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Average Draft Position: 14.3

We can address the obvious concern for why Anthony Davis is projected a bit lower than one might expect to see him. Fantasy basketball players are obviously concerned about whether or not Davis can stay healthy for an entire season.

Davis has only played more than 70 games in two regular seasons during his 11-year career thus far. So if you’re worried about longevity and durability, it’s fair to target someone else in your fantasy basketball draft.

But if you want someone who is playing some of the best basketball in the world right now, take a serious look at Davis. The big man, who was arguably the best defensive player in the NBA in the postseason, is leading all players so far this preseason in blocks. He even had five blocks in the first quarter against the Suns on Oct. 19.

Perhaps what is most encouraging, though, is that he has taken multiple 3-pointers in each of the games that he has played for the Lakers.

While it’s a far cry from the decree of six per game that was originally issued by head coach Darvin Ham, it’s still enough to help Los Angeles space the floor better than they did last season. It’s already hard to stop Davis at the rim and if you have to guard him beyond the arc as well, it’s going to change the offensive identity for the Lakers.

If you see him starting to slip at all into the second round, don’t be afraid to snag Davis in the first round.

David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Average Draft Position: 50.0

You should come away from the preseason wildly impressed by Toronto’s Scottie Barnes.

Alongside teammate Pascal Siakam, he went on a scoring spree to help lead the Raptors to victory against the Bulls. He has showcased his league-best defensive versatility, successfully guarding all five positions within a minute and a half of play.

But it was not his only (or his best) defensive highlight of the preseason.

He managed two steals and four blocks against Chicago and also added two steals and one block against Cairns Taipans.

Scottie Barnes has had about as promising a preseason as he possibly could have.

I don't want to be hyperbolic, so I'll wait to make pronouncements until we have real regular season games, but wow, this has been impressive to watch

— Louis Zatzman (@LouisZatzman) October 18, 2023

Barnes scored at least 14 points in all three of his appearances, also recording at least 5 rebounds and 3 assists in each game as well.

While it’s unclear if he will become a legitimate pick-and-roll threat, on the inverse, Barnes finished well after his picks when rolling to the basket. Perhaps most important: His jump shot was falling and he was 4-of-8 (50.0 percent) on 3-pointers.

He is somebody that simply checks all of the boxes on a basketball court and he is going to have a lot of opportunities to show his growth in Toronto. Take a chance on Barnes, who looks like he is going to have a big season.

Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Average Draft Position: 66.3

We were very high on Franz Wagner before the 2023 FIBA World Cup began and while he was dealing with injuries during the tournament, he helped lead Germany to win the gold medal. He was also named to the All-FIBA World Cup Second Team.

But since the preseason began, he started playing some of the best basketball we have ever seen from him. He is averaging 1.70 points per possession, which ranks as the most efficient mark among all players in the preseason.

The degree of difficulty on his offensive opportunities is not as challenging as it was when he played for his national team, mostly finishing possessions with his catch-and-shoot jumper or cutting to the basket rather than operating in the pick-and-roll.

Even in his relatively scaled-down role, the early results are still wildly encouraging for Wagner, who ranked No. 3 overall on our list of the 23 best NBA players under 23 years old. He should be one of your biggest priorities when you are assembling your fantasy basketball squad. If you are feeling a bit courageous, grab him a few rounds earlier than he is projected.

Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

Average Draft Position: 80.3

While so much of the attention in San Antonio is rightfully on Victor Wembanyama, the best player on the roster for next season is arguably Devin Vassell.

He isn’t coming into the season with a tremendous amount of hype after playing just 38 games last season. But the way that Vassell is playing right now is going to draw some attention from everyone around the league sooner rather than later.

Vassell is shooting 12-of-17 (70.6 percent) when shooting off the catch, per Synergy, which ranked in the 99th percentile among all players in the preseason. The wing also had several opportunities to develop his two-man game, shooting after handoffs from Jeremy Sochan.

During the one preseason game in which he did not finish with at least 20 points, Vassell managed to record three steals on the defensive end of the floor. He is a two-way force to be reckoned with for the Spurs. Draft him a couple of rounds early and you’ll thank us later.

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Average Draft Position: 185.0

Once the No. 5 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Dunn saw his minutes dwindle over the past several years. But he seems to have found a home in Utah with the Jazz.

Dunn was 18-for-21 (85.7 percent) from the field and 2-for-3 (66.7 percent) on 3-pointers during his five preseason games. The guard also added five assists in his first and last appearance of the tune-ups and recorded just two turnovers in his first four preseason matches.

Where he really shined, however, was on the other side of the court. ESPN’s Zach Lowe recently said, “Kris Dunn at full throttle is the most destructive guard defender on Earth.”

He recorded at least one steal in all five of his games, even managing three against the Kings on Oct. 19. Only one player recorded more steals during preseason action. Dunn did an admirable job defending ball screens at the point of attack and also did well containing the perimeter for Utah.

Dunn deserves a spot in the rotation for the Jazz when they start the season and perhaps he even could make some sense in their starting lineup. He also deserves a flier on your fantasy basketball team.

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