Stats To Target When Drafting for NBA Fantasy Leagues and DFS

Preparation is essential for almost—well, anything. If you like to jump into things half-cocked and flying by the seat of your pants, your results probably reflect that (and not in a good way). This is especially true when it comes to NBA fantasy leagues and DFS.

After the end of every NBA season, I often think about what I can do better next year. I almost always tell myself the same thing-- be better prepared. So, that is something I am going to try to do in this article (and maybe in future ones, too).

Help you become better prepared to play in NBA fantasy leagues and DFS for next season.

NBA Fantasy Prep: Do Your Homework

When I first started playing in a fantasy league, I read everything I could get my hands on. I did my homework before the season, and before and after the draft. I knew the rookies to target, the role players worth drafting, sleepers, studs/duds, etc. I was ready.

I also had plenty of time on my hands to do all that homework (which I enjoyed). But once life starts giving you responsibilities that require your attention, it becomes more challenging to put time in. Yes, you can draft a good team without spending hours upon hours researching players, and you’ll probably have 3-4 superstars.

Superstars win games, but it’s your roster depth that wins leagues.

Paying attention to the following stats can help you add depth to your roster without doing hours and hours of research:

Usage Rate

At first, I was going to say to focus on a player’s minutes. After all, a player can’t earn you fantasy points if he’s not on the court. However, just being on the court doesn’t do a darn thing for your fantasy team. A player needs to be actively involved with the ebb and flow of the game.

This is where a player’s usage rate comes in. It measures just what the name implies—how involved he is when he’s on the court. The higher the number, the more opportunities he is likely to have to score points for you.

Pace

This one is pretty logical as far as fantasy purposes go, but not one many people think about. But the faster, the more tempo a team plays, the chances there are to record points, rebounds, assists, etc. If both teams in a game like to play at a brisk pace, the score is bound to be higher, and individual performances are more likely to be fantasy-relevant.

Player Efficiency Rating (PER)

Having a player involved in the game plan with a high usage rate is great, but it's even better if he’s productive. That’s what the PER measures: how productive a player is (good and bad). Is he hitting baskets, pulling down boards, dishing out dimes, blocking shots, or turning the ball over?

True Shooting Percentage (TS%)

TS% takes into account not just whether or not a player is making a basket but what kind, i.e., free throws, three-pointers, field goals. These guys are going to be more efficient scorers and more likely to generate fantasy points for you.

Players with higher scores are more likely to be efficient producers for your team.

Win Shares

Players who tend to make a big impact on the outcome of their team’s games stand to be solid fantasy producers. Win shares can help you recognize who those players are.