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 Donovan Mitchell this season? Here’s the latest outlook, projections, and rankings for the Cleveland Cavaliers Shooting Guard.
Should You Draft Donovan Mitchell in Fantasy Basketball?
Donovan Mitchell has been one of the more consistent scoring options over the past half-decade, averaging in the 25-27 point range with over three 3PM per game on an annual basis.
There’s no real reason to think we see that change in 2025-26. Lonzo Ball was added to the mix during the offseason, a move I actually like as Darius Garland insurance that can keep Mitchell more off the ball.
What does scare me, however, was the prolonged shooting slump last season. After the All Star Break, he shot just 30.2% from 3 (first half: 39.1%). By itself, a 20-game sample for a player with nearly a decade of good will built up wouldn’t move the needle, but if you dig deeper, you’ll notice that his drive count per game has dipped in each of the past six seasons.
Fewer drives naturally means more reliance on the jumper and even if those struggles were aberrational, the fact that a stretch like that is within the range of possible outcomes is worth considering when you’re on the clock in the second round.
They do different things and every manager prefers to build their roster differently, but in a vacuum, I have Evan Mobley actually ranked as my top Cavalier for the upcoming season.
Looking for more fantasy basketball outlooks? Head over to our NBA landing page for analysis on 200 players.
What Are Donovan Mitchell’s Fantasy Basketball Projections This Season?
Based on our proprietary metrics here at PFSN, we project Mitchell to score 3,199.0 fantasy points this season, with him averaging 25.6 points per game.
This includes 8.6 field goals per game, 4.0 three-pointers per game, 4.4 free throws per game, 4.3 rebounds per game, 4.4 assists per game, 1.5 steals per game, and 0.3 blocks per game.
Where Does Donovan Mitchell Rank in the Upcoming Fantasy Basketball Season?
Mitchell is ranked 20th overall and fifth at his position. The five players ranked ahead of him overall include Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Victor Wembanyama, and Scottie Barnes.
The five players ranked behind him overall include Bam Adebayo, Tyrese Maxey, Stephen Curry, Franz Wagner, and Jaren Jackson Jr..
The four players ranked ahead of him at his position include Jaylen Brown, James Harden, Anthony Edwards, and Booker.
The five players ranked behind him at his position include Derrick White, Josh Giddey, Amen Thompson, Jalen Green, and Desmond Bane.
