NBA Fantasy: Updated High Score 100 rankings

The Blazers’ Jrue Holiday has been a top-30 player in Yahoo High Score over the past 14 days.

The High Score 100 — the top 100 players in Yahoo’s newest fantasy basketball format — is a running reflection of year-to-date performance and trending production. Each weekly update captures who’s actually delivering value and who’s fading.

Here’s a breakdown of the biggest movement heading into the final week of the fantasy regular season — with the complete High Score 100 at the bottom of the article. I’ll make my final update of my rankings next Tuesday to coincide with the start of the fantasy postseason for most leagues.

Risers: Vets coming through

Player
Team
Previous Rank
Current Rank
Rank Change

Russell Westbrook
SAC
61
53
+8

Jrue Holiday
POR
64
57
+7

Kawhi Leonard
LAC
16
12
+4

Russell Westbrook — G, Sacramento Kings

53rd overall (⬆️ +8)

Westbrook’s still sporting a 31% usage rate, and he’s doing it efficiently enough to matter in fantasy. Fun fact — Russ is actually leading the Kings in 3-pointers made, assists and steals while ranking second in scoring and third in rebounding. For as much as I want to see younger players like Devin Carter see more run, it’s impressive that Russ is still hoopin’ like this at 37. It’s not amounting to many wins, but the man is putting in work.

Over his last five games, he’s averaging 19 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 3-pointers per game in 29 minutes, including a 23-12-11 triple-double against Chicago on Sunday. He became the first guard in NBA history to reach 9,000 career rebounds, which isn’t surprising since he’s the best rebounding guard of all-time. When it comes to High Score, he’s ranked 25th over the past two weeks, averaging 43 fantasy points per game. It’s been a nice run for the future Hall of Famer in fantasy.

Jrue Holiday — G, Portland Trail Blazers

57th overall (⬆️ +7)

Holiday’s been a top-30 player in High Score over the past 14 days. Sure, he benefited from Deni Avdija’s absence, but he’s helping the Blazers stay in playoff contention. Back to fantasy, he dropped 61 fantasy points in Week 19 and registered at least 20 points with 10 assists in two of his last three games. Even with Avdija returning, Holiday extended his streak of scoring at least 20 points to five games on Sunday.

The mid-season calf injury slowed his progress, but he’s really turned it up over the last month, averaging well over 40 fantasy points per game. Keep him in your lineups to close out the season.

Kawhi Leonard — FC, Los Angeles Clippers

12th overall (⬆️ +4)

Since James Harden was traded to Cleveland, Leonard is seeing a ridiculous 35.7% usage rate, while averaging 29.8 points, 7.2 boards, 3.9 dimes, 2.0 3-pointers and 1.9 steals per game with 50/31/88 shooting splits.

It’s a 12-game sample size illustrating just how great he’s been for fantasy managers — a first-round value who is finally healthy and playing some of the best ball of his career. Kawhi was on many people’s fade list (myself included) and yet he’s been one of the best values of the season.

Fallers: Move on if you have to

Player
Team
Previous Rank
Current Rank
Rank Change

Naz Reid
MIN
87
94
-7

DeMar DeRozan
SAC
89
95
-6

Payton Pritchard
BOS
57
61
-4

Naz Reid — FC, Minnesota Timberwolves

94th overall (⬇️ -7)

I’d drop Reid in High Score. Yes, he’s been a 30-point guy for most of the season, but the spike performances aren’t hitting right now. It’s been bad over his last six games, averaging a mere 10-6-2 with a block per game and not one game over 27 fantasy points. Not much more you can say. Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle are the only must-rosters in High Score from the Timberwolves.

Most fantasy playoffs start in Yahoo next week, so there’s no point in waiting this out when you could pick up someone with a higher ceiling or a better matchup.

DeMar DeRozan — FC, Sacramento Kings

95th overall (⬇️ -4)

Unlike Westbrook, it looks like DeRozan is fading out. He hasn’t played 30 minutes in eight of his last 10 games and failed to score over 30 fantasy points in seven of his last 10.

The Kings are 15-50, dead last in the West. Interestingly enough, the Kings broke their franchise-record 16-game losing streak in the game DeRozan missed due to illness. Doesn’t matter for fantasy, but what does is that he won’t be worthy rostering for the rest of the season.

Payton Pritchard — G, Boston Celtics

61st overall (⬇️ -4)

Pritchard has been so hit-or-miss lately. He’s had two forgetful performances in the past two scoring periods, where he didn’t make a field goal. That’s pretty hard to do when Pritchard’s averaging 17 ppg this year. That said, I’m not concerned about the rest of the season value.

Jayson Tatum’s back, but Pritchard’s better off the bench anyway. The former Sixth Man of the Year has been operating in that role since February and his numbers are better — scoring, assists, FG%, 3P%, usage and TS% are all up. Keep holding; those off nights are minor blips that will only downgrade him temporarily.

Complete High Score 100 rankings

The High Score 100 is a running reflection of year-to-date performance and trending production.

#
Player
Titus 03/10

1
Nikola Jokic

DEN – C

2
Luka Doncic

LAL – PG,SG

3
Cade Cunningham

DET – PG,SG

4
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

OKC – PG

5
Tyrese Maxey