Jalen Johnson Anchors Yahoo Points-League Mock Draft Strategy

The pressure point in a 12-team Yahoo points-league mock came at the frontcourt spots, where the manager drafting 11th built around Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson and kept adding big bodies before the player pool thinned. The 13-round exercise, set up for 2026-27, used Yahoo’s standard lineup construction: point guard, shooting guard, guard, small forward, power forward, forward, two centers, two utility spots and three bench slots.

Johnson went at No. 11, followed by Houston’s Alperen Sengun at No. 14 and Cleveland’s James Harden at No. 35. Detroit center Jalen Duren arrived in the fourth round, with Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac completing a six-pick opening that emphasized players capable of carrying major offensive workloads while also collecting rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. In a points format, shooting efficiency does not provide the same lift it does in category leagues; raw box-score volume is the target.

The roster continued with Boston guard Payton Pritchard, Chicago wing Norman Powell, Milwaukee’s Jaime Jaquez Jr., Orlando guard Anthony Black, Washington’s Kyshawn George, Denver’s DeMar DeRozan and Lakers guard Quentin Grimes. The first nine selections all project as possible top-three offensive options on their respective teams, and several have regular double-double or triple-double upside. The underlying approach was simple: secure flexible forwards and centers early, then shop the broader late-draft guard market.

Lauri Markkanen was the most aggressive climb from his Yahoo ADP, selected 27th against an ADP of 39.2. The appeal is obvious, but the availability record remains hard to ignore. Markkanen played 55 games in 2023-24, 47 in 2024-25 and 42 in 2025-26; his career high is 68 games as a rookie, and he has reached 60 only three times over nine seasons. Utah’s reshaped roster could further reduce his usage. That may improve efficiency, but points-league managers are more concerned with the possibility of fewer scoring possessions.

Stephon Castle also moved sharply upward, landing 39th with an ADP of 55.3. He posted 18 double-doubles and five triple-doubles in his second season after winning Rookie of the Year, tying for 51st in fantasy points per game. San Antonio did not make a major offseason move designed to remove the ball from Castle’s hands, although Dylan Harper’s emergence through last season and the playoffs points to a larger role ahead. The question is how the Spurs divide minutes and touches among Castle, De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell and Harper. Castle’s broad production profile still fits this scoring format, particularly for a Spurs group that reached the NBA Finals.

Joel Embiid fell to No. 65, below his 51 ADP, after playing only 96 games across the past three seasons. Philadelphia now has greater regular-season insulation around him: Tyrese Maxey has grown, Jaylen Brown and LeBron James have joined the group, and VJ Edgecombe delivered a strong rookie season. That points toward more rest, lighter minutes and less usage for Embiid as the Sixers prioritize a postseason run. Two mandatory center slots create scarcity in Yahoo’s standard setup, however, so Embiid’s per-game ceiling remains difficult to bypass. He makes more sense for a manager who already has durable centers such as Nikola Jokić and Bam Adebayo, and he is an easier selection in High Score formats.

Ja Morant represented the other major fall, lasting until Pick 115 despite a 92.3 ADP. He played 20 games last season because of injury, then left Memphis for Portland amid growing tension with the Grizzlies. Morant has appeared in just 79 games over the last three years and has not returned to the All-Star Game since 2022-23. His new backcourt is crowded, with Damian Lillard expected alongside him and Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson also available. Still, at that price in a points league, Morant’s points-and-assists upside outweighs concerns that matter more in category formats, including three-point volume, defensive numbers and percentages.

Full 13-round mock draft board