Wembanyama Jumps to No. 2 in ESPN's Rankings — What It Means for Fantasy
The Spurs star leapt from fifth to second after a unanimous DPOY and Finals run. Only Jokic sits ahead. Here's the fantasy read.
Undervalued at our #54 rank; 34.7 FPTS/G in 72 games last season.
- Wemby ranked 2nd, up from 5th in 2025 edition
- Unanimous DPOY plus a Finals trip last season
- +12.9 net rating in his first playoff run
- Fox is our #54 overall, 34.7 FPTS/G in 2025-26
- Vassell missed ESPN's top 100 entirely
Victor Wembanyama just made a big move. ESPN's new player rankings slot him at No. 2 in the league, a jump from fifth in the 2025 edition, with only Nikola Jokic ahead of him. That leap came off a season where he swept a unanimous Defensive Player of the Year award, led the league in blocks and defensive win shares, and carried San Antonio to the Finals.
The panel didn't just reward the résumé — they're betting on more growth. Wemby posted a plus-12.9 net rating in his first postseason run, and he boosted his scoring efficiency in 2025-26 by trading some of those long threes for paint touches. That projection of continued improvement is why the voters slid him past reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who landed third.
The very top of the list isn't especially contentious. Jokic, Wembanyama and SGA in some order is where most reasonable people land. The Ringer, for instance, agrees on Wemby at second but puts SGA first. It's the finer details that raise eyebrows.
The Spurs Fine Print
San Antonio placed four players in the top 100: Stephon Castle at 38, De'Aaron Fox at 43, and rookie Dylan Harper at 50. The head-scratcher is who's missing — Devin Vassell didn't crack the list at all, not even an honorable mention, which feels like a genuine oversight given his role.
For fantasy purposes, our model tells a slightly different story on the supporting cast. Fox averaged 34.7 fantasy points per game across 72 games in 2025-26 and sits at our #54 overall (25th among guards). Vassell chipped in 25.5 FPTS/G over 67 games and ranks #138, while Harper's rookie line of 11.8 points and 3.9 assists put him at #157. These are role-dependent pieces around a superstar, and the pecking order matters for who touches the ball.
The takeaway: Wembanyama is a locked-in early-first-round anchor and nobody's letting him go cheap, so chasing him in a trade is a non-starter. The value play is Fox. A season of 34.7 FPTS/G in 72 games is strong two-way production that our #54 rank arguably undersells, and a healthy campaign next to Wemby could push him higher. If a manager in your league is souring on the Spurs' crowded backcourt, that's your window to buy low.
