Fantasy basketball: Biggest surprises, disappointments one month into the season

One month into the NBA season, we now have a pretty good sample size and understanding of what type of campaign players are having around the league.

So who has played better than where they were projected in fantasy basketball drafts? And who simply hasn’t lived up to expectations?

Here are fantasy experts Andre Snellings, Eric Moody, Eric Karabell, Jim McCormick and Steve Alexander to weigh in.

Surprises

LaMelo Ball, PG, Charlotte Hornets: I had high expectations for Ball, who I believed had top-10 fantasy production upside if he could stay healthy, but I expected his strength to be the all-around nature of his game. I thought he had double-digit assist potential with maybe seven boards per game, making him a nightly triple-double threat. I didn’t see him pushing his scoring average over 30 PPG. He has always been a streaky shooter, but his range, consistency and volume have all increased and he looks like he could legitimately challenge for the scoring crown this season. I didn’t see that coming. — Snellings

Jared McCain, SG, Philadelphia 76ers: I have to mention McCain as well. He has gone from a rookie drafted outside of the lottery, to a somewhat forgettable performer that shot only 28% from both the field and 3-point line in the Las Vegas Summer League, to the clear Rookie of the Year frontrunner through the first month of the season. — Snellings

Jakob Poeltl, C, Toronto Raptors: After years of consistent but modest production, Poeltl has averaged 40 ESPN fantasy points per game, tops on his team and among top-10 centers. Poeltl averaged 32 fantasy points last season. The retooling, shorthanded Raptors needed more minutes and production and, Poeltl, at 29, sure is providing it. He gets my nod for biggest surprise over breakout Clippers C Ivica Zubac, thanks to the steals and better free throw shooting, but both have been fantastic late-round draft picks. — Karabell

Jalen Williams, SF/PF/C, Oklahoma City Thunder: Even as I’ve been high on him since he was drafted, I admit that I didn’t expect Williams to be this special this soon. We are past the small sample size warning label and getting into the slow realization that this guy is already an All-Star caliber player. Williams is top 10 on the Player Rater. Only Dyson Daniels‘ video game-like steal clip is higher than Williams’, while his offensive game has grown in every single dimension. This dude can score, create and defend at impact levels. I was convinced the Thunder had…