NewLifeFantasy Listener Points League

Updated: Nov 4, 2020

Fantasy Basketball season is finally here and with that comes our Listener League! We just wanted to say thank you all for joining the NewLifeFantasy Points Listener League. It’s going to be a fun year!

In this article, we are going to talk about each round of our draft and expand on the positives and negatives of each team. We love to play through many fantasy outlets, but I have to say Yahoo may be one of the best out there. Let’s get started!

Round 1

1. Karl Anthony Towns – White Knights (1)
2. Anthony Davis – Marcijan’s Team (2)
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo – LT Da Sage (3)
4. Andre Drummond – Drumming Games (4)
5. James Harden – Game Shark (5)
6. Stephen Curry – I Like John Wall (6)
7. LeBron James – Vincents Best Team (7)
8. Joel Embiid – Houston Celtics (8)
9. Bradley Beal – TheKid (9)
10. Nikola Jokic – Groove (10)
11. Damian Lillard – Viet’s Team (11)
12. Kyrie Irving – Kris’s Team (12)

Safe to say things got real interesting from the start. Traditionally in a points league, it would be unheard of to see a team reach this high on a player like Andre Drummond #4 (Drumming Games), but in a points league, this makes perfect sense. Punting Categories is something you do not have to fear in this format so Drummond gets the massive boost in fantasy instantly. He could even finish in the top 3 if everything plays out right with him. James Harden falling AT #5 was a no brainer, that could potentially be #1 off the board along with KAT in this format. I’m not worried about Russell Westbrook playing by his side. Lebron James at #7 (Vincent) wasn’t my favorite pick there, but maybe he sees something I don’t. LeBron is still a solid player as we know and does get a nice boost in a points league, but I rather get youth there with Embiid or the massive steal at #10 Nikola Jokic (Groove). Joker is built for this type of format that you need bigs and can you give you across the board point guard like stats. What a shame.

Round 2

1. Jrue Holiday – kris’s Team (13)
2. Kawhi Leonard – Viet’s Team (14)
3. Rudy Gobert – Groove (15)
4. Luka Doncic – TheKid (16)
5. Russell Westbrook – Houston Celtics (17)
6. Trae Young – Vincent’s Best Team (18)
7. Paul George – I Like John Wall (19)
8. Jimmy Butler – Game Shark (20)
9. Ben Simmons – Drumming Games (21)
10. Pascal Siakam – LT Da Sage (22)
11. Kemba Walker – Marcijan’s Team (23)
12. Deandre Ayton – White Knights (24)

Westbrook FELL. I assume owners were a little scared off by the multiple injuries he sustained in the preseason, and I can’t blame anyone for that. I still believe he will ball out in Houston. Ben Simmons going late in the 2nd was a STEAL. His usage rate is insane and he should improve his scoring this year. Siakam is going to take on the Kawhi role in Toronto so I expect him to have a MONSTER year.

Round 3

1. De’Aaron Fox – White Knights (25)
2. Devin Booker – Marcijan’s Team (26)
3. Kristaps Porzingis – LT Da Sage (27)
4. Nikola Vucevic – Drumming Games (28)
5. Myles Turner – Game Shark (29)
6. Mitchell Robinson – I Like John Wall (30)
7. Chris Paul – Vincents Best Team (31)
8. Brook Lopez – Houston Celtics (32)
9. RJ Barrett – TheKid (33)
10. Donovan Mitchell – Groove (34)
11. John Collins – Viet’s Team (35)
12. Khris Middleton – Kris’s Team (36)

I’ll be honest, I had a tough time deciding between Fox and Booker. For me, I think Fox is going to take a HUGE step forward this year and I want him on all my teams. Taking Brook Lopez over the likes of Mitchell, Collins, and Capela was a bit of a head-scratcher. The BIGGEST surprise of the 3rd round was taking RJ Barrett. He has a ton of upside in points leagues, but I would have waited at least a few more rounds. Maybe I’ll be proven wrong! We’ll see.

Round 4

1. Buddy Hield – Kris’s Team (37)
2. Draymond Green – Viet’s Team (38)
3. Clint Capela – Groove (39)
4. D’Angelo Russell – TheKid (40)
5. Steven Adams – Houston Celtics (41)
6. Zach Lavine – Vincent’s Best Team (42)
7. Jaren Jackson Jr. – I Like John Wall (43)
8. Zion Williamson – Game Shark (44)
9. Robert Covington – Drumming Games (45)
10. Julius Randle – LT Da Sage (46)
11. LaMarcus Aldridge – Marcijan’s Team (47)
12. DeMar Derozan – White Knights (48)

The NewLifeFantasy’s team favorite pick to sneak into the Top-25 is Buddy Hield. He’ll be much better in categories leagues, but that doesn’t mean he won’t shine in a points league, too. Even though it wasn’t a reach at the time, Zion Williamson being taken in the middle of the 4th is looking like a reach. With the news that he will be out for 6-8 weeks, he needs to be bumped down a round or two.

Round 5

1. Jayson Tatum – White Knights (49)
2. Otto Porter Jr. – Marcijan’s Team (50)
3. Mike Conley – LT Da Sage (51)
4. Hassan Whiteside – Drumming Games (52)
5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Game Shark (53)
6. Lauri Markannen- I Like John Wall (54)
7. Kevin Love – Vincents Best Team (55)
8. Eric Bledsoe – Houston Celtics (56)
9. CJ McCollum – TheKid (57)
10. Kyle Lowry – Groove (58)
11. Blake Griffin – Viet’s Team (59)
12. Bam Adebayo – Kris’s Team (60)

Whiteside went a little early, but with the block’s potential, it’s hard to fault him for that pick. If Blake Griffin can stay healthy, getting him in the late 5th is a steal. Everyone seems to be drinking the Bam Kool-Aid and taking him too early, but I think grabbing him this late is solid value.

Round 6

1. Domantas Sabonis – Kris’s Team (61)
2. Tobias Harris – Viet’s Team (62)
3. Derrick Favors – Groove (63)
4. Thomas Bryant – TheKid (64)
5. Jonathan Isaac – Houston Celtics (65)
6. Ja Morant – Vincent’s Best Team (66)
7. Jamal Murray – I Like John Wall (67)
8. Terry Rozier – Game Shark (68)
9. Lonzo Ball – Drumming Games (69)
10. Aaron Gordon – LT Da Sage (70)
11. Jonas Valanciunas – Marcijan’s Team (71)
12. Victor Oladipo – White Knights (72)

There were a lot of tough choices this round. There’s a lot of upside this round with Sabonis, Bryant, Isaac, Morant, Murray, Rozier, and Gordon. All of those players could crack the Top-50 if all breaks right. Lonzo Ball is a bit of a mystery this year. I would have liked him a round or two later. Oladipo was taken a little early, but having back-to-back picks, there’s no way he would have fallen further with all of the talk around him progressing so quickly. We believe Oladipo should be considered anywhere from 72-85 as long as your league has an IR spot.

Round 7

1. Marvin Bagley III – White Knights (73)
2. Andrew Wiggins – Marcijan’s Team (74)
3. Dejounte Murray – LT Da Sage (75)
4. Larry Nance Jr. – Drumming Games (76)
5. Wendell Carter Jr. – Game Shark (77)
6. Al Horford – I Like John Wall (78)
7. Montrezl Harrell – Vincents Best Team (79)
8. Jarrett Allen – Houston Celtics (80)
9. Kelly Oubre Jr. – TheKid (81)
10. Miles Bridges – Groove (82)
11. Danilo Gallinari – Viet’s Team (83)
12. Caris LeVert – Kris’s Team (84)

Usually, Wiggins has little-to-no value BUT in a points league, his inefficiency isn’t a problem. He’s a solid pick in the 7th round. My favorite pick was made by Groove when he took Miles Bridges. He should have a breakout year in Charlotte. Good old reliable Al Horford. Nothing special but he gets the job done in any format.

Round 8

1. Malcolm Brogdon – Kris’s Team (85)
2. Josh Richardson – Viet’s Team (86)
3. Joe Ingles – Groove (87)
4. Lou Williams – TheKid (88)
5. Mikal Bridges – Houston Celtics (89)
6. Marc Gasol – Vincent’s Best Team (90)
7. Gordon Hayward – I Like John Wall (91)
8. T.J. Warren – Game Shark (92)
9. Ricky Rubio – Drumming Games (93)
10. Collin Sexton – LT Da Sage (94)
11. Fred VanVleet – Marcijan’s Team (95)
12. Enes Kanter – White Knights (96)

With Malcolm Brogdon out of Giannis’s shadow, he should be able to EAT this year. One of the players I’m watching closely this year is Gordon Hayward. We’ll see if he can right the ship after a down year. Marc Gasol fell considerably most likely due to load management concerns. He is a solid value this late.

Round 9

1. Jeremy Lamb – White Knights (97)
2. Kyle Kuzma – Marcijan’s Team (98)
3. Dewayne Dedmon – LT Da Sage (99)
4. Delon Wright – Drumming Games (100)
5. Gary Harris – Game Shark (101)
6. Jeff Teague – I Like John Wall (102)
7. Serge Ibaka – Vincents Best Team (103)
8. Marcus Smart – Houston Celtics (104)
9. Bojan Bogdanovic – TheKid (105)
10. Terrence Ross – Groove (106)
11. Nicolas Batum – Viet’s Team (107)
12. Zach Collins – Kris’s Team (108)

I love the Gary Harris pick by Game Shark. He’s one of our favorites to crack the Top-100 after an injury-riddled season. Marcus Smart is a steals monster and should have a great year without Kyrie in town. Zach Collins has the starting job in Portland, so even though this is a bit of a reach, it could pan out in a big way.

Round 10

1. Alex Len – Kris’s Team (109)
2. DeAndre Jordan – Viet’s Team (110)
3. Rui Hachimura – Groove (111)
4. Dario Saric – TheKid (112)
5. Kent Bazemore – Houston Celtics (113)
6. Spencer Dinwiddie – Vincent’s Best Team (114)
7. Paul Millsap – I Like John Wall (115)
8. Kevon Looney – Game Shark (116)
9. Brandon Ingram – Drumming Games (117)
10. Tyler Herro – LT Da Sage (118)
11. Justise Winslow – Marcijan’s Team (119)
12. Tomas Satoransky – White Knights (120)

DeAndre Jordan fell considerably given his ability to a double-double with multiple blocks. The logjam is concerning, but this is great value. My favorite “boring” player, Spencer Dinwiddie. I’m expecting Top 100 numbers from him this year. Tyler Herro hype train is in full swing, and LT Da Sage is the conductor! It’s hard to pass up a tantalizing rookie this late in the draft.

Round 11

1. Taurean Prince – White Knights (121)
2. Brandon Clarke – Marcijan’s Team (122)
3. Will Barton – LT Da Sage (123)
4. Jarrett Culver – Drumming Games (124)
5. Kevin Huerter – Game Shark (125)
6. Derrick White – I Like John Wall (126)
7. Rajon Rondo – Vincents Best Team (127)
8. Bogdan Bogdanovic – Houston Celtics (128)
9. Evan Fournier – TheKid (129)
10. Patrick Beverley – Groove (130)
11. JJ Redick – Viet’s Team (131)
12. PJ Washington – Kris’s Team (132)

Taurean Prince is in a MUCH better situation this year especially with KD set to miss the whole year. He’s going to PRODUCE. Even this late, I don’t know if Rondo will have much of a role for this Lakers team. Fournier is one of those boring guys who always get the job done. JJ Reddick is set to see an uptick in minutes now that Zion is sidelined. LOVE the Bogdanovic pick!

Round 12

1. Jeremi Grant – Kris’s Team (133)
2. Thaddeus Young – Viet’s Team (134)
3. Nerlens Noel – Groove (135)
4. Harrison Barnes – TheKid (136)
5. JaVale McGee – Houston Celtics (137)
6. Klay Thompson – Vincent’s Best Team (138)
7. Jaylen Brown – I Like John Wall (139)
8. Dennis Smith Jr. – Game Shark (140)
9. Cody Zeller – Drumming Games (141)
10. Derrick Rose – LT Da Sage (142)
11. Jusuf Nurkic – Marcijan’s Team (143)
12. Dwight Powell – White Knights (144)

Dennis Smith Jr. has all the talent to be a points league machine. If he can stay healthy and carve out a role, he should be a massive steal here this late. Harrison Boring err, I mean Barnes. The man is extremely efficient and can be a low-key linchpin for your squad. Nerlens Noel is another player I’m curious about and I’ll be watching to see if he can finally live up to the hype now that he should have more opportunity this year. Not a bad flier.

Round 13

1. Willie Cauley-Stein – White Knights (145)
2. Goran Dragic – Marcijan’s Team (146)
3. OG Anunoby – LT Da Sage (147)
4. Kyle Anderson – Drumming Games (148)
5. Darius Garland – Game Shark (149)
6. Rudy Gay – I Like John Wall (150)
7. Dennis Schroder – Vincents Best Team (151)
8. Eric Gordon – Houston Celtics (152)
9. Kelly Olynyk – TheKid (153)
10. Danny Green – Groove (154)
11. Joe Harris – Viet’s Team (155)
12. Isaiah Thomas – Kris’s Team (156)

As with any last round of ANY draft, we have a ton of fliers. My favorite flier here is Darius Garland. He has every opportunity to produce stats even if they are inefficient. The Raptors refused to trade away OG Anunoby over the offseason, so he should have a huge role this season. I’m not a Schroder guy, but if Paul gets shipped out, he could be a league winner with all of his inefficient points and healthy assist numbers.

All in all, this was an incredibly fun draft to be apart of. We know we have our work cut out for us if we want to beat you, listeners! Be on the lookout for episode 104 where we will go over some teams we like most and could potentially win it all.

Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions!

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God bless you and let the Fantasy Basketball games begin!

M.Starks Powell & Jacob W Dunne