This has to be one of the crazier starts to an NBA season in, well, maybe ever. Teams that are supposed to be tanking are winning (Jazz). The News, Lakers and Sixers look awful. We’ve already got injuries, and more chaos. For us, that’s partly a good thing, however. NBA being the most projectable sport can be a bit tricky for Underdog Fantasy Battle Royale and Drafters Snake draft tournaments where the market bakes in general assumptions about teams into ADP and projections. So if we embrace some of the chaos, that’s one place we can get a usable edge.
Before we dive in, don’t forget to check out our FREE Rankings for NBA Battle Royale and Snake draft tournaments every day. These rankings are where a lot of the analysis here gets derived from, and they’re based off both median and ceiling projections to put the most accurate rankings together for your chance to win these tournaments.
Let’s get it.
NBA Underdog Fantasy Battle Royale & Drafters Snake Draft Strategy for November 1st, 2022
Top Options
We have just a 4 game slate on this Tuesday, but it’s one that offers a lot of different ways to attack, and that starts right at the top. While we have Kevin Durant at the top of our rankings, and he’s the top of ADP, I don’t think there’s a big gap between he and several others. Teammate Kyrie Irving is the next closes for us, but he sits 5th in ADP. He’s the best value at the top, although there are minor minutes concerns for the Nets big 2 after playing huge minutes just last night.
One could probably argue that due to those minutes concerns, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is actually the best pick of the slate. We have him ranked 3rd, but I don’t think it’s wrong to select him 1st overall. He has been one of the best fantasy assets in the entire league to start the year, and teammate Josh Giddey is still out in a good matchup with the Magic.
It’s also rather funny that Steph Curry is on a 4 game slate, and he’s 3rd by ADP, but here we are. We know Steph can go scorched earth any night, so he’s also in the mix at the very top.
I will say, I think beyond those 4, there’s a bit of a gap. One could argue for DeMar Derozan if Zach Lavine sits, and maybe Devin Booker is close to that tier, but still there’s probably a gap.
Undervalued and Overvalued Players
Franz Wagner – Let’s try this gain. Last week Franz was an undervalued player and that remains even on a 4 game slate today, with all of the Magic point guards hurt. Franz and Paolo Banchero will essentially tag team the playmaking & ball handling responsibility here, and the matchup with the Thunder is excellent. We have yet to see Franz’s true ceiling, but it’ll come.
Jordan Poole – Poole is a fantasy star on a per minute basis, but he’s extremely impacted by the availability or absence of his teammates. We saw the upside Sunday when Klay Thompson sat out, but Klay should be back tonight, and that should bring Poole’s minutes & usage back down in a tough matchup with the Heat.
Injuries and Situations to Monitor
Zach Lavine -The Bulls are load managing Lavine, at least early in the year, so he is questionable to play tonight, and many nights. DeMar Derozan is the guy who turns from “meh” pick to one of the best players to own on the entire slate if Lavine misses. We do expect Lavine to play, but it’s still something to consider. Teammate Ayo Dosunmu is also questionable.
Good luck!
