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Bruski 150SportsEthos 2026 Fantasy Basketball Draft Guide
Fantasy Basketball Draft Guide 2026: Reviewing Last Season’s Fantasy Face-Offs
Last Updated on September 30, 2026 12:35 pm by Mike Passador | Published: September 30, 2026
Every summer — or every autumn, maybe? — we like to engage in a few Fantasy Face-Offs. We’ll go into our team group chat and throw out some names of comparable players being taken close to one another in fantasy drafts and see who wants to take up which case. Every so often we’ll find a unanimous decision, and those don’t see the light of day, but those that feature disagreement get turned into a quick head-to-head battle. More than right vs. wrong, the objective is to explain our respective thought processes when it comes to attacking names in the draft and hopefully you get some new perspectives to consider whether you agree with one opinion or not. This year we’re also looking back to see how each Face-Off turned out while dissecting the logic behind each case. There were a few can’t-go-wrong matchups last year but it’s always worth examining what made someone pick one name over another in situations like that. Let’s crack open the history books to see what we have.
Amen Thompson vs. Jalen Johnson
Thompson and Johnson were both upside shots in the early rounds of standard drafts. Down in Houston, Thompson was coming off a huge finish to his sophomore effort and catching the springboard of Fred VanVleet’s torn ACL to slide right into the starting PG spot for a team that had eyes on a title. Johnson, meanwhile, had taken over as the true franchise building block in Atlanta and was gearing up for his first season as The Guy in Trae Young’s last on the books. Injury risk was working against him after a 36-game season, albeit one in which he produced top-20 fantasy value. Both players represented untapped potential with a top-30 track record and across-the-box production.
The Case for Thompson
Some things are inevitable in life: death, taxes, and Amen Thompson’s ascension into the fantasy elite. What we witnessed from him last season was no fluke, and now with Fred VanVleet (knee) out for the year, Thompson gets the keys to the offense. The minutes will be plentiful under coach Ime Udoka, and when Thompson averaged 30.4 MPG over the last month of the season, he slammed his way to top-15 value in 9-cat leagues. We all know that there is more in the tank for him, as the potential can seem limitless at times. The hype is earned, making Thompson one of the most exciting targets to grab in drafts this season.
As for Jalen Johnson, he deserves his fair share of respect, too. The potential for Johnson is just as impressive, but he has quietly become a bit of an injury risk. It could be bad luck, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that he has only played 92 games over the past two seasons. Also, the arrival of Kristaps Porzingis could lead to a slight usage hit for Johnson. I’m sure that he will get his share, but with another weapon on the court for the Hawks, it could lead to fewer shots for Johnson.
Both of these players’ stat lines closely mirror each other, but one has a healthier track record and a better path to insane production. If you are choosing between these two juggernauts on draft day, you know which way to lean.
— Tim
The Case for Johnson
It’s not that Thompson is incapable of becoming a top-15 guy over a full season. Clearly, he has the tools. But when it comes to fantasy drafting, the early rounds are more about securing your floor than taking upside swings. Johnson has a longer track record of being in the early-round neighborhood and is getting drafted after Thompson in most leagues. Sure, the injury troubles are apparent, but in terms of per-game value, Johnson was a better choice last season. Both players offer all-around skill sets and Johnson’s injuries don’t look like they’re chronic issues that will dog him forever. Chalk one up for a little more predictability.
Moreover, Johnson gives you more flexibility in drafts because his free throw percentage — while still suboptimal — is easier to work with. Your first couple picks should not be limiting who you can draft thereafter, and Thompson brings that potential, especially as his role expands.
As for that expanding role, it may not be all its cracked up to be. While the absence of VanVleet likely gives Thompson a path to more assists, a changing role could also subtract from his game elsewhere. More time spent playmaking could mean less time scoring, or tougher shots at the end of the clock outside his money areas. If Thompson is pushed away from the rim it’ll negatively impact his points and FG%. Perhaps he was so effective last year because of the fit with his teammates, and taking VanVleet’s shooting out of the equation will make life harder. More usage could also mean more free throw attempts, which would only compound the problem with his mediocre work at the charity stripe. Sometimes more usage isn’t the gift that it appears to be at first glance.
So yes, Thompson has the edge in terms of upside. He could be the next first-round monster. But there are more potential drawbacks than many managers are willing to admit. The arrow doesn’t always go straight up. With that in mind, give me Johnson in the second round. His stat set doesn’t have the same peaks but it also doesn’t have the same valleys, creating more opportunities for flexible roster construction in the rest of the draft. If I miss the boat on Thompson, so be it — I know Johnson will still be a top-25 guy, and that’s nothing to be upset about.
— Mike
The Verdict
The case for Johnson was nearly letter perfect. He outperformed Thompson in terms of points, rebounds, assists, steals, 3-pointers and free throw percentage, and while both players saw collapses in their blocks to make that close it was a major difference-maker for Thompson, who lost his one clear statistical edge. The only reservation with Johnson was health and he played in 72 games. Not quite Thompson’s impressive 79, but hardly a number you’ll complain about this day and age.
Thompson got off to a slow start as a full-time PG and had to adjust to the extra playmaking duties on his plate; that responsibility still left him with fewer assists per game than Johnson. It also, as predicted, resulted in fewer points and a worse FG%. Though he was still a more efficient shooter than Johnson, it was another area where Thompson lost a big statistical edge. That’s not to say it was a bad effort from Thompson, whose “struggles” still resulted in top-50 value. He made things a bit closer with a top-20 sprint from the All-Star break through the end of the season but Johnson was that guy from wire to wire. Managers couldn’t be too upset either way as Johnson went 12/18 and 11/15 (8/9-cat) per-game and total value, and Thompson went 32/31 and 14/14. This is one of those no-lose battles we talked about but Johnson gets the win.
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Mike graduated from Boston University’s Dual Degree Program with a BA in Economics and a BS in Business with Concentrations in Marketing and Operations Management. He is a faithful supporter of Toronto sports and the Detroit Lions and is always ready to be let down. Tweet to him @Mike_Pandador, but if you badmouth Jose Calderon you might get blocked.
