(It’s not too late to create or join a High Score league, a new way to play Fantasy Basketball on Yahoo with simple rosters and scoring.)
Here’s a breakdown of the biggest rises and falls during Week 14 of fantasy basketball, with the full High Score 100 at the end of the article. I will update my rankings every Tuesday during the fantasy basketball season.
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📈Risers – Nurk Alert and more!
Jusuf Nurkić – FC, Utah Jazz: 75th overall (⬆️ 22nd)
Nurkić just had three consecutive triple-doubles and is shooting 44.4% from three over the past week while averaging 16/13/12. The way of playing has been ridiculous. When defenses trap Keyonte George, Nurkić finds cutters and hits pick-and-pop 3s.
With the February 5 trade deadline approaching, I expect his name to float along with his expiring $19 million contract. Despite the unknown, Nurk has seen a resurgence in Utah, playing much better than in his recent seasons with the Hornets and Suns. Because he’s been playing so well, it seems like a good time to sell high.
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Immanuel Quickley – G, Toronto Raptors: 60th overall (⬆️ 15)
Quickley just made NBA history, becoming the first player to record 40+ PTS, 10+ AST, and 5+ 3s while shooting over 80% from the floor. One of those very specific types of stats, but still, a substantial achievement. He accumulated 68 High Score fantasy points from that performance and that helped him win the Eastern Conference Player of the Week award in Week 14, averaging 25.3 points per game, 6.8 RPG, 6.8 APG and 2 steals over the last seven days.
The timing couldn’t be better with trade deadline noise everywhere. After an injury-ravaged 2024-25 season, IQ is back playing, making a statement for fantasy coaches and Raptors fans.
Amen Thompson – G/FC, Houston Rockets: 35th overall (⬆️ 6)
Thompson is starting to find his groove, finishing Week 14 inside the top 20 and is in the top 35 over his final 14 days. He’s averaging 18.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 5.6 APG, and 2.1 APG in January with no signs of letting up.
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He’s once again defending first-team All-Defensive and his six-spot jump from 41st to 35th proves he’s still a key asset for Fantasy managers on a weekly basis.
📉 Fallers — Mid-season fights
Mikal Bridges – G/FC, New York Knicks: 73rd overall (⬇️ 13)
The Knicks are 4-8 in their last 12 games and Bridges is gone. He’s averaging 27.6 fantasy points over the past two weeks and just 24.8 over the past week, both outside the top 150. Over a five-game stretch, he averaged 12.6 points, 3.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game.
New York gave up FIVE first rounders for this guy. His scoring dropped from 16.5 ppg in December to 13.8 ppg in January, while his efficiency declined (his TS% dropped from 62% to 51%). The drop from 13 spots to 73 reflects what we’ve seen all year: he just hasn’t been consistent enough to rely on.
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Isaiah Hartenstein – FC, Oklahoma City Thunder: 94th overall (⬇️ 10)
Hartenstein missed 15 straight games with a recurring calf strain that left him without a timetable for his return. OKC continues to list him as questionable on the injury report, only to later rule him out. It’s not looking good, and the fewer answers Fantasy managers have, the more we’ll run out of patience to keep him hidden on the IL.
When healthy, Hartenstein posted a low-end double-double with three dimes and nearly two shares per contest. His absence, among others, is telling as the Thunder have lost three of their last five games. Hartenstein will continue to drop if we don’t receive significant updates.
Desmond Bane – G/FC, Orlando Magic: 68th overall (⬇️ 5)
It’s not a huge drop by any means, but Bane hasn’t put together a 40-point fantasy performance in High Score since January 11. The Magic are falling hard right now and their defense is starting to look as bad as their offense.
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Last week, Bane averaged 20/4/2 with 1 steal per game, which isn’t really enough for Fantasy managers to stick with their lineups all week. He was brought in to help solve their offensive woes (mostly three-point shooting), but it appears he’s also caught up in the Magic’s funk. Bane is averaging just 32 fantasy points in Weeks 13 and 14.
Complete the High Score 100 ranking
The High Score 100 is a continuous reflection of year-to-date performance and production trends.
Injury notes:
Jimmy Butler III (torn ACL) has been dropped from the top 100. The top player in High Score (and all formats), Nikola Jokić, remains out with a hyperextended knee. He has resumed on-court training and appears to be on track to return in late January. He is by far the best fantasy player in High Score. He’s the only player averaging more than 70 fantasy points per game and should still be the No. 1 overall pick if you select a team right now.