HOT NEW Top-25! Dan's Favorites, Punt Plays, Pairs, Values and Busts of the Yahoo Rankings

Overview

Dan Besbris reviews Yahoo Fantasy Basketball’s updated preseason top-25 rankings (the fourth Yahoo “pre-ratings,” effective October 1) for Old Man Squad. He focuses on how small rank “micro-adjustments” and strategy choices—especially head-to-head vs. roto and “punt” builds (ignoring certain categories)—shape roster construction.

The key theme: where a player lands can matter less than how you plan to build and attack categories.

Top of the Board

#1 Nikola Jokić

• Moved to #1 (previously #2).
• Besbris argues Jokić is the easiest elite player to integrate because he delivers elite production across multiple categories:
  • rebounding, assists, steals
  • strong overall percentages
• Turnovers are treated as manageable rather than disqualifying.

#2 Victor Wembanyama (“Wemby”)

• Stays at #2.
• Besbris maintains that the top two are both elite, and the swap doesn’t drastically alter average draft expectations.
• Wemby’s value is emphasized in:
  • points/rebounds/blocks
  • a strong “center” stat profile

#3 Luka Dončić and #4 Shai (Shay) Gilgeous-Alexander

• These positions don’t change.
• Besbris frames differences as format preference:
  • Luka: more appealing for head-to-head
  • Shai: more appealing for roto, due to stability and reliance on percentages

Mid–Top Adjustments and Format Strategy

#5 Cade Cunningham

• Besbris prefers Cade more if you don’t overreact to “loss”/penalty categories.
• He argues a defender-heavy roster can still remain competitive against a Jokić-centered build in many categories, though he notes Jokić’s all-around profile is hard to fully replicate.

#6 Giannis Antetokounmpo (logic discussed)

• Giannis and Tyrese Maxey swap (Giannis up to #6, Maxey down).
• Besbris highlights Giannis’ free-throw weakness as structural:
  • it’s difficult for teams to “cover” consistently
• As a result, punt approaches that ignore free throws may be necessary.

#7–#9: Jayson Tatum / Anthony Edwards / Tyrese Maxey

• Besbris discusses them shifting within a small range.
• The differences likely come down to:
  • availability
  • number of games played
• He characterizes the trio as strategy-dependent:
  • Tatum: rebounding balance
  • Edwards: defensive metrics
  • Maxey: roto-friendly loss profile and efficiency differences

Second Round Begins: Continued Rank-by-Rank Commentary

#10 Tyrese Haliburton

• Moves up to #10.
• Besbris points out Haliburton’s “performance” (points) may lag other first-rounders.
• But his real value is his ability to turn games through:
  • assists
  • team context
• He’s positioned as ideal for point-ignoring builds where other categories can be weaponized later.

#11 Jaylen Johnson

• Besbris likes his upside but flags a major weakness: blocking shots.
• He compares Johnson to a “poor man’s” Jokić archetype and leans against him.

#12 Donovan Mitchell

• Besbris frames this as a “who cares” selection relative to nearby options.
• Similar to Maxey, with:
  • slightly fewer blocks
  • largely overlapping category contributions
• Also a draft-position advantage: you know your second-round pick slot.

#13 Cooper Flagg

• Considered appropriately placed in the early second round due to:
  • youth
  • uncertain near-term category improvement
• Besbris expects potential growth in:
  • shooting
  • overall fantasy usability

#14–#20 Cluster

• #14 Kevin Durant vs #15 Scotty Barnes

  • Besbris alternates his preference in this range.
  • Likes Durant’s scoring stability and fit.
  • Prefers Barnes’ durability/usage consistency, but worries about changes in team context that affect involvement.

• #16 Karl-Anthony Towns

  • Labeled a second-round type for certain builds (especially defender-style).
  • Provides big-man categories and strong free-throw shooting.
  • But Besbris questions how far he can rise overall without tradeoffs in categories.

• #17 Jamal Murray

  • Besbris is enthusiastic.
  • Expects top-15 per-game potential and views him as broadly usable.
  • Notes interception/defensive impact may be limited.

• #18 Trae Young

  • Called a punt target requiring ignoring weak categories (notably:
    • field-goal%
    • turnovers)
  • Built around leaning into points/assists/free throws.

• #19 Josh Giddey

  • Besbris is cautious due to percentage unpredictability and “risk,” especially in nine-category leagues where predictability matters.

• #20 Amen Thompson

  • Besbris thinks Amen profiles as roughly top-30-ish, but positioning depends on build fit.
  • He discusses pairing/strategy, including how to handle shooting categories.

Lower End of the Board: Specialists and “Build Fit”

• #21 Austin Reaves

  • Optimism partly depends on context: Besbris likes him more because surrounding options in this tier are weaker fits.

• #22 Alperen Şengün

  • Categorized as a punt-strategy option.
  • The gamble: free-throw volatility.
  • Suggested use-case:
    • points/rebounds/assists/steals earlier
  • Later big men can help cover percentages/blocking.

• #26 range: Devin Booker

  • Besbris is harsh: Booker needs significant improvement to justify placement.
  • Even with punts, he doubts it will be enough.

• LaMelo Ball (bonus discussion)

  • Generally not liked for fantasy due to health/trust concerns.
  • However, he can work in defensive build setups if you ignore:
    • field-goal%
    • turnovers
  • References that Ball ranked lower previously and that his utility is build-dependent.

Additional Bonus Notes

• Steph Curry (#25 discussion)

  • Besbris is disappointed by perceived risk:
    • fewer games
    • unstable roster situation (injuries/health)

• Bam Adebayo (#26)

  • Besbris says Bam’s rise is sharp, but thinks it’s too early.
  • He frames Bam as a “type-of-lineup” piece:
    • useful as a scoring/steal/interceptor “big”
    • not a classic center blocker archetype

Wrap-Up

Besbris closes by saying the review covers the top of Yahoo’s board and that he’ll release future content for later rounds (3–5), including strategy “styles and failures.” He also notes rankings may shift again when Yahoo publishes another revision.

Presenters / Sources (end of video)

• Dan Besbris (Old Man Squad)
• Yahoo Fantasy Basketball rankings (source of the board reviewed)
• FanDuel / FanDuel Sportsbook (sponsors)
• Fantrax (fantrax.com/oldmansquad; mentioned for tools/content access)
• Platforms mentioned: YouTube, Spotify, iTunes
• Article platform mentioned: Rotoballer