Understanding Fantasy Points Per Minute (FPPM)
In the realm of fantasy basketball, one statistic often escapes attention, yet it holds significant weight in assessing player worth: Fantasy Points Per Minute (FPPM). As the game continues to evolve, placing greater emphasis on pace, efficiency, and advanced statistics, understanding FPPM can provide crucial insights into a player’s fantasy production during their court time.
Calculating FPPM
FPPM is straightforward to calculate. To find a player’s FPPM, simply take their average fantasy points scored per game and divide that number by their average minutes played. Alternatively, you can use the total fantasy points a player has achieved throughout a season and divide that by their total minutes on the court. For instance, consider a player who garners 30 fantasy points in 25 minutes, yielding a solid FPPM of 1.2. In contrast, if another player must log 35 minutes to reach that same 30 fantasy points, their FPPM drops to 0.85, indicating less efficiency.
Importance of FPPM in Fantasy Formats
This statistic is particularly crucial when playing formats like Yahoo’s High Score, where only a player’s top performance of the week counts towards their fantasy score. In this scenario, players who have high FPPM figures become invaluable. They possess the potential for significant spikes in production, which can be game-changers in weekly matchups. For example, Tari Eason impresses with an average FPPM of 1.17, placing him in the 91st percentile among forwards while playing around 25 minutes per game. When he gets starter minutes, he tends to deliver standout performances.
Top Performers and Breakout Candidates
Superstars such as Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Victor Wembanyama showcase FPPM figures around an astonishing 1.7, making them exceptional assets in any fantasy lineup. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Davis also exhibit high FPPM percentages, demonstrating that every minute they’re on the court is fruitful. Notably, Zion Williamson emerges as a prime target in High Score leagues due to his impressive 1.56 FPPM, suggesting he can produce at levels comparable to top-tier first-round selections.
Even newer breakout candidates, like Cade Cunningham, with a respectable FPPM of 1.37, hint at their potential to elevate their fantasy production further.
Players to Approach with Caution
On the other hand, players such as Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, while reliable for considerable minutes, do not exhibit the same level of FPPM efficiency. Their lower sub-0.9 FPPMs signal that they may not provide the necessary fireworks that could tilt a weekly contest in your favor. Although they have significant court time, their productivity might not be enough to justify their draft positions in a high-stakes format.
Conclusion
While FPPM should not be the sole focus when evaluating players—considerations like usage rates, overall roles, and playing pace are also vital—it serves as a pivotal metric for identifying players who are capitalizing on their minutes effectively. Ultimately, in fantasy basketball, success hinges not merely on the amount of time a player spends on the floor, but rather on how they convert that time into tangible points.
