Around the Association: 10 Fantasy Observations After One Week of Action

This article is part of our NBA Daily Recap series.

Less than a full week into the new NBA season, I think it is safe to say that we are in store for a special year. A team destined to be vying for Victor Wembanyama is 3-0. The 76ers haven't won a game. Paolo Banchero is doing things we rarely see from a rookie.

I can sit here rambling on and on about how wild of a first week it was, but that's not my goal. Instead, I am here to condense it all down into my 10 biggest fantasy takeaways of Week 1. Without further ado, let's dive in:

1. All Aboard the Tatum MVP Train

• Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics are hungry after getting their taste of the NBA Finals last season. The star forward has led his team to a 3-0 record out of the gate while averaging 34.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.7 blocks across 37.7 minutes per game. 
• Tatum is currently leading the league in points and is ranked as the No. 1 overall fantasy player. The 24-year-old currently is tied for the third-best odds to win MVP at +800 on DraftKings Sportsbook.

2. Welcome Back!

• When looking at this season compared to last year, the overall health of the league appears to be in much better condition. There were plenty of players who did not touch the court at all last season but are already making impacts this year. Let's take a look at a few of these guys:
  • Kawhi Leonard (2 GP): 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.4 steals across 21.0 minutes per game.
    • Los Angeles has opted to really take things slow with Leonard to start the season. The 31-year-old has come off the bench in each of his appearances and has yet to reach 15 points. Simply put, there are better days ahead for Leonard fantasy managers.
  • Ben Simmons (2 GP): 5.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.0 blocks across 28.0 minutes per game.
    • Simmons did not wow during his first two appearances with Brooklyn, but I liked what I saw. It might take some time, but there is some serious fantasy potential with Simmons in Brooklyn due to his strong supporting cast and defensive abilities. It is only a matter of time until we see Simmons post his first triple-double in a Nets uniform
  • Jamal Murray (2 GP): 14.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals across 26.5 minutes per game.
    •  After missing the entirety of last year due to ACL injury, Murray has looked decent in his first two showings of the season. One should reasonably expect Murray's production and consistency to increase as the season progresses. Hold on tight if you are a Murray owner. 

3. Mitchell Shining in The Land

• We saw a plethora of All-Stars get traded to different teams during the offseason, but no player has made a bigger impact on his team than Donovan Mitchell. With Darius Garland exiting the team's opener early due to an eye injury, Mitchell has pushed the team to a 2-1 record to start the year.
• The first-year Cavalier has reached 30 points in each of his first three appearances, averaging 33.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 2.0 steals across 38.0 minutes per game. Garland will be back sooner than later, which should lower Mitchell's assist numbers, but I am still expecting big performances night in and night out from Cleveland's newest star. 

4. Freshman Orientation

• Overall, the rookie class has been very impressive out of the gate and looks like one of the more pro-ready groups we have seen in a while. While there are a ton of first-year players I could discuss, we are just going to be looking at Paolo Banchero and Bennedict Mathurin. 
• Banchero is off to one of the best starts out of a No. 1 overall pick in NBA history. The Duke product has reached the 20-point mark in his first three showings, boasting averages of 23.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.0 blocks per game. One thing that does concern me about Banchero in terms of fantasy is his shooting splits. Over his last two games, Banchero has shot 12-37 from the field, good for 32.2 percent. 
• While Banchero has practically been handed the keys of the offense, Bennedict Mathurin is making his ascent in a very different way. The Arizona product has started his career coming off the bench, but that has not slowed him down one bit. Mathurin is averaging 24.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists across 28.7 minutes of action. Mathurin ranks as the 40th overall nine-category fantasy option per Basketball Monster. 

5. Seriously, What is Going on in Utah?

• I can't believe what I am typing right now, but the Utah Jazz are tied atop the league at 3-0 after the first week of the season. What makes it even crazier, is that these wins came against Denver, Minnesota and New Orleans -- all formidable playoff contenders. 
• The main reason for Utah's surprising start has been the elevated play out of Lauri Markkanen. The first-year Jazz member has started the season playing the best ball of his career, averaging 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Markkanen ranks as the No. 7 overall nine-category fantasy player to start the season. While I don't think Utah will be able to keep up its perfect winning rate, Markkanen should continue to be a strong fantasy asset for the remainder of the season.

6. Rough Starts for Philly and LA

• The Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers are off to rough starts to the year, each winless after three games. Thankfully for fantasy managers, it has not been too big of an issue. Both Anthony Davis and LeBron James are off to strong starts, ranking as the 14th and 17th overall nine-category fantasy options to begin the year. While the Lakers and their league-low 21.2 shooting percentage are becoming hard to watch, you can still rely on James and Davis to come through in fantasy formats.
• I am less concerned about the 76ers than I am about the Lakers. While they have not gotten off to a great start, the overall depth and talent of Philadelphia should help the team turn things around. Joel Embiid is starting to get back into his groove after dropping 40 points during the team's loss on Saturday.
• James Harden is looking like his old self, averaging 26.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game. Tyrese Maxey is averaging 20.3 points per game. Things will be alright for Philadelphia. 

7. Well, It's Not Their Fault...

• Continuing our talks about disappointing starts, If you combine the win/loss totals of both the Indiana Pacers and the Sacramento Kings, you get a grand total of a 1-5 record. However, both Tyrese Haliburton and De'Aaron Fox appear to have taken their game up another notch. Haliburton is averaging 25.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 9.7 assists and 2.0 steals across 31.7 minutes per game. The third-year pro had already proven to be an elite facilitator, but the improved scoring has been something to take not of this year.
• The Kings might be 0-3, but I am not giving up on them just yet. They have played hard in all three of their losses and Fox looks like a different player. The Kentucky product is averaging 31.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.3 steals over the team's first three contests. Don't be surprised if we see Fox make his first All-Star appearance come February. 

8. Pelicans Roller Coaster Ride

• The Pelicans started their season off by absolutely dominating the new-look Brooklyn Nets and following it up with a win against Charlotte. Zion Williamson averaged 20.5 points and 7.0 rebounds over the two wins while Brandon Ingram dropped 28 points in each of the games. 
• However, things went a bit south during Sunday night's loss to Utah. Ingram exited in the first quarter due to head injury. Williamson was forced to leave late in the game after taking a hard fall and bruising his hip. While neither injury looks to be serious, it would not surprise me to see New Orleans proceed with caution early on in the season. 
• The Pelicans have three games this week and there is some value to exploit on the waiver wire if Williamson and Ingram are forced to be on the sidelines. Trey Murphy, Larry Nance and Jaxson Hayes are all solid first-week pickups. 

9. Speaking of Injuries...

• While it was nice to talk about all of the stars returning from injuries, it is still my job to discuss the bad news. Let's go over some of the injuries of the first week and how to handle them.
  • Myles Turner injured his ankle during warmups of Indiana's first game of the season. He should be back sooner rather than later, but Jalen Smith and Goga Bitadze have been sharing the load at center in his absence.
    • Jalen Smith: 12.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks over 18.7 minutes.
    • Goga Bitadze: 7.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists over 18.0 minutes.
  • Jalen Suggs went down in Orlando's second game with an ankle sprain. There is currently no set timetable for his return
    • Kevon Harris saw an immediate benefit in the first game since Suggs' injury, recording three points (1-4 FG, 1-2 FT), three rebounds, one assist and one steal over 19 minutes. The Stephen F. Austin product should only be added in deep leagues.
  • Scottie Barnes injured his ankle during Saturday's loss to the Heat and is a game-time decision for Monday's contest rematch against Miami.
    • If Barnes is forced to sit out due to the injury, Precious Achiuwa becomes a name to monitor. Achiuwa finished Saturday's contest with 18 points (5-9 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 6-7 FT), 11 rebounds and one assist in 34 minutes. 

10. It's Dame Time Once Again

•  Damian Lillard has got the Portland Trail Blazers feeling some type of way. The All-Star guard dropped 41 points in back-to-back outings while leading the team to a 3-0 record to start the season.
• But Lillard has always been a good scorer, so what exactly makes this Trail Blazers different from the past? Defense! After ranking near the bottom in defensive rating last season, Portland ranks fifth after one week of play. Facing the Lakers in one of those games certainly helps, but it will be interesting to note if Portland can keep this up.
• If nothing else, fantasy managers should be extremely encouraged by Lillard's last two games after an up-and-down showing in the opener against Sacramento.