Six rookies from the 2026 NBA draft class have Average Draft Positions in the top 130, a sharp departure from a typical season, when only a few first-year players are discussed in fantasy drafts. Several others sit on the fringe and could be drafted in deeper leagues or picked up as free agents once the season begins.
The class has drawn high expectations for months, and early indications suggest it will meet them. Here is a closer look at the top rookies and when fantasy managers should consider drafting them.
Middle-round prospects
Caleb Wilson (ADP 75.2), Cameron Boozer (ADP 75.3) and AJ Dybantsa (ADP 76.1) are coming off draft boards in a similar range, around the seventh round. All three appear poised to start for their teams and contribute right away.
AJ Dybantsa, F, Washington Wizards: Dybantsa was the top overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft and led college basketball in scoring as a freshman last season. He continued that production at the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 25.0 PPG and 7.0 RPG over two games. He has started the first two preseason games for the Wizards, playing a combined 46 minutes and posting 25 points, nine rebounds, five steals and four assists. Dybantsa is a strong candidate to lead the rookie class in scoring. He draws fouls well and shoots a good percentage, but he does not hit many 3-pointers for a volume scorer and may offer few strong fantasy categories beyond scoring. He is worth drafting in the middle rounds, though the analysis ranks him slightly lower than his ADP, closer to the top 85 than the top 75 in both points and category leagues.
Cameron Boozer, PF, Memphis Grizzlies: The third overall pick has been the betting favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year since draft night, sitting at +300 to win at DraftKings. He averaged a 20-10 double-double as a college big man, and he is also a strong passer who scores efficiently and can knock down the 3-pointer. He scored in double figures in each of his first three NBA preseason games and posted strong per-minute rebound and assist totals in all three. The Grizzlies traded franchise player Ja Morant this offseason, which opens the way for Boozer to become the centerpiece of their rebuilding effort. Boozer ranks in the top 70 in points leagues and the top 80 in category leagues, just above his ADP in points and right on it in categories.
Caleb Wilson, PF, Chicago Bulls: Wilson was one of four rookies considered for the No. 1 pick and went fourth overall. Coming out of college, he was viewed as an elite athlete at power forward who would defend, rebound and finish well at the next level. At the Las Vegas Summer League, however, he showed a new skill that changes his ceiling: 3-point shooting. He knocked down seven 3-pointers in his summer league debut against the Grizzlies, and he has kept showing that the perimeter shot will be a major part of his game. Through three NBA preseason games, Wilson has averaged 17.7 PPG and 2.0 3PG in 28.7 minutes per game. His projections in defensive and 3-point categories place him slightly higher in category rankings (top 60) than in points (top 80), and he ranks as the top rookie in both scoring formats.
Late-round prospects
Darius Acuff Jr. (ADP 105.2), Darryn Peterson (ADP 108.4) and Yaxel Lendeborg (ADP 129.1) are going in the later rounds of fantasy drafts.
Darryn Peterson, SG, Utah Jazz: Many considered Peterson the best prospect in the draft. He was in the debate with Dybantsa for the No. 1 pick before going second overall. He is an electric scoring combo guard whose size and skill set suggest superstar potential if his game matures. Among the top four picks, he may have both the highest ceiling and the lowest floor. In his first two preseason games, both starts, he scored 23 points in 30 minutes with Lauri Markkanen out, while Keyonte George and Jaren Jackson Jr. played monitored minutes. In the other game, when Markkanen played, he managed only three points in 22 minutes. His wide range of outcomes and inefficiency as a volume scorer leave his projections below those of his top-four classmates. He ranks in the top 110 in points leagues, right at his ADP, and in the top 130 in category leagues. He is a late-round pick with the upside to deliver starter-level numbers in the best case.
Darius Acuff Jr., PG, Sacramento Kings: Acuff was a high-volume lead guard in a one-dimensional offense in college, and he is landing in a similar role in the NBA. He is slated to start at point guard for a Kings team in full rebuild mode and should have plenty of chances to produce points, assists and 3-pointers from the opening tip. He struggled with efficiency and turnovers at the Las Vegas Summer League, which raised questions about how quickly his game would translate. His preseason has been stronger, however. He scored 19 points in 27 minutes in his debut and followed with a 25-point, eight-assist performance in his third game. He ranks in the top 100 in points leagues, slightly above his current ADP, while the efficiency concerns put him closer to the top 130 in category rankings. If his game translates faster than expected, he also has starter upside.
Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Golden State Warriors: Identified early as a potential Day 1 starter for the Warriors, Lendeborg consistently impressed this offseason and locked down that role. He is a do-everything combo forward who was the main offensive option for last season’s NCAA national champion, Michigan. He adds youthful energy and production to a veteran Warriors starting lineup. He grabbed at least nine rebounds in each of his first three NBA preseason games. After scoring only four points in his debut, he scored 17 and 23 in the next two. That volume exceeds his offseason projections, which is why his preseason rankings in both points and category leagues reflect a prospect to watch more than a fantasy draft pick. Based on his preseason play, he merits strong consideration in the later rounds.
Worthy of draft consideration or free-agent watch
Several other rookies deserve either a spot on draft boards or a prime place on the free-agents-to-watch list:
- Mikel Brown Jr. was the fifth overall pick and showed flashes of strong play at the Las Vegas Summer League. He has missed the preseason with an ankle injury, but he still projects to start alongside Egor Demin in the Brooklyn Nets’ backcourt.
- Keaton Wagler was the sixth overall pick and is one of the elite shooters in this class. He has come off the bench for the LA Clippers in the preseason, but with the team in full rebuild mode, he could earn a bigger role as the season progresses.
- Kingston Flemings is a highly regarded point guard drafted by the Atlanta Hawks, a team with playoff aspirations and a veteran three-guard starting rotation. Finding enough minutes to be a fantasy impact player early will be difficult, but if he earns starter minutes, he has real upside.
- Morez Johnson Jr. (Dallas Mavericks, PF) and Brayden Burries (Milwaukee Bucks, SG) are both lottery picks who have dealt with injuries and currently hold bench roles.
- Aday Mara (Oklahoma City Thunder, C) and Hannes Steinbach (Charlotte Hornets, PF) appear set to be the main backups on their new teams, though Mara has played well enough in the preseason to draw attention.
- Meleek Thomas (Cleveland Cavaliers, SG), a second-round pick, led the Las Vegas Summer League in scoring at 27.3 PPG. He has logged plenty of preseason minutes as he fights for a rotation role.