This article is part of our Player Rankings series.
Rotisserie fantasy basketball leagues aren't the most popular scoring system, but they're often played among experts and diehards. If you're interested in trying a roto league, there are some basic but important differences you need to know compared to head-to-head categories or points leagues.
In NBA Fantasy roto leagues, there are no head-to-head matchups. Your team's statistical categories are accumulated throughout the year, and then points are awarded according to how well you rank in each one. The manager with the most total points at the end of the year wins. So, if you're in a 12-team league, and you have the most rebounds, you're awarded 12 points. If you are middle of the pack in assists, you gain 6 points. And if you're last in FG%, you only receive 1 point.
More than any other league type, building a balanced team is often the way to victory. Punting one or two categories can be fine, but it generally ends up making things more difficult.
Best Fantasy Basketball Picks for Rotisserie Leagues
| Rank | Name | Team | Pos | G | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | 3PM | FG% | FT% |
| 1 | Victor Wembanyama | SAN | C | 72 | 32.1 | 25.7 | 11.9 | 5 | 1.3 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 2.4 | 47.6 | 80.9 |
| 2 | Nikola Jokic | DEN | C | 75 | 34.4 | 26.3 | 12.2 | 9.5 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 3.9 | 1.1 | 60.4 | 82 |
| 3 | Joel Embiid | PHI | C | 60 | 34.3 | 32.6 | 10.5 | 5.1 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 3.6 | 1.3 | 52.8 | 86.8 |
| 4 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | OKC | G | 73 | 33.8 | 29.9 | 5.2 | 6 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 52.1 | 88.4 |
| 5 | Tyrese Haliburton | IND | G | 71 | 32.8 | 19.9 | 3.9 | 10.5 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 46.8 | 86.5 |
| 6 | Jayson Tatum | BOS | F | 74 | 34.3 | 26.7 | 7.6 | 4.2 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 46.9 | 84.5 |
| 7 | Scottie Barnes | TOR | F | 75 | 35.5 | 21.5 | 8.3 | 6.3 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2.7 | 1.9 | 48.1 | 79.1 |
| 8 | Anthony Edwards | MIN | G | 79 | 35.4 | 27.5 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 46.4 | 84 |
| 9 | Donovan Mitchell | CLE | G | 68 | 35.5 | 26.3 | 4.4 | 5.6 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 46.7 | 86.2 |
| 10 | Kevin Durant | PHO | F | 66 | 36.5 | 26.1 | 6.5 | 4.8 | 0.8 | 1 | 3.4 | 2.2 | 52 | 85.3 |
| 11 | Chet Holmgren | OKC | C | 79 | 31.9 | 19.5 | 8.5 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 53.7 | 80.5 |
| 12 | Kawhi Leonard | LAC | F | 60 | 33.8 | 26 | 6.6 | 4.9 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 50.6 | 87.2 |
| 13 | LeBron James | LAL | F | 66 | 34.8 | 24.7 | 7 | 7.7 | 1 | 0.5 | 3.3 | 2.1 | 51.8 | 75.1 |
| 14 | Paul George | PHI | G | 68 | 33.4 | 20.2 | 5 | 4.1 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 3.9 | 2.8 | 46 | 88.8 |
| 15 | Cade Cunningham | DET | G | 68 | 34 | 23.9 | 4.3 | 8.2 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 3.4 | 2.1 | 45 | 86.6 |
| 16 | Devin Booker | PHO | G | 70 | 34.9 | 25 | 4.6 | 6.6 | 1 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 48.4 | 86.1 |
| 17 | Karl-Anthony Towns | MIN | F | 65 | 32.5 | 21.4 | 8.1 | 4.3 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 3 | 2.1 | 50 | 88.2 |
| 18 | De'Aaron Fox | SAC | G | 75 | 34.8 | 24 | 4.2 | 5.8 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 46.9 | 76.3 |
| 19 | Tyrese Maxey | PHI | G | 73 | 36.1 | 23.9 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 1 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 2.9 | 45.6 | 86 |
| 20 | Kyrie Irving | DAL | G | 60 | 35.2 | 25.3 | 4.7 | 5.4 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 3 | 48.9 | 89.6 |
| 21 | Ja Morant | MEM | G | 67 | 34.3 | 24.8 | 5.3 | 8 | 1 | 0.4 | 3.6 | 1.7 | 47.3 | 78.2 |
| 22 | Jalen Williams | OKC | F | 74 | 32.2 | 20 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 2 | 1.7 | 53 | 82 |
| 23 | Jalen Johnson | ATL | F | 71 | 34.3 | 17.6 | 8.9 | 3.8 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 51.9 | 74.6 |
| 24 | Jamal Murray | DEN | G | 66 | 33.1 | 22 | 4.1 | 6.6 | 1 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 47 | 86.1 |
| 25 | Dejounte Murray | NOR | G | 76 | 35.4 | 19.4 | 5.5 | 6 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 2 | 46.1 | 80.6 |
| 26 | Desmond Bane | MEM | G | 70 | 33.3 | 22.1 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 1 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 3.1 | 46.8 | 87.4 |
| 27 | Derrick White | BOS | G | 74 | 32.3 | 14.6 | 3.8 | 4.9 | 1 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 2.5 | 45 | 88.6 |
| 28 | Franz Wagner | ORL | F | 77 | 33.3 | 20.3 | 5.5 | 4 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 48.9 | 85.6 |
| 29 | Brandon Ingram | NOR | F | 65 | 33 | 20.5 | 5.3 | 5.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 47.9 | 84.5 |
| 30 | Tobias Harris | DET | F | 74 | 33.4 | 18.8 | 6.1 | 2.8 | 1 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 47.9 | 87.1 |
| 31 | Miles Bridges | CHR | F | 73 | 36.6 | 19.7 | 6.9 | 3.2 | 1 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 47 | 83.5 |
| 32 | Josh Giddey | CHI | G | 78 | 32.8 | 15.6 | 6.9 | 6.6 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 47.7 | 78.6 |
| 33 | Nikola Vucevic | CHI | C | 74 | 33.4 | 17.9 | 10.2 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 49 | 82.3 |
| 34 | Austin Reaves | LAL | G | 77 | 33 | 16.2 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 2 | 2 | 49.4 | 86.1 |
| 35 | Brandon Miller | CHR | F | 75 | 33.5 | 19.1 | 4.8 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 45.2 | 83.4 |
| 36 | Julius Randle | NY | F | 72 | 34.7 | 20.9 | 9.2 | 4.4 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 46.3 | 76.9 |
| 37 | Trey Murphy | NOR | F | 70 | 31.7 | 16 | 4.9 | 2.4 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 45.7 | 85.4 |
| 38 | Kyle Kuzma | WAS | F | 70 | 33 | 22.1 | 6.7 | 4 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 46.2 | 75 |
| 39 | Jrue Holiday | BOS | G | 67 | 32.5 | 12.7 | 5.1 | 5 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 1.9 | 47.3 | 83.3 |
| 40 | Jerami Grant | POR | F | 62 | 34 | 19.4 | 4.1 | 2.5 | 1 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 45.5 | 81.3 |
| 41 | OG Anunoby | NY | F | 61 | 35.5 | 13.6 | 5.1 | 2 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 48.8 | 79.8 |
| 42 | Jaime Jaquez | MIA | F | 77 | 29.9 | 13.3 | 4.3 | 3 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 1 | 49.9 | 81.9 |
| 43 | Alex Caruso | OKC | G | 69 | 28.9 | 8.4 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 44.5 | 77.3 |
| 44 | Jalen Suggs | ORL | G | 74 | 27.9 | 12.3 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 2 | 45.5 | 74.8 |
| 45 | Kelly Olynyk | TOR | C | 71 | 23.5 | 11.2 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 1 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 1 | 52.4 | 82 |
| 46 | Herbert Jones | NOR | F | 77 | 31.2 | 11.9 | 4 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 48.7 | 86 |
| 47 | Jeremy Sochan | SAN | F | 75 | 29.7 | 11.3 | 5.9 | 2.8 | 1 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 1 | 44.6 | 75.6 |
| 48 | Patrick Williams | CHI | F | 78 | 30 | 11.2 | 4.9 | 2 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 45.3 | 80.6 |
Fantasy Basketball Rankings Method
How did I come up with this list of the "most balanced" players?
I grabbed our top 168 projected players (12 teams, 14 rounds) for 9-category roto leagues. Then, I found the average of each statistical category. I started cutting players who did not reach those averages, but the list was cut down to...zero.
So I adjusted by simply splitting the averages in half (doubling for turnovers), and bringing the FG% and FT% requirements down to 45% and 75% from the initial average of 49% and 79%. That actually produced a list of players -- the ones you see above.
The statistical requirements are:
- 8.4 PPG
- 3 RPG
- 2 APG
- 0.5 STL
- 0.4 BLK
- Less than 4.0 TOV
- 0.9 3PM
- 45 FG%
- 75 FT%
In theory, by basing a cheat sheet off the above list, you'll be able to draft a fantasy basketball roto league squad with no true weak points.
Fantasy Basketball Draft Strategy
Check out RotoWire's How to Play Fantasy Basketball guide for a complete walkthrough, but here is some basic advice:
- Check out custom NBA Fantasy Projections
- Look into Fantasy Basketball Mock Drafts
- Listen to a Fantasy Basketball Podcast
- Check in on Fantasy Basketball Player News
- Read Fantasy Basketball Articles
- Dive into RotoWire's Fantasy Basketball Draft Kit
- Study NBA Depth Charts
- See RotoWire's Fantasy Basketball Dynasty Rankings
