It’s the final weekend before the NBA regular season begins, which means you’re coming here for your fantasy basketball drafts.
Should you draft CJ McCollum this season? Here’s the latest outlook, projections, and rankings for the Washington Wizards Point Guard.
Should You Draft CJ McCollum in Fantasy Basketball?
CJ McCollum joins the Wizards after multiple productive seasons in New Orleans. The 34-year-old veteran will serve as one of the few proven scorers on a team loaded with prospects like Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, and Bub Carrington. McCollum is on an expiring $30 million deal, making him a prime trade candidate if he stays healthy and productive early in the season. That potential mid-year move adds uncertainty to his fantasy outlook.
Despite durability concerns, McCollum remains a model of scoring consistency. He’s averaged at least 20 points per game every season since 2015-16. His time in Washington should yield heavy usage as the primary ballhandler until the organization prioritizes its youth later in the year. If the Wizards remain competitive in the first half, his per-game fantasy production should closely resemble past campaigns.
McCollum’s fantasy value hinges largely on minutes and team context. A trade to a contender would likely reduce his shot attempts and touches, but as long as he’s starting in Washington, McCollum offers steady mid-round value with proven offensive reliability.
Russell Westbrook, Free Agent
Russell Westbrook joins the Sacramento Kings for his 18th NBA season, signing a veteran-minimum deal after spending last year in Denver. The 36-year-old averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 27.9 minutes, proving he can still produce efficiently off the bench. He now likely slots behind Dennis Schroder in a fast-paced Kings offense that should keep his assist and rebounding numbers relevant.
The Kings’ rotation is crowded, but Westbrook’s durability suggests he’ll maintain a steady presence. With Keegan Murray sidelined early, he could see expanded minutes to open the season, particularly as a secondary facilitator in smaller lineups. His aggressive playmaking and high motor still translate to useful fantasy production, even if his usage has declined.
Westbrook remains a viable late-round or deep-league pickup. He’s most valuable in points leagues and can be streamed in head-to-head formats for his all-around counting stats.
Looking for more fantasy basketball outlooks? Head over to our NBA landing page for analysis on 200 players.
What Are McCollum’s Fantasy Basketball Projections This Season?
Based on our proprietary metrics here at PFSN, we project McCollum to score 2,362.3 fantasy points this season, with him averaging 18.6 points per game.
This includes 6.8 field goals per game, 3.1 three-pointers per game, 1.9 free throws per game, 3.6 rebounds per game, 4.6 assists per game, 0.9 steals per game, and 0.4 blocks per game.
Where Does CJ McCollum Rank in the Upcoming Fantasy Basketball Season?
McCollum is ranked 68th overall and 16th at his position. The five players ranked ahead of him overall include Ja Morant, Kevin Porter Jr., Kawhi Leonard, Jalen Johnson, and Dyson Daniels.
The five players ranked behind him overall include Myles Turner, Shaedon Sharpe, Cam Thomas, Andrew Wiggins, and OG Anunoby.
The five players ranked ahead of him at his position include LaMelo Ball, Jordan Poole, Morant, Porter, and Daniels.
The five players ranked behind him at his position include Payton Pritchard, Immanuel Quickley, Jrue Holiday, D’Angelo Russell, and Bub Carrington.
