TOP PICKS in Every Round of a Standard 12-Team H2H NBA Fantasy Points League Draft - PART 2

My TOP PICKS in Every Round of a Standard 12-Team H2H NBA Fantasy Points League Draft

Will

Oct 06, 2025

Part 2 - Rounds 4, 5 and 6

Your guide to finding Fantasy draft value, with player context to boot

Round 4 Targets:

Early: Jamal Murray

If Nikola Jokic is Batman, then Jamal Murray must certainly be Robin. The Nuggets Point Guard was pivotal in their 2023 Championship run and he continues to shine in his role. While Murray has seen his fair share of injuries over the years, he is undeniably consistent in both ends of the court. Jamal has averaged 21pts/4reb/5.9asts over the last 4 seasons on impressively efficient shooting, while averaging 1+ steal per-game across his entire career, and notably 1.4 steals per-game last season. I have a lot of faith in Murray going into the season since Denver felt he could handle 36 minutes per-game across 67 games last year. However, healthy skepticism would cite that his usage rate of 24% was the lowest it’s been since his sophomore season. If Denver has any hope of making it back to the NBA Finals in the Jokic era, they have to find a way to get the most out of the Jokic-Murray tandem.

Middle: Myles Turner

Despite being in trade rumors year over year, Myles Turner surprised the NBA community by electing to leave the Indiana Pacers to join forces with superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee. Turner aims to fill the shoes of the previous spacing big for the Bucks, Brook Lopez, and appears to have no significant competition for centre minutes going forward. I anticipate that Myles will be getting more usage (up from a league average 20% last season), more field goal attempts and more minutes on the court compared to recent seasons in Indiana. If the 2x NBA blocks leader can remain above 2 blocks per-game to go with his enhanced offensive role, fantasy managers are in for some serious value.

Late: Derrick White

There are many question marks regarding the Boston Celtics and their direction this year. The face of their franchise, Jayson Tatum, tragically tore his achilles in the playoffs, cutting their Finals ambitions short. Will they compete this year and bank on the return of Tatum? Or will they shrug off this season and run it back next year? While we can’t be certain of their intentions, we can be certain that Derrick White is slated for an increased role this coming season. With Tatum out, and Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis being traded away, White will have to step up in their wake, which likely spells more usage, more shots, more minutes and more fantasy production overall. In 8 games without Tatum last season, Derrick put up 20.7pts/3.5reb/5.6asts/1.4stl/1blk, a well-rounded stat line worthy of a spot on any fantasy roster. Should the Celtics feel optimistic about their playoff chances in the weaker Eastern Conference, then Derrick White is in for a very productive season.

Round 5 Targets:

Early: Austin Reaves

Perhaps one of the most surprising risers of last season’s trade deadline, Austin Reaves destroyed the expectations of a reduced role when Luka Doncic joined the Lakers. Reaves averaged 22.3pts/4.8reb/5.2asts from the deadline to the end season, compared to 18.4pts/4.8reb/6.1asts in the four months prior. A clear, substantial uptick in scoring volume at the small cost of one assist due to seeing more off-ball options playing next to Luka. With Lakers teammate LeBron James turning 41 years of age this year, could Reaves be asked to shoulder more offensive responsibility this season?

Middle: Jimmy Butler III

I mentioned Jimmy Butler in my previous article in reference to his electric effect on Steph’s production post-trade deadline. It appears that the change of scenery was just what Butler needed as well, as he put up 18.1pts/5.3reb/5.7asts to go with 1.7 steals per-game in 32.6 minutes. Jimmy’s 2-way impact while on the court is undeniable, so if fantasy managers are willing to bet on Coach Kerr continuing Jimmy’s role and minutes at their recent level, then they can reasonably expect top-35 per-game upside going forward.

Upside gamble? Deni Avdija

One of the most hyped players coming into this fantasy season, Avdija drew leaguewide attention over his last 16 games, achieving a jaw-dropping statline of 27.6pts/11.8reb/6.1ast in 35.8 minutes per-game; good enough for first round production during the fantasy playoffs. With clear intent, the Blazers organization gave Deni the reins at the end in March/April, and he flew far above anyone’s expectations. However, with a fresh season ahead, I expect Deni to settle closer to 33~34 minutes per-game with comparable usage to that 16 game stretch, since Scoot is hurt and Simons was traded. The Blazers will seek to develop him as a key member of their budding, young core. Deni Avdija’s pre-rank sits in the 6th round, but attentive fantasy managers have been scooping him up in the 50s.

Late: Zach Lavine

So far, Zach LaVine’s two-month tenure in Sacramento has been an enigma. In 16 games in March, Lavine appeared to take a backseat to teammates Sabonis and DeRozan in the pecking order, averaging 19.9pts/3.6reb/3.4asts, which is quite disappointing for his fantasy basketball standards. However, in his 7 games in April, Lavine upped his 3pt attempts from 6.2 in March to 8.9, hitting them at a blistering 53.2% clip. In April, he averaged 27.4pts/3reb/4asts, which was good enough for near-top 30 value per-game. While it’s highly unlikely that LaVine will maintain such astronomical shooting splits, it was reassuring to see him thrust into a higher usage role.

Round 6 Targets:

Early: Tyler Herro

Be aware: On September 19th, Tyler Herro had surgery to address a foot/ankle impingement issue, and expects to return in 8 to 12 weeks (as of Sept. 30th).

Tyler Herro was immaculate last season, putting up efficient scoring and plentiful, peripheral stats as the offensive engine for the Miami Heat. Despite Jimmy Butler III dragging his feet on the court, Herro’s production was great with a statline of 23.5pts/5.4reb/4.8asts across 27 games alongside Butler. Once Jimmy had finally forced the organization’s hand and was shipped off to Golden State, Herro elevated his fantasy game to new heights. In his following 53 games, Tyler Herro averaged 24.1pts/5.1reb/5.8asts, solidifying himself as a 3rd round fantasy producer. All that said, getting a potential top-30 per-game player at a 6th round ADP could present tremendous value down the road.

Middle: Brandon Miller

Brandon Miller is my ‘value pick’ this year. Miller’s 2024-25 season came to a puttering end due to a torn ligament in his wrist, requiring surgery and a long recovery period. While the NBA sophomore had troubles with his shooting efficiency, it certainly doesn’t justify a ridiculous ESPN pre-rank of 107.. In spite of bad shooting, Miller put up 21pts/4.9reb/3.6asts/1.1stl/0.7blk over 27 games played. I am inclined to believe that should the 2pt and 3pt shooting percentages marginally improve by 3-5% each, we are potentially looking at a statistical archetype akin to peak Zach LaVine, who was a consistent 3rd-round talent. At this point in his young career, Miller is already green-lit to launch 11 3pt attempts per-game on 27.7% usage, leaving room for massive scoring potential on hot shooting streaks. Brandon Miller is frequently featured as a major ‘sleeper’ in ESPN articles, so the 6th round is where you should start looking to snag him before an opposing, keen fantasy manager does.

Late: Darius Garland

Be aware: Garland had toe surgery this past June and was assessed a 4-5 month timeline. He is reported to be doing on-court work at training camp and is expected to miss an early portion of the NBA season.

Similar to the case of Tyler Herro, Darius Garland’s pre-rank took a dive in light of his injury going into this season. However, it appears that Garland’s injury timeline could be significantly shorter than Herro’s. The Cavs Point Guard was impressive last year, playing 75 games while averaging 20.6pts/2.9reb/6.7asts with 1.2 steals per-game. Compared to his 23-24 campaign, this was a huge improvement on nearly all fronts for Garland despite playing 3 less minutes per-game this past season. Perhaps it was Coach Kenny Atkinson’s successful system that led the Cavs to 64 wins, which had an impact on the quality of production that Garland could squeeze out of his minutes played. In that case, I would expect more of the same once Garland is fully ramped up upon his return to the lineup. At the price of a late 6th-round pick and a spot in your IR, Darius Garland could reward your patience with a top-40 per-game contribution.