NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates 
Fantasy basketball draft strategy for the 2026-27 NBA season starts with one question: How does your league score? A player who dominates 9-category (9-cat) leagues with steals, blocks and efficient shooting may lose value in standard points formats, while high-usage stars with turnover and field-goal percentage concerns can climb draft boards.
Yahoo’s High Score format adds another twist by rewarding a starter’s single best game each week. Nikola Jokić, Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are elite in any format, but the middle rounds are where leagues are won. Here are the best fantasy basketball draft targets for every scoring format.
Advertisement
Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Basketball league for the 2026-27 NBA season
Best players for 9-category leagues
Nine-category leagues reward efficiency, versatility and contributions in areas that don’t necessarily stand out in traditional box scores. Shooting percentages, steals, blocks and turnovers can significantly influence a player’s value, making certain specialists more attractive than their scoring averages might suggest. The better all-around contributions the player delivers, the more valuable he can be in category-based formats.
Derrick White, Boston Celtics
White is an excellent example of a player whose fantasy value extends well beyond his scoring average. The Celtics guard averaged 16.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks per game in the 2025-26 season, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he has an even bigger role offensively in 2026-27 now that Jaylen Brown is in Philadelphia. A scenario in which White performs as the Celtics’ No. 2 option ahead of Paul George can’t be ruled out. At the end of the day, White contributes across multiple categories, particularly 3-pointers, assists, steals and blocks, giving him an excellent floor almost every game.
Advertisement
Jaren Jackson Jr., Utah Jazz
Jackson’s appeal in category leagues begins with his shot-blocking ability, but his offensive production makes him considerably more than a defensive specialist. He needs to stay healthy to be productive, as he was limited to just 48…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/fantasy-basketball-2026-27-best-114300253.html
Author : Juan Pablo Aravena
Publish date : 2026-10-12 11:43:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
