Fantasy Basketball Sleepers: Forwards - Draft Values for 2026-2027

September 28, 2026

Brian Dailisan discusses some of his favorite sleeper picks at guard for the 2026-2027 NBA fantasy basketball season. Players discussed include OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Paul Reed and more.

Not every fantasy sleeper is an unknown player waiting to be discovered in the final round. Sometimes, the best value comes from familiar names whose draft prices do not match their expected production. Landing a proven contributor in the middle rounds can be just as valuable as taking a late chance on an unproven player.

The ADP figures below come from Yahoo Basic All Drafts. The analysis uses a standard 12-team league and covers both nine-category formats and eight-category leagues without turnovers.

These nine forwards offer different paths to outperforming their ADPs. Some are proven contributors available later than they should be, while others could benefit from more minutes, a larger role, or a better fit with a new team. Each carries some risk, but that uncertainty is also what keeps the price affordable.

Mid-Round Forward Sleepers: Forwards

OG Anunoby, SF/PF - NY

• Yahoo ADP: 62.8
• 2025-2026 Stats: 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.7 blocks

OG Anunoby finished 32nd in nine-category value last season, yet his ADP places him near the start of Round 6. He averaged 16.7 points, 2.3 threes, 5.2 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 0.7 blocks while converting 48.4% from the field. That is a useful return without requiring star-level usage.

The steals create most of the discount, but Anunoby is not a one-category specialist. He supports both percentages, supplies threes and blocks, while only committing 1.8 turnovers per game last season. He loses some relative value when turnovers are removed, but his balanced production still fits most eight-category builds.

https://x.com/SNYtv/status/2099564153329328609?s=20

Health is the price of admission. Anunoby played 67 regular-season games before New York's championship run, and his injury history makes another interruption possible. A healthy Top-40 finish is realistic, with Top-30 upside. The value becomes much thinner if managers push him into Round 4.

Michael Porter Jr., SF/PF - BKN

• Yahoo ADP: 65.6
• 2025-2026 Stats: 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.1 steals

Michael Porter Jr. provides another sizable gap between recent production and draft cost. He finished 28th in nine-category value and 26th when turnovers were removed last season. Porter averaged 24.2 points, 3.4 threes, 7.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.1 steals while posting marks of 46.3% from the field and 86.0% at the line.

Julius Randle's arrival should reduce Porter's touches, but Brooklyn still lacks established scorers behind its veteran forwards. Porter could lose a few points per game and remain a strong source of threes, rebounds, and free-throw value. He works especially well in punt-assists builds, although his clean scoring line can also support balanced teams.

The discount reflects legitimate durability and role concerns. A hamstring injury ended Porter's season after 52 games, and a future trade could move him into a smaller role. Still, his sixth-round price leaves room for those risks. A Top-40 per-game finish is attainable, while another shortened season is the clearest route to a disappointing return.

Late-Round Forward Sleepers: Forwards

Norman Powell, SG/SF - CHI

• Yahoo ADP: 93.4
• 2025-2026 Stats: 21.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.7 three-pointers

Norman Powell ranked 70th in nine-category value during his first All-Star season. He averaged 21.7 points, 2.7 threes, and 1.1 steals while converting 47.0% from the field. Chicago then signed him to a two-year contract, giving the veteran a clear opportunity to remain one of his team's leading scorers.

https://x.com/chicagobulls/status/2075729425178472541?s=20

Powell is best for punt-assists or punt-blocks builds that need points and threes without a major field-goal penalty. His low turnover rate adds value in nine-category leagues. The risk is that Chicago gives more responsibility to its younger players, turning Powell into a supporting scorer. Treat him as a target near ADP, not a reason to reach two rounds early.

Josh Hart, SG/SF - NY

• Yahoo ADP: 95.8
• 2025-2026 Stats: 12.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.1 steals

Josh Hart averaged 12.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.1 steals in 30.2 minutes last season. Finding that combination of rebounds and assists around pick 96 is difficult, particularly from a player with wing eligibility. His 50.8% field-goal mark also helps offset his light scoring.

Hart makes the most sense for teams already strong in points and free-throw percentage. His 72.0% mark at the line can hurt, and much of his value comes from categories that do not receive the same boost in every build. He is also more appealing in nine-category formats because his modest turnover rate matters there.

Another season near 30 minutes should keep Hart useful around his draft price. More playing time or injuries elsewhere in New York's lineup would open Top-60 upside. If his minutes dip and the free throws remain troublesome, he could finish outside the Top-100 despite another productive real-life season.

Deep-League Sleepers: Forwards

Collin Murray-Boyles, PF/C - TOR

• Yahoo ADP: 117.7
• 2025-2026 Stats: 8.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.9 blocks

Collin Murray-Boyles finished only 181st as a rookie, but that ranking hides an encouraging finish. Over his final three months, he averaged 10.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 0.9 steals, and 1.4 blocks in 23.6 minutes while making 63.0% of his field-goal attempts. He also earned a significant role during Toronto's playoff series.

A move into the high 20s in minutes would make Murray-Boyles a threat in field-goal percentage and both defensive categories. He fits punt-threes and punt-free-throw builds, where his lack of range and 68.3% late-season mark at the line do less damage. His upside reaches much higher than pick 118, but limited minutes behind Toronto's veteran frontcourt would keep him near the waiver line.

John Collins, PF/C - DET

• Yahoo ADP: 118.4
• 2025-2026 Stats: 13.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.7 blocks

John Collins averaged 13.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 threes, and 0.7 blocks in 27.1 minutes with the Clippers. His 55.2% field-goal mark and 1.4 turnovers kept him relevant even when his counting stats slipped. Detroit now has him atop its power-forward depth chart, creating a path to a steadier workload.

Collins is a strong final-round option for punt-assists teams. He can support both percentages while contributing rebounds, blocks, and enough threes to avoid becoming a specialist. A return to approximately 28 minutes could push him comfortably inside the Top-100. If Detroit favors smaller lineups or gives more forward minutes to Ron Holland II, his ceiling will shrink quickly.

Paul Reed, PF/C - DET

• Yahoo ADP: 118.5
• 2025-2026 Stats: 7.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.9 blocks, 61.7% FG

Only 2% of the Yahoo sample drafted Paul Reed, so his ADP is noisier than the others. The opportunity is still worth tracking. Detroit traded Isaiah Stewart, leaving Reed as the primary backup to Jalen Duren and giving him a chance to collect additional minutes at power forward.

Reed averaged 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks in only 13.9 minutes last season. Across his final 35 appearances, he produced 9.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 0.9 steals, and 1.2 blocks. He is a useful final-round target in punt-points, punt-threes, or punt-free-throw builds. If he remains below 18 minutes, he will be easier to stream than hold.

Grayson Allen, SG/SF - CHA

• Yahoo ADP: N/A
• 2025-2026 Stats: 16.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, 3.1 three-pointers

Grayson Allen does not have a listed Yahoo All Drafts ADP, which makes him one of the easiest players here to acquire late. Before his trade to Charlotte, he averaged 16.5 points, 3.1 threes, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals in 28.8 minutes. His 40.3% field-goal mark was ugly, but it was well below his career norm.

Charlotte has younger players to develop and several experienced forwards competing for minutes, so Allen's role is not guaranteed. A place near 27 minutes would make him useful for managers who need threes, assists, and free-throw support. Nine-category leagues suit him best because his low turnovers help. If he falls outside the Hornets' eight-man rotation, he belongs on the waiver wire rather than a fantasy bench.

Gui Santos, SF/PF - GSW

• Yahoo ADP: N/A
• 2025-2026 Stats: 9.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.1 three-pointers

Like Grayson Allen, Gui Santos does not have a listed Yahoo All Drafts ADP, making him a true final-round option. He spent part of last season outside Golden State's regular rotation before earning more responsibility in December. The forward later recorded a career-high 31 points against Brooklyn and showed that he could contribute rebounds, assists, and steals when given steady minutes.

Golden State rewarded Santos with a three-year extension, but his role remains uncertain. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg and several experienced forwards will compete for playing time, while much of Santos' late-season production came when injuries opened the rotation. He is more appealing in roto leagues, where managers can afford to wait for his opportunity. If he earns a consistent place in the rotation during camp, he is worth a final pick. Otherwise, he should begin the season on watchlists.

https://x.com/warriors/status/2027814200454877220?s=20

You do not win a draft by collecting the most sleeper labels. You win by landing one or two players before the room corrects the price. Anunoby and Porter already have the production to make that happen, while Murray-Boyles is the late pick with the clearest path to paying off. For everyone else, let camp settle the argument. If the role is real and the cost stays low, take the chance. If the hype reaches the draft room first, let someone else pay for it.

More Fantasy Basketball Analysis