Five players to chase in fantasy basketball points leagues (and how to spot sleepers)
Alex Barutha names the five must-draft scorers for points formats — plus five under-the-radar sleepers to target late.
“In points leagues, literal points are king — usage and minutes beat counting categories.” — Alex Barutha
If you draft for points, treat ADP like a category‑league map: useful, but misleading. Alex Barutha (Rotowire’s senior NBA editor) builds the case that the single best edge is rostering high‑usage, high‑minutes players who consistently fill the box score. Below are the five players he calls “must‑draft” for points formats, followed by five sleepers he believes could vastly outperform late picks.
Five must‑draft players for points leagues
Alperen Şengün — Stable center with a high floor. Alex points to back‑to‑back seasons around 42–44 fantasy points and notes Şengün’s steady minutes and usage in Houston. In points leagues you want someone who simply produces every night; that’s Şengün.
Domantas Sabonis — Discounted value right now (ADP around the 40s) after an injury year. Alex reminds listeners that Sabonis averaged mid‑to‑high‑40s fantasy points in prior healthy seasons and remains the primary usage engine in Sacramento — a bounce‑back candidate if he stays healthy.
Paolo Banchero — Still the No. 1 option in Orlando at 23 years old. Even “quiet” seasons recently returned ~41 fantasy points; Paolo’s age and role make him a points‑league anchor, not a player to avoid because category formats panic about threes or free throws.
Matas Buzelis — High upside per minute (about 1.1 FPPM) and only 29 minutes last season. Alex argues that pushing Buzelis into low‑30s minutes converts directly into big fantasy output: steals, blocks, rebounds and counting stats.
Stephon Castle — A 21‑year‑old triple‑double threat with 30+ fantasy points per game already on limited minutes. Athletic, high‑energy, and still growing — a safe, young multi‑stat contributor for points leagues.
How to convert category ADP into points value
Alex’s short playbook:
Prioritize usage and minutes over peripheral counting stats when ADP conflicts.
Spot players with high fantasy points per minute and project minutes growth — that math is simple and reliable.
Be willing to jump ADP by a round or two for players you know will rack up raw points (RJ Barrett, Jalen Green examples mentioned).
The theme: draft the statline you’ll actually score against, not the one category drafters admire. Points formats punish hesitation and reward conviction.
If you want the full conversation (Alex goes deeper on ADP timing, VanVleet’s impact on Şengün, and dynasty framing for Paolo), the episode is worth a listen. Consider this your short list for drafts and mock‑drafts this month.
Bleav in Fantasy Team
This recap was written with the assistance of AI