Special for Yahoo Sports
The 2022 NBA Draft rookie class had plenty of talent before the fantasy season, but the No. 2 overall pick by Chet Holmgren an off-season foot injury that sidelined him for the year put a damper on things. However, many first-year players made an impact in the first few weeks. A few struggled to live up to expectations.
Great performances
Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
The first overall pick deservedly leads the top players, as Duke’s standout has already become a top contributor for the Magic. Banchero has recorded more than 20 points in each of his first six NBA appearances, and he has already recorded two double-doubles in his first eight games.
Banchero has shown growing pains over the past two games, converting just 36.4% of his field goal attempts and 14.3% of his 3-point attempts. However, he kept up a lot of shot volume and averaged 16.5 points per game in those matchups. Banchero impressed on a limited sample size in the Summer League and maintained momentum to start the regular season.
Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings
Murray started the year under league health and safety protocols, but missed just one game to start the regular season. He came off the bench in his first two appearances but topped 30 minutes in each outing. The 22-year-old averaged 17.5 points on 54.2% shooting in those two clashes, being rewarded with a starting role ever since.
However, he has only totaled 19 points in his last two appearances. While Murray’s drop in production is disheartening, it’s fair to expect ups and downs for rookies, and he made himself an integral part of the Kings’ offense early in the campaign.
Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons
Ivey missed the Pistons’ Oct. 26 game against Atlanta due to non-COVID illness and appeared to be put into action on his return to the field, but has had consistent playing time in each of his other appearances. The Purdue product has been productive on the scoreboard, posting double-digit totals in its first seven games before being limited to just seven points in Wednesday’s blowout loss to Milwaukee — one of the toughest defenses formidable in the league.
Along with his scoring, Ivey showed glimpses of rebound and assist production, highlighted by a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double in the team’s loss to the Pacers on Oct. 22. He also had nine assists in his second NBA game against the Knicks. While the 20-year-old had disappointing results Wednesday against the Bucks, he had enough shooting volume and production at both ends of the field to make him a promising option.
Benoit Mathurin, Indiana Pacers
Mathurin came off the bench in each of his first eight appearances for the Pacers, but he got plenty of playing time while posting consistent results. He played at least 22 minutes every game and shot 45.6% from the floor while scoring in double figures every game.
If there’s any impact to its results from a fantasy standpoint, it’s that it doesn’t offer much in the secondary categories. The 20-year-old recorded seven rebounds twice but otherwise had muted results in the charts and assists columns. Moreover, even if Aaron Nesmith missed the last two games the Pacers turned to Chris Duarte as a starter rather than inserting Mathurin into their starting XI. Despite Mathurin’s shortcomings in some secondary categories, he’s shooting 42.9% from beyond the arc and will likely argue for a starting role at some point if he can maintain his production.
Inconsistent options
Jabari Smith Jr., Houston Rockets
Smith’s playing time early in his career with the Rockets was not a major concern, as he averaged 30.7 minutes in his first nine appearances. He also averaged 15.3 points per game in his first four NBA appearances — a streak that included a double-double against Milwaukee on Oct. 22.
Unfortunately, his efficiency has plummeted in six games since then, as he shot just 24.5% from the floor and was limited to single-digit running totals in his last three appearances. On an encouraging note, the 19-year-old continued to shoot plenty of threes, averaging 6.2 attempts per game from beyond the arc. While Smith’s early-season inconsistency was disheartening given his status as the No. 3 overall pick, he shot 42% from beyond the arc at Auburn last year. He should have plenty of opportunities to turn things around as the Rockets rebuild.
Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers
As expected, playing time was a concern early on for Sharpe while playing behind Damien Lillard and Anfernee Simons in the backcourt of the Trail Blazers. He showed glimpses of production off the bench but couldn’t generate enough consistency to make him a reliable fantasy option. However, he saw more minutes replacing Lillard, who has been sidelined with a calf injury in the last two games. Sharpe was down 14 points in his first NBA start but was limited to just two points Wednesday against the Grizzlies.
While the Trail Blazers have yet to set a specific date for Lillard’s return, the team hopes he can return during the next road trip that begins Friday. In addition to Sharpe being a consideration in Dynasty/Guardian leagues, most of his fantasy appeal at this point comes in DFS formats and as a streaming option in some redraft leagues while replacing Lillard. Once Lillard is back in action, Sharpe’s short-term value will likely plummet.
Tari Reason, Houston Rockets
Eason has had relatively consistent playing time despite being on the bench, but his game-to-game results are unreliable. He’s scored in double figures in two of his first nine NBA appearances and is averaging 4.9 rebounds per game, which isn’t what fantasy managers are hoping for from a 6-foot-8 area option. before.
Even with Jae’Sean Tate Sidelined recently, Eason’s role hasn’t grown significantly. The LSU product may have a better chance of proving itself if some of the Rockets’ frontcourt options deal with injuries, but Eason didn’t have a particularly relevant role early in his career.
Jeremy Sochan, San Antonio Spurs
Sochan has started his first seven appearances for Spurs, but his role has been somewhat inconsistent. While he averages 21.6 minutes per game, he has been limited to just 10 minutes twice. The last 10-minute outing came on Wednesday as he continues to work his way through illness, so Spurs unsurprisingly allowed the rookie back into action.
Even excluding Wednesday’s performance, Sochan’s production has yet to live up to what some might have hoped for from a player who got a starting role in the frontcourt. Although he scored in double figures in three contests, he failed to pull off more than seven rebounds in any of his appearances and was not a reliable distributor. The 19-year-old had a few productive games early in his career, but his inconsistency and lack of defensive production hampered his fantasy appeal.
