Fantasy Basketball High Score Breakouts: 5 big men set to be unleashed in Yahoo’s new format
Fantasy basketball analyst Dan Titus picks five big men — forwards and centers — who should deliver eye-opening production in Yahoo’s new format, High Score.
[High Score is a new way to play Fantasy Basketball on Yahoo with simple rosters and scoring. Create or join a league]
Ausar Thompson — G/F, Detroit Pistons
Thompson enters the year healthy and ready to dominate after averaging 1.12 fantasy points per minute last season. With elite defense and potential growth in scoring and rebounding, his ADP is climbing as we approach draft weekend. Thompson’s moved up from 90 to 80 on Yahoo, and over the past seven days, it’s jumped to 77th overall.
Advertisement
I’ve seen Thompson go as high as the fifth round in 12-team leagues, and while I understand the upside, he’ll need a substantial leap in scoring alongside his patented defensive and rebounding numbers to reach those heights. But I’m much more willing to bet on Ausar’s ascension rather than on Tobias Harris, who is declining while taking some of the usage and volume from Thompson.
In terms of pecking order, Jaden Ivey is the main threat to Thompson going off offensively. That said, I’m still banking on the latter outperforming his rising ADP while being firmly in the conversation for Most Improved Player. Thompson is one of 22 players with dual eligibility in High Score, which allows fantasy managers to move him into any roster spot interchangeably.
Shaedon Sharpe — G/F, Portland Trail Blazers
Sharpe steps into a bigger role with Anfernee Simons gone, averaging 27.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 10 games without him last season. Sharpe has looked outstanding in the preseason, sharing primary scoring duties with Deni Avdija. Sharpe’s eligible for an extension (that hasn’t been granted yet), so there’s some financial motivation for him to raise his level of play heading into his fourth NBA season.
Advertisement
[Draft smarter with the Yahoo Fantasy Plus Draft Kit for personalized player rankings and tap into more premium tools to give you an edge]
You can only put so much stock into the preseason, but he’s been one of the top risers, averaging 19/5/3 with a steal across three games. He’s also shot an encouraging 49% from the field and 39% from 3 over that span. There’s a ton of upside here and any growth outside of his scoring and displaying his freakish athleticism will produce the best numbers of his career. He’s already on pace after putting up career-highs in win shares, usage and assist rates in 2024-25.
Like Thompson, Sharpe’s dual eligibility also gives him a boost in High Score and across formats.
Nikola Jović — F, Miami Heat
With a new contract, Jović seems to have the edge over Kel’el Ware, offering more playmaking, floor spacing and shotmaking. His draft stock remains very affordable at 132 overall. Coach Spoelstra has prioritized getting Jović more playing time alongside Bam Adebayo.
Advertisement
It’s an important anecdote because Coach Spo has been singing Jović’s praises all offseason, while also publicly challenging Ware’s effort and readiness. I remain high on Ware, but Jović’s skill set is more conducive to running a functioning offense, especially while Tyler Herro rehabs his ankle injury.
Jović averaged a career-high 10.7 points per game in 25 minutes per contest. Still, his true potential lies in utilizing the uptick in minutes to generate more rebounds and assists with another step forward as a scoring threat, capable of delivering 14-15 points per game.
Learn more about High Score
Matas Buzelis – F, Chicago Bulls
The Bulls’ commitment to Buzelis signals his importance, and he’ll start in Year 2 after averaging 13 points, 4 rebounds and 1 block in under 27 minutes as a rookie. With increased minutes, he’ll easily justify his 86th overall ADP. I expect his ADP will trend up this weekend as he’s showcased his two-way ability for much of the preseason.
Advertisement
In four preseason outings, he’s been the most consistent scorer for the Bulls, dropping 17 points with 4 rebounds, 2 blocks on 56% shooting from the field, 39% from 3 and 88% from the charity stripe. The runway is clearing for takeoff and, at an eighth round ADP, Buzelis is the right kind of breakout potential to target as you approach the latter part of fantasy drafts.
Alex Sarr – C, Washington Wizards
If we’re talking about High Score, Sarr is in an ideal position to ball out. First, Washington has no shortage of youth on their team. Even though vets like CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton are there, Sarr doesn’t have to compete for minutes like some of the other wings on the team, leaving a sizeable gulf in the frontcourt that Sarr can reliably occupy.
Advertisement
The efficiency issues are valid. However, since High Score doesn’t factor efficiency into the scoring system, the egregious turnovers and poor shot quality won’t register on the fantasy stat sheet. Sarr put up strong numbers in limited action in the preseason too, averaging 12 points with 8 rebounds and 3 stocks per game in just 17 minutes per night.
Sarr is entering his second season in the league and is already their best defensive anchor. The stocks will be there, plus he averaged 1.08 FPPM as a rookie. Now it’s about playing more than 28 minutes a night regularly — which is achievable as long as he can stay out of foul trouble.
