Early 2025-26 Fantasy Basketball Regretful Draft Picks

Now that we’re a month into the 2025-26 NBA season, the fantasy basketball rankings are causing some managers to have early regrets about certain draft picks. 

ADP from Fantrax and category rankings from Hashtag Basketball

Early 2025-26 Fantasy Basketball Regretful Draft Picks

Anthony Davis

ADP: 9.3 | Ranking: 35

Anthony Davis has a lengthy injury history, and 2025-26 isn’t off to a good start. Through 16 contests, he’s only appeared in five of them due to a calf strain. The 32-year-old played 60+ games just twice in the past seven seasons. Already, his healthy 2023-24 campaign is long forgotten, and managers have grown frustrated by his lack of availability this early. So far, Davis is expected to miss all of November. The Dallas Mavericks will also be cautious with his return and won’t rush him back to avoid the risk of an Achilles rupture. Ultimately, the uncertainty around his durability is distressing.

Amen Thompson

ADP: 21.4 | Ranking: 88

When the news of Fred VanVleet missing all of 2025-26 due to an ACL tear hit, Amen Thompson was glorified as a huge breakout candidate. That led many managers to draft him in the second round, and even as early as the end of the first. However, the third-year guard/forward is yet to return that value. His ranking is actually lower than his 63rd placement in 2024-25. Thompson’s points and assists have increased thanks to his heavier workload offensively, but at the cost of his field goal percentage. However, it’s his impact on the other end that has taken the biggest hit. The 22-year-old’s rebounds (6.3) dropped and his stocks declined from 2.7 last year to 2.0. Unfortunately, the shift to point guard hasn’t yet allowed managers to reap the benefits they expected.

Ja Morant

ADP: 36.6 | Ranking: 119

Managers knew that availability was likely to be a downside of drafting Ja Morant, but there are a lot more issues at play. There was growing tension between him and the Memphis Grizzlies, leading to a one-game suspension and a lot of frustration. In some games, Morant has looked disengaged and put forth a lacklustre effort, reflected in his poor 35.9 FG%. The two-time All-Star’s production offensively has declined, and he’s posting his lowest fantasy ranking since 2020-21. While reports in early November indicated that the relationship between Morant and the franchise has improved, he’s out for the next two weeks with a calf strain. And, his future with the team is still in question.

Joel Embiid

ADP: 48.8 | Ranking: 53

Former fantasy and real-life MVP Joel Embiid was one of the riskiest players to draft. So far, taking that chance on him hasn’t paid off. While his ranking based on season averages is almost the same as his ADP, his ranking based on totals is 219. The big man has only suited up for six games due to lingering knee issues that have plagued him for the past two years. In the few matches he’s played, he’s been on a minutes restriction. The 31-year-old’s mobility is limited, and his production is just a fraction of what he’s capable of. Embiid’s long-term availability is a significant concern, as this injury is altering the course of his career.