TITLE: Knicks quartet surging in fantasy rankings as Jackson slips and Paul awaits new landing spot
SLUG: knicks-fantasy-surge-jaren-jackson-slide-chris-paul-outlook
CONTENT:
ESPN fantasy analyst Eric Karabell cautioned managers on Dec. 11, 2025, that several familiar names are rapidly reshaping the NBA fantasy landscape.
Four Knicks tracking toward top-25 value
Through the season’s opening weeks, New York now has four players performing at or near elite fantasy levels:
- Karl-Anthony Towns is repeating last year’s 46.6 fantasy-points average.
- Jalen Brunson remains steady after a 43.3-point campaign.
- Mikal Bridges has elevated his stock by averaging at least 2.0 steals per game while increasing rebounds, assists and three-pointers despite lighter minutes.
- Josh Hart, reinserted into the starting lineup nine games ago, is producing 16.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.0 steals per contest while shooting 44 percent from deep—numbers that place him inside the league’s top 15 fantasy scorers over that span.
OG Anunoby continues to sit inside the top-50 range, though his rebounds and assists have dipped since Hart’s promotion. Brunson’s assist totals have also slid, recording five or fewer dimes in six of those nine games.
Jaren Jackson Jr. fading from fantasy relevance
Memphis forward Jaren Jackson Jr.—a consensus top-50 pick—has dropped outside the top 100. The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year is averaging 17.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 block, numbers comparable to Kelly Oubre Jr.’s pre-injury line. Jackson scored just 26 combined points over his last three outings and went six of seven recent games without a block. Despite missing only two games, he trails Onyeka Okongwu and Jeremiah Fears in total points and has only one more block than Tyrese Maxey.
Chris Paul could regain value after trade window opens
Chris Paul, 40, becomes trade-eligible Monday. Karabell notes Paul’s fit with the Los Angeles Clippers has suppressed his numbers, but the veteran recorded 7.4 assists and 1.3 steals while starting all 82 games for San Antonio last season, logging 28 minutes a night. Deep-league managers searching for assists are advised to monitor Paul’s destination, though younger guards such as Ryan Nembhard and Collin Gillespie remain priority targets.
The analyst emphasizes that fantasy outcomes can shift quickly and urges managers not to be caught off guard by these developing trends.
Source: ESPN
