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Bruski 150SportsEthos 2026 Fantasy Basketball Draft Guide
Fantasy Basketball Draft Guide 2026: ESPN Points League Ranks
Last Updated on September 21, 2026 5:42 pm by Keston Paul | Published: September 14, 2026
Points leagues are a great spot to shoot fish in a barrel because they’re often (but not always) full of beginners who are trying to emulate the simplicity (or fun) of fantasy football leagues.
While you will often hear someone say that points leagues don’t include efficiency, anyone playing on ESPN knows that isn’t true for their default settings. There will be leagues with their own custom settings, perhaps reducing the impact of efficiency, adding rewards for double-doubles or triple-doubles, or perhaps extra penalties for technical fouls or things of that nature. However, most leagues on ESPN will likely be following the default settings.
And that sets up a lot of opportunity for owners that can simply take their projections and apply them to the scoring system. Many owners take a standard league rankings sheet into these drafts, or go by ADPs that are largely generated by players in standard formats. When an owner takes B150 projections into these leagues it can be unfair.
ESPN POINTS LEAGUES
Points: +1
3PM: +1
FGA: -1
FGM: +2
FTA: -1
FTM: +1
Rebounds: +1
Assists: +2
Steals: +4
Blocks: +4
Turnovers: -2
To simplify the scoring system, ESPN is taking efficiency into account in a roundabout way. Since you lose one fantasy point for any field-goal attempt or free-throw attempt, a successful make allows you to regain a point (+1 for a made free throw, which is a neutral) or add even add a point (+2 for a made field goal, which adds +1 to your score overall). Since you get fantasy points for each point scored, this means simply making a shot stacks up a massive reward. On top of that, if the player makes a 3-point shot, they get +1 FGM, +1 for a 3PM and +3 points for a total of five fantasy points! As with any points league, ESPN’s system is obviously tilting heavily toward offense. The +2 for assists also ensures that, but a -2 for turnovers means that balancing your assist-to-turnover ratio does matter, somewhat.
The +4 each for defensive stats does mean that a high output in steals and blocks can also impact the board, although, it has to be an add on to production in the offensive areas.
The ESPN system will allow various archetypes to thrive: efficient perimeter scorers, high-level playmakers and bigs who can provide 3-and-D impact or playmake. Scoring will always provide the highest ceiling, but the value of less efficient players may be slightly lower than it is in other points league systems, even if those values are better than they might be for 9-cat.
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From the cliffs of Porto Moniz to the forests of Latvia. With a degree in business and a background in finance, I traded balance sheets for projection models, following a lifelong love of the game. I’ve played it, I’ve lived it and I’ve had the privilege of working inside team front offices at both the club and national level.
For over 20 years, I’ve also been immersed in the world of Fantasy Basketball, studying trends, finding edges and living the grind season after season. That passion has brought me here, to SportsEthos, where I’m honored to be part of our management team alongside the great Aaron Bruski. My mission is simple: help SportsEthos thrive as the premier home for Fantasy Sports and sports coverage. A place where users get real value and where every member of the team can sharpen their craft, find joy in the work and build something special that feels like home.