Don't Sleep on These Centers! Sleepers and Late-Round Values For Fantasy Basketball (2026-2027)

October 3, 2026

Aidin Ebrahimi discusses some of his favorite sleeper and breakout picks at center for the 2026-2027 NBA fantasy basketball season. Players discussed include Zach Edey, Nicolas Claxton, Kyle Filipowski, and more.

Don't let football season distract you too much! The 2026-27 NBA preseason is almost upon us, and we're less than a month away from the start of the regular season. Plenty of big men are on new teams heading into this season, which makes the fantasy centers landscape quite interesting and fresh.

Walker Kessler will be tasked with patrolling the Lakers' defense, while his predecessor Anthony Davis is looking to make his debut for the Wizards, and Timberwolves cult hero Naz Reid now finds himself in Charlotte. But of course, these guys are not "sleepers" and are going in the first 30-60 picks of fantasy drafts. A true sleeper is someone who goes from the mid-70s all the way to the 120s, which is deep-league territory.

Without further ado, let's take a look at several mid-round, late-round, and deep-league center sleepers for the 2026-27 fantasy basketball season. All ADPs are from Yahoo’s current 2026-2027 ADP list (as of 9/23/2026). Almost all of these players are primarily centers, not power forwards who can play as emergency centers.

Mid-Round Center Sleepers

Zach Edey, C - MEM

•  Yahoo ADP: 74.4
• 2025-2026 stats: 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.6 steals, 1.9 blocks

It's now or never for Zach Edey. When the Memphis Grizzlies drafted the college sensation in 2024, they were still viewed as dangerous contenders, ready to bounce back following an injury-riddled 2023-24 season.

Incase you missed it...

𝐄𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐄𝐝𝐞𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 🐻
📊 𝟯𝟮 𝗣𝗧𝗦
📊 𝟱 𝗕𝗟𝗞 pic.twitter.com/hqP12TYDJ5

— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) December 1, 2025

But now, they are a shell of their former selves and are locked in on the future. Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, and Cameron Boozer are a very solid young nucleus for the future, but they won't be complete without Edey.

Edey has a solid rookie season, putting up 12 double-doubles and recording seven blocks in a playoff game. However, left ankle injuries hurt his ability to stay on the field in 2025-26, appearing in just 11 games.

In his last six games before season-ending surgery, he averaged 16.5 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game to lead the struggling Grizzlies to a surprising 5-1 stretch.

The team went 7-4 with Edey and 18-53 without him last year, and he could very well become the leader of their new generation.

Nicolas Claxton, C - CHI

• Yahoo ADP: 90.8
• 2025-2026 stats: 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.1 blocks

By far the best passer on this list, Nic Claxton saw it all with the Brooklyn Nets. From the Kevin Durant/Kyrie Irving/James Harden era, to the short-lived Mikal Bridges era, and finally the Cam Thomas experiment and their woeful 78-168 three-year record.

The franchise's all-time career leader in field goal percentage will finally play on a new team in 2026-27, as he'll be the starting center for a young and growing Chicago Bulls team.

With his $97 million contract coming to an end in the summer of 2028, Claxton will be motivated to establish himself in Chicago.

Claxton finally got to show off his passing skills as a hub for the Nets' offense last season, recording at least four assists in 45% of his games. Paired up with Josh Giddey, this duo will create plenty of good looks for scorers such as Matas Buzelis and Norman Powell.

Day'Ron Sharpe, C - BKN

• Yahoo ADP: 94.5
• 2025-2026 stats: 8.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.4 blocks

The Nets don't have to look too far for Claxton's replacement. Day'Ron Sharpe also showed some sneaky passing ability last season, and his numbers as a starter are very impressive.

In seven starts in 2025-26, Sharpe averaged 11.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while shooting 59.3% from the field.

Sharpe has only started 21 games since being drafted in 2021, but he still has room to grow (will turn 25 in November) and will likely be a key man as the Nets' longest-tenured player.

Late-Round Center Sleepers

Brook Lopez, C - LAC

• Yahoo ADP: 103.5
• 2025-2026 stats: 8.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.6 steals, 1.2 blocks

I wrote this about Joe Flacco last month, and I will repeat it for fellow 2008 draftee Brook Lopez: "Beware of an old man in a profession where men die young."

Are you serious, Brook Lopez?!?! pic.twitter.com/lkQ9BLrEnA

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) October 13, 2025

Lopez is heading into his 19th year, and still somehow producing. In his last 24 games of last season, the veteran scored 11.3 points a night while shooting 49.1% from the floor and 39.4% from deep.

Yanic Konan Niederhauser just underwent two surgeries for a foot injury, and Lopez provides a very high floor for a recently punished Clippers team with no incentive to lose.

Kyle Filipowski, PF/C - UTA

• Yahoo ADP: 113.3
• 2025-2026 stats: 11.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.5 blocks

From an "old man" who will most likely start for his team to a young and intriguing player who might not start but is talented enough to play a substantial role.

Jaren Jackson Jr.'s return will certainly complicate things for Kyle Filipowski, but the Duke product will still get a chance to contribute, as he showed he can contribute to many different facets of the game last season.

In his last 28 games of 2025-26, Filipowski averaged 15.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on 50.3% shooting from the field.

His three-point percentage (33.7 career 3P%) leaves a little bit to be desired, but his improvement as a free-throw shooter (65.0% as a rookie to 75.0% as a sophomore) should make plenty of Jazz fans hopeful that he can do the same for his shooting from beyond the arc.

Neemias Queta, PF/C - BOS

• Yahoo ADP: 113.7
• 2025-2026 stats: 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.3 blocks

Neemias Queta's career has been a rollercoaster. From leaving Portugal for Utah State, to being waived by the Sacramento Kings, to winning a championship as a bench player on the 2023-24 Celtics, to finally starting in 2025-26 and earning a four-year, $56 million contract extension.

Queta got into foul trouble in the playoffs, but he's still viewed favorably by Celtics fans for his 17 double-doubles and 65.3% field goal shooting last year.

Despite Mitchell Robinson's arrival, Queta will continue to get big minutes for the team due to his overall value; he led the squad in Defensive BPM (2.0) and Total Win Shares (9.0) last season.

Other Centers To Consider in Deep Formats

These are a few players that don’t have a listed ADP on Yahoo as of September 23. I'm not as high on them as the others listed; however, they all have interesting opportunities this season and could become relevant in fantasy leagues if things go right.

Oso Ighodaro, C - PHX

2025-2026 stats: 6.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.7 blocks

With Mark Williams likely out for several months due to a torn labrum, and Khaman Maluach not being developed enough to contribute to a playoff roster, third-year big man Oso Ighodaro has a great opportunity. In 24 starts, Ighodaro put up 8.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists while shooting 66.9% from the field.

Marvin Bagley III, PF/C - DEN

2025-2026 stats: 11.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.7 blocks

Unfortunately, Marvin Bagley III will never live up to the potential he showed in high school and at Duke. But the former second overall pick has averaged a solid 10.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in seven of his eight seasons in the NBA, including last year.

Nuggets minicamp in Puerto Rico 🔥🏝️

Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson, Julian Strawther, Marvin Bagley, DaRon Holmes and more!

🎥 jumpsportspr pic.twitter.com/qQ0kaKambr

— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) August 28, 2026

Bagley is a productive veteran who will get around 15 minutes a night as Nikola Jokic's backup, and he's a big offensive upgrade over the likes of Jonas Valanciunas last season and DeAndre Jordan the season before.

Joan Beringer, PF/C - MIN

2025-2026 stats: 3.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.2 steals, 0.7 blocks

With Naz Reid and Julius Randle's departures, 2025's 17th overall pick Joan Beringer will be Rudy Gobert's main backup this season.

The almost 20-year-old Frenchman racked up 24 points and seven blocks in the final game of the 2025-26 season, and Timberwolves fans hope he can one day replace his fellow countryman.

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