Jabari Parker looks like the top rookie up to this point of the season
Dale Redman is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Dale, check out his archive and follow him @fantasytool.
Since roughly a quarter of the NBA regular season has already passed, it is time to examine the progress of the NBA rookie class. Every couple of weeks I will be checking in on the rookie class, letting you know which players can help your fantasy squad. In future articles, I will breakdown some of the lesser known rookies that can help out your squad, but for this first edition I will start with my top five fantasy rookies through to this point.
One thing becomes abundantly clear, there is an obvious lack of scoring. While points are not the be-all and end-all in fantasy, the lack of scoring has made it hard to consistently roster any rookies beyond these top five in a standard league. Not since 2000/01, when Mike Miller won Rookie of the Year with 11.9 points per game, have the leaders for top rookie honors scored so little. There are only two first-year players even averaging double-digits in points this year. So it goes without saying, one of those two kicks off our list.
- Jabari Parker (SF, MIL): The early favorite for Rookie of the Year also happens to have been the highest drafted rookie in fantasy leagues. Before the NBA Draft, Jabari Parker projected as the most NBA-ready of all the prospects. After being selected by the Bucks second-overall, the opportunity to breakout appeared to be there. While Parker has not lived up to his, in some cases, top 50 draft pick, he has shown flashes of his potential. In two of his first three NBA games, Parker notched a double-double. In his last seven games, Parker has been even more impressive, particularly on the offensive end. During that stretch, the former Duke Blue Devil has averaged a solid 15 points per game and hit an extraordinary 59 percent from the floor. Ranking second in points (12.5 ppg), rebounds (5.6), and field goal percentage (.492) among rookies, Parker is leading this first-year class by a good margin.
Editors Note: Jabari Parker has suffered a torn acl and will be out the rest of the season.
(Through 24 games played) 12.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game
- Andrew Wiggins (SF, MIN): Joining Parker as the other favorite for Rookie of the Year is your rookie scoring leader Andrew Wiggins (12.8 ppg). The Timberwolves have been hit hard with injuries, first Ricky Rubio, then Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin, so naturally Wiggins took on a more expanded role. He has hit double-digits in points 7 out of his last 8 games, averaging 15.0 ppg in that span. In reality, those extra looks have been a detriment to Wiggins’ fantasy value. Shooting under 39 percent while firing over 14 shots per game in December is killing any positive the extra point production is giving. If Wiggins is going to give Parker any serious competition for the top spot, he needs to find a way to boost his percentages by the time Minnesota’s leaders return.
(Through 23 games played) 12.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game
- K.J. McDaniels (SF, PHI): The only non-top 10 pick on this list, K.J. McDaniels was not selected until the second round of the 2014 NBA draft. Despite entering the league without much hype, McDaniels has proven himself worthy of discussion as a dark horse candidate for fantasy Rookie of the Year. The Clemson product is the rookie leader in blocks (1.5), while also contributing solid numbers in points (9.6), rebounds (3.9), steals (1.0), and three-pointers (1.1). McDaniels showed what he was capable of when Tony Wroten went down with injury and missed six games earlier this month. McDaniels played over 30 minutes per game while averaging 11.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in that stretch. If not for his recent ankle injury and limited minutes off the bench, McDaniels could easily surpass Wiggins in the chase for top rookie honors.
(Through 22 games played) 9.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game
- Nerlens Noel (PF, PHI): After missing all of the 2013-14 season recovering from a knee injury, Nerlens Noel is still considered a rookie despite being drafted in 2013. The second rookie taken in most fantasy drafts this year, after Parker, Noel has most owners regretting the pick. Shooting terrible from the field for a big man (.438), horrific from the free-throw line (.479), and not piling up the points either (7.6 ppg), Noel is dragging fantasy teams down offensively. He was drafted for his defensive skills, but he has not met expectations there either. While he is leading rookies in rebounds (6.4) and steals (1.6), it has not been enough to offset his miserable offensive numbers. Noel has also missed a few games due to various ailments, making him an injury risk as well. Hopefully he can get fully healthy, find his shooting touch, and start earning back the trust of fantasy owners.
(Through 20 games played) 7.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 1.6 steals per game
- Elfrid Payton (PG, ORL): Proving the dearth in fantasy rookies this year, Payton barely slides into my initial top five. It is hard to put someone on here shooting 37 percent from the field, but there just are not many offensive weapons in this year’s rookie class. What Payton lacks in scoring (6.5 ppg), he makes up for by leading all rookies in assists (4.9) and being second in steals (1.35). Payton has even raised his assist to turnover ratio up to 2.94 for the month of December. Consistently getting minutes, Payton has the opportunity to rise on this list.
(Through 26 games played) 6.5 points, 4.9 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game
Just missed out: Bojan Bogdanovic (SG, BKN), Nikola Mirotic (PF, CHI), Zach Lavine (PG, MIN), Kostas Papanikolaou (PF, HOU)
Currently injured: Marcus Smart (PG, BOS), Aaron Gordon (PF, ORL), Doug McDermott (SF, CHI)
