Miller is set to lead the Hornets in the post-LaMelo era. He showed some improvements last season, especially on the defensive side of the ball. If his FG% improves and those steals and blocks keep coming, then Miller will be a force in fantasy.
Anunoby displayed efficient scoring while still making his presence felt on defense. He has shown improvement over the last three seasons, not huge jumps, but steady iterations on his impressive two-way game. Except for assists, OG brings a well-rounded game to the fantasy table.
Few players in the league can anchor fantasy teams’ 3-pointers made category while doing no damage to FG%. Knueppel is going to push to be the top player of that archetype this season. It’s also notable that he’s NOT a 3-point specialist, being able to produce games with contributions in rebounds and assists. With LaMelo Ball no longer in Charlotte, Knueppel’s underrated playmaking should come into focus.
We’re putting a premium on expected games played, and Embiid, who has documented knee issues, is not expected to play many — especially now that the Sixers’ roster is stacked enough for them to “save” him for the playoffs.
Starting the season injured didn’t do Garland’s outlook and production any favors. He should be a bounce-back candidate in 2026-’27, now that he has a healthy off-season under his belt. As the Clippers’ lead guard, Garland should have many opportunities to flash fantasy value with points, assists, threes, and some steals.
Buzelis is on a nice developmental trajectory. He’s a beast on the open court and thanks to his combination of 3s and blocks, the Bulls forward offers a strong stretch-four game. Further improvements in his scoring and 3PA will pad his already appealing fantasy outlook.
Keyonte took a big leap forward in 2025-26, improving across multiple categories. Unfortunately, we have to fade him this season due to prevailing headwinds brought by the improved health of Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr., plus the Jazz’s drafting of Darryn Peterson as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 draft.
Boozer is our first rookie off the board, and rightfully so. He’s going to be at the heart of the Grizzlies’ rebuild, and it’s safe to expect the team’s offense to run through this talented forward. He has the fantasy-friendly skill set, opportunity, minutes, and usage this season – a confluence of factors that should set him up for success as early as Day 1.
Despite shuffling in and out of coach Erik Spoelstra’s doghouse last season, Ware showed promise in his good games. With per-36 numbers of 18.0 PPG, 14.7 RPG, 1.2 SPG, and 1.8 BPG, and a fresh start with the Bucks, Ware could be one of this season’s bigger breakout stars.
Speaking of Bucks breakouts, Rollins truly came into his own last season with across-the-board improvement. He and newly acquired Tyler Herro should be an interesting backcourt duo. Rollins has clean shooting percentages and can chip in something on both ends of the floor, making him one of the safer guard picks in the middle rounds.
Jerome missed a good number of games in 2025-’26 due to a severe calf strain, but now that he’s healthy, the guard is expected to come into this season as the Grizzlies’ starting point guard. He’s an efficient scorer who can chip in three-pointers in a heartbeat, but it’s his underrated playmaking skills that could unlock another level to his fantasy production.
Contrary to what some people might believe, Dyson is not just a steals specialist. Sure, his value is weighted on his ability to swipe the rock at a high rate, but he added some improved passing and rebounding to his repertoire last season. If he can somehow unlock some long-range shooting, then consider this his floor for fantasy basketball.
No one has played the longevity game better than LeBron, and every season he makes fools out of anyone who has counted him out. He signed with Philadelphia and is adding his well-rounded game to an already-stacked roster, adding another excuse to fade him. That said, James is just too good and talented, so expect him to adapt and find a way to contribute one way or another.
The 2023-24 Sixth-Man-of-the-Year winner is finally starting, thanks to a trade to the Hornets over the off-season. He should easily fit in with one of the league’s most potent offenses, serving as a veteran stretch-four. As long as Reid can keep his FG% at a decent level and up his blocks a bit, he should be a popular big-man target in the middle rounds of drafts.
Sarr made visible strides last season, but the additions of Trae Young and Anthony Davis, especially, could become roadblocks to his development. He’s also coming off surgery to repair a fractured right foot (June 2026), but he’s expected to be fully recovered in time for training camp. We still like his overall game, but the Frenchman will have to improve on both his free-throw and 3-point shooting in order to take his game to the next level.
Known more as a defensive stopper, McDaniels was able to log 30-point scoring games twice last season. So the seeds of him becoming a two-way threat are definitely there. The issue has been about consistency. With LaMelo Ball now quarterbacking the Wolves’ offense, McDaniels should see more open looks and easy shots.
Expect Morant to play with a chip on his shoulder this season. Now that he’s with the Blazers, the former electric scoring guard will look to leave his storied off-court issues in the rearview. As long as he can rekindle some of his scoring and passing from his heyday with the Grizzlies, this should be a safe-ish spot to grab him.
White is expected to inherit the starting PG job from LaMelo Ball, who was traded to the Wolves. White has shown during his time with the Bulls that he can light up the scoreboard and hit threes at a good clip, as well as share the rock when his shot isn’t falling. Unfortunately, he’s an offense-first guard, making him dependent on high-volume scoring to carry his fantasy value.
Siakam was a big faller in fantasy last season due to dips in his rebounds, FG% and FT%. The return of Tyrese Haliburton should help him find some of the fantasy sheen he lost, but it’s the safer play not to over-correct here.
Edey’s 2025-’26 season saw the center limited to playing just 11 games. In that limited sample size, he averaged a double-double with just under two blocks per game. He has a traditional big man’s game, but that fits the recent trend in the NBA. If he can stay healthy, expect Edey to continue to build on his still-developing game.
From being the top dog for the Celtics last season, Brown now finds himself as the third, possibly fourth, scoring option at times with the Sixers. High-volume scoring, solid rebounding and passing were at the heart of his elevated fantasy appeal in 2025-’26. We don’t expect Brown to come close to what he was averaging last season, not while playing with the most talent-rich starting five in the league.
Mikal Bridges was once considered “money in the bank” thanks to his durability and reliable production. Sadly, Bridges’ numbers slid last season, with OG Anunoby stealing some of his thunder. He should settle into a bankable floor somewhere in this neighborhood.
Zubac had a breakout 2024-’25 campaign with the Clippers, but injuries and a trade to the tanking Pacers slowed his momentum. Playing alongside a point guard of Tyrese Haliburton’s caliber should be a breath of fresh air for Zu. He’s going to be a nightly double-double threat while providing some solid FG% along the way.
We all saw what a move to the rebuilding Nets did for Michael Porter Jr.’s fantasy game. Can we expect something similar to happen to Randle now that he’s sporting a Brooklyn jersey? The short answer will invariably be “yes,” but there’s still the caveat that his lack of defensive stats and relatively high turnovers will keep his fantasy ceiling in check.
On per-game averages alone, Paul George should easily beat this spot. However, PG13 has been notorious for being injury-prone. Sadly, the once elite two-way beast has averaged 50.7 games played over the last three seasons. To his credit, he looked great for the Sixers in the 2026 NBA playoffs, so it’s reasonable to assume that George has some fantasy juice left in his tank.
Quickley had a nice stretch last season where he shot well from the field, but he’s historically been poor in that category. If you’re looking for a boost in 3s and dimes later in drafts, Quickley’s your guy. That said, he’s clearly a better option for teams that are already punting FG%.
Ingram saw his value in 9-cat dip slightly last season due to declines in assists and three-pointers. He’s been an underrated passer for a while now, but sharing the ball with Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley left him with fewer chances to put his passing game on display. He has an established game on the offensive side of the ball, but if Ingram ever learns to put in some work on D, expect him to smash his ADP.
Suggs is often overshadowed by the Magic’s duo of skilled forwards. While he’s not a go-to scorer, Suggs can chip in close to two threes and two steals per contest, along with a handful of assists thrown in for good measure. His relatively low scoring averages (13.8 PPG last season) lull you to sleep. He has his value – and that’s to help balance out fantasy teams’ guard stats.
It’s only fair to expect Castle to take another step forward in his development. He’s a talented two-way guard who has yet to touch his fantasy ceiling. That said, he still has some areas in his stat set that need ironing out before he can knock on the door of fantasy’s elite. He should easily flirt with points-assists double-doubles on a nightly basis.
Among the top 4 picks of the 2026 draft, Caleb Wilson has arguably the highest fantasy basketball upside. While he might not end up like the walking double-double that he was in college, the defensive numbers are just too juicy to pass up at this spot. Let’s also not forget how much of his outside shooting shined in the Summer League. Unlike Boozer, Wilson is on a more talented team, so his path to fantasy relevance will have a steeper slope.
Gobert barely managed to average a double-double last season and should be viewed more as a boards-and-blocks specialist at this stage of his career. He’s one of those aging centers who has managed to stave off drastic declines thanks to weight loss and changes in training. Unfortunately, Gobert can delay Father Time’s march only so much and for so long.
I’m not a Banchero hater. I promise. At least not in real life. In 9-cat fantasy, however, well that’s a different story. Yes, Banchero can put up points, rebounds and assists, but his poor shooting percentages from the field and the line, coupled with his low steals and blocks per game, leave most fantasy managers wanting more once the dust of a full season settles. That said, he’s still young and still improving on his game, so consider this a glass-half-full outlook.
Fox bears the stain of being a huge disappointment in the NBA Finals in 2026, and the Spurs’ young guards are expected to push him for his minutes this coming season. It’s safe to say that the Fox we once knew from his days with the Kings is a distant memory and reruns of his once elite-level game aren’t to be expected. On the other hand, Fox should still do enough to stay relevant as a second or third-string guard for many fantasy teams in 2026-’27.
Lillard is 36-years-old and coming back from a torn Achilles tendon injury. As you can see, it’s really difficult to bet on him returning to his former glory in the fantasy space, at least in his first season back with the Blazers. He should hit enough threes and score enough points to eke out value at this range, but considering the injury and his age, missing a lot of games due to injury management could be on his BINGO card this season.
Powell had the best season of his career in 2025-’26, and it earned him his first All-Star nod. He was in a perfect spot to help carry the Heat’s offense as it battled injuries to key players. Powell is now with the Bulls and will have more of a veteran’s mentorship role. He should still be an efficient source of points and threes, but we’re not expecting a repeat of the career-best output from his last year with Miami.
Pritchard was a popular draft target last season, given the absence of Jayson Tatum. While the guard did receive a more prominent role on offense, he didn’t quite pop with as much value as many had hoped to see. Pritchard’s clean FG% and ability to hit 3s at a high volume make him a safe pick late in drafts.
“Slim Zion” inspired hope for some fantasy managers last season, but the big guy still fell short. In the end, Williamson’s contributions in fantasy ended up being too narrow and were largely limited to points and FG% when talking about category scoring formats. He remains much more appealing in points leagues than anything else.
Allen’s production and fantasy value have seen a steady decline over the last three seasons, and at this point, there’s no visible catalyst that could usher in a turnaround from that trend. He’s still going to be a decent source of FG% and rebounds, but the upside is clearly limited now.
With Nicolas Claxton now with the Bulls, Sharpe finally will be handed the keys to the Nets’ starting center job. Sharpe has long been a cult favorite in fantasy circles for his per-36 production, and now we will get to see what the big guy can do. He’s an underrated passer and has a lot of room to see leaps in both his scoring and rebounding categories. There’s a lot to be excited about this coming season when it comes to Sharpe’s outlook.
Don’t be fooled by the seemingly unimpressive averages Dosunmu tallied when he moved to Minnesota last season. He exploded during the last 30 days of the season as he got fully acclimated to his new team. He has impeccable FG% for a guard and does not turn the ball over a lot. Speaking of his last 30 days, during that span, Ayo averaged 18.3 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.2 SPG, and 2.0 3PM on 52.4% shooting from the field.
Peterson is a walking bucket and should be able to leave his mark on the stat sheet from the opening whistle. He still has to work on improving his shot selection, but the skeleton of a superstar is definitely there. Expect to be able to count on him for points, threes, some assists and steals on a nightly basis. FG% and turnovers will need to be kept in check.
KPJ logged the best season of his career in fantasy in 2025-’26, albeit in a limited number of games. But when he did play, he left his mark not only in the game, but on the stat sheet as well. He finished much higher than this, but the Bucks hauled in a lot of depth when they traded away Giannis Antetokounmpo, making their backcourt rotation a bit more crowded. Porter should still be good off the Bucks’ bench, providing both a scoring punch and some hard-nosed defense.
VanVleet missed the whole 2025-’26 season as he recovered from a torn ACL. He’s targeting a return this preseason and will look to reclaim his starting PG job. While he can still be a source of threes, assists, and steals, it’s worth noting that VanVleet was already trending down even before he suffered his injury.
Harper was one of the Spurs’ bigger bright spots in the Finals, even outplaying veteran De’Aaron Fox at times. Harper is expected to reprise his sixth-man role this season, but we expect him to be gifted with more responsibility, playing time, and usage in 2026-’27. He’s a special player, and if the chips land right, he could be in the conversation for Sixth Man of the Year.
Edgecombe was a great pairing in the backcourt for Sixers superstar Tyrese Maxey this season. He displayed a promising two-way game, and thanks to his combination of skill and athleticism, Edgecombe was an instant fan favorite, especially in dynasty formats. The Sixers look drastically different now, however, with the additions of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, both of whom should demand the ball quite often, so it will be tough for Edgecombe to get the same opportunities this time around. That said, we’re leaning into how good he actually is as a player here to keep us optimistic that he can deliver the goods in fantasy.
Williams has per-game numbers that are made for category leagues. Unfortunately, he has struggled with the injury bug for most of his career. Games played are arguably the only thing that keeps us from ranking him much higher.
Thompson can’t shoot the ball well, and neither does he score at a decent level. Despite his shortcomings offensively, Ausar shines on the other end of the court. He was second in the league in combined steals and blocks (stocks) at 3.08 per game, trailing only Victor Wembanyama. Any marginal gains he can make in terms of his scoring or rebounding should push Thompson to this level of value with ease.
Josh Hart does a bit of everything, and his jack-of-all-trades stat set is at the core of his fantasy appeal. He’s an excellent rebounder for a guard and is an often underrated passer. Consider Hart to be one of the better glue-guy targets in the latter half of drafts.
George is a fantastic two-way player who has yet to scratch the surface of his fantasy upside. Yes, the Wizards are looking to compete this season and several new faces will demand more usage, but George is the type of player who contributes to winning games, and though not all those contributions make their way onto the stat sheet, just enough will keep his arrow pointing up.
Sheppard started last season slow, and he was unable to capitalize on many opportunities to pop in fantasy. Post-All-Star break, Reed flipped a switch and found his groove, delivering an impact in assists, threes, and steals. In the last 30 days of the season, Sheppard averaged 13.9 PPG, 3.3 3PM, 4.1 APG, and 1.8 SPG (16 games), so there’s definitely a lot to be excited about. While the return of Fred VanVleet does pose a threat to his momentum, Sheppard’s newfound confidence may keep him going in the right direction.
