In fantasy basketball category leagues, matchups are determined by who performs better in specific production metrics over the period. Category leagues are typically determined by 8 or 9 statistics, including:
Points, Rebounds, Assists, Steals, Blocks, Free Throws Made, 3 Point Made, Field Goal %, 3 Point %
Here are some specialists you can target to ensure you consistently perform in a specific category.
Assists
Davion Mitchell (Heat)
Davion Mitchell is currently 7th in the assists per game leaderboard. He is a highly efficient passer when comparing his assist production compared to his usage and scoring. Even with the return of Tyler Herro and continued emergence of Jaime Jaquez, Davion continues to play lots of minutes. An added bonus is his steal production, where he is averaging well over 1 steal per game. If you have enough assets, Davion is an excellent addition to help you lock down your assists category, and his price is relatively low. Dynatyze has Davion Mitchell as a slight buy candidate, especially for win now category teams.
Rebounding
Mitchell Robinson (Knicks)
In the NBA Cup Finals, we saw how dominant of a rebounder Mitchell Robinson truly is. In just 18 minutes, Robinson put up 15 rebounds, 10 of which were offensive. He averages a ridiculous 17 rebounds per 75 possessions. Robinson also puts up solid block and steal numbers, and his trade value is quite low. However, Mitch has had a hard time staying healthy throughout his career. He has already missed significant time, and has only played 60+ games once since the 2020-21 season. If you can handle potential injury risk, Mitch is a great pickup for win now teams
3 Pointers Made
AJ Green
AJ Green has dealt with a shoulder injury, but hopes to return very soon. In games he has played he has ranked in the top 10 of 3 pointers made per game. One question relates to the emergence of Kevin Porter Jr., who has been an absolute flamethrower this season. Green might see a reduced role compared to the start of the season, but will still be a great bench piece for the Bucks. If we see a Giannis trade, Green’s production could benefit. Dynatyze has AJ Green as a major buy candidate, but he carries some risk. If you need a boost in the 3s category, AJ could be a great pickup at a low price.
Free Throws Made
Jerami Grant
Jerami Grant has been a fantastic scorer this season, and has been amongst the Trail Blazers scorers who find themselves at the line frequently. Jerami is 20th in free throws made per game this season, with 5.6 per game. He is also averaging 20 points per game, which will help boost your points category. His price is higher than many of the other players in this article, but represents a great opportunity for win now teams.
Steals
Tre Jones
Tre Jones has been a great role player for Chicago this year, putting up solid production numbers and minutes. At 1.6 steals per game, he is good for 6th in the league. With Coby White returning, he may see a slight dip in usage, but his defensive presence is very valuable for a struggling Bulls team. He will also add some solid scoring and assist numbers. If you can handle some inefficiencies from 3, Tre is a great pickup for a win now team with decent draft capital.
Blocks
Isaiah Stewart
Isaiah Stewart has had a great bounce back year, providing excellent defense and grit to an ascending Pistons team. iStew is currently top in blocks per game, putting up nearly 2 per contest. He also provides consistent scoring and rebounding numbers, and comes with a low price tag. If you are a team in need of additional block production, Stewart is a strong trade target. Currently one of the best Hype Gaps on Dynatyze, meaning he is greatly undervalued.
Category leagues are becoming increasingly popular, especially in the dynasty basketball community. If you need more help with valuing players based on category production, you can check out our Z-score based rankings, under the Current Fantasy Player Rankings. If you have any questions or suggestions about other players, feel free to join our community and get help from experts. Thanks for reading, and check out our tools and Discord!