Bench-to-starter fantasy basketball content gets written every summer, and most of it circles the same handful of names. This piece is different. It focuses on five players positioned to become fantasy starters this season who you might not be considering at this time. Each name here has a real, specific opening on the depth chart behind them, not a vague hope for more minutes. Some paths are clearer than others, and this piece will be honest about which is which.
Player 1: Cason Wallace
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Wallace has already proven he belongs on the floor. He earned All-Defensive Second Team honors last season while averaging 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists a night, and he was a key piece of Oklahoma City's run to the Western Conference Finals. The problem is not talent. The problem is the roster around him. Lu Dort just had his team option picked up, and the Thunder also have Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain pushing for guard minutes. For Wallace to start, Dort likely needs to be traded or OKC needs to make a coaching decision that favors defense over Mitchell's playmaking.
That makes this a lower-probability path than some other names on this list. My take: Even without a starting job, Wallace is a strong add in deeper leagues and category formats. He is a lock for steals, a plus defender across multiple positions, and a low-risk source of stable, if unspectacular, counting stats even off the bench.
Player 2: Ace Bailey
Bailey is entering his second season with the Utah Jazz, not his rookie year, after being picked fifth overall in 2025 and earning All-Rookie Second Team honors. He is not a bench afterthought anymore. He finished last season on a tear, averaging 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in March while shooting 45.3 percent from the field once given a bigger role. With Utah expected to lean further into its youth movement, and with head coach Will Hardy already comfortable starting Bailey once he proved himself as a rookie, he enters training camp.
The catch is efficiency. Even a clear runway does not guarantee smooth, consistent output early in a season, especially for a young wing still refining his shot selection. My take: Draft Bailey ahead of true rookies with murkier roles, since his path to 30-plus minutes a night is already proven, not projected. He deserves a premium over first-year players who still have to win a job.
Player 3: Jaylen Wells
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Wells has quietly built real trust in Memphis. He started 69 games in his sophomore season before a season-ending toe injury, averaging 12.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from three. He is expected to make a full recovery in time for training camp. Memphis is rebuilding around younger pieces after trading Ja Morant this offseason, and Wells now projects as a starting forward alongside rookie Cameron Boozer and center Zach Edey, giving him one of the clearest and youngest frontcourt roles on a full rebuild.
His skill set fits perfectly into that kind of expanding role. He is a reliable catch-and-shoot threat who can also switch across multiple positions on defense, exactly the type of complementary piece that gets more shots as a young core grows around him. My take: I believe Wells profiles more as a floor-and-shooting specialist than a true multi-category riser. His counting stats outside points and threes remain modest. Until he adds real rebounding or playmaking volume, treat him as a steady three-point and efficiency piece rather than a breakout across the board.
Player 4: Christian Braun
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Braun already has real standing in Denver. He signed a five-year, $125 million extension last year and enters this season as the Nuggets' full-time starting shooting guard. But last season did not go the way anyone in Denver hoped. Injuries limited him to 50 games, and his numbers dipped to 12.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, a step back from his Most Improved Player-caliber year before that, when he looked like a 15-point-per-game scorer and one of the league's top transition threats. Denver's roster remains crowded and expensive, with Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Cameron Johnson all still on the books.
This is not a from-scratch opportunity. Braun already owns a role. The real question is whether he can simply return to the level he flashed two seasons ago. My take: Given how packed and competitive Denver's roster still is, do not expect a massive touches jump here. A modest bounce back toward his old form is realistic. A true leap into a bigger usage role is not, unless Denver trades one of its other veterans first.
Player 5: Jalen Wilson
Wilson's situation looks different from the rest of this list. Brooklyn declined to tender him a qualifying offer at the end of June, making him an unrestricted free agent as of this writing, with no new team confirmed yet. His third season in Brooklyn saw his role shrink to 15.9 minutes a night and just 6.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game, a clear step down from a more productive second season where he averaged 9.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in nearly every game. His statistical profile, a physical, high-rebounding forward who starred at Kansas as a two-time All-Big 12 rebounder, still has appeal on the right roster.
That is exactly why his path is harder to define than the others on this list. He does not have a fixed depth chart spot right now. My take: Wilson's fantasy relevance depends entirely on landing with a rebuilding team that has a real hole at forward, similar to what Denver was reportedly eyeing him for. Without that specific event, a genuine frontcourt opening on a team willing to play him big minutes, he stays buried on the wire.
Follow The Path
Each of these five names comes with a concrete, specific depth chart opening behind them, not vague talk of upside. Wallace needs a rotation shift. Bailey already earned his job. Wells has a clear frontcourt spot. Braun needs a bounce back more than a new role. Wilson needs the right landing spot. Some paths are more likely than others, and this piece said so plainly. For continued ranking updates through training camp, check Athlon's ongoing 2026-27 fantasy basketball draft coverage.
Questions About Players With Starter Potential, Answered
Which bench players have real starter potential in fantasy basketball for 2026-27?
Cason Wallace, Ace Bailey, Jaylen Wells, Christian Braun, and Jalen Wilson each have a plausible path to increased fantasy value, although those paths differ significantly. Wallace needs a rotation change, Bailey has already earned a larger role, Wells is positioned to benefit from Memphis' youth movement, Braun is seeking a bounce back, and Wilson needs the right landing spot in free agency.
Is Cason Wallace likely to become a starter in fantasy basketball?
Wallace has the talent to start, but his opportunity depends on changes to Oklahoma City's crowded backcourt. Lu Dort remains ahead of him, and the Thunder have additional guard depth competing for minutes. Even if he stays in a reserve role, his steals, defensive versatility, and steady production make him valuable in deeper fantasy formats.
What is Jaylen Wells' fantasy basketball outlook for 2026-27?
Wells enters the season with a strong opportunity after earning the trust of Memphis' coaching staff and recovering from a toe injury. He projects as part of the Grizzlies' young core and should provide reliable three-point shooting and complementary production, although his ceiling is limited unless his rebounding and playmaking improve.
Does Christian Braun have fantasy basketball breakout potential?
Braun's fantasy outlook is more about returning to a higher level than breaking into a completely new role. He is already Denver's starting shooting guard, but injuries limited his production last season. A bounce back is realistic, though a major increase in usage is unlikely unless the Nuggets significantly change their roster.
