Jaylen Brown posted his best fantasy game of the season in Week 6 and followed it up with a triple-double.
Even with an off night for the entire league on Thanksgiving, there was a week’s worth of excitement packed into six days this past week in the Association. Stellar individual performances were in ample supply, and when the dust settled on the fantasy scoring period, the top five had plenty of familiar names and one notable new inclusion.
The following players averaged the most fantasy points per game last week (two-game minimum):
#1. Luka Dončić, Lakers
Last Week: 72.7 FP/G Season Rank: 2 (69.6 FP/G)
Dončić tore through his opponents again this past week, putting up 37.3 points, 10.3 assists, 8.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks across 37.7 minutes per game. The elite guard was instrumental in the Lakers’ 3-0 week, one where they scored between 129 and 135 points. Dončić was particularly aggressive and locked in from long distance, draining 45.5% of his 11.0 attempts from behind the arc per contest while also finding the net on 86.0% of his 12.0 attempts per contest from the free-throw line.
#2. Jaylen Brown, Celtics
Last Week: 67.5 FP/G Season Rank: 14 (48.4 FP/G)
Brown is our new entrant this week. He earned a lofty spot in the top five by averaging 31.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.0 blocks across 37 minutes per contest during what was a 2-1 week for the Celtics, where they were involved in a trio of wire-to-wire battles. Brown bookended the three-game sample with a double-double against the Pistons in a 117-114 upset win for Boston and a rare 19-point, 12-rebound, 11-assist triple-double in a tough matchup against the Cavs where he went just 3-for-13 from the floor but offset the inefficiency with a 12-for-16 showing from the line.
#3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
Last Week: 62.7 FP/G Season Rank: 7 (58.4 FP/G)
SGA was back for another stay in the top five in Week 6, spearheading the Thunder through another unblemished week behind 34.3 points, 6.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals. The reigning MVP shot a crisp 55.6% from the floor, including 40% from 3-point range, and he converted 84.8% of his whopping 15.3 visits to the line per game into points as well. Gilgeous-Alexander notably opened the season in atypically poor form from distance, but a major resurgence in that area over the last several weeks leaves him with a career-best 41.1% success rate from behind the arc entering Week 7.
#4. Cade Cunningham, Pistons
Last Week: 61.4 FP/G Season Rank: 5 (59.7 FP/G)
Cunningham remains put in the No. 4 spot this week courtesy of another highly productive, stat-sheet-stuffing week. The Pistons carved out just a 2-2 mark during the scoring period, but Cunningham was his usual self with 33.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.5 assists per contest, as well as 49.5% shooting, including 39.1% from 3-point range. The 2021 first overall pick also connected on 79.5% of his 9.8 free-throw attempts per contest. He closed out the period with an even more well-rounded line in a wild 138-135 win over the Heat on Saturday by turning in a pair of steals and a block alongside 29 points, eight assists and four rebounds.
#5. Nikola Jokić, Nuggets
Last Week: 58.5 FP/G Season Rank: 1 (69.7 FP/G)
Jokić tumbled from the top to the bottom of the top five this week, but he retains his No. 1 ranking for the season and still turned in an admirable body of work overall. The Joker helped guide Denver to a 2-1 week with averages of 21.3 points, 12.0 assists, 9.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals while finding the net on virtually everything he put up. Jokić shot 73.1% from the floor, including 85.7% from 3-point range, and added an 83.3% success rate on 8.0 free-throw attempts per contest. The notable downturn in his spot in the power rankings was largely attributed to him being much less involved offensively than usual. The big man averaged just 8.7 field-goal attempts per game after going into the period putting up 17.8 per contest.
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:
Nikola Jokić, Nuggets (69.7 FP/G) – DAL, @IND, @ATL, @CHA
Cade Cunningham, Pistons (59.7 FP/G) – ATL, @MIL, POR, MIL
Tyrese Maxey, 76ers (58.6 FP/G) – WAS, GSW, @MIL, LAL
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder (58.4 FP/G) – @GSW, DAL, @UTA
James Harden, Clippers (55.5 FP/G) – @MIA, @ATL, @MEM, @MIN
