Nikola Jokić has scored 70 or more fantasy points in 51.2% of games played this season.
The race rolls on. A new week only means more opportunity for fantasy general managers to earn the extra points necessary to beat out league foes.
With one team’s remarkable start, plenty of star showings and breakout players emerging, there are advantages available in NBA Fantasy — Salary Cap Edition.
Here’s what you need to know entering Week 8:
Last week’s story
A scintillating start by the Oklahoma City Thunder is becoming more and more historic. With every victory, they step further and further into unprecedented territory. Now, their record stands at 23-1, matched only by the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors and 1969-70 New York Knicks.
Naturally, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — the reigning Kia MVP — is the catalyst with a team-high 56.6 fantasy points per game (FPPG) and ranks third in the league with 1303 total fantasy points (TFP). His high-volume production and reliability have been the team’s engine.
Along with steady contributions from Chet Holmgren (36.3 FPPG) and an unexpected breakout from Ajay Mitchell (30 FPPG on $4.7M), the return of Jalen Williams on Nov. 28 only strengthened a winning foundation. He’s produced 212 TFP through five games played.
Peak performances
Alperen Sengun went off to commence Week 7. He racked up a season-high 88 fantasy points Monday, and in the six days that followed, nobody would top that. It was a 133-125 loss for the Houston Rockets (15-6) to the Utah Jazz (8-15) that night, but Sengun’s 31 points scored, eight rebounds, 14 assists, five blocks and two steals represented a shining stat line. The fifth-year center currently ranks 10th in the Association with 53.3 FPPG.
And that wasn’t the only big bang to start the week. Nikola Jokić put up 84 fantasy points that same night as the Dallas Mavericks (9-16) upended the Denver Nuggets (17-6) in a 131-121 result. That’s a casual outing for the three-time NBA MVP — he’s scored 70 or more in 51.2% of games played this season. With 29 points scored, 20 rebounds, 13 assists, two blocks and one steal against the Mavericks, he continues to sit comfortably atop the fantasy leaderboards.
Over in the Eastern Conference, meanwhile, Jalen Johnson remains on fire. He crossed 70 fantasy points for the fourth time in his last five games with 77 on Friday as the Atlanta Hawks (14-11) fell to the Nuggets, 134-133. The Duke product tallied 21 points scored, 18 rebounds, 16 assists and two steals in defeat, marking his second-best showing yet in 2025-26. His impact on both ends has been a boon for the Hawks, now averaging 55.4 FPPG, eighth-most in the league.
Transaction tips
The best bang-for-your-buck players are largely solidified as we enter Week 8, but there are recent risers worth looking at. Russell Westbrook is responsible for 43 FPPG across his last seven appearances and even dropped 68 on Nov. 28 in a vintage triple-double performance. Sharing minutes with Dennis Schröder at the point, he hasn’t wasted opportunities as of late, pitching in points beyond his $8.7M pay grade.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker has embodied consistency to climb up the fantasy value charts. The seventh-year guard dropped 35-plus fantasy points in eight of the last 10 games while averaging 39.5 FPPG in that span. That included two outings with 60 or more fantasy points as he continues to embrace the starting role at shooting guard for Atlanta. For all that production, his price tag is just $8.1M, and he now ranks 13th in the league for fantasy value.
As was the case in weeks past, Ryan Rollins ($6.5M for 987 TFP) and Collin Gillespie ($5.2M for 719 TFP) are all wise investments to make. Those three have regularly performed well above their salaries and continue to make winning impacts not just for their teams, but for fantasy general managers. And the Memphis Grizzlies (11-13) continue to churn out high-value players — Cam Spencer, Cedric Coward and Jock Landale all rank in the top 12.
