If Orlando Magic star Franz Wagner’s usage ticks up as a creator, there’s another gear for him in fantasy basketball this season.
The 2026-27 NBA season is nearly a week away, and fans are gearing up for another edition of fantasy hoops. With seismic changes around the league this summer, and some preseason action having taken place, some fantasy risers are already starting to emerge.
Dan Titus of Yahoo Sports gives his observations across all 30 teams around the league, first from the Eastern Conference, then the Western Conference.
Atlanta Hawks
I’m on the fence about Jalen Johnson as a first-round pick. The counting stats look great (22.5, points, 10.3 rebounds, 7.9 assists last season), but I think I’ve been underestimating CJ McCollum’s impact for 9-cat specifically. In 36 games without McCollum, Johnson was ninth in per-game value; 36 games with him, 34th. Not bad, but that’s a two-round drop-off. Suffice it to say, the second round is probably more appropriate.
Boston Celtics
The battle that matters here is Neemias Queta versus Mitchell Robinson, because Queta was a top-75 9-cat player last season. How does Robinson affect that ceiling? They share the same profile (rebounds and blocks with minimal usage) and directly compete for minutes.
I project Queta wins the job outright, but if not, that ADP could change. Robinson could offset his upside, but in a timeshare, Queta should play more games overall. Also, will Baylor Scheierman start at shooting guard?
Brooklyn Nets
Egor Dёmin is rising. It’s not just the 5 assists in both preseason appearances; he showed a real offensive bag against the 76ers, scoring 13 points in a variety of creative, impressive ways. The offseason bulk-up looks significant. Still waiting to see what rookie Mikel Brown Jr. has to offer.
Charlotte Hornets
Coby White (calf) and Kon Knueppel (hamstring) are out the entire preseason. That likely gives a short-term boost to Dennis Schröder (starting PG) and Grayson Allen (starting SG). Both are free in most drafts and early-season steamers if their aforementioned starters aren’t ready for opening night. Don’t sleep on Moussa Diabaté as a late-round big for boards and blocks.
Chicago Bulls
Jalen Smith is a riser: 13 points and 8 rebounds in 20 minutes during Wednesday’s preseason game, and with Nic Claxton out (hamstring, will be reevaluated on Oct. 19), he’s the clearest injury fill-in on the board. Caleb Wilson’s points-league appeal is real: 15 points in 29 minutes with a path to 30-plus minutes per game.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Peyton Watson looked good in his debut: 7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks. The hamstring issue seems behind him. He’s good value after pick 100. Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson specifically praised Watson’s wing pairing with Jaylon Tyson, who led the team with 14 points while James Harden rested against Boston.
Detroit Pistons
Jalen Duren signed a five-year, $200 million deal to stay in Detroit, but my top breakout here is Ausar Thompson; we know about the steals and blocks, but his offensive growth is the story. Thompson’s shot profile is already changing. He’s hitting more confident mid-range shots, and his playmaking is underrated. That’s why his ADP is climbing.
Indiana Pacers
Um, Jarace Walker? He handed out 10 assists with 1 turnover in a team-high 28 minutes, easily the best playmaking game of his young career. He also posted a team-best plus-minus of 18 in the Pacers’ win over the Timberwolves. He’s firmly on my intrigued list.
Miami Heat
Point-Giannis Antetokounmpo is ridiculously good. He’s a top-five player across formats and will put up serious numbers in Miami. I’m moving him up in my 9-cat rankings, so don’t be surprised when it happens.
Milwaukee Bucks
Kel’el Ware is already going off. He’s another player for whom it doesn’t matter if he’s starting or coming off the bench. When he plays, he puts numbers on the board. Jaime Jaquez Jr. moving into the starting lineup is noteworthy. He gets a bump in my rankings, too.
New York Knicks
Contract negotiations between the Knicks and Karl-Anthony Towns are “nowhere close,” per Chris Haynes. The Knicks also said they would pause on negotiations until later in the season. Not great, but also not actionable, since it’s not like Towns won’t play.
Orlando Magic
The bet is health plus a new coach. The thing I’m watching: Franz Wagner on the ball more? If his usage ticks up as a creator, there’s another gear here beyond last season’s line. Anthony Black is the first guard off the bench with a path to 25-plus minutes per game. He’s my favorite stash on the roster.
Philadelphia 76ers
I think the 76ers should start Dean Wade and bring VJ Edgecombe off the bench. Also, LeBron James’ line (10/4/5, 1 field goal attempt, 8-for-8 on free throws) shows he doesn’t need to be aggressive to still get the numbers.
Toronto Raptors
I’m still bullish on Collin Murray-Boyles making a big sophomore leap. On top of that, Jamal Shead is the backup to watch. He’s a great passer who handles the ball well, and his per-minute stats are solid. High assist rate with low turnovers is always preferred in 9-cat formats.
Washington Wizards
Trae Young and AJ Dybantsa look good. Young opened his preseason with 15 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Dybantsa posted 11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals as a starter. Deandre Ayton could be a sleeper pickup early on for rebounds, points and blocks if Alex Sarr remains out.
Dallas Mavericks
Daniel Gafford will be a sleeper big. His role grew by default and he started in Macao’s preseason contests. Kyrie Irving made his debut in the second of the two Macao games, and it was exciting to see him back on the court for the first time in 19 months.
Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray are the two most important pieces in Denver. The most interesting Nuggets question is whether anyone outside the top two could crack the top 150 — Aaron Gordon?
Golden State Warriors
Brandin Podziemski’s usage in the preseason is up to 28% through two games; the breakout is coming. He just signed a five-year, $110 million extension, so the runway is his. Al Horford will likely come off the bench, giving Gui Santos and Yaxel Ledeborg 12-team appeal.
Houston Rockets
Fred VanVleet looked like the Fred of old in Macao: 17 points, 7 assists, 2 steals and five 3-pointers in 24 minutes, his first game since May 2025. If this is the version Houston gets, his ADP is underrated.
LA Clippers
The risers are Isaiah Jackson and Rui Hachimura. Jackson started the opener and Clippers coach Ty Lue reportedly likes the Jackson-Darius Garland combination. If he starts over Brook Lopez, he’s worth a late-round flier.
Hachimura benefits because the Clippers need another scorer while Brandon Ingram (heel) is out. He has 20-point upside early on.
Los Angeles Lakers
Quentin Grimes seems locked in as a starter, trending toward a rotation lock on the wing. Jake LaRavia has the early edge at power forward. Walker Kessler (finger) hasn’t debuted, but it’s not concerning. Not much to say about Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves — elite guards no matter the format.
Memphis Grizzlies
Cameron Boozer looks like a beast. The Kia Rookie of the Year frontrunner has zero obstacles to volume. The passing, sneaky steals, poise and early usage (24%) make him a worthy mid-round pick. The positive Ty Jerome buzz continues. He’s a steal relative to ADP.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Joan Beringer deserves a roster spot in 12-plus 9-cat formats. He’s the only true backup big by default, and that matters on a team this thin up front. Don’t sleep on Ayo Dosunmu. I think LaMelo Ball’s third-round ADP is off; I’m taking him in the second.
New Orleans Pelicans
Bennedict Mathurin starting over Herbert Jones is interesting because they’re specialists in different ways. Mathurin is the scorer, and Jones offers the defense. Another thing to monitor is how the team deploys Jeremiah Fears. He started for Dejounte Murray and, over two preseason games, he’s averaged 13.5 points in 18.3 minutes while shooting 50% from the field and 50% from 3-point range on eight attempts per game.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Aday Mara hasn’t missed a field-goal attempt all preseason and looks great. Could he force a timeshare with Isaiah Hartenstein? We also need to watch Cason Wallace versus Ajay Mitchell for the other starting spot, though GM Sam Presti effectively confirmed Wallace starts. I still like both as draftable guys in 9-cat.
Phoenix Suns
The center spot is the battle: Oso Ighodaro has two of three starts so far, but Khaman Maluach has more minutes logged. With Mark Williams out until at least February, I’m leaning toward Maluach. Miles Bridges’ ankle injury is not considered serious.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers’ guard situation between Damian Lillard and Ja Morant remains one of the most interesting in the NBA. Lillard’s ADP seems modest.
Sacramento Kings
The Darius Acuff Jr. buzz is building. He is this year’s rookie point guard volume bet and I’m buying for points leagues. Does Nique Clifford have the edge on the sixth-man role? It’s good to see that Domantas Sabonis says he’s 100% post-knee surgery. I like his bounce-back discount.
San Antonio Spurs
Whether or not Dylan Harper starts, he’s effectively a sixth starter. He has started for De’Aaron Fox in San Antonio’s first two preseason games, delivering an average of 15.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and four assists. He’s so good, so put it on wax — Harper is seeing 28-30 minutes a night, somehow, someway. His ADP is affordable, too.
Utah Jazz
Jusuf Nurkić is out a month (plantar plate tear). Jaxson Hayes steps in as the likely starter, while Kyle Filipowski gets a bump in the rotation. I’d expect Jaren Jackson Jr. to play more at center than initially planned as well. Shoutout to Darryn Peterson for reminding people why he was one of the top prospects in his class. He’s a walking bucket who scores effortlessly. He should be an option as you approach the 100s.
