Mikal Bridges is off to an objectively bad start to the season from a fantasy basketballperspective. Bad enough that I’ve been called out on social media for having him so high in my early season rankings.

Through his first 10 games this season, Bridges averaged 6.3 PPG and 0.9 3PG on 32.9 FG%. His cold shooting is affecting his minutes, leading New York Knicks coach Mike Brown to sit Bridges in the fourth quarter and therefore limit him to only playing 25.1 MPG. His peripheral stats like rebounds, assists, steals and blocks are actually right on his norms on a per-minute basis, but his reduced minutes have led to lower totals there as well.

Production-wise, this was Bridges’ worst 10-game regular season stretch since March of this year, when he averaged 8.4 PPG and 1.0 3PG on 35.5 FG%. In fact, extended cold scoring spells aren’t unusual for Bridges if you look at his career. Sometimes his shot just won’t go in. But when the slump is over, Bridges has always returned to his typical high-level self. Last season, that 10-game stretch was swallowed by his other 72 games. All told, Bridges averaged 14.4 PPG on 49.0 FG% for the season that, along with his other stats, led to him finishing top 30 in the league in fantasy points as well as in the ESPN Player Rater.

And that’s the point.

While Bridges’ shot can be inconsistent, his production over the long haul is metronomic. He plays every game … period. He has played in all 648 games in his nine-year career, never missing a single game. In the 2022-23 season Bridges was traded in the middle of the campaign, so he actually played 83 regular season games that year. But in an NBA full of injuries and load management, Bridges’ iron-man durability is a super power.

Another of his fantasy super powers is the versatility of his game. Bridges is a 3-and-D player who contributes a bit to every category. Those contributions add up in both category leagues and points leagues, to the point that he always ends up among the top 30 in fantasy production. And the consistency has been across roles and teams, as well. In his last four full seasons leading up to this one, he split a season between being a role player for the Phoenix Suns and the primary scorer for the Brooklyn Nets in 2022-23, was a primary scorer for the Nets (23-24), and then was back to a role player with the Knicks since 2024-25 — and his fantasy points (both totals and per game) end up roughly the same every year.

He always ends up at the same spot.

Always?

Bridges’ incredibly slow start this season rightfully raises some questions. After having him in my preseason top-40 fantasy rankings, Bridges has slid outside the top 80 in this week’s rankings update. The rankings factor in feedback from the current season, and Bridges’ fantasy average is just far below his norm.

But, again, a closer look shows that only one aspect of Bridges’ game is out of whack right now: his shooting, which is directly affecting his scoring and minutes played. If you look at his other fantasy stats, though, he is playing at the same level as always. Here are his per-36 minute counting stats:

Outside of shooting and scoring, Bridges is the same metronome he has been for the last decade. And as we’ve seen before, shooting is the one aspect of Bridges’ game that tends to go away for extended periods before eventually returning to normal. Bridges’ role should be stable, as the Knicks have the same starting five for the third straight season. This crew is the reigning NBA champions, with Bridges as a key cog, and of course Bridges is famously one of the “Villanova Knicks” alongside Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart.

Based on his career consistency, the overwhelmingly most likely outcome is that Bridges finds his shot and finishes off this season with overall numbers right in line with his norms. And if he does, then at this moment he represents incredible fantasy value. For Bridges to finish at his usual levels, he would need to be at least a top-25 fantasy producer for the remainder of the season while playing in every game. But his current trade value is as low as it has ever been. In many leagues, Bridges could be traded for at low value, if he hasn’t been cut outright. After being universally rostered to start the season, Bridges is down to being rostered in only 73.5% of ESPN leagues.

Adding Bridges now, via trade or free agency, could be a league-winning move if he returns to his typical levels. And we have a decade of evidence to suggest that return is likely. In fact, I think I’m going to make some trade offers to whoever has rostered Bridges in all of my fantasy leagues, right now. If you’ll excuse me.br/]

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