We’re now over five weeks into the NBA regular season, and fantasy basketball has delivered more twists and turns than Scott Calvin trying to figure out he’s actually Santa Claus in The Santa Clause. Between surprise breakouts, unexpected slumps, injury chaos, and rotations that make Elf’s Buddy the Elf scream “THAT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE!”, this season has been wild enough to make Santa and his reindeer’s heads spin.
Back in November, I said availability is the best ability — and that still holds truer than ever. But as the calendar flips to December, we’ve finally gathered enough data to see who’s moving up the Nice List, who’s sliding down toward the Naughty List, and who’s getting a fantasy lump of coal.
Let’s take the sleigh for a spin and dive into the biggest movers and shakers from my November Top 250 rankings to my December Rest-of-Season Update.
📈 Biggest Risers (November → December)
James Harden (November: #30 → Current: #14 overall)
This is the single biggest jump among established veterans. Harden has been consistent and serving as the high-end floor general many hoped he’d still be. His elite assists, strong scoring, and free-throw volume are back to vintage levels.
Deni Avdija (November: #40 → Current: #23 overall)
A massive 17-spot leap into top-25 territory. Avdija has been phenomenal — efficient scoring and making the most of his massive usage. He’s the heartbeat of this young Blazers team. His versatility is tailor-made for points leagues, and the breakout looks very real.
Amen Thompson (November: #26 → Current: #18 overall)
Top-20 player the rest of the way. Book it. Amen continues to bring absurd multi-category production: rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, and high minutes. His floor is unmatched for his archetype. He’s one of the safest high-upside investments for the rest of the season.
Jalen Johnson (November: #22 → Current: #12 overall)
After missing most of last season with injury, Johnson has exploded back onto the scene. He’s now producing top-12 numbers and looks like the unquestioned #2 option behind Trae and should have similar production even when Trae returns. His scoring efficiency, rebounding dominance, and secondary playmaking are a perfect blend for points formats.
Scottie Barnes (November: #28 → Current: #20 overall)
Barnes continues his rise toward stardom. Higher usage, more scoring, more on-ball creation — it’s all showing up in the fantasy box score. He’s comfortably a second-round player now.
📉 Biggest Fallers (November → December)
Anthony Davis (November: #32 → Current: #52 overall)
A painful but necessary 20-spot drop. Again, the production per game is elite — but the constant injury scares, back-to-back absences, and heavy load management keep tanking his reliability. In a points league, missed games hurt more than anything.
Zion Williamson (November: #19 → Current: #36 overall)
The descent continues. Zion missed a few games with a hamstring injury, and the combination of inconsistent usage, skipped back-to-backs, and increasingly aggressive minutes management from New Orleans is dragging down his reliability. The upside is still undeniable, but the volatility makes him too unstable to justify a top-20 ranking right now.
Trae Young (November: #21 → Current: #34 overall)
After missing the past few weeks and with the continued ascension of Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, he’s shifted from a top-20 lock to something much closer to a mid-round asset.
🎅 Sleigh-Shaking Notes & December Shakeups
December is bringing fantasy chaos, and the Rest-of-Season landscape is shifting fast. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has overtaken Victor Wembanyama at the top thanks to elite per-game dominance and better durability. Domantas Sabonis takes a major hit after his partially torn meniscus, while Jaylen Brown surges into the Top 10 just as I predicted before the season started. LeBron James is back and producing vintage numbers, and James Harden continues a huge climb as he reestablishes top-tier value. Deni Avdija keeps rising as the engine of Portland’s young squad, and Ivica Zubac is trending upward with consistency finally matching his role. In a spicy take backed by numbers, Brandon Miller now sits above LaMelo Ball, whose efficiency and injuries have dragged him down.
Meanwhile, two of your favorites — Kyshawn George and Keyonte George — continue making big jumps, with the breakout momentum looking real. Jusuf Nurkić spikes upward in the perfect system and role for a rebuilding Jazz team, and DeAndre Ayton is thriving with efficient, steady production. Sophomore Zach Edey has impressed since returning and carries top-60 upside. Russell Westbrook is shockingly ascending, proving he’s far from done. With Domantas Sabonis sidelined, Keegan Murray is thriving in an expanded role, while CJ McCollum continues producing at a high level and looks like prime trade bait.
Paul George returns and immediately becomes a sell-high candidate due to frailty. Derik Queen rockets from unranked into the Top 110 after becoming a Pelicans starter, and Noah Clowney climbs nearly 100 spots as his role stabilizes. Kyrie Irving is making a steady climb as his return timeline firms up, while Cedric Coward continues rising, even if the ascent has slowed. Mid-tier risers Egor Demin, Grayson Allen, and Ace Bailey are trending up as reliable contributors, and Peyton Watson takes a major leap into top-175 territory with a newly secure role.
⚙️ Ranking Philosophy Reminder
These Rest-of-Season Rankings continue to weigh three major factors:
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Age and durability: Players with consistent health and no chronic injury red flags rise.
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Injury/load management risk: Frequent rest days and injury histories push players down.
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Team competitiveness: Contenders prioritize production; tanking teams spark shutdown concerns.
Because in points leagues, availability is the best ability.
Rest of Season Fantasy Basketball Points League Rankings
💬 Sound Off
Who do you agree with? Who’s ranked way too high (or too low)? And who do you think will make the biggest leap in my January update?
Drop your takes in the comments — I want to hear your boldest rest-of-season predictions.
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