OG Anunoby has a very steady fantasy floor with a set role in New York.
The NBA preseason is in full swing, meaning fantasy drafts are just around the corner, and for some, have already landed. Heading into drafts, managers are always hunting for potential breakout players and late-round fliers, capable of altering the course of a season. However, there is certainly a case to be made for drafting the safest team, acquiring players that are almost certainly going to end the season on par with where they were drafted, if not slightly ahead. We’ve gathered four players who come with very little risk, who can certainly be prioritized based on their current ADP.
OG Anunoby, New York Knicks
2025-26 9-cat rank: 36
Yahoo ADP: 68
Despite having finished inside the top 40 in three of the past four seasons, Anunoby continues to be arguably the most overlooked player in fantasy. He ended the 2025-26 campaign as the 36th-ranked player, averaging 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.7 blocks and 2.3 3s, shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 82.8 percent from the line. Perhaps more important is the fact that none of these numbers represented career-high marks, highlighting how sustainable his production is. In all three seasons in which he finished as a top-40 asset, Anunoby played at least 67 games, making him a relatively durable player, at least by today’s standards.
Looking ahead to the 2026-27 season, it would appear as though nothing is really going to change for Anunoby, both in terms of role and subsequent production. New York is basically running it back, fresh off an NBA title, with Anunoby slated to be a key piece on both ends of the floor once again. Despite all signs pointing to a repeat effort, Anunoby is once again being overlooked in drafts, typically available in the fifth or even sixth round in many leagues. While a sizeable portion of his value is reliant on his defensive contributions – valuable in High Score for 3 points for each steal and block – he is by no means a one-category specialist. As a relatively efficient scorer on modest volume who powers the defensive unit, Anunoby is someone who can fit almost any build or league type, perfect as a plug-and-play asset with little to no risk.
Derrick White, Boston Celtics
2025-26 9-cat rank: 30
Yahoo ADP: 46
Despite a woeful shooting season, White still ended the 2025-26 campaign as a top 30 asset in standard nine-category leagues, which begs the question – why is he being drafted in the fourth or even fifth round? He has now delivered three consecutive top 35 seasons, with his efficiency in the first two seasons far exceeding what he was able to do last year. He played 77 games during his most recent campaign, averaging 16.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 2.7 3s and 2.4 combined steals and blocks, shooting 39.4 percent from the field and 90.2 percent from the line. Simply put, if he had shot closer to his career average of roughly 45 percent, he would have been a second-round player.
Although last season represented a career-high in terms of pure scoring numbers, the addition of Paul George this season should see White shift back to his much preferred third option on offense, allowing his efficiency to return to normal. He remains arguably the best shot-blocking guard in the league and is also fresh off a career-high 1.1 steals per game, rounding out what is an elite defensive skill set. His 5.4 assists also represented a career-best mark, which is especially valuable in High Score formats. Given the fact that he, too, comes with basically no risk, White being drafted on the turn of the fourth and fifth rounds feels almost criminal. Unless you are desperate for points and points alone, White makes for a very safe target, no matter if you’re in 9-category formats, points leagues or High Score.
Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves
2025-26 9-cat rank: 70
Yahoo ADP: 91
McDaniels is poised to have the best season of his career, following the departures of both Julius Randle and Naz Reid during the offseason. Although the acquisition of Jonathan Kuminga does complicate matters slightly, McDaniels remains a key piece for the Timberwolves to the point where he could still take some steps forward this season. He played 73 games during the 2025-26 campaign, averaging 14.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.4 3s and 2.1 combined steals and blocks, shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 83.5 percent from the free-throw line. While a lack of consistency plagued him early in his career, it appears as though McDaniels has been able to balance both offense and defense, resulting in highly sustainable fantasy value.
He has now put together consecutive seasons of at least top 75 value, a number that feels like his floor, at least for the foreseeable future. With Randle and Reid out of town, there is scope for McDaniels’ rebound numbers to bounce back, closer to the 5.7 per game he pulled down in the previous season in 2024-25. Assuming he can maintain close to 2.0 combined steals and blocks, which he has now done for two straight seasons, it feels as though the rest will take care of itself. For whatever reason, fantasy managers seem to have forgotten about McDaniels, to the point where he is falling to the eighth or ninth round. Other than those specifically seeking points production, much like Anunoby and White, McDaniels makes for an extremely safe and versatile target across all team builds.
Neemias Queta, Boston Celtics
2025-26 9-cat rank: 67
Yahoo ADP: 117
For anyone who didn’t roster Queta last season, it’s highly likely he flew completely under the radar. Heading into the 2025-26 campaign, the starting center spot in Boston was seemingly up for grabs, with Queta battling Luka Garza, Xavier Tillman and eventually, Nikola Vučević. However, Queta ultimately won out, holding onto the starting spot for the entirety of the season. Through 76 appearances, he averaged 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.1 combined steals and blocks, shooting 65.3 percent from the floor and 70.3 percent from the stripe, good enough for top 70 value in standard nine-category leagues. He ended up fourth in the Most-Improved Player award, highlighting what savvy fantasy managers were already fully aware of.
Coming into the 2026-27 season, it would appear as though Queta will hold onto the starting center spot, despite the addition of Mitchell Robinson. While Robinson is certainly a step up in terms of depth and on-floor ability, the fact of the matter is that he is one of the more injury-prone big men in the league. For this reason, it’s safe to assume that he will come off the bench, typically logging no more than about 20-22 minutes on any given night. While that will in turn limit Queta to roughly 26 minutes on most nights, the issue is moot, given the fact that he only averaged 25.3 minutes per game last season. Assuming everything stays as is, fantasy managers should expect another top 75 season from Queta, which obviously has his floor significantly higher than his current ADP of 117.
