascal Siakam, PF/C, Toronto Raptors
28. Kawhi Leonard, SF/PF, Los Angeles Clippers
29. Donovan Mitchell, PG/SG, Cleveland Cavaliers
30. Deandre Ayton, C, Phoenix Suns
Mock 1st Round
1. Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets
2. Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers
3. Kevin Durant, SF/PF, Brooklyn Nets
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF/C, Milwaukee Bucks
5. Luka Doncic, PG/SG, Dallas Mavericks
6. Stephen Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors
7. Jayson Tatum, SF/PF, Boston Celtics
8. LaMelo Ball, PG, Charlotte Hornets
9. James Harden, PG/SG, Philadelphia 76ers
10. Tyrese Haliburton, PG/SG, Indiana Pacers
11. James Harden, PG/SG, Philadelphia 76ers
12. Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Minnesota Timberwolves
Sleepers to Target
Tre Jones, PG, San Antonio Spurs
With Dejounte Murray out of the Alamo City, the runway could be cleared for Jones to take flight.
He's an offensive caretaker who moves the basketball, doesn't turn it over and takes good shots. He didn't get a ton of opportunities last season, but during the 10 games in which he logged 30-plus minutes, he averaged 14.4 points on 50.9 percent shooting, 7.9 assists against 1.0 turnovers, 5.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals.
Walker Kessler, C, Utah Jazz
Kessler has a chance to take over Utah's now Rudy Gobert-less center spot, and if the rookie wins the starting gig, he could offer a mountain of production on the interior.
Kessler is a shot-blocking machine. Last season at Auburn, he averaged an absurd 4.6 blocks in just 25.6 minutes per game while also putting up 11.4 points and 8.1 rebounds. He even fired 50 three-point attempts, and while he didn't make many (10), his willingness to shoot them could be helpful to fantasy managers if he ups his accuracy.
Alperen Sengun, C, Houston Rockets
While it's rarely (if ever) advisable comparing a second-year player to a two-time MVP, it's hard not to notice the similarities between Sengun and Nikola Jokic. That doesn't mean Sengun has superstardom in his future, but he could do a decent job of mirroring Jokic's production.
Last season, when Sengun was stuck behind Christian Wood, he used his 20.7 minutes of nightly floor time to tally 9.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 combined steals and blocks. That translates to per-36-minutes averages of 16.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.0 steals plus blocks, per Basketball Reference. With Christian Wood out of the way, Sengun might see that type of workload, and if he does, his numbers could erupt.