NBA Fantasy Salary Cap Edition: Week 1 recap

Luka

Dončić

had the greatest fantasy performance of Week 1 Sunday in Utah.

The new season is in full tilt for

NBA Fantasy: Salary Cap Edition

. Already, there’s plenty for fantasy general managers to digest.

Now that teams are settling into their schedule, the best fantasy players have begun to separate from the pack. High-value players on low salaries are beginning to emerge, too.

Here’s what you need to know entering Week 2:

Story So Far

Less than a week into the season, there’s been an eye-popping fantasy performance. Six-time All-Star

Luka Dončić

delivered it with his effort Sunday in a 132-123 victory for the Los Angeles Lakers (3-0) over the Utah Jazz (1-2).

Dončić racked up a season-high 86 fantasy points thanks to 52 points scored, eight rebounds, 10 assists and two steals. Through three games, he’s averaged 63.7 fantasy points per game (FPPG) and leads the league in that regard — even scoring more than fantasy unicorn

Nikola Jokić

.

Now in his ninth NBA season, Dončić is the undisputed leader of the Lakers, who saw

LeBron James

leave for the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency. That could result in a more productive fantasy season for the 27-year-old after averaging an already impressive 64.3 FPPG last season.

Peak Performances

One day earlier, Jokić nearly outdid Dončić’s performance. The three-time MVP tallied 85 fantasy points for the Denver Nuggets (1-1) in their 141-135 overtime win against the Pelicans (0-3). He picked up right where he left off last season with a 35-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, also adding three blocks and two steals. It’s because of those triple-doubles that Jokić is so useful in fantasy, and in 2025-26, he had a league-leading 34.

Jalen Johnson

was an assists machine Saturday en route to his best showing yet this season. He posted 73 fantasy points via 26 points scored, nine rebounds, 16 assists and two steals. That night, though, the Houston Rockets (3-0) had the last laugh with a 121-114 defeat of the Atlanta Hawks (2-1). Johnson, coming off the first All-Star selection of his career, has started hot with an average of 57.7 FPPG and has yet to score less than 46 in a game.

There was also an impressive display Friday from

Jayson Tatum

, who quickly redeemed himself after a rough shooting night to open the season. The five-time All-NBA honoree earned 68 fantasy points as the Boston Celtics (1-1) edged the New York Knicks (0-3), 107-103. He accounted for 36 points scored, nine rebounds, seven assists and three steals, and will be worth watching closely this fantasy season now that former teammate

Jaylen Brown

is gone.

Transaction Tips

Ty Jerome

has been a rather interesting case early on in 2026-27. He averaged 37.8 FPPG last season, though played just 15 games while dealing with a right calf strain. But the eighth-year guard enters this week with a remarkable 53.3 FPPG for the Memphis Grizzlies (3-0). He’s a more-than-attractive addition in fantasy with a salary of $9.6M, so using one of your free transactions to dump an underperforming player for him would be wise.

Despite being in his rookie season,

Darius Acuff Jr.

has been nothing but consistent. He hasn’t scored less than 30 fantasy points in any of his three games so far while playing between 34 and 36 minutes each game. He holds an average of 38.3 FPPG, and he’s only just getting started in the NBA. The Arkansas product’s salary of $8.0M for the points he’s produced — and will likely continue to produce — translates to terrific value.

All that being said, it’s still too early to give up on the major stars on your roster, unless they’ve suffered a long-term injury. No team has played more than four games, so some stars have yet to remind fantasy general managers what they can really do. Consider using your captain’s chip on Jokić tonight against the Golden State Warriors (0-3) or on Dončić when he plays the Warriors on Friday, since Golden State has struggled to a 122.2 defensive rating.