2026-27 Fantasy Basketball: 6 Players Who Are Worth More In High Score Than In Standard Points Leagues

Winning in a Yahoo High Score league means thinking differently about fantasy basketball. With assists worth 2 points, steals and blocks worth 3, no penalty for turnovers and only a player's top game each week counting, the scoring system rewards a unique set of players.

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After running every 2025-26 box score through both scoring systems, I've pinpointed the players who will level up in High Score this season.

Guards

LaMelo Ball – Minnesota Timberwolves

I was all-in on Ball last year, and he delivered. After missing 57% of games in the previous three seasons, he suited up for 72 and vaulted to 19th in High Score per-game value (up from 39th in standard points). His best game each week averaged 24% higher than his typical outing, and he topped 60 fantasy points eight times.

Ball did all this in just 28 minutes a night, producing 1.55 High Score points per minute. In the 26 games he played 30-plus minutes, he averaged 49.4 fantasy points — so with more minutes, his ceiling could grow even higher.

Now, he's in Minnesota next to Anthony Edwards after the June blockbuster trade, and it's the most complete, competitive roster he's ever played on. Ball averaged 9.2 assists per 36 minutes last season, and in games where he played 30-plus minutes, he dished out 7.9 per game. Surrounded by teammates who can get out in transition, catch lobs and knock down perimeter shots off his dribble penetration, his assist numbers should climb even higher. More minutes, higher ceiling; it's wheels up for LaMelo.

Josh Giddey – Chicago Bulls

Giddey got paid in the offseason, locking him in as the Bulls' primary ball-handler for the near future. One of the league's best rebounding and playmaking guards, he averaged 17.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 9.1 assists last season, with 13 triple-doubles (tied for second-most in the NBA). Standard points leagues ding you for his 3.6 turnovers per game, but High Score doesn't.

He topped 60 fantasy points in 15 of 54 games and ranked 15th in High Score scoring per game (21st in standard points). He missed 28 games but still contributed in 20 of 25 weeks, exactly what this format rewards.

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The team context is even better this year. There's a new coach and system, a more capable rim-runner in Nic Claxton, an explosive rookie in Caleb Wilson and a proven scorer in Norman Powell. Those are just the new guys. Per PBPStats, Giddey assisted Matas Buzelis a team-high 85 times last season. That chemistry should only improve with another year together. All of these variables should give Giddey more upside in High Score.

Darius Garland – Los Angeles Clippers

Garland averaged 6.7 assists to just 2.9 turnovers last season, a ratio that pays off in High Score since only assists matter for scoring. On a per-game basis, he ranked 50th in High Score compared to 70th in standard points leagues.

This year, his outlook is even brighter. After the February trade that sent James Harden to Cleveland, Garland became the secondary option behind Kawhi Leonard but still posted 19.9 points and 39.2 High Score points per game over 19 outings with the Clippers. Now, with Kawhi gone, Garland steps into the 1A role — meaning more usage and a higher ceiling.

There's more upside early in the season, too. Brandon Ingram, the Clippers' marquee offseason acquisition, is recovering from heel surgery and a partially torn Achilles, leaving his debut uncertain. Until Ingram returns, even more of the offense will funnel through Garland.

Frontcourt

Joel Embiid – Philadelphia 76ers

Last year, I bought the slimmed-down Embiid, and it was half right. He played just 38 games (knee issues plus an emergency appendectomy), but he still appeared in 17 of the 25 weeks. Per game, he's actually better in standard points (11th) than High Score (17th). But in season-long totals, where availability counts, his High Score value ranked 83rd compared with 111th in standard points.

And when he plays, he still gets there. Embiid averaged 26.9 points and 47.8 High Score points a game, cleared 60 fantasy points seven times and topped 50 in 13 of his 38 games. Per 36 minutes, that's 54.5 High Score points, star-level production.

He's back in training camp, noticeably leaner and says the Sixers have a plan to keep him healthy. Playing next to LeBron James and Jaylen Brown should lighten his load, meaning fewer nights when he has to carry the scoring with Tyrese Maxey like in years past. I'm not expecting 70 games, but in High Score, you don't need him to play every game. One big night a week covers the slot.

Derik Queen – New Orleans Pelicans

Queen sits 77th in my 2026-27 High Score rankings and 99th in my Standard Points rankings, one of the biggest gaps on my board. He played 81 games as a rookie and averaged 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.9 stocks in just 25 minutes a night.

The passing is what separates him. Per 36 minutes, he averaged 5.3 assists and 46.0 High Score points, strong numbers for the young big. Like any rookie, he had considerable variance throughout the season, with his best game each week averaging 31% more than his normal output, and he topped 50 fantasy points 10 times, including a 72-point game.

Watch the minutes, because he's likely going to be in a timeshare, alternating at power forward and center. At some point, he'll earn a bigger role, so this is all a long-term play. However, he's more than capable of stuffing the stat sheet whenever he gets extra run.

Draymond Green – Golden State Warriors

At 36, Green's scoring has faded to 8.4 points a night. But he still pulled down 5.5 boards and dished out 5.5 assists with 1.5 stocks last year. He showed up all 25 weeks, too, and in season-long totals, his High Score value ranked 77th compared with 106th in standard points. That's one of the biggest format gaps of anyone coming into the new season. On a per-game basis, he ranked 116th in High Score scoring compared with 136th in standard points.

The assists are key to Dray's success. They made up 37% of his High Score production last season, and he had six games with 10-plus dimes. His best game each week averaged 23% more than his typical night.

What really landed him on my list is that Kristaps Porziņģis will be out indefinitely with a health issue. And outside of drafting Yaxel Ledenborg, the rest of the roster looks a lot like last season's. Green will likely get more minutes at the 5 and he's already being encouraged to look for his own shot more often than he has in recent years. With an ADP around 107, Green is a fringe late-round pick who, given the circumstances, is being undervalued in this format.