I’ve been through a lot of drafts this preseason (more than I’d like to admit), and certain names keep touchdown on my rosters no matter where I’m choosing. These are my favourite targets in each spherical, based mostly on Yahoo ADP as of Oct. 15 in 12-team leagues.

Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Basketball league for the 2026-27 NBA season

Advertisement

Maxey is being slept on because of the crowd in Philly. With LeBron James and Jaylen Brown now sharing the flooring with Joel Embiid, many fantasy managers fear Maxey’s utilization and manufacturing will slip.

It’s a legitimate concern. I just do not think it’s enough to move on him.

Maxey is one of the NBA’s most environment friendly two-way guards. Last season, he averaged 28.3 factors, 4.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 3.1 3s and 2.7 shares on 46/37/89 taking pictures over 70 video games. We’ve also seen him play off the ball before, thriving alongside James Harden. Make no mistake, he’s still the main option on the Sixers. Even with a dip, I expect at least 25 factors, 4 rebounds and 6 assists with robust percentages and loads of shares.

Advertisement

I love him anywhere from picks 6 through 8, and when I’ve been in that vary, I nearly always finish up with him.

Reaves is principally Maxey with barely more turnovers per evening and fewer shares. Offensively, though, they’re proper there. Reaves averaged 23.3 factors, 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists on 49% taking pictures last season, and that was with LeBron still in L.A. Now that LeBron is in Philly, I’m anticipating another offensive leap.

Getting another extremely environment friendly bucket-getter with passing chops early is important, regardless of format. Reaves is that man, and he’s eligible at three positions.

Advertisement

I get the apprehension around the harm risk. But LaMelo performed 72 video games last season, and now he’s on the best group he’s ever performed on. The Timberwolves made a drastic shift in id, and LaMelo’s newfound power has been infectious since he arrived in Minnesota.

The numbers will converse for themselves. Last season in Charlotte, he averaged 20.1 factors, 7.1 assists, 1.2 steals and 3.8 3s while taking pictures 90% from the line, and that was in just 28 minutes a evening. That mixture of factors, assists, steals, 3s and free-throw share more than offsets the turnovers and inconsistent field-goal share. The quantity in his core classes is going to be value it.

His ADP is creeping into the second spherical for a motive. Over the last seven days, it’s down to 24.3. He, Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves as a complete are going to be a downside, so I’m shopping for stock in Melo.

Advertisement

Miller is one of my favourite breakout forwards this season. Coby White (calf) and Kon Knueppel (hamstring) are both dealing with accidents, so Miller will presumably start the season without them. He’s already shaken off his own minor scare, too. He missed the preseason opener with a shin contusion, then returned to average 17 factors, 4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 shares per sport in 25 minutes. As you can expect, the utilization was elite degree, at 33% across those two video games.

Even when Charlotte returns to full health, Miller will be the main option. He averaged 20.2 factors and 3.1 3s while taking pictures 89% from the line last season, and he brings a younger, PG-like skillset that fantasy managers will get pleasure from. He should be a candidate for Most Improved Player and could compete for an All-Star nod.

Advertisement

Okongwu is one of the league’s most underrated bigs, and he would not damage you anywhere. Last season, he averaged 15.2 factors, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.1 blocks and 1.9 3s, and he’s performed 74 video games in each of the last two seasons.

Around this level in the draft, I’m normally wanting to construct out my shares and rebounds. Okongwu has the minutes, job security and alternative to give me both without dragging down my percentages or piling up turnovers. Sometimes high-floor choices like Okongwu are the proper alternative.

Shore up that frontcourt with another one of my favourite upside picks. Buzelis is one of the handful of forwards who can prime a block per sport. He averaged 1.5 last season to go along with 16.3 factors, 5.8 rebounds and 2.2 3s in 29 minutes.

Advertisement

I think the offensive growth is just scratching the floor. He’s a good rebounder for his place who will thrive in a fast-paced offense where he can show off his athleticism on both ends of the flooring.

Ware may begin gradual behind Myles Turner. Don’t fear about it — Ware is going to get his.

Last season in Miami, he averaged 11.1 factors, 9.0 rebounds, 1.9 shares and 1.2 3s in just 22 minutes a evening. That’s practically a double-double with two shares and a 3 in a reserve function, which is absurd per-minute manufacturing. The Bucks are rebuilding after the Giannis Antetokounmpo commerce, and that manufacturing should only go up as his minutes do. Draft him here and reap the advantages later.

Advertisement

Have you seen him in the preseason? Yeah, I’m all in. McDaniels said this week that he desires to be an All-Star, and he’s enjoying like it. Over 4 preseason video games, he’s averaged 14.8 factors, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.5 3s in 20.7 minutes per sport. His taking pictures splits are ridiculous – 61/71/100. That’s clearly not sustainable, but it’s less about that and more about how assured and in control he is. He’s been the defensive stopper to this level in his profession and now we’re witnessing the work he’s put into the offseason as an offensive risk. The protection is still there and he could still register a block and a steal per sport during the common season.

He’s coming off an environment friendly season (51.5% from the subject and 41.2% from 3) and should be a robust source of shares, 3s and percentages without turning the ball over much. He’ll be the third option on one of the league’s best offenses. That’s a great price for what he’ll present.

Advertisement

Jerome is another per-minute gem, and he’s extraordinarily mispriced. A calf harm and later an ankle harm restricted him to 15 video games last season, but when he performed, he averaged 19.7 factors, 5.7 assists and 2.8 3s on 47/42/88 taking pictures in just 22.5 minutes. In 2024-25, his breakout yr in Cleveland, he put up 12.5 factors per sport on 52% taking pictures and 44% from deep in under 20 minutes a evening.

The preseason has seemed just like that. He began the opener at level guard and has scored 12, 17 and 16 factors in his three video games, taking pictures 16-of-30 with 13 assists to just 3 turnovers in about 16 minutes per sport. Jerome is the frontrunner to begin at level guard and he’ll crush his ADP in 9-cat codecs thanks to his effectivity and manufacturing across the board.

Podziemski just signed a five-year, $110 million extension, and he’s poised to outpace every season of his profession as a beginning guard for the Dubs. He’s one of the best rebounders at the guard place (5.1 rebounds per sport in each of the last two seasons), and he performed all 82 video games last yr.

Advertisement

With Draymond Green expected to slide to middle and Kristaps Porziņģis not close to returning, the Warriors will play small and unfold the flooring. That lets Podz fire away from 3 while also serving as a vital ball-handler and creator. Golden State has few scoring choices outside Steph Curry, so expect a sizable bounce in quantity.

I love him at this draft price, along with Raptors large Collin Murray-Boyles, who goes in the same vary (ADP 110.0).



Source hyperlink

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here