November Risers and Fallers for 9-Cat Leagues
Fantasy Basketball Gems from The Stat Cats!
We’re just over one month in, and the noise is starting to turn into signal. This is a 9-category fantasy risers and fallers guide, but instead of just listing names, we dig into how each player’s movement affects your team build and what practical moves you can make.
All player notes and names below are based on 9-cat rankings and trends over roughly the last 30 days on BasketballMonster.com, plus publicly available box scores.
Quick Tags (Used Throughout)
At the top of player blurbs you’ll see:
Player Trend: Riser – True Breakout, Faller – Build-Dependent, etc.
Confidence (1–5): How likely the November performance is to hold rest-of-season.
Most competitive rosters end up gravitating toward one of three macro builds:
Guard Build – Teams built around high-usage ball-handlers who drive Points, Assists, Threes, FT% (and usually punt turnovers).
Big-Man Build – Teams built around interior anchors who dominate Rebounds, Blocks, FG% (and usually punt FT%).
9-Cat General Build – Teams that don’t commit to a hard punt and instead chase balanced value across all nine categories, usually leaning on “glue” wings and clean stat profiles.
Framing November risers and fallers through these three lenses makes the analysis more actionable: instead of just asking “is this guy good?”, we’re asking “what kind of team does this version of him push you toward, and should you lean into or away from that build?”
How to Use This Guide
Identify your build (Guard, Big-Man, or 9-Cat General).
Find your draft range (early, mid, late).
Use the blurbs to decide whether to lean into your build, pivot, or re-balance via trade/waivers.
High-Level Category Map
This is a quick “who matters where” chart – the main risers/fallers by type of value.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE STAT CATS NEWSLETTER TODAY👇
Category Build: Guard Build
Risers of the Month
1) Tyrese Maxey (PHI - PG)
Tags: Riser - Outperforming, Confidence (5/5)
Maxey is currently producing elite, first-round volume as the clear primary scorer, averaging 31.3 points, 6.9 assists, and 1.6 steals in November
Why he’s a build shifter: Maxey is a Guard Build cheat code, outperforming across every core category for this build, all while shooting 47% from the floor which minimizes the damage usually associated with high-usage guards.
Sustainable or Mirage: Sustainable. While his point outbursts may slow down, his usage and minute load are cemented. He should continue being the leading scorer as Embiid deals with injuries.
Action: Hold. His value may never be higher. Only trade if you can land a top-10 player or need to stabilize a team with a clear category weakness (e.g., trading him for a top-tier center).
2) Austin Reaves (LAL - PG/SG)
Tags: Riser - Volume Jump, Confidence (4/5)
Reaves has exploded in November, averaging 26.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists, with excellent shooting percentages and high volume from the charity stripe.
Why he’s a build shifter: He is delivering first-round guard production including strong rebounding and high FT volume, making him a versatile guard who offers a significant boost across multiple categories.
Sustainable or Mirage: Sustainable. Though he likely won’t sustain his scoring with LeBron James returning, his primary role in the offense is stable and his strong efficiency should continue to hold.
Action: Hold/Sell High. Enjoy the production. We would recommend holding, but if you can package him for an established top-20 name before his scoring slightly regresses, consider it.
3) Keyonte George (UTA - PG)
Tags: Riser - Breakout Star, Confidence (4/5)
George has secured the starting point guard role and is currently delivering high-end volume stats, averaging 23.0 points, 6.0 assists, and 2.4 triples last month, while significantly improving his shooting percentages
Why he’s a build shifter: He is an ideal piece for any Guard Build, giving managers the core categories of a top-50 player. He has locked up the starting point guard role after splitting minutes with Isaiah Collier last year.
Sustainable or Mirage: Sustainable. His role as the primary ball-handler is cemented and his recent efficiency spike is tied to his increasing comfort and confidence as the lead guard. George should continue to see high minutes and usage as the season goes on.
Action: Hold. He is a strong value anchor for your guard categories; ride the breakout for the rest of the season.
Fallers of the Month
1) Devin Booker (PHX - PG/SG)
Tags: Faller - Efficiency Dip, Confidence (3/5)
Booker has posted strong counting stats with roughly 24 points and 7 assists in November, but a slump in three-point shooting and lower-than-expected FG% has lowered his category league value relative to his ADP.
Why he’s a build shifter: As an early-round pick expected to compete for the top-15, his weaker-than-expected output in three-pointers (1.3 3PM in November) and inconsistent field goal percentage puts an unexpected drag on “Guard Build” teams.
Sustainable or Mirage: Mirage. His poor shooting efficiency (44.0% FG in November) is likely a temporary slump. When his 3P% and FG% normalize, his 9-cat rank should jump back into the top-25.
Action: Buy Low. Target him now, especially if his owner is frustrated by his non-first-round rank. He is still getting used to being the clear #1 option with the departure of Kevin Durant and should perform better as the season prolongs.
2) Desmond Bane (ORL SG)
Tags: Faller - Efficiency Dip, Confidence (3/5)
Bane is delivering all-around production that is notably below the output expected from his draft capital, with his sustained decline in three-point volume and efficiency being the primary factor dragging down his category league value
Why he’s a build shifter: Bane was drafted by many as a “Guard Build” stabilizer who provides high-end Points, FT%, and, critically, ~3.0 Threes per game. His production of only 1.7 Threes per game in November makes him a drain on the 3-point category, forcing managers who planned to build around his shooting to look elsewhere to fill that deficit.
Sustainable or Mirage: Mirage. Bane is an elite shooter who has simply been in a prolonged slump, likely adjusting to his new system with the Orlando Magic. His minutes and usage are high, and his 3P performance should improve.
Action: Buy Low. His value may not be lower, and as the season goes on, he should see a bump in 3P%, REB, and PTS.
3) Anfernee Simons (BOS - PG/SG)
Tags: Faller - Role Change, Confidence (4/5)
Simons has struggled with minutes and role clarity in his new system, resulting in low counting stats (12.5 PPG in November) and sub-optimal field goal efficiency (~45%)
Why he’s a build shifter: Owners expected Simons to be a source of high-volume Points and Threes, but his low scoring output and dip in three-point volume in November make him a detriment to Guard Build teams.
Sustainable or Mirage: Sustainable. Simons’ numbers still haven’t shown an uptick and unless he’s traded, his minutes and usage don’t appear to be trending up.
Action: Sell Low/Bench. If you have a deep roster, bench him and hope he turns things around. If you need immediate production, see if you can trade him for an 8th/9th-rounder.
Category Build: Big-Man Build
Risers of the Month
1) Scottie Barnes (TOR - SG/SF/PF)
Tags: Riser - 9-Cat Anchor, Confidence (5/5)
Barnes has cemented himself as a first-round talent by averaging elite multi-category production. 19.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.9 blocks on phenomenal shooting splits in November.
Why he’s a build shifter: Barnes is generally considered a second-round pick in punt-FT% builds but has shot 93% from the charity stripe over the past month. Even though we expect this to come down, he should still produce at an elite level. His stocks are among the best in the game, and his only real “weakness” is his three-pointers, which makes him ideal for a Big-Man Build.
Sustainable or Mirage: Sustainable. Barnes is the undisputed primary creator. His minutes and usage are secured, and his shooting improvements appear genuine due to his improved shot selection and confidence.
Action: Hold. Do not entertain trade offers. This is the new baseline for his production, and he is a foundational piece for any championship run.
2) Jalen Duren (DET - C)
Tags: Riser - 20/10 Machine, Confidence (4/5)
Duren has produced third-round value in November with averages of 21.5 points and 12.6 rebounds on 68% shooting from the floor. A nightly double-double.
Why he’s a build shifter: We saw glimpses of Duren’s potential last season but his biggest struggle was consistency. This year he’s been a monster on the boards and putting up career high scoring numbers. He’s been a top-3 rebounder in the past month.
Sustainable or Mirage: Sustainable. The two man game between Duren and Cade Cunningham has powered the Pistons to the top of the East, and they do not appear to be slowing down. Duren profiles as a top five contributor in rebounds and field goal percentage, making him an ideal piece for a Big-Man Build.
Action: Hold/Sell High. Duren’s production largely matches his career norms, with scoring up thanks to increased usage and shot volume. Hold if you need rebounds and field goal percentage, but consider selling high for a struggling third-round caliber player.
3) Mark Williams (PHO - C)
Tags: Riser - Efficient Big, Confidence (3/5)
Williams has delivered sixth-round value over the past month as he is averaging 13.1 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.3 steals on 67% shooting from the floor.
Why he’s a build shifter: Williams is making two-thirds of his shot attempts on nearly eight shots per game. He ranks as a top-10 player in FG% while also averaging a career-high 1.3 steals as a center. His frequent double-doubles allow him to be an excellent complementary piece.
Sustainable or Mirage: Mirage. This doesn’t have much to do with his stats, as he’s in line with most of his career numbers. However, his biggest concern has always been his health, as he has never played more than 45 games in a season. We expect this season to play out in a similar way, and, conveniently enough, he has recently been dealing with right calf soreness.
Action: Sell High. We think you should look to include Williams in a package deal if possible. His injury concerns are too risky not to at least explore the market while he’s playing well.
Fallers of the Month
1) Amen Thompson (HOU - SG/SF/PF)
Tags: Faller - Underwhelming, Confidence (4/5)
Thompson is putting up solid stats with averages of 17.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.5 steals on 47% shooting in the last 30 days.
Why he’s a build shifter: Thompson was one of the most hyped preseason prospects, with his ability on both sides of the ball to be a stock monster while also becoming a bigger ball-handler for the Rockets. His ceiling was so high that he carried a mid-second-round ADP. However, his stocks have been underwhelming, as has his efficiency, which has pushed him down to seventh-round value over the past month.
Sustainable or Mirage: Sustainable. We think his level of production will slightly increase and realistically land him around fourth-round value by season’s end. This would still be an underwhelming season compared to preseason expectations.
Action: Sell/Hold. If you’re fully committed to a Big-Man Build, explore flipping Amen for a more traditional early-round big who crushes REB/BLK/FG%. If your roster is already drifting toward a hybrid Guard/Big build, lean into it and treat Amen as a premium multi-cat engine rather than a pure big anchor.
2) Jaren Jackson Jr. (MEM - C)
Tags: Faller - Block/Points Slippage, Confidence (3/5)
Jackson Jr. has struggled in November, ranking as the 135th-best player with averages of 18.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks on 45% shooting from the floor.
Why he’s a build shifter: JJJ is scoring efficiently and hitting threes, but his points and blocks have lagged behind what you drafted him for as a second-tier big-man anchor. He once led the league in blocks at 3.0 per game and built his early-round value on high steals and blocks, both of which have dropped significantly this season.
Sustainable or Mirage: Mirage. Partly sustainable. His role as a perimeter-oriented big and Memphis’ scheme both push him away from the rim, which naturally suppresses his scoring opportunity. Blocks can tick up a bit as variance swings, but expecting a return to full-on 3-blocks-per-game terror is optimistic.
Action: Buy Low. His value is at an all-time low right now, which means you might be able to snag him from a desperate manager who has given up hope. There have also been rumors of a disgruntled Ja Morant leaving Memphis, which would open up JJJ as the main scoring option.
3) Matas Buzelis (CHI - SF/PF)
Tags: Faller - Sophomore Volatility, Confidence (3/5)
The second-year pro, Buzelis, has struggled in November, averaging just 12.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks on 44% shooting from the floor.
Why he’s a build shifter: Buzelis had high expectations entering the season when he was given the starting nod for the Bulls. His high block rate at the forward position has been there, but his efficiency has struggled significantly, which makes him a difficult hold for Big-Man builds.
Sustainable or Mirage: Sustainable. We expect Buzelis to post similar numbers for the rest of the campaign, with a slight uptick in efficiency. He likely won’t make the big jump many expected, but he should still be a strong contributor in blocks.
Action: Hold/Drop. Only hold Buzelis if you really need the blocks, as he doesn’t provide much value elsewhere. His trade value is relatively low as well, so there may be a better waiver-wire option available depending on your league size.
Category Build: 9-Cat General Build
Risers of the Month
1) Jalen Johnson (ATL - PF)
Tags: Riser - Do-It-All Forward, Confidence (4/5)
Johnson has made a huge leap in November, delivering 23.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, 8.1 assists, and 1.6 steals a contest on 53% shooting from the floor. Ranked #13 in 30 days.
Why he’s a build shifter: Jalen is exactly what 9-cat hybrid builds want from a forward: rebounds and defensive stats at near big man levels and guard-like assists. That profile lets you stay flexible with punts and he fits equally well on balanced squads, soft punt-points teams that rely on glue guys, or builds that need rebounds and stocks without sacrificing assists. If you drafted him as a mid-round flier, he’s now performing like a core piece you can build around.
Sustainable or Mirage: Sustainable. Mostly sustainable. The usage and minutes look real, and his defensive playmaking has always been part of his skill set. The biggest swing stat are his assists, which will most likely drop a little when Trae Young returns from injury.
Action: Hold/Buy High. Treat Jalen as a long-term 9-cat foundation wing rather than a sell-high. If someone in your league still values him like a mid-round breakout instead of a top-30-ish 9-cat piece, it’s worth paying up to get him. He’s looking like an early-second round performer by the end of the season.
2) Jimmy Butler (GSW - SF/SG/PF)
Tags: Riser - Category Optimizer, Confidence (4/5)
Butler is delivering maximum 9-cat efficiency, averaging over 19 points and 5 assists with clean shooting splits (53.7% FG, ~85% FT) and elite defensive volume (2 steals) across November.
Why he’s a build shifter: He is the definition of a “Clean Stat Profile”, as his low turnover rate (1.3 per game) coupled with high-efficiency scoring and elite defensive stocks give managers a boost across all categories every week.
Sustainable or Mirage: Sustainable. Butler always optimizes his game for winning, and his fantasy profile reflects his ability to rack up stats efficiently. While he will miss games, his per-game value is reliable when active.
Action: Hold. His combination of high efficiency and high steals/low turnovers is difficult to replace, but be ready to stream his position on scheduled rest days.
3) Mikal Bridges (NYK - SF/SG)
Tags: Riser - Defensive Stat Stuffer, Confidence (5/5)
Bridges is a breakout defensive force, delivering an unprecedented 2.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game, coupled with solid scoring, assists, and threes across November
Why he’s a build shifter: Bridges is the league’s new premier two-way wing for 9-cat. His ability to provide over 3.5 combined stocks while hitting over 2 threes per game is a unique and elite combination, making him a perfect overall 9-cat build fit.
Sustainable or Mirage: Sustainable. His defensive intensity is his core skill, and he is playing high minutes for a competitive team. Though the 1.4 blocks might slightly regress, the elite overall stocks and clean turnover profile are here to stay.
Action: Hold/Target. If he is not on your roster, he should be one of your top trade targets. His utility across four different scarcity categories (3PM, STL, BLK, TO) makes him invaluable for achieving 9-cat balance.
Fallers of the Month
1) Bam Adebayo (MIA - PF/C)
Tags: Softened 9-Cat Anchor, Confidence (4/5)
Adebayo has struggled in November as he has averaged 16.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks on 47% from the floor.
Why he’s a build shifter: You drafted Adebayo expecting a well-rounded big: solid scoring, boards, defensive stats (BLK, STL), and good FG%. He’s supposed to be the type of center that can be plugged into almost any build because he doesn’t have many weaknesses. At the same time, he’s not super strong in any specific category.
Sustainable or Mirage: Sustainable. Bam is averaging slightly under what he was projected to be. He has been on a downward slide for the past few seasons so we can either expect him to maintain this production or slightly better stats.
Action: Hold. Bam should finish the year around 4th–5th-round value, and we don’t see anyone trading a top-40 player for him straight up. He’s better used as part of a package with another solid player to target a top-30 asset. More likely, he’s a season-long hold where you hope he slightly outperforms expectations.
2) Zach Lavine (SAC - SG/SF)
Tags: Faller - One-Dimensional Scorer, Confidence (4/5)
Lavine has averaged a weak 17.7 points, 2.5 triples, and 0.9 steals a game in November shooting 46% from the field and 79% from the charity stripe, garnering 18th round value.
Why he’s a build shifter: LaVine was drafted as a high-usage scoring guard who would also chip in enough threes, FT volume, and some playmaking to be a top-60-ish anchor. He has struggled mightily across all categories except three-pointers and has been playing like a waiver-wire player.
Sustainable or Mirage: Mirage. We expect Lavine to bounce back next month across all categories and perform closer to his predictions coming into the year. Lavine is too good to be irrelevant like he currently is.
Action: Buy Low. Lavine started the season on fire as he averaged 29.2 points his first five games. He still has the ability to drop 30 points on any given night. With the Kings struggling as much as they are, there’s a chance Lavine is dealt at the deadline. A new team could be what Lavine needs to bounce back.
3) Cam Johnson (DEN - SF/PF)
Tags: Faller - Low-Volume Glue Guy, Confidence (4/5)
Johnson has been irrelevant in the month of November, averaging a quiet 12.4 points, 1.9 triples, and 0.7 steals on 50% shooting. He is providing 16th round value.
Why he’s a build shifter: Johnson was drafted in many drafts as a sneaky late-round 3s + percentages + stocks forward, but he’s mostly been a low-usage floor spacer. His points, threes, and stocks have been underwhelming. He is closer to a back-end streamer than a reliable every-week starter.
Sustainable or Mirage: Sustainable. His role as a complementary shooter on a good team is locked in, which is great for real life and FG%/3PM stability but unlikely to produce big jumps in usage or defensive stats.
Action: Streamer/Buy Low. Johnson leaves little to be excited about for category leagues but he has been playing better as of late. Safe to say he will be a streamer in 10T leagues, but can be bought low in deeper leagues.
As we get deeper into December, these November trends will keep hardening into reality. Use this month as your window to buy underperforming studs before they normalize and to cash out on heater guys before they fall back to earth.
Check out statcatsfantasy.com for weekly updates and analysis like this
👉LEAVE US A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS
👉SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Robbin Marx
NBA Fantasy Analyst
Experience: NBC Sports - Rotoworld, HashTag Basketball, Bleav Network