Kyrie Irving Fantasy Outlook: Should You Draft the Dallas Mavericks Point Guard This Year?

Kyrie Irving is expected to be sidelined until at least January as he recovers from a torn left ACL suffered on March 3, which raises doubts about his fantasy basketball value for the 2025-26 season. This injury comes just before the NBA regular season begins, making his draft status a key consideration for fantasy managers.

Before his injury, Irving demonstrated elite efficiency and dynamic shot creation in his 14th season, stepping up offensively after the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Dončić. Over 50 appearances last season, he averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.9 three-pointers per game, with impressive shooting splits of 47.3% from the field, 40.1% from three-point range, and 91.6% from the free-throw line.

However, at 33 years old and standing 6-foot-2, there is uncertainty about Irving's ability to return to his previous form post-rehabilitation. The Mavericks have added D’Angelo Russell as a fill-in and are integrating 2025 No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, likely leading to a cautious approach with Irving's playing time. As a result, he is viewed as a high-risk, late-round stash in fantasy drafts, with potential limitations upon his return.

Projections for Irving's fantasy performance include 1,378.0 total fantasy points, with per-game averages of 19.2 points, 7.1 field goals, 2.0 three-pointers, 3.1 free throws, 3.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.2 blocks. He is ranked 141st overall and 29th among point guards in fantasy basketball. Players ranked ahead of him overall include Jared McCain, Joel Embiid, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Derik Queen, and Tyus Jones, while those behind him include Anthony Black, Paul George, Dejounte Murray, Goga Bitadze, and Lonzo Ball. At his position, players ahead of him are Davion Mitchell, Dylan Harper, Chris Paul, Jared McCain, and Tyus Jones, and those behind him are Anthony Black, Lonzo Ball, Russell Westbrook, T.J. McConnell, and Andrew Nembhard.

Given these factors, fantasy managers are advised to approach Irving with caution, considering him a speculative pick in later rounds due to the risks associated with his injury and recovery timeline.