The High Score 100: The biggest rankings risers and fallers as we navigate Week 13 in fantasy basketball

The High Score 100 (the top 100 players in Yahoo’s latest fantasy basketball game) reflects performance and trends so far this year. Each weekly update documents who is actually creating value and who is disappearing.

Here’s a breakdown of the biggest upside and downside for Fantasy Basketball Week 12 – with the full High 100 at the bottom of the article. I will be updating my rankings every Tuesday throughout the fantasy basketball season.

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📈 The Risers: Breakthrough players shine

Trey Murphy III – FC, New Orleans Pelicans: No. 43 overall (⬆️ 10)

Murphy has been outstanding since the calendar flipped, averaging 31.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists over the past four games. He was a top-10 player in Week 12, averaging 51.9 points per game and scoring a high of 63 points.

Opposing teams interested in Murphy will have to pay a high price in real life and fantasy, as he’s in hot form right now and his value couldn’t be higher. This year, Murphy is ranked No. 48, but I’m ranking him a little higher because he’s playing more aggressive while working toward becoming a 1A option for New Orleans.

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Nickeil Alexander-Walker – G/FC, Atlanta Hawks: No. 65 overall (⬆️ 9)

Trae Young was traded to Washington, raising NAW’s cap for the rest of the season. Over the past two weeks, Walker has led fantasy coaches with over 50 fantasy points, and he continues to add a mix of points, rebounds, assists and steals. He’s enjoying a career year, averaging over 20 points per game, and will continue to play over 33 minutes a night with Trae gone. His jump from 74 to 65 is due to his recent performance (ranked in the top 50 the past two weeks) and trades, which ensured his playing time and role moving forward.

Michael Porter Jr. – FC, Brooklyn Nets: No. 31 overall (⬆️ 8)

MPJ is too successful to be considered a Most Improved Player, but the numbers he put up in Brooklyn were out of control. Over the past two weeks, Porter Jr. has averaged more than 51 points per game, ranking in the top 12 on the high-scoring list. The former Nugget set career highs in points, rebounds and assists, laying a solid foundation for his first All-Star selection. He is the centerpiece of Brooklyn’s offense, as evidenced by his scoring average rising from 18.2 to 25.9 this year and his underrated playmaking ability.

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Teams have been inquiring about MPJ’s availability at the trade deadline, and given the way he plays, the Nets could get him a nice return. For fantasy, however, coaches will want him to stay at BK, where he will continue to see a 30% usage rate and shoot at will. He could legitimately be a top-25 player.

📉 Faller – Vet hits atypical wall

Bam Adebayo – FC, Miami Heat: No. 69 overall (⬇️ 11)

Welcome back, Bam. This is the second straight week he’s on the loser’s list as his offense is nowhere to be found. Bam’s decline continues, with the Heat falling to 2-4 on Monday. He has struggled since being sidelined with a back injury in Week 10. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, he doesn’t seem to have the kind of upside or explosiveness that we’re used to seeing. He’s also someone who doesn’t make excuses and play through injuries, as evidenced by the fact that he played at least 69 games in six of nine seasons.

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If you want to ride out the storm, this is your choice. Bam doesn’t seem like he’s going to turn things around without a break. He hasn’t had a 40-point fantasy performance in more than a month, and he hasn’t scored 20 points in a game since Dec. 15.

Zach LaVine – G/FC, Sacramento Kings: No. 92 overall (⬇️ 7)

LaVine’s rating dropped slightly from 85 to 92 as he remains a part of this disaster for the Sacramento Kings. This season, LaVine averaged 30.2 points per game, ranking 118th on the high-scoring list. I still have him in my top 100 because of his ability to produce a spike game every week. Still, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to justify keeping him there, as his minutes have ranged from 28 to 37 minutes a night in his final five games since returning from a nine-game absence. The rotation is a mess — plus, the Kings are actively shopping him, DeMar DeRozan, and probably every other veteran besides Keegan Murray.

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LaVine is still talented, it’s just difficult to get much value out of his scoring in an environment like Sacramento’s.

OG Anunoby – FC, New York Knicks: No. 90 overall (⬇️ 6)

The high score format somewhat masks the inconsistency of OG. While he has scored over 40 fantasy points over the past two weeks, he has averaged just 31 fantasy points per game over the past seven games. Most fantasy managers will need higher production to win this week. Anunoby is a player who has made solid starts in easier situations, but it’s hard to believe he knows every night that in a crowded frontcourt, he can deliver some duds. OG is still in the top 100; I just don’t like the upside of high scores unless another Knicks starter gets injured.

Complete high score 100 ranking

The High Score 100 continues to reflect year-to-date performance and trending production.

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Nikola Jokić, the top player in high-scoring competition (and across all formats), remains sidelined with a hyperextended knee. Although he will be out for several weeks, he is undoubtedly the best fantasy player in the high-scoring game. He’s the only player averaging over 70 points per game, and since his injury isn’t expected to keep him out long-term, he should still be the No. 1 pick if the draft were drafted now.