If you're new to fantasy basketball, you might find that it's a bit different from other fantasy sports. While there are a few ways to play, the most popular format is 9-category (or 9-cat) head-to-head. It's the classic setup, and if you're in a Yahoo league, there's a good chance this is your format. This guide is here to walk you through everything you need to know to build a winning team, from draft day to the championship.
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For anyone coming from the world of fantasy football, the idea of "categories" might seem a little strange. Fantasy football is based on points, but in 9-cat, you're going head-to-head with an opponent each week across nine different statistical areas.
Those nine categories are:
Each week, the goal is simple: win more categories than your opponent. If you win points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks, but lose the other four, you finish the week with a 5−4 victory. These wins and losses pile up over the season to decide the league standings.
Big-Picture Draft Strategies
Think of your 9-cat draft as less of a race to grab the biggest names, and more of a puzzle. The best player available isn't always the right pick for your team. You're building a portfolio of stats, and every pick changes the equation.
1. The Balanced Build
This is the bread and butter of 9-cat strategy. The goal here is to build a solid team that can compete in every single category, every single week. You want to draft versatile players who stuff the stat sheet without torpedoing any of your categories.
Dan Titus' Category League Rankings
We've all seen it: A dominant center who grabs every rebound but shoots 50% from the free-throw line, single-handedly losing you that category. On the flip side, some score-first guards can tank your field goal percentage and rack up turnovers. Very few players are elite in everything. The key is to pay attention to how each player you draft affects your team's overall stat profile. Keep an eye on your projected totals after every pick and make sure you're not accidentally digging yourself a hole in one category. Speaking of which ...
2. The "Punting" Strategy
Now for a more advanced, high-risk/high-reward strategy: Punting. This is where you intentionally decide to ignore, or "punt," one or more categories so you can build a powerhouse in the others. It's a bold move, but if you do it right, you can create a team that's almost guaranteed to win you 5 or 6 categories every week.
Here are a couple of popular ways to punt:
Punt the Guard Stats: Load up on centers and forwards. By punting categories like Assists, 3s and Free-Throw Percentage, you can build a monster team in Rebounds, Blocks and Field Goal Percentage. You'll usually be solid in Turnovers, too, leaving you to fight for Points and Steals each week.
Punt the Big Man Stats: This is the reverse. You grab elite, high-usage guards and wings, aiming to dominate Points, Assists, 3s, Steals and Free-Throw Percentage. You basically concede Rebounds, Blocks and FG% from the jump. This can be a bit riskier, as there's less room for error when you're aiming for that 5−4 win every time.
Punt Percentages: Another way to go is to just focus on the "counting" stats (points, boards, assists, etc.) and forget about FG% and FT%. This works great if you plan to be very active on the waiver wire, because the more games your players play, the more counting stats you'll rack up.
How to Manage Your Team During the Season
The draft is just the beginning. Winning a championship is all about how you manage your team week in and week out.
Know Your Opponent
Take a look at your opponent's team each week. What are they good at? Where are they weak? You can use your weekly waiver wire moves to counter their strengths. If they're loaded with guards, maybe you stream a center to lock up rebounds and blocks. And don't be afraid to bench players on a Sunday! If you have a slim lead in FG% and a risky shooter on your team, sitting them is a smart tactical move to secure the category win.
Master the Stream
Having a dedicated streaming spot on your roster is a massive advantage. At the start of each week, look at the schedule. See which teams have four games or a nice back-to-back set. You can pick up a player from one of those teams to maximize your games played for the week. You'll get a huge boost in those counting stats, and you might even stumble upon a player worth keeping long-term. Sure, you'll make a few drops you regret, but the extra stats you gain over the season are well worth it. Also, learn to manage your losses. A tough 4−5 loss is fine, but a crushing 1−8 defeat can sink your season.
Just Stay Active!
Honestly, one of the biggest keys to success is simply paying attention. Set your lineup every day, stay on top of the news and be active on the waiver wire. Just by being more engaged than the other managers in your league, you give yourself a considerable leg up.
A Few Quick Tips for Your Draft
Find Value in Late-Round Guards
Right now, the guard position is incredibly deep. My favorite strategy this year is to lock up solid forwards and centers in the middle rounds and then pounce on the guard value that falls late. You can find guys like Reed Sheppard, Andrew Nembhard, D’Angelo Russell, Keyonte George, Bennedict Mathurin, Jalen Suggs and CJ McCollum well outside the top 100 picks. The big men in that range are often much bigger gambles.
Be Careful with Rookies
Every single year, people get hyped and overdraft rookies. It’s the classic case of chasing the shiny new toy instead of the reliable veteran who just gets the job done. For every rookie who hits the ground running, there are five who disappoint based on where they were drafted. This pushes proven, steady players down the draft board, creating amazing value for you. My personal rule is to generally let someone else take the risk on rookies. You can often trade for them a month into the season if they start slow anyway.
Final Thoughts: Trust Your Gut
At the end of the day, this is your team. While all this advice can give you a great foundation, you have to be the one to make the final call. A lot of fantasy decisions are basically coin flips, so you might as well go with your own opinion, right? Be confident in your picks and your strategy, and everything else will fall into place.
And remember, this is supposed to be fun! If you're not enjoying the daily grind of fantasy basketball, you're doing it wrong. Good luck!
