Oct 20, 2026, 08:32 AM ET

Standing out in fantasy basketball demands a solid draft plus smart waiver wire decisions all year long. It also calls for vision to spot trends ahead of the crowd.

With that goal in mind, we asked our fantasy basketball specialists to deliver their most daring forecasts for the 2026-27 NBA season. Should any of these prove accurate, they could reshape many fantasy leagues dramatically.

Here are André Snellings, Eric Moody, Erik Karabell, Steve Alexander, Jim McCormick and Michael F. Florio with their bold takes.

Kel'el Ware finishes top 30 on the Player Rater

McCormick: Myles Turner creates real competition for Ware, yet the Milwaukee Bucks may choose to give Ware more minutes due to a clear edge in rebounding at both ends. For a roster built around wings and lacking size, Ware serves as an essential frontcourt piece tied to the Giannis era. Overlap exists with Turner on help defense and rim protection, but talent combined with minutes should align for Ware in Milwaukee this year.

Someone other than Nikola Jokic leads the league in fantasy points this season

Snellings: Jokic has topped the league in total fantasy points across six consecutive seasons. Last year he also led in fantasy scoring average, generating over 500 more fantasy points than the next player despite appearing in only 65 games. This season three players hold a realistic shot at surpassing him.

Luka Doncic ranked second in fantasy points last season and posted a higher per-game average than Jokic while with the Mavericks, though in fewer contests. Now with the Lakers and without LeBron James, Doncic may enjoy his strongest fantasy campaign yet. Another candidate, Victor Wembanyama, enters after his finest season and continues to develop at age 22. Finally, Giannis Antetokounmpo has matched Jokic scoring averages in past years and, in his new role with the Miami Heat, could deliver one of his stronger fantasy outputs.

Julius Randle returns to being a top-25 player in points leagues

Florio: Randle resumes his role as the primary option on an offense, similar to his early Knicks tenure. In two of three seasons he averaged more than 24 points per game. During that span he posted at least 9.9 rebounds annually and twice averaged over five assists. He should also increase three-point attempts with the Brooklyn Nets, echoing his Knicks usage. As the focal point once more, higher volume should fuel another strong fantasy season.

Walker Kessler finishes as a top-20 player in category leagues

Moody: The conditions are ideal for Kessler to enjoy a breakout year. Shoulder surgery restricted him to five games last season, but he returns healthy in his first campaign with the Los Angeles Lakers. Sharing the floor with Doncic should create more easy scoring chances, much like those seen by Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford in Dallas. Kessler already supplies strong field goal percentage, rebounds and blocks. If he reaches 30-plus minutes per game, he could pace the league in blocks and reach the top 20 in nine-category formats.

The Washington Wizards compete in the East

Alexander: Alex Sarr could find himself on the outside in Washington, while I have grown confident in Anthony Davis and Trae Young. AJ Dybantsa, Kyshawn George and Bilal Coulibaly add further intrigue. Should AD and Young stay healthy and mesh well, the Wizards might surprise observers in the East. They represent the classic high-risk, high-reward club.

LeBron leads Philadelphia 76ers in assists, finishes top 5 in the league

Karabell: James remains an elite passer and appears poised to direct this talented offense whenever he is available. Why not forecast that he will lead his new club in assists and rank among the league's top five? Questions remain about his availability and minutes, and he may shoot even less than before. Yet he will continue to distribute. Tyrese Maxey has always leaned more toward shooting guard than point guard, so expect James to average at least 8.0 assists per game, a mark Maxey has never reached.