Fantasy Basketball Power Forwards for 2024: Targets and Fades

The power forward position offers up a little bit of everything for fantasy basketball. Looking for a big guy who can gobble up rebounds and blocks? Sure. How about some perimeter shooting? No problem. Need someone who can do a little bit of everything? They’ve got that, too.

Power forward is also a relatively deep position in the modern game. Most of the top big men have dual eligibility at PF and center — with guys like Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, and Joel Embiid standing out as exceptions — while most of the top wings are eligible at both forward spots. It allows you to craft a roster designed for whatever your lineup is geared toward.

Let’s dive into everything you need to know about the power forward position in 2024.

Top Fantasy Basketball Power Forwards for 2024

Anthony Davis | PF/C | LAL

ESPN ADP: 11
Yahoo ADP: 7

The top PF in fantasy depends entirely on your format. If you’re playing in a league that values multi-category contributions — rotisserie or head-to-head categories — Davis gets the clear nod. He was a positive contributor in almost every category across the board last season, with 3-pointers being the lone exception. Still, he did enough elsewhere to finish as the No. 3 player regardless of position in ESPN’s Fantasy Player Rater.

Davis is one of the top shot blockers in fantasy. Only Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, and Brook Lopez provided more value in that category last season, with Davis averaging at least 2.0 blocks for the 10th time in the past 11 seasons.

While Wembanyama is in the discussion for the first pick — Adam Ronis has him No. 1 overall in his Top 150 — most of the other top blocks guys are specialists. That’s not the case with Davis. He’s also a massive help in points, rebounds, and field goal percentage, and he’s the rare big man who doesn’t kill your team FT%.

Overall, Davis might be the most undervalued first-round pick in fantasy. He’s coming off the board at No. 11 on ESPN, which is a travesty. He shouldn’t last longer than pick No. 5, and I wouldn’t fault you for taking him in the top three.

Giannis Antetokounmpo | PF/C | MIL

ESPN ADP: 5
Yahoo ADP: 5

While Davis looks extremely undervalued, Giannis might be overvalued depending on the format. If you’re playing in a category-based league, Giannis does not deserve to be a first-round pick. You absolutely have to punt FT% in any build that starts with Giannis, and you should consider punting 3-pointers as well.

If you don’t punt FT%, Giannis is going to kill you there regardless. He shot just 65.7% from the FT line last season, and he did it on more than 10 attempts per game. When you factor in the massive drain he puts on your team in that department, Giannis drops all the way to ninth in the Player Rater among last year’s PFs.

But in points leagues? In that format, Giannis is easily one of the top players in fantasy. You’re not penalized for missing free throws there. All that matters is your ability to pile up the counting stats, and Giannis does that better than just about anyone. He scored the third-most fantasy points last season in points formats, trailing only Jokic and Luka Doncic. Those are the only two players in basketball who can match or exceed Giannis in terms of statistical output.

Knowing your scoring system is vital in fantasy basketball, and no player exemplifies that more than Atentokounmpo. You need to have a plan when drafting him in certain formats, but there are a ton of positives if you work around his negatives.

Kevin Durant | SF/PF | PHO

ESPN ADP: 16
Yahoo ADP: 14

Is there a more underappreciated player in basketball than Durant? I’m not sure. The fact that he’s changed teams so often has created a negative stigma around him, but he continues to produce at an elite level. He was the No. 2 PF in the Player Rater last season and No. 6 overall.

Durant’s best attribute is his scoring, which he does with an unmatched combination of volume and efficiency. He’s a threat for a 50/40/90 season every single year, despite the fact that he’s a 25+ PPG scorer. The only players in NBA history to have a 50/40/90 season while also averaging at least 25 points per game are Durant, Larry Bird, Steph Curry, and Kyrie Irving.

Of course, Durant is more than just a scorer. He provided positive value in all eight categories last season, averaging 6.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.2 3-pointers, and right around one block and steal per game. Like Davis, he’s better in a format that rewards a well-balanced skill set as opposed to a points-based scoring system.

Sleeper Power Forward for 2024

Alex Sarr | PF/C | WAS

ESPN ADP: 141
Yahoo ADP: 148

Sarr is coming off the board super late in most drafts, but he has the potential to be a sneaky source of value this season. He was considered to be the top prospect in the draft, and the Wizards were able to secure him at pick No. 2. He’s a bit raw, but he should get plenty of opportunities to play for a Wizards squad that is contending for nothing but the No. 1 pick in the 2025 Draft.

So far this preseason, Sarr has put his unique skill set on display. He’s knocked down at least two 3-pointers in all three games. He has one game with three blocks and two games with at least three assists. He’s also going to help in the typical big-man categories, averaging 11.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in just 23.6 minutes per game. He fits the definition of an NBA unicorn: a big man who can both stretch the floor offensively and protect the rim on defense.

Sarr may not start the year playing huge minutes, and he probably won’t help much with your percentages. But as the year progresses, his role should keep growing. He’s someone who could provide significant value down the stretch, and he’s not going to cost you too much to acquire.

Honorable mentions: John Collins (ESPN: 127, Yahoo: 105), Herb Jones (ESPN: 140, Yahoo: 97), Noah Clowney (ESPN: N/A, Yahoo: 202)

Breakout Power Forward for Fantasy Basketball 2024

Jaren Jackson Jr. | PF/C | MEM

ESPN ADP: 56
Yahoo ADP: 33

Speaking of NBA unicorns, Jackson might be the biggest. When it comes to big men who can block shots and knock down 3-pointers, Triple-J does it better than just about anyone. He led the league in blocks in two of the past three seasons, including 3.0 blocks per game in 2022-23. His 3-point shooting numbers have declined after knocking down 2.5 3-pointers per game in his second NBA season, but there’s no reason he can’t return to that level in the future.

The return of Ja Morant should help Jackson this year. He’s not going to be asked to do as much offensively, which should help his FG% drastically. Jackson fell from a 50.6% shooter two years ago to just 44.4% last year, and while he did average a few more points per game, it was a net negative for his value overall.

Jackson may never score enough to reach the truly elite tier of fantasy power forwards, but he looks like a massive steal at pick No. 56 in ESPN leagues. Ronis has Triple-J ranked at No. 29 overall in his Top 150, so he represents a value regardless of where you draft him.

Honorable mentions: Jalen Johnson (ESPN: 53, Yahoo: 41), Jalen Williams (ESPN: 45, Yahoo: 39), Zion Williamson (ESPN: 36, Yahoo: 49)

Power Forward Bust for Fantasy Basketball 2024

LeBron James | SF|PF | LAL

ESPN ADP: 13
Yahoo ADP: 23

I mean no disrespect to the King. LeBron gets my vote for the NBA GOAT discussion. What he’s been able to do over such a long period of time is completely unparalleled. He’s going to end up obliterating the scoring record by the time all is said and done, and he’s also in the top 25 in virtually every major statistic. There is quite simply nothing that he can’t do on a basketball court.

That said, James is entering his 22nd professional season, and he’s about to turn 40 years old. When you factor in all his deep playoff runs, no one in history has put their body through the same toll as LeBron. He’s held up remarkably well, but there is no guarantee he will continue to produce at the same level moving forward.

This is all about the price tag. James has an ADP of 13 on ESPN and 23 on Yahoo, and both of those seem too high to me. James was 13th on the Player Rater last season, but that was in a year where he played 71 games. He played 56 games or fewer in four of his five previous seasons with the Lakers, so he’s likely due for a bit of regression in that department this year. Add in some statistical decline, and James could fall out of the top 30. Ronis has him at 37 in his Top 150, and while that might feel harsh, it’s way more accurate than his current ESPN ADP.

Honorable mentions: Paulo Banchero (ESPN: 25, Yahoo: 35), Pascal Siakam (ESPN: 26, Yahoo: 50)

Additional Notes

Karl-Anthony Towns | PF/C | NYK (ESPN: 22, Yahoo: 26) – Towns will be starting over with the Knicks this season, and that move should be a positive for fantasy purposes. He’s going to get to play more center than he did with the Timberwolves, which should lead to better rebound production. There was a time not too long ago when Towns was one of the top fantasy assets in the league, and he could get closer to that level in New York.
Jimmy Butler | SG/SF/PF | MIA (ESPN: 48, Yahoo: 48) – Playoff Jimmy is a fantasy monster, but Regular Season Jim is a different story. He gives you almost nothing from behind the 3-point line, and he’s played less than 65 games in five straight seasons. That’s partially baked into his price tag, but he’s still a bit too expensive for my taste.
Evan Mobley | PF/C | CLE (ESPN: 57, Yahoo: 40) – Mobley is poised for a bounce-back season after being limited to just 50 games last year. His scoring numbers aren’t ideal, but he’s elite defensively with solid efficiency numbers.
Julius Randle | PF | MIN (ESPN: 51, Yahoo: 63) – Randle was sent back to Minnesota in exchange for Towns, and it will be interesting to see what his role is for them. Randle is the type of player who needs the ball in his hands, and that could be an issue alongside Anthony Edwards. He’s another player that I’m not particularly interested in at ADP.
Brandon Ingram | SG/SF/PF | NOP (ESPN: 72, Yahoo: 62) – Health has historically been the biggest issue for Ingram, but otherwise he can do a little bit of everything. He’s averaged at least 20/5/5 in three straight seasons, and he does it with strong efficiency.
Naz Reid | PF/C | MIN (ESPN: 92, Yahoo: 98) – Reid will likely come off the bench again this season, but he makes the most out of his minutes. He averaged 13.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.1 3-pointers, 0.9 blocks, and 0.8 steals in 24.2 minutes per game last season. That’s better than a lot of starters, and if either Randle or Rudy Gobert goes down with an injury, he has the potential to be a league-winner.

Players Mentioned in this Article