Sleepers can be the difference between success and failure when it comes to fantasy basketball. Whether that’s a Most Improved Player candidate breaking out or a rotation player getting a bigger role due to injuries, sleeper picks are important as NBA fantasy draft season approaches.
A change of situation can see a player exceed all fantasy expectations, too. There are many different reasons why a player can be undervalued in fantasy drafts.
Here are 10 sleeper picks to consider ahead of your annual hoops drafts:
Payton Pritchard
With no Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, Jrue Holiday, or Kristaps Porziņģis, there are 50.9 field-goal attempts to be shared across the Boston Celtics. Anfernee Simons will take a portion of those, having averaged 16.2 attempts last season, but Pritchard is surely in line for a bigger role.
Embracing a down year without Tatum, there are bound to be plenty of nights where Derrick White or Jaylen Brown are rested or have their minutes carefully managed.
A lights out shooter, Pritchard is going to get more playmaking reps in the absence of Holiday and Tatum. His assist average could be up towards five. It’s early to look at ADPs, but Hashtag Basketball has Pritchard getting drafted below Cam Johnson and Deandre Ayton.
Josh Giddey
With a 72.5 ADP according to Fantasy Pros, Josh Giddey is being underrated as a fantasy asset. His future is secured, with a $100 million contract, and his role with the Bulls is crystal clear.
Giddey was a top-40 fantasy player last season. Most leagues have him eligible at guard and forward.
Over his last 25 regular-season outings, he averaged 20.2 points, 2.2 stocks, 9.5 rebounds, and 8.4 assists, while making two threes per game.
Anfernee Simons
Thirty-three guards are getting drafted ahead of Simons. Just as Pritchard will benefit from the 50.9 additional field-goal attempts to go around, so should Simons.
There’s not much opportunity for rebounds or stocks with Simons. His 0.92 assist to usage ratio was the best of his career, though, and his knack for getting to the paint should create open threes in the spread Celtics offense.
Look for his three-point volume to skyrocket, too. Only 50% of his shots were threes last year.
Tyler Herro
Why is Tyler Herro getting drafted after Jrue Holiday, CJ McCollum, and Bradley Beal? Set to run Miami’s offense, there aren’t 38 fantasy guards with more fantasy value than Herro.
Herro had the highest assist rate of his career, his best assist to usage ratio, and by far his best points per shot. There was marked progress in his mid-range shooting, with his floaters falling more often than before.
Miami hasn’t made any moves to encroach on Herro’s shot attempts. Six or 6.5 assists per game is well within reach if the Heat have a more functional offense.
Michael Porter Jr.
If your league requires a small forward, you can do a lot worse than Michael Porter Jr. Yes, availability is always a concern with the newest Net, but Porter is going to have free reign to chuck shots up on a rebuilding Brooklyn team.
Nineteen small forwards are currently being taken ahead of Porter, who is eligible at the three and the four in most leagues. An underrated rebounder, he seems a much better pick than Kyle Kuzma and Miles Bridges, who are currently being drafted ahead of him.
Andrew Nembhard
In Tyrese Haliburton’s absence, Andrew Nembhard is a frontrunner for Most Improved Player and becomes an intriguing fantasy sleeper. Indiana’s high pace means he can pack the box score, and his limited track record might mean he gets overlooked by your fantasy league rivals.
The third-year guard is an active defender. He’s going to boost your team’s tally with a few steals per week, and there have been occasional flashes of improved three-point shooting.
Nembhard is a late-round option given his limited scoring prowess, but the opportunity is there for a big-time breakout season.
Jaden Ivey
Jaden Ivey shot 44% on non-corner threes before getting injured last season. He was in the 90th percentile among guards in the number of shots taken at the rim, and there was an uptick in his rebounds per game and steals.
Ivey returns to the Pistons next to Cade Cunningham. Detroit’s offense is much more balanced than it has been previously, with Jalen Duren as rim runner and others spacing the floor to aid Ivey’s driving game.
Don’t reach for Ivey when drafting but keep an eye on him as the rounds pass. He’s got serious upside in 2025/26.
Scoot Henderson
Jrue Holiday’s arrival shouldn’t impede Scoot Henderson too much. Henderson might start the season coming off the bench, but he should quickly return to the starting lineup if he can demonstrate consistency as a playmaker and shooter.
It’s too early to give up on a player with Henderson’s all-around talent. Active on defense, he had 16 games with multiple steals last season. He also had 28 games with six or more assists, and 28 games with two or more made threes.
This feels like a decisive season in Henderson’s career. It’s worth taking a late-round punt on him given his ceiling as a fantasy asset.
Nikola Jović
Nikola Jović had four 20-point games as a rookie. He’s likely to start at the four for the Heat, and has put in some impressive performances in EuroBasket, including a 20-point showing against Finland.
Averaging 4.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 stocks across the last 21 games of his rookie year, Jović can provide some fantasy value behind his three-point shot. He also had 24 points with three stocks in Miami’s final playoff game against the Cavaliers.
Few power forwards offer as much three-point potential as Jović. Keep an eye on his percentage on non-corner threes, which was a major weakness in 2024/25.
RJ Barrett
RJ Barrett has played 259 regular-season games over the last four seasons. He’s averaged 20.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 0.9 stocks over that period, and has shot over 36% from three since becoming a Toronto Raptor.
There’s no superstar upside. Barrett won’t be a top-10 fantasy points scorer on the wing or at the two, but he’s durable, and has a defined role in the Raptors’ offense as the second or third option.
Brandon Ingram always misses a chunk of games. Immanuel Quickley’s viability as a lead scorer is unclear. Someone has to put up points for the Raptors, so why not Barrett?
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