Way Too Early 2026-27 Fantasy Basketball Rankings: Rising & Falling Players

by Sam Amico

Mar 23, 2026

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg.

While most fantasy basketball managers are still focused on how this season ends, the smart ones are already looking ahead. That’s because rankings shift quickly once the offseason begins.

Usage changes. Roles expand. Rookies arrive. Suddenly, the player you could have drafted in round five is going in round two. That’s what we are trying to get ahead of here.

A big key is identifying players before the market adjusts. Before ADP catches up. Before everyone else sees what is coming. Heading into the 2026 NBA offseason, there are some very clear risers.

The Risers

Reed Sheppard’s expanding Houston role and elite efficiency signal a major fantasy breakout in 2026-27.
Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Cooper Flagg (Mavericks)

Cooper Flagg has not looked like a rookie. He’s looked like a problem.
At 19, he’s already impacting games across the board. Scoring when needed. Defending everywhere. Filling the stat sheet in a way that usually takes years to develop.

So Flagg will soon be stepping into a season where the role expands and the confidence matches it. Theoretically, anyway. More usage. More responsibility. More control of the offense.

You are looking at a player who can realistically push into that 23-point range with strong rebounds, assists and defensive stats. That is a top-20 fantasy profile, and it may not take long for him to get there.

Reed Sheppard (Rockets)

Sheppard is finishing his second season, and it shows.
The game has slowed down for him. The decision-making is sharper. The confidence is higher. Most importantly, the role is growing. Houston is starting to trust him more. That leads to minutes and minutes, by and large, lead to production.

Sheppard brings efficiency, and that is the part fantasy managers sometimes overlook. He does not waste possessions. He adds threes, assists and steals without hurting percentages. That creates a high floor. Now add more usage, and suddenly the ceiling rises too.

He is the type of player who jumps from late-round value to a must-start option almost overnight.

AJ Dybantsa (BYU)

AJ Dybantsa projects as the top rookie target with immediate scoring volume and strong early fantasy impact.
Candice Ward-Imagn Images

Dybantsa’s college run ended early. That does not change the outlook.
He is still the top prospect in this class. Still the most likely rookie to step in and produce immediately.

There has been talk about him staying at BYU, though that feels unlikely.
Players with his profile generally do not wait. Dybantsa brings size, scoring ability and shot creation. That combination translates quickly, especially on teams looking for offensive help.

The path is clear: Points first, then the rest of the game follows. He may not be perfect right away, but he highly likely will produce. Basically, rookies who can score 20 on any given night tend to find their way into fantasy relevance quickly.

Matas Buzelis (Bulls)

Matas Buzelis offers rising multi-category production with scoring, rebounds, and defensive stats trending upward.

Buzelis is another player finishing his second season. Like Sheppard, he is starting to figure it out. The tools have always been there. Now the production is catching up. More confidence. More aggression. More defined role. That tends to lead to better numbers.

Buzelis offers something valuable in fantasy — forward who can score, rebound and provide defensive stats. That versatility becomes more important as the season goes on. He may not be a headline name yet, but he is trending in that direction.

Bennedict Mathurin (Clippers)

Bennedict Mathurin’s increased usage creates breakout scoring upside with potential to outperform mid-round fantasy draft cost.
Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Mathurin is another player to keep an eye on. The scoring has always been there. The question has been consistency and role. That’s starting to change with Los Angeles.

More opportunity leads to more usage. More usage leads to more production. Mathurin’s ability to create offense gives him a clear path to value, especially if he lands in a system that leans on him more heavily. That can generally lead to breakout production.

The Fallers

Not everyone will be moving up, of course. Some players will start to slide, just between this season and next.

Age is part of it. Injuries are part of it. Role is a massive part of it. Old faces in new places aren’t always the same. Veterans who once carried offenses are now sharing touches. Some are seeing reduced minutes. Others are being managed more carefully. That creates volatility, and volatility is the enemy in fantasy.

So keep an eye on free agency and real-life summer trades. Some bigger names may no longer be safe bets at their usual draft positions.

How to Use This

Granted, you’re not drafting today, or really any time soon. But you are preparing.

Start building a mental board. Identify the players you want to target. Track how their situations evolve over the offseason. When the time comes, you are not reacting. You are executing. Target risers before the breakout becomes obvious. Be cautious with players whose roles are shrinking. That balance is what builds strong rosters.

Summary

Way-too-early rankings are about seeing the shift before it happens.

Flagg looks ready to take another leap. Sheppard and Buzelis are already trending upward in year two. Dybantsa is coming, whether it is sooner or later. Mathurin has the opportunity to turn scoring into consistency.

Those are just some of the guys on their way. Identify others like them entering next season. Fantasy managers who recognize these types of players will be the ones ahead when draft season arrives.