Jimmy Butler is making headlines for his comments and hairstyles off the court, but on it, the 34-year-old continues to be one of the best players in the NBA. The Miami combo guard/forward averaged 22.9 points per game last season in his best scoring year since the 2016-17 season. He also played in his most regular-season games (65) since the 2018-19 season. Butler continues to impress into his 13th NBA season, so how high should you place him 2023 Fantasy basketball rankings?

Can Butler repeat this performance, or could last year’s production cause him to be picked too high in 2023-24 Fantasy basketball drafts, resulting in him becoming a Fantasy basketball bust? After failing to acquire Damian Lillard from the Trail Blazers, Miami returns a similar roster from last season when it reached the NBA Finals. Should you factor in the extra minutes Butler played in the playoffs last season when forming a Fantasy basketball strategy due to his age? Before making any 2023-24 Fantasy basketball picks, be sure to check out the 2023 Fantasy basketball rankings and cheat sheets from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

SportsLine’s proven model simulates each season 10,0000 times. This model is powered by the same people who powered projections for all three major Fantasy sites. These cheat sheets and rankings, available for leagues on many major sites, are updated multiple times every day. Any time an injury occurs or there’s a change on a roster, the team at SportsLine updates its cheat sheets.

Last year the model called Russell Westbrook a bust, predicting that he would never live up to his seventh-round ADP. The result: Westbrook wound up being traded away from the Lakers before signing as a free agent to finish the year with the Clippers. He had his least productive season since his rookie year, averaging 15.9 points, 7.5 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game over just 29.7 minutes per contest, and Fantasy basketball managers who avoided the headache were better off for it.

The model also nailed DeMar DeRozan as a sleeper in 2021-22 before he averaged a career-best 27.9 points per game and called Paolo Banchero’s breakout rookie season last year before he went on to win NBA Rookie of the Year honors. Anyone who followed the model’s Fantasy basketball advice on them was well on their way to making a deep postseason run.

Now, SportsLine has simulated the entire NBA season 10,000 times and released its latest Fantasy basketball rankings 2023-24, along with plenty of sleepers, breakouts and busts. Head to SportsLine now to see these 2023-24 Fantasy basketball rankings. 

Top 2023 Fantasy basketball sleepers 

One of the top 2023 Fantasy basketball sleepers the model is predicting: Raptors forward Scottie Barnes. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft averaged 15.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists over 34.8 minutes per game last season. Barnes has the ability to contribute in every facet of the box score, boosting his Fantasy basketball value with that versatility. In 12 games Barnes played at least 40 minutes last season, he averaged 20.3 points per game. He most often found himself playing between 30-39 minutes a game and averaged 15.8 points but more rebounds (7.4) and assists (5.3) than he did in games playing 40 or more minutes.

The Raptors will be without Fred VanVleet, who signed a three-year contract with the Rockets this offseason. Barnes is expected to be one of the biggest benefactors of the increased offensive opportunities without VanVleet, who averaged 19.3 points on 16.1 shots per game last season. The 22-year-old will have the ball in his hand more in his third NBA season and the model projects him to take a substantial leap with his increased opportunity.

Top 2023 Fantasy basketball breakouts 

One of the 2023 Fantasy basketball breakouts the model has identified: Pistons forward Ausar Thompson. Detroit used the No. 5 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft to snag Thompson, who is a 6-foot-7 wing that is ready to make an immediate impact. The Pistons ranked in the bottom five of the NBA in defensive rating last season, so they prioritized grabbing an elite defender in the draft.

However, Thompson brings Fantasy value on the offensive end as well, averaging 13.5 points during the Summer League. He also racked up nine steals, seven blocks and had at least eight rebounds in all four games that he played in. Thompson spent the past two seasons playing for Overtime Elite in Atlanta alongside his brother, Amen. SportsLine’s model has Thompson ranked ahead of forwards like Brandon Miller, Keegan Murray and PJ Washington, who are all being selected before him in average Fantasy drafts. 

Top 2023 Fantasy basketball busts

As for players to avoid, the model lists Nets center Nicolas Claxton as one of its top 2023 Fantasy basketball busts. Claxton averaged a career-high 12.6 points per game while leading the NBA in field goal percentage (.705). Before last season, Claxton’s best season resulted in 8.7 points per game on 67.4% shooting. The 24-year-old big man raised his rebounds to 9.2 per game from 5.6 rebounds per game the season before.

The biggest question is can he retain this performance from last season? Claxton was selected with the 31st pick of the second round of the 2019 NBA Draft and late second-round picks don’t often sustain long NBA starting careers. The Nets hope to get more production from Ben Simmons this season, which would take away from Claxton’s role. Mikal Bridges emerged as potentially the NBA’s next superstar and he’ll take a lot of shots away from Claxton. There’s reason to be excited about Claxton, but 2023 Fantasy basketball drafts may be inflating last year’s success too much. 

How to find proven 2023-24 Fantasy basketball rankings

SportsLine is also has a shocking prediction for one of the league’s biggest names and advises avoiding him in 2023 Fantasy basketball drafts at his current ADP. This bust fails to live up to his second-round ADP, ranking behind players available in the fourth round or later like Brandon Ingram and Darius Garland. You can only see who it is, and the 2023 Fantasy basketball rankings for every player, at SportsLine.

So which 2023-24 Fantasy basketball sleepers, breakouts and busts should you target and fade, and which huge name should you avoid? Visit SportsLine now to get 2023 Fantasy basketball cheat sheets for every single position, all from the model that’s nailed its Fantasy basketball picks, and find out.