The Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. makes his Fantasy Power Rankings debut after a stellar Week 7.
The Association kicked off December in auspicious fashion, as the season-long trend of nail-biters and offensive showcases continued. As customary, that led to plenty of stellar individual performances that rewarded fantasy players, and our top five this week once again features a mix of mainstays and new entrants.
The following players averaged the most fantasy points per game last week (two-game minimum):
#1. Alperen Sengun, Rockets
Last Week: 72.0 FP/G Season Rank: 10 (53.3 FP/G)
Sengun finished the week sidelined by an illness, but the talented center did plenty during his two times on the floor in Week 7. Sengun took full advantage of favorable matchups against the Jazz and Kings, first lighting up Utah for a 31-point, 14-assist double-double that also included eight rebounds before victimizing Sacramento for 28 points, 10 rebounds and four steals on Wednesday. Sengun’s versatility was on full display on both games, and his stat-sheet-stuffing prowess helped vault him to the top of the heap.
#2. Nikola Jokić, Nuggets
Last Week: 69.8 FP/G Season Rank: 1 (69.8 FP/G)
Jokić ceded the throne this week to his fellow big man, but the Joker put together another signature week that featured averages of 30.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, 11.3 assists and 1.0 blocks across four games. Jokić also shot an impressive 51.8% overall despite struggling more than usual from long distance (30.0%), and in customary fashion, he posted a pair of double-doubles and one triple-double while spearheading a 3-1 week for Denver that featured two point tallies well north of 130 points.
#3. Jalen Johnson, Hawks
Last Week: 68.3 FP/G Season Rank: 8 (55.7 FP/G)
Johnson has vaulted himself into the elite tier of the league during Trae Young’s extensive absence due to a knee injury, and the talented forward may have just completed the best week yet of his four-season-plus career. Johnson sat out one of Atlanta’s four games, but he averaged 26.7 points, 14.3 rebounds, 11.7 assists and 1.3 steals across 38.3 minutes per contest on the three occasions he took the floor. The big man finished off the week with back-to-back triple-doubles against the Nuggets and Wizards, a pair of games in which he played a key role in 130-plus-point totals for the Hawks while shooting 50.9%, including 41.2% from 3-point range.
#4. Luka Dončić, Lakers
Last Week: 66.5 FP/G Season Rank: 2 (68.7 FP/G)
Dončić wasn’t in one of his customary top two spots in this week’s rankings, but he still churned out another stellar body of work despite a pair of absences due to personal reasons. The superstar guard made good use of his two times on the floor, averaging 34.5 points, 13.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists while shooting 48.0%, and a well-rested Dončić made a successful return from his two-game absence Sunday against the 76ers by generating a 31-point, 15-rebound, 11-assist triple-double that also included a pair of blocks. He is virtually certain to enjoy permanent residence in the upper echelon of these rankings.
#5. Michael Porter Jr., Nets
Last Week: 59.1 FP/G Season Rank: 33 (43.4 FP/G)
Porter is the fresh face of the week, as the veteran wing is thriving in his role as the main cog on a team for the first time. The first-year Net has especially seen his production skyrocket since Cam Thomas’ hamstring injury, and Porter was at his most prolific yet this past week with 34.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals across 34.3 minutes per contest over three games. As the scoring numbers suggest, the 2018 first-round pick’s shot was locked in, as he drained 55.2% of his attempts, including 51.5% from 3-point range. Porter’s 18.7 shot attempts per game for the season far outpace his previous career high of 13.6, and the talented wing’s usage is expected to remain elevated even when Thomas is back in the fold.
This week’s preview:
The following players are top fantasy point producers and play at least three games next week with fewer than two matchups against top-10 defenses:
De’Aaron Fox, Spurs (46.8 FP/G) – @NOP, @LAL, TBD
Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves (46.6 FP/G) – PHO, @GSW, SAC
Julius Randle, Timberwolves (45.7 FP/G) – PHO, @GSW, SAC
Pascal Siakam, Pacers (44.9 FP/G) – SAC, @PHI, WAS
Trey Murphy III, Pelicans (39.7 FP/G) – SA, POR, @CHI
