Though the first thing that comes to most peoples mind when they hear the word “fantasy” is football, fantasy basketball is an on-the-rise hobby for many basketball aficionados. A couple of fantasy basketball junkies from the Niles West News sat down to answer some frequently asked questions to give their opinion on the do’s and dont’s of fantasy basketball.

Who has been your go-to player in terms of getting fantasy points this year?

Vinny Kabat: DeMarcus Cousins has been a rock for me. He’s a double- double machine, shoots free throws and can even rack up a fair number of assists. There are very few games when he doesn’t go off from a statistical standpoint.

Mario Ljubic: Chris Paul is my go to player. From scoring to assists, this point guard gets the job on a night to night basis getting me about 150 to 200 points per week in fantasy points.

Should you always add the players that score the most points in real basketball?

Vinny: In my opinion that’s only part of the puzzle– players that score a lot surely catch my eye but there’s no way I’m picking them up before I ask myself these questions: do they miss a lot of shots before they score a high total? Do they foul a lot or are they turnover prone? Those are all aspects of fantasy people often forget about but they can wreck someone’s season because those negative aspects reduce fantasy points.

Mario: In a sense, yes. But not only points in real basketball score fantasy points, but rebounds, assists, steals, and every other stat category in real basketball score points too.

What do you value more– someone who scores more, rebounds more or blocks more shots?

Vinny: Well, that question really depends on the format of your league. In my league, for example, for every steal/block  a player accumulates they earn three fantasy points where as points scored only earns one point each. So, I’d make sure you know the scoring settings for your league and plan accordingly and project which players will get you the most fantasy points. Fantasy and reality basketball are not the same thing at all.

Mario: I value a great rebounder more because there are many scorers in the league, but not many rebounders. So on average, many guys will score, but not many will rebound. Rebounders are much more valuable.

Have any rookies stood out to you this year as fantasy contributors?

Vinny: It was supposed to be one of the most talented drafts in history this past summer, and I think that will still prove to be true, but no rookies have really made a giant statement for me yet. Jabari Parker of Milwaukee and Elfrid Payton of Orlando are two guys who have especially great opportunities right off the bat as rookies but nobody has opened my eyes too wide yet.

Mario: No rookies have stood up.

Complete this sentence: If I could do it over again, I wish I would have drafted __________

Vinny: Nikola Vucevic. He’s a guy who can step out and hit threes, rebounds like a fiend and scores twenty or more points on a very regular basis. I underestimated the impact he’d have this year but he’s proven in both fantasy and reality basketball that he’s a force to be reckoned with.

Mario: Anthony Davis, he is lighting up the fantasy charts and surprising all the leagues.

Who has surprised you in a good way this year?

Vinny: For me, Andrew Bogut is a guy who’s given me a surprisingly high number of fantasy points. He blocks a lot of shots, doesn’t shoot a whole lot and rebounds in double digits virtually every night. I was a little iffy about him early on as he’s been prone to injuries in the past but he has– knock on wood– stayed healthy and productive so far this season.

Mario: Kevin Durant. I never imagined him going down with such a serious injury to not contribute in fantasy at all so far this year.

Who has disappointed in terms of fantasy production?

Vinny: Carmelo Anthony really let me down in the beginning of the season, so much that I traded him away. I found him to be turnover prone and shooting a very low percentage which didn’t help me much at all for fantasy. He is still useful with regards to the fact that he can explode for 30 points on any given night but consistency hasn’t been his middle name this year.

Mario: Carmelo Anthony, ‘nough said.

If a player is injured, would you ever still consider picking them up?

Vinny: I would never rule out picking someone up. The key is to be educated– is this player too valuable to pass up? Also make sure you know how long they are injured– a minor injury may only keep them out a week. For example, I have  Bradley Beal stored right now– he’s injured but due back by early December. I felt he was too valuable to leave floating in the free agent board– who knows who will snatch a player up before you do?

Mario: Of course. If they are a star player, a smart move would be to pick them up and keep them on your bench until they are healthy so you can start them and enjoy the fantasy points they give you!