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Draft Kit • Category Targets

Category Targets by Round

Not all categories are created equal — and they're not evenly distributed across draft rounds. Use this guide to know what your board should be telling you to chase in each phase of the draft.

How to Use Category Targets

This page shows the approximate category totals a competitive fantasy team should reach by each stage of the draft. Use these checkpoints to quickly see where your team is strong and where you may need to adjust. It is meant as a reference during a live draft, not a rigid script — your specific picks and league settings will affect the numbers.

🔗 Works best alongside: Tiered Rankings to find available players, Value Finder to spot ADP gaps, and Punt Guide to understand category trade-offs.

Rounds 1–2 Rounds 3–4 Rounds 5–7 Rounds 8–10 Rounds 11–13 Quick Reference

Rounds 1–2 Lock in your anchors Top 20 picks

PTS REB AST STL BLK FG%

Your first two picks set the floor for your entire roster. The players going here contribute across four or more categories at an elite level — you're not targeting a specific category as much as you're securing a player who won't hurt you anywhere.

BLK and STL are the two scarcest categories in any 9-cat league. The supply drops sharply after the first round, so if a true blocks anchor (top-10 in BLK) slips to pick 8–12, take them. Same logic applies to elite steals-and-assists combos — they're gone by pick 15.

💡 If you're picking late in round 1 or early in round 2, prioritize BLK upside. Pure scorers without defensive stats are replaceable in later rounds — elite shot-blockers are not.

After R2 If you are far behind in BLK or STL at this point, it will be very difficult to recover later. These categories have the smallest supply of contributors across the board.

Rounds 3–4 Build your category spine Picks 21–40

AST 3PM STL FG%

By round 3 the top multi-cat players are gone. This window is about targeting the secondary elite — players who lead in one or two specific categories. Point guards with elite assist and steal rates are the headline here. Miss on them and you'll struggle to win AST all season.

Three-point volume also clusters in this range. High-usage wing shooters who rack up 3PM are excellent value picks in rounds 3–4 because 3PM is one of the easiest categories to punt if needed, but hard to dominate if you don't draft for it early.

💡 Check your roster after round 2. If you have no AST, round 3 is your last chance at a true playmaker. Don't let round 4 arrive with zero assist contributors.

After R4 This stage usually defines your team identity. By now you should have at least one elite contributor in your three strongest categories.

Rounds 5–7 Fill category holes Picks 41–70

REB FG% FT% 3PM BLK

Rounds 5–7 are a diagnostic window. Look at your board and identify which categories you're weakest in — then draft to address them specifically. FG% anchors (high-efficiency big men and slashers) are plentiful here. If you're punting FT%, this is where you load up on high-usage bigs without guilt.

REB depth also opens up in this range. While elite rebounders go early, there are plenty of solid boards-heavy centers who fall to picks 50–65 and can solidify your REB category for the season.

💡 Rounds 5–7 reward preparation. Know going in exactly which two categories you need to strengthen, and don't deviate for upside plays — that comes later.

After R7 If you are weak in a category here, it requires deliberate action — not hope. Rounds 8–10 are your last reliable opportunity to address real holes.

Rounds 8–10 Scarce categories and specialists Picks 71–100

STL BLK FT% TO

This range is where steals and blocks sleepers live. Perimeter defenders with high steal rates who aren't household names often fall to rounds 8–10 despite providing genuine category dominance. A player averaging 1.5+ STL per game at this point in the draft is a massive value.

FT% is also worth targeting now if your roster is dragging it down. Elite free-throw shooters in this range (typically guards and wings with high volume) can push your FT% from middle-of-pack to top three in your league.

Start watching turnover risk. High-usage ball-handlers taken here often come with TO baggage — make sure your existing roster can absorb it, or avoid them if TO is already a weak spot.

💡 Rounds 8–10 are the last realistic opportunity to address STL and BLK if you missed out early. After round 10, you're largely locked into a streaming approach for those categories.

After R10 At this point most teams are filling weaknesses and chasing upside. Your core category profile is essentially locked — late rounds only fine-tune it.

Rounds 11–13 Upside, streamers & FT% Picks 101–130+

FT% 3PM PTS STL

Late rounds are about two things: FT% anchors and upside swings. Elite free-throw shooters who are volume scorers remain excellent value this deep — a player shooting 90%+ on 6+ attempts per game can single-handedly win you FT% in a given week.

Three-point specialists also fall to this range. Role players who live behind the arc and shoot high volume of threes provide 3PM at zero cost to other categories — perfect for rounding out a 3PM-heavy strategy.

Take your remaining picks on players with clear paths to more minutes — rookies with starting upside, veterans on new teams, or injury replacements. The floor doesn't matter at this depth; the ceiling does.

💡 Don't reach for names in the late rounds. The best late-round picks are players you've specifically researched — preseason role changes, injury situations, or breakout candidates. Generic "name value" picks here rarely pay off.

After R13 Final rounds are mainly about category balance and upside swings. Accept what your team is — the draft is essentially done.

Quick Reference — Category Availability by Round

Round Range	Primary Targets	Watch Out For
Rounds 1–2	BLK STL PTS REB	Volume scorers with no defensive stats
Rounds 3–4	AST 3PM STL	Missing the last elite playmaker
Rounds 5–7	REB FG% FT% 3PM	Ignoring category holes you already have
Rounds 8–10	STL BLK FT%	High-TO players if you're already weak there
Rounds 11–13	FT% 3PM	Picking names over upside at this depth

Fixing Category Weaknesses

If your team is short in a category mid-draft, here is the type of player to target.

🔞 Need Rebounds?

Target high-usage big men who are primary rebounders on their team. Bigs who log 30+ minutes with limited help around them on the glass will consistently pad your REB totals regardless of offensive role.

🥊 Need Blocks?

Look for rim-protecting centers or long athletic forwards with high block rates. BLK specialists are often available in the mid-to-late rounds and are the single most efficient way to address a blocks deficit.

🤝 Need Assists?

Target point guards or playmaking wings who have primary ball-handler responsibilities. Volume is more important than efficiency here — you need someone who handles the ball on every possession.

💪 Need Steals?

Focus on perimeter defenders with high pressure, gambling defensive styles. Guards who rank top-30 in steal rate are rare but often undervalued in ADP. Check the Value Finder for candidates being drafted late relative to their STL output.

🏼 Need 3PM?

Specialist shooters in a defined corner or off-ball role can provide consistent 3PM volume without competing for other stats. In the late rounds, volume is more important than percentage — look for high-attempt guards and wings.

Build Strategy Notes

Balanced builds should aim to stay near most category targets through all phases of the draft. No single extreme weakness should persist past round 7.
Punt builds will naturally fall behind in one category by design. This is acceptable — the goal is to dominate everywhere else. Use the Punt Guide to plan the trade-off deliberately.
This page is a guide, not an exact rulebook. League size, scoring format, and your specific draft position will shift what is achievable at each stage.
If you are strong in a category early, resist the urge to keep adding to it. Marginal gains in a category you already win are less valuable than shoring up a category you are losing.

Use this during your draft

Keep this page open as a tab during your live draft to quickly spot category weaknesses before they become a problem. Pair it with the War Room (Live Draft) to get player recommendations that fill the gaps in real time.

Open War Room (Live Draft) Our Analyst Hype vs Reality Fantasy Breakouts Player Value Finder Tiered Rankings

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