X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Fantasy Basketball Block Specialists - Draft Targets

Gianni Costantiello's late-round fantasy basketball draft targets for blocks. These NBA centers and power forwards could be shot blocking sleepers in 2019-2020.

Finding shot blockers in fantasy basketball is sometimes like trying to get your hands on those buttery crab legs at your neighborhood Chinese buffet. Once some are available, they are usually gone before you can leave your table, or in this case, before you can open your fantasy platform app. Since the beginning of fantasy basketball, players that have the ability to swat shots at an above-average to elite level get taken very early in drafts. It often leaves us either punting the category or try the category-by-comity-type strategy, which really, never pans out.

Then you get the freaks that show up out of nowhere, like Hassan Whiteside circa 2015 and you are lucky enough to have gambled on him early on the waiver wire and he then single-handedly turned around your dreadful season into a promising playoff push. Either way, these shot-blocking “specialists” are often far and few between. Yes, there are the Rudy Gobert’s, Anthony Davis’, Myles Turner’s and last season’s surprise, Mitchell Robinson who we know will do the job, but then after that top-tier, it gets a little more interesting. I am also not saying all these above mentioned are a guarantee either as all of these big men have a history of injuries and/or inconsistencies or in Robinson’s case, still quite young and raw.

So, what do we do after these big-named shot blockers are gone? It is hard to stomach taking JaVale McGee with your fourth-round pick because he is not guaranteed to offer much else and his minutes fluctuate quite a lot based on matchups. Once you get out of the top-15 shot blockers from last season, it gets quite interesting, but there is still a way to rack up the swats with sneakier, later-round picks. Here are some under the radar shot blockers to key in on in drafts that offer more than just the one category we are looking at.

Upgrade To VIP: Win more with our NBA and DFS Premium Pass, get expert tools and advice from proven winners! Jamie Calandro and Dan Palyo lead the RotoBaller team in 2024-25 with exclusive DFS picks, Prop picks and more. Gain VIP access to our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, DFS Cheat Sheets and VIP Chat Rooms. Go Premium, Win More!

 

Serge Ibaka - PF/C, Toronto Raptors

The veteran big man had somewhat of a resurgence last season under new head coach Nick Nurse. Yes, he is not the three-blocks-a-night guy he was in Oklahoma, but back then, he was a second-round fantasy gem. Nurse found a way for Ibaka to be more impactful in fewer minutes and his valued showed not just in the box score but with helping his squad nab the elusive Larry O'Brien trophy.

Ibaka put together arguably his best season in a Raptors’ uniform this past season and even after Gasol arrived, his minutes and scoring did take a dip (27.2 minutes to 23.3 and 15.0 points to 12.6 a night), but his rebounds increased (8.1 rebounds to 9.1 a night) and most importantly, his blocks per night went from 1.3 to 1.6 a night in just 23.3 minutes a night across 22 games. We can expect similar, if not a slight increase in these numbers this coming season with Gasol most likely to miss some games for ‘load management’ purposes.

 

Derrick Favors -PF/C, New Orleans Pelicans

No more playing second fiddle to possibly the league’s best shot-blocker, Rudy Gobert. Favors will be the main man in the middle for the Pelicans this season. Favors posted 2.2 blocks per-36 minutes last season and you know that number could have been even higher if Gobert did not beat him to the spots.

Favors is coming into his prime at age 28 and is ready to become the fantasy beast we had hoped before Gobert blossomed for the Jazz. To continue on with his numbers per-36 minutes last year, Favors posted 18.3 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 1.1 steals. You will be getting more than just a shot-blocking specialist; you get a well-rounded big man with two-position eligibility.

 

Brook Lopez - C, Milwaukee Bucks

It is hard to believe that BroLo was actually fourth in the league in blocks per game last year with 2.2 a night. It is even harder to believe the Lakers let this man walk, as he would be the perfect fit alongside newly acquired Anthony Davis. Lopez is an interesting center for sure as he manages to block shots at an elite level but rebounds as well as an average starting small forward (just 4.9 rebounds a night last season).

Yet, it is not a mystery anymore that this man can fill it up from deep as he was 25th in the league last season with 2.3 makes at a more-than serviceable 36.5% clip. He will most likely slip in drafts once again this season, but his unique ability to rain threes while swatting shots makes him a shot-blocking specialist any team could benefit from.

 

Deeper League Options

In deeper leagues or if you just want to snag some sneaky blocks, these guys can fill the void and add a little extra to help your squad.

All stats from the 2018-19 season

  • Nerlens Noel (PF/C, Oklahoma City Thunder) – 1.2 blocks a night with 0.9 steals.
  • Richaun Holmes (PF/C, Sacramento Kings) – 1.1 blocks a night in just 16.9 minutes with elite field-goal percentage (60.8).
  • Maximilian Kleber (PF/C, Dallas Mavericks) – 1.1 blocks a night with 1.1 makes from three.
  • Mason Plumlee (PF/C, Denver Nuggets) – 0.9 blocks a night with 3.0 assists.
  • Alex Len (PF/C, Atlanta Hawks) – 0.9 blocks a night with 1.0 makes from three.

Being the rarest of all stats, sometimes you do indeed have to reach to get that big man that provides consistent numbers in this category. Although, if you don’t reach for the Gobert’s or Turner’s, you can still find blocks in drafts. You may not win the category every week, but you can still be competitive on a weekly basis without neglecting other categories.

More Fantasy Basketball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Brandin Podziemski

Not On Injury Report For Game 3
Jimmy Butler III

Warriors Optimistic About Jimmy Butler III Playing Saturday
Jae'Sean Tate

To Remain Out Saturday
Jock Landale

Unavailable For Game 3

Tyler Shough Could Come Off The Board Before Shedeur Sanders
Terry Rozier

Out On Saturday
Jrue Holiday

Ruled Out For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Orlando
Kevin Love

To Miss Saturday's Game
Jaylen Brown

Available For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Magic
Gary Payton II

Iffy For Saturday's Action
Jayson Tatum

Officially Available On Friday For Game 3 Against Magic
Will Smith

Back From Injury On Friday
Luke Kennard

Questionable For Game 4 On Saturday
Darius Garland

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Ja Morant

To Miss Game 4 On Saturday
Rui Hachimura

Available For Game 3 In Minnesota
Aaron Ekblad

Available To Return Saturday
Erik Swanson

Ryan Burr Progressing
Daulton Varsho

To Return On Tuesday At The Latest
Max Scherzer

Takes Positive Step On Friday
Aleksander Barkov

Questionable For Saturday
Isaiah Spiller

Raiders Waive Isaiah Spiller
Gabriel Landeskog

Set For Larger Role In Game 4
Calvin Pickard

To Start Game 3 For Oilers
Randy Arozarena

Resting For First Time This Year
Jonas Siegenthaler

To Play Limited Minutes In Game 3
MLB

Red Sox-Guardians Game Postponed On Friday
Luke Hughes

Remains Out On Friday
MLB

Tigers-Orioles Postponed On Friday
Patrik Laine

A Game-Time Decision Friday
NFL

Several Teams Trying To Trade Up Early In Round 2

Bhayshul Tuten Could Be A Third-Round Pick
Yainer Diaz

Out On Friday Against Royals
Iván Herrera

Ivan Herrera Hopes To Start Rehab Assignment Next Week
Salvador Perez

Sitting Out For First Time This Season
Cleveland Browns

Browns Fielding Calls For First Pick In Round 2
Jaylen Brown

Questionable For Game 3 On Friday
Brendan Donovan

Back In Action On Friday
Jimmy Butler III

Could Miss Game 3 On Saturday
Coby Mayo

Getting On A Roll At Triple-A
George Pickens

Steelers Receiving Calls About George Pickens
Moises Ballesteros

Riding An 11-Game Hit Streak
Victor Mesa Jr.

Starting Rehab Assignment On Saturday
Ryan Weathers

To Begin Rehab Assignment On Sunday
Colby Thomas

Heating Up At Triple-A
Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys Don't Feel Forced To Draft A Running Back
Emmanuel Rodriguez

Has Quiet Start To 2025
Jeff McNeil

Hitting Eighth In Season Debut
Brandon Sproat

Coughs Up Six Earned Runs In Latest Start
Eury Pérez

Eury Perez To Start Rehab Assignment On Saturday
Bailey Falter

Good To Go To Start On Sunday Against Dodgers
Will Levis

Could Be Traded Soon
Bryce Young

Wanted Panthers To Take Tetairoa McMillan
Travis Hunter

Jaguars Plan To Start Travis Hunter In The Receiver Room
Detroit Lions

Lions Pick Up Aidan Hutchinson's Fifth-Year Option
Jameson Williams

Lions Exercise Jameson Williams' Fifth-Year Option
Carlos Prates

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Ian Machado Garry

Set For UFC Kansas City Main Event
Cade Cunningham

Collects Double-Double In Loss
Jalen Brunson

Drops 30 Points In Game 3
Karl-Anthony Towns

Leads All Scorers In Game 3 Victory
Zhang Mingyang

Scheduled For Co-Main Event
Anthony Smith

Set For His Final UFC Bout
David Onama

Set For Featherweight Bout
Giga Chikadze

Looks To Bounce Back
Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
Nicolas Dalby

An Underdog At UFC Kansas City
Randy Brown

A Favorite At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Set To Open Up UFC Kansas City Main Card
Ikram Aliskerov

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Sergei Bobrovsky

Shuts Out Lightning In Game 2
Cam Fowler

Finishes Thursday's Win With Five Points
Robert Thomas

Posts Four Assists In Game 3 Win
Pavel Buchnevich

Celebrates Hat Trick During Four-Point Performance
Dylan DeMelo

Battling An Illness
Marcus Johansson

Exits Early Thursday
Aleksander Barkov

Hurt In Game 2
Jameson Williams

Lions Didn't Entertain Trade Offers For Jameson Williams
Qadir Ismail

Raiders Sign Qadir Ismail
New York Giants

Giants Plan To Exercise Kayvon Thibodeaux's Fifth-Year Option
Russell Wilson

Will Be Giants Starting Quarterback
Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs Close Out The First Round With Josh Simmons
Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles Trade Up One Spot In First Round To Select Jihaad Campbell
Buffalo Bills

Bills Address Secondary And Take Maxwell Hairston With 30th Overall Pick
NFL

Eagles, Chiefs Swap First-Round Picks
Washington Commanders

Josh Conerly Jr. Goes At No. 29 Overall To Commanders
Jrue Holiday

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Jayson Tatum

Likely Out Again On Friday
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Gabriel Vilardi

Still Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Set To Join Maple Leafs Lineup For Game 3
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF