This week's All-Star break seems like a wise time to check out the mid-season MVP candidates for fantasy basketball. While Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic seem like the real-life leaders in the proverbial MVP clubhouse, they were supposed to be statistically great.
Remember, back when we drafted, how they were first-round picks? I have a tough time rewarding players for my fake honors that had such high expectations, when so many others who came later in drafts have also been sensational, providing so much surprising value to fantasy rosters.
As a result, here we go with one analyst's midseason MVP rankings for our fantasy world, paying special attention to the Player Rater (for roto leagues) and the points leaders (for points formats), and caring not one iota for what a player's real-life win-loss record might be.
Sure, Washington's Bradley Beal can average 40 points per night and would not be in the actual MVP conversation, but he can win it in the fantasy world. Well, he will not, but you get the point.