Nic Claxton should continue to get plenty of minutes at center, even with his new team.
Fantasy basketball center rankings for 2026-27 start with Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama, but unless you’re picking first or second, neither one is walking through the door. That makes the middle and late rounds the real battleground at the five, where offseason trades, free agency and a few opportunity changes have reshaped the position. Below are six fantasy basketball center risers and sleepers who can swing a matchup at a fraction of the draft cost, with notes on how each fits Yahoo’s High Score format.
Center Risers
Kel’el Ware, Milwaukee Bucks
Ware is a tantalizing fantasy option. After shooting 31.5% from behind the arc as a rookie, he jumped to 39.5% last season. In just 22 minutes per game with the Heat, he averaged 11.1 points, 9 rebounds, 0.8 steals, 1.1 blocks and 1.2 3-pointers. In the 10 games he logged at least 30 minutes, those numbers climbed to 18.1 points, 14 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 3.3 blocks and 1.8 3-pointers.
With Bam Adebayo entrenched in Miami, Ware was included in the deal that brought Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat. He arrives in Milwaukee as a building block up front. Myles Turner remains ahead of him in the rotation to start the year, but the Bucks are in a transition phase, and Ware’s runway should widen as the season progresses. Expect roughly 25 minutes early with room to grow.
In High Score leagues, those 30-minute games are the pitch. A 3-block, 14-rebound night is worth about 23 points before you count anything he scores. Ware’s ceiling games are as high as anyone’s in this range, and in a format that only counts his best night, the inconsistency costs you almost nothing.
Mitchell Robinson, Boston Celtics
Robinson was a key piece of New York’s championship run last season as the reserve behind Karl-Anthony Towns. He appeared in 60 games, his most since 2021-22, though he averaged only 19.6 minutes. That produced 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks a night on 72.3% shooting from the field.
Boston lured him away with a three-year deal. Neemias Queta outperformed expectations at center last season and the Celtics later added Nikola Vučević, but the fit never fully came together, opening the door for Robinson. Injuries have limited him throughout his career, so 30 minutes a night is unlikely. Something closer to 25 is realistic, and that’s enough to matter.
Robinson was built for High Score formats. Free-throw percentage doesn’t exist here, which removes his one real drawback. A 16-rebound, three-block game, well within his range, is a 25-point line without scoring a bucket.
Nic Claxton, Chicago Bulls
Chicago’s move of Vučević at last year’s deadline started a changing of the guard at center. Vučević was a reliable double-double presence, and the Bulls replaced him this offseason by acquiring Claxton from Brooklyn. His counting stats dipped last season on a young Nets roster — 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 blocks — but the assist jump is notable.
Claxton isn’t far removed from back-to-back seasons averaging at least 11.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. Chicago is also building, but with more established young talent around him: Caleb Wilson, Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey running the point. Giddey is among the league’s best passers, and the lob connection should be productive.
Claxton is the most complete scorer in this group under High Score rules because he can pass in addition to giving you traditional big-man stats. A 10/10/3 game with two blocks equates to 32 fantasy points.
Center Sleepers
Hannes Steinbach, Charlotte Hornets
Moussa Diabaté exceeded expectations last season, taking over as Charlotte’s starting center in December on the strength of his energy and rebounding. His role tilted away from scoring, though — a 63.1% shooter who averaged 7.9 points on an 11.2% usage rate.
The Hornets addressed the frontcourt by acquiring Naz Reid from Minnesota, and with Miles Bridges moving on, Reid should split time between power forward and center. They also drafted Steinbach, who brings more offensive polish. He averaged 18.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in college at Washington last season, and could work his way into relevance as the year unfolds.
With only 10 roster spots, stashing a rookie is a cost in High Score. Steinbach is a monitor-first name, but the rebounding profile plays immediately if minutes open up during the season.
Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn’s young roster added Julius Randle and drafted Mikel Brown Jr., with Moritz Wagner providing frontcourt depth. Sharpe is the most likely candidate to inherit the starting job Claxton vacated.
He started seven games last season, averaging 28 minutes in that role versus 18 off the bench. In those starts he put up 11.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1 block. Randle can play the five in stretches, but Sharpe is lined up for more of those center minutes.
That starter line is worth over 30 fantasy points in High Score. That’s top-30 territory for a late-round pick. Sharpe only needs to reach it once a week.
Khaman Maluach, Phoenix Suns
A highly regarded prospect out of Duke, Maluach went 10th overall to the Suns in the 2025 Draft. His rookie year was a limited one: 46 games at 8.9 minutes apiece. Mark Williams returns as the starter on a new three-year deal, with Oso Ighodaro also in the mix after filling in last season.
Williams has dealt with injuries throughout his career and underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder and could miss an extended period of time. Maluach carries the higher long-term upside of the two backups. The near-term goal is winning the minutes Williams would vacate.
Maluach is going undrafted in most leagues, and with 10-man rosters in High Score, that’s fine. He belongs on your waiver watchlist rather than your bench. If Phoenix’s rotation opens up as expected with Williams’ injury, he’s the pickup to make first.
