Five safest targets for 2025 fantasy basketball anchor rosters: Jokic dominates across points, rebounds, assists, and efficiency with exceptional durability. Edwards delivers high-volume scoring and multi-category impact. Sabonis posts consistent double-doubles with solid efficiency. Derrick White provides reliable multi-category production in a reshaped Boston lineup. Coby White offers a high floor and solid three-point volume in Chicago. These safe bets form a strong foundation.

Ten stat-based predictions shape Boston's season: Payton Pritchard should push his assists above five per game as he expands his playmaking role. Jaylen Brown eyes top-five scoring, while Anfernee Simons could emerge as a dynamic secondary scorer. Derrick White projects higher defensive impact, Neemias Queta earns 20+ minutes, and Boston nets a less prolific rebounding season.

Expect volatility: five-game win and five-game losing streaks, a possible late return for Jayson Tatum if contention demands it, and a 44-38 finish to grab the 6 seed. The Celtics won’t lead the league in 3s, but a more versatile attack should keep them dangerous in a crowded East.

Payton Pritchard embraces any role for Boston, stressing that winning trumps starting status. He’s positioned to spark the offense, lead a second wave, and share duties with Anfernee Simons as the Celtics pursue a title. His past first-quarter impact and improving playmaking suggest meaningful fantasy upside whether he enters as a sub or a starter.

With a contract locked through 27/28, Pritchard projects as a versatile cog who can sustain efficiency while taking on creation duties when teammates rest. The focus on pull-up threes, off-ball gravity, and screen-setting hints at a path to steady, flexible value for managers who balance floor time with usage in a crowded Boston backcourt.

The spark narrative underscores a season where role clarity, pace, and spacing drive wins. If Pritchard remains efficient and outspoken about team goals, he becomes a high-upside bench staple or late-rotation starter, delivering fantasy-relevant contributions in multiple lineups.

Boston adds Anfernee Simons to its backcourt, with Joe Mazzulla applauding his league-long scoring flair and versatility while cautioning against boxing him into a single role. The deal tied to Jrue Holiday’s move to Portland frames a larger guard shuffle, but Simons’ defensive development and fit beside Tatum and Brown will determine the choice in fantasy lineups. A competent two-way jump could lift Boston’s perimeter firepower and depth in a crowded East.

Simons’ Slam Dunk pedigree and Florida roots bring immediate offensive juice and off-ball gravity. If he translates effort on defense into consistent stops, his fantasy value could rise from scoring bursts to multi-stat contributions. The Celtics will lean on his ability to create and space the floor without sacrificing defensive effort, making his value volatile but potentially premium if the defense follows the offense.