2026 NBA Dynasty Rookie Rankings

July 8, 2026

Zach Reifschneider's top 70 fantasy basketball rookie rankings for dynasty leagues as of July 7, 2026. Take a look at the top players of the 2026 NBA Draft and where to consider them in your rookie drafts.

Happy dynasty basketball draft season! We're in full swing of the 2026-2027 offseason, and for many of us, it's time to kick off rookie drafts and stock up on one of the most exciting rookie classes we've seen in the past 20 years. We've got a loaded Big Three comprising Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, and Darryn Peterson, and a wealth of high-end talent up and down the board. The question is, who should you be looking at most closely?

Today, I'm proud to present my top 70 dynasty basketball rookie rankings, by way of our friends at RotoBaller. Below, you will see my master list of rookie rankings from both a categories and points league perspective that ranks this class out in different tiers. Each player will be featured in a different tier, complete with a full profile on them that includes their basic information, ages, a brief write-up about the player, their rookie contract situation and their 2025-2026 counting stats.

Along with my rankings, I've prepared some more detailed write-ups you'll find below that will take you through some of the big names to know in this class. Let's get right into it.

Zach's Top 70 Dynasty Basketball Rookie Rankings Update (July 2026)

Who to Take at 1.01: Cam Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, or Darryn Peterson?

I have a clear-cut opinion on who I feel you should take at 1.01, and a lot of us fantasy/dynasty basketball analysts do too. A lot of us are in the camp of taking Cam Boozer and calling it a day. I’m here to tell you that, while I also would be taking Boozer, you don’t have to take Boozer. The important thing is to draft who you like. There is star power with each of the Big 3 here, and there’s really no wrong answer.

Like Cam Boozer, buying the upside, liking the landing spot, and larger-than-life fantasy profile? Take Cam Boozer. Like AJ Dybantsa’s star-level scoring, physical prowess and all-around game? Take AJ Dybantsa. Like Darryn Peterson’s eye-popping shotmaking, multi-level scoring and buying the playmaking at the next level? Take Darryn Peterson. Everyone here has a good sell for why you should take them that I present in my rankings, and the bottom line is that each one has something good they can offer. 

Now, that being said, my personal answer is Cam Boozer. He now has a wide-open role with Memphis; he has a complete game profile built in a lab for fantasy basketball; he posted one of the strongest statistical season performances in modern NCAA history; and he’s a super high-percentile player across the board in the counting and advanced numbers. I know there are concerns about Boozer, and I agree that he is far from a bust-proof prospect, but if we’re purely going by the numbers in a fantasy context, this is about as close to a bust-proof fantasy player as you’ll find. He’s going to be good. 

However, there are worlds where I'd be perfectly willing to swing on Dybantsa or Peterson in the right fit and environment. As I said, each of them has legitimate star power that's worth building around, and it's no secret that each of the Big 3 is widely viewed as top 10-25 level assets in all of dynasty basketball.

Picking the Right Guard Outside The Big Four

Probably the handful of players I’m asked about the most are the guards within this 5-8 region, wherein you’re going to see the following players going in the most: Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr., Darius Acuff Jr., and Kingston Flemings. The question is, who are you supposed to choose at which spots?

There are a lot of factors to consider here, as each guard comes with a handful of concerns and questions to think about when analyzing their games. Here is how I would rank them for category leagues.

My favorite player of the group is Keaton Wagler, arguably the best pure shooter of this entire draft class. With a parking lot range, good size at 6 '6, and on- and off-ball scalability and an all-around strong fantasy game, Wagler has some of the highest upside of his entire class in real life and in fantasy.

However, there are a fair number of concerns that have me higher on Wagler than many dynasty analysts out there. With concerns around his athleticism, how will he get separation at the next level, and can he finish at the rim effectively? Will he have to live off tough shots and lose that efficiency as a result? Will he begin to add weight so he can hold his own on defense, and will the suppressed defensive stats as a result of Illinois coach Brad Underwood’s system come at the NBA level?

I’ve remained a believer in Mikel Brown Jr. from the very beginning of this draft class until he went 6th overall. Like Wagler, Brown is a fiery scorer, shotmaker, and playmaker who looks every part the franchise lead guard teams want. However, how concerned (if at all) should we be about his health after missing time with a back injury at Louisville? I’m not worried, but could that have led to lost time that will put him behind the curve? Will his field goal percentage and shooting come around at the NBA level after displaying poor numbers as a freshman?

The most publicly discussed concern of this entire group is Darius Acuff’s defense. For all of his high-end scoring and offensive skill in his profile, Acuff is arguably the worst defender in this draft class and has a lot of ground to cover. Is his scoring good enough to make up for that?

Darius Acuff Jr. EXCELLED tonight 🙌

22 PTS
3 REB
3 AST
4 3PM
2 BLK

The 7th overall pick led the @SacramentoKings to victory at the California Classic 🔥 pic.twitter.com/AwpZZ4ro0C

— NBA (@NBA) July 7, 2026

For fantasy, is he able to stay on the floor enough and survive on defense so he can put up numbers? Can he shoot and score effectively at the next level? Is his lackluster athleticism, size, and frame going to limit him from finishing at the rim? If you’re comfortable with Acuff’s limitations and his scoring just being that good, he could be your guy, but he is comfortably the most boom-bust player of this entire class.

With Kingston Flemings, he’s the best athlete of this group with great burst, a quick first step, and finishes well at the rim. As a lead guard, he’s comfortable playing a passing or scoring role and excelling at both. He’s also the best defender of this group, but with concerns around size at 6 '2.5 without shoes and only a 6' 3.5 wingspan, can that defense hold up at the next level?

Kingston Flemings (14p, 9a, 4s) had a near double-double in his Salt Lake City Summer League debut for the @ATLHawks 💪 pic.twitter.com/C7iCHr3LJy

— NBA (@NBA) July 4, 2026

Can he still finish at the rim at the next level? Despite his aptitude to shoot, can he shoot enough with volume to weaponize it and stay efficient? 

For points leagues, I would select them in the following order: Acuff, Wagler, Brown, and Flemings. Again, this is really just picking your poison and who you’re liking the most.

Aday Mara, Bennett Stirtz, and Oklahoma City’s Depth

Probably the biggest piece of criticism I’ve heard in my rankings after the NBA Draft is my placements of Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz given the state of the Oklahoma City Thunder. I know people are particularly skeptical of Aday Mara in this context, so I want to lead off with him, my thoughts on the landing spot and why I’m still comfortable drafting him higher. 

In the days after the draft, the Thunder have now extended Isaiah Hartenstein on a 3-year, $75 million extension. Now, a lot of the hope was that Hartenstein’s option would be declined and he would either be moved elsewhere or end up elsewhere via sign-and-trade. Obviously, that did not happen, and his center competition is now cut up into Chet Holmgren, Hartenstein, and redshirt rookie Thomas Sorber.

Even still, it doesn’t bother me as much because I do anticipate there being a point where moving on from Hartenstein might still need to happen in the not-too-distant future given their cap situation. In the short term, it’s an issue. Long term, there are very good outcomes here that involve him playing 20-ish minutes per game at center next to Chet Holmgren with output similar to that of Donovan Clingan: rebounds, blocks, plus good field goal percentage and more assists to boot. It all just depends on how patient you are when he gets to that point. I remain of the opinion that the talent is greater than the situation, and he’s a very ideal 5 to play next to Chet Holmgren, so I’m hopeful he’ll make it work.

Here’s the other thing: Some people criticize both the placement and the landing spot because there isn’t much hope for Mara becoming a starter right now. Logically, I can understand the desire to play a lot of minutes early, but between his capabilities shown at Michigan, his conditioning issues at his size and weight, and considering the center rotations of all the teams most interested in him, it wasn’t really in the cards as a Year 1 guy.

ADAY MARA TOUGH BUCKET 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xQQ3bvu3XU

— HOOPS NATION (@_HoopsNation) July 6, 2026

Even still, I’ve considered that and my thoughts and placing him in my top 10 since well before the pre-draft process have been very positive. That’s with consideration to his well-rounded fantasy game, two-way prowess and his solid per-minute play. For all of the above reasons, I’m pretty comfortable keeping Mara at the top of my drafts, and I don’t think he should be falling past the 15th pick in your drafts. 

Now, onto Stirtz. Admittedly, in the short term, it’s a lot easier to see Stirtz finding minutes early on. Why? Oklahoma City struggled in the playoffs with ball handling beyond Shai-Gilgeous Alexander. Yes, that might’ve been because of injuries, but without other reliable options outside of SGA and Ajay Mitchell, the need to pay the latter a hefty contract soon, and the likelihood of losing other core guard pieces like Cason Wallace, they need more options. Bennett Stirtz should be exactly the kind of dribble-pass-shoot player this team needs on cost-controlled rookie contracts that can play now. Stirtz has very ideal malleability for this team as a player who can play on or off the ball in whatever role he’s put in. 

Stirtz has a strong fantasy game as well, like Mara. He’s a very efficient and effective scorer who can scale well depending on usage; he can shoot, pass, rebound, hit shots at all three levels, and doesn't turn the ball over much. He’s very well-rounded for his position and despite his athleticism. There’s just no reason Stirtz should be falling into the mid-20s or lower, simply put. He’s just too darn good. 

Cameron Carr: Ready for a Role?

Cameron Carr is going to become one of the most discussed rookies by virtue of joining the Los Angeles Lakers. Going at 24th overall, well below where many expected him to be selected, Carr is now in a situation where he might be ready to suit up and play minutes sooner than expected with the Lakers’ lackluster depth. As of now, Carr is listed as the team’s 2nd small forward and 3rd at shooting guard behind Austin Reaves and Collin Sexton (who is also listed as the 2nd point guard). Given that, and, in my opinion, the bad fit of Collin Sexton with the Lakers, there is a real shot we see Carr playing good minutes this year. The question is, is he ready?

Cameron Carr starred for Los Angeles!

26 PTS
8 REB
4 3PM@Lakers secure the victory in sudden death OT at the California Classic 🔥 pic.twitter.com/wuRIkY8PD7

— NBA (@NBA) July 5, 2026

Carr boasts a good "Three and D" set of skills that the Lakers may need to lean on this year. With good shooting, strong length at 6 '4.5 without shoes, with a 7-foot-plus wingspan, and the tools to be a solid defender, he’ll need time to get there as a core piece. I don’t think he’s quite there as a defender and needs to become better as a point-of-attack player, but the scoring and how he’s going to make his bread should be of little question. The big question and worry for me is his frame and weight, as he’s extremely slight and skinny at 184 pounds and can be pushed around on both ends of the floor. 

Still, Carr’s aptitude to be a good role player is all there. He’s got a lot of work to do, and the lack of good handles and ball-handling is going to limit his outcomes, but again, there are worlds where he plays a steady role as a rookie and succeeds with it. There isn’t a ton of talent he needs to outplay to get there. With some development, who’s to say how far he could go? Given his skillset, I’d probably be looking at him in the mid to late 10s, but expect him to go early in most drafts with the Lakers tax.

My Guys and Other Sleepers I’m Drafting Later

To close things out, I wanted to touch on a handful of players I really like and will be taking some fliers on later in the draft to see what sticks. Many have criticized this draft’s depth following the pre-draft withdrawal deadline that saw many players return to school, but personally, I think this depth is a lot better than people give it credit for. There are some worthy selections up and down the board, and if you play things right, you could have some real hits on your hands. I'll touch on each player along with where I have them ranked in my categories board. 

Ebuka Okorie, DET (13th)

The way things sit right now, Cade Cunningham is going to have some questions about the shooting guard position next to him. Likely to start is Duncan Robinson to bolster their shooting, but Isaiah Joe, Caris LeVert, and Kevin Huerter are all here and can play either the 2 or 3. Even behind Cunningham as the backup point guard is Daniss Jenkins, who emerged as a second-year undrafted player. Long-term, though, I believe Detroit has the secondary ballhandler and scorer this team has needed in Ebuka Okorie.

I think this is arguably one of my favorite fits of this draft, and the two’s pairing should work very well once Okorie is ready to play. Okorie gives Detroit a lot to like as a secondary playmaker, a multi-level scorer who can shoot and can really shine more with spacing around him, and a real star-level skill as an elite slasher. I’m going to be heavily invested in Okorie finding a role and giving this team a real run. 

Allen Graves, TOR (19th)

I’ve been an Allen Graves skeptic throughout this draft cycle. I could write a whole other article just on him and my thoughts on a player who’s been some of the draft community’s statistical darling, but the Toronto landing spot gives me hope. Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic is really good at making players with funky skill sets work well, like Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles.

Despite my questions and concerns around Graves, he has a lot to like as a spacer at the 4 who can defend at a high level, much like the two other forwards I named. His numbers are solid, he has plug-and-play skills, and I trust he can find his way here. One big question is what the upside looks like, and I hope we get some flashes of what that could look like at the next level.

Bruce Thornton, HOU (28th)

Arguably one of the cleanest fits in the second round, Bruce Thornton should give Houston a solid scoring guard off the bench when called upon. He was the heart and soul for Ohio State basketball as an engine and high-octane scorer, and despite standing at about 6 '1 in shoes, he’s a solid rebounder and driver. I have questions about how all that translates, but if he can continue scoring effectively and play well off the ball, I think there’s a very, very good shot that he’s going to be a good NBA player.

He’s exactly the kind of player Ime Udoka loves and will want to play, and I’m hoping Thornton will force his hand to get minutes sooner rather than later. Right now, he'll face some competition behind Fred VanVleet and Amen Thompson with Reed Sheppard, Marcus Smart, and Bogdan Bogdanovic coming off the bench at both guard spots. As you might've expected, I trust the talent rises to the top eventually and will be the case here. It's also worth noting that Thornton's contract status is a question mark right now, but my hunch with Houston moving up to 31st for him says he's getting a 3-4 year contract. 

Richie Saunders, MEM (32nd)

An old injury stash with a pick in the 30s isn’t an easy sell, nor is it an ideal pick for every manager to make. But if you can select Richie Saunders and have a way to stash him on IR until he’s ready to go, I highly suggest you do so. Richie Saunders has been a massively important piece for BYU in the last 2 years and has a lot of intriguing fantasy translation to his game. Many are going to peg him just as a 3-point specialist, and he definitely can knock down 3s, but there’s a lot more to his game to like.

He can handle the ball a little, he can get to the rim and finish well through contact, he can defend, and he has a high motor. Now comes the negative: he’s turning 25 this September, he’s never been much of an athlete, and he tore his ACL in February. Some may be concerned, but I think he’s going to recover just fine. Again, this is not a pick everyone will feel comfortable making, but personally, I have a hard time believing he won’t deliver a positive return on investment. When healthy, he should be going well above a pick in the 30s in rookie drafts.

I’m stashing and seeing what happens when he gets healthy, hopefully towards the end of the 2026-2027 season. Memphis is doing the same and was comfortable investing in him like this. You should be, too. I'm assuming Saunders will be handed a two-way contract as he recovers from the ACL tear, but I do expect he'll get converted to a standard deal pretty quickly.

Ryan Conwell, MIA (37th)

Ryan Conwell is the type of shooting guard Miami will really like having post-Giannis trade. Their depth is pretty concerning after trading away a lot of pieces to get to this point, and they’re going to need younger players who can step up when called upon. I think Ryan Conwell has a good chance at playing immediately, depending on the summer and preseason he has. As a prime example of a college journeyman in the NIL era, he’s a solid 3-point shooter, he can pass, and he uses his body and physicality effectively.

He didn’t shoot quite as well as I hoped with Louisville (40.5% FG, 34.5% 3PT on 9.6 attempts), but I do think he’ll shoot better at the next level in a more contained role. One big thing to note is that Conwell got a guaranteed contract and roster spot at $6.5 million over 3 years. These days, if second-rounders are getting guaranteed money, that matters and should tell you a lot about how players are valued. To me, it’s clear Miami will like Conwell in fit and in the locker room. 

Ugonna Onyenso, DET (39th)

Onyenso’s in a very interesting position with Detroit. The expectation with Detroit before his selection would’ve been as a third-string or fourth-string big who largely just plays for the Motor City Cruise (Detroit’s G League affiliate). Now, Isaiah Stewart is in Memphis, Jalen Duren is in a contract standoff that may force a sign-and-trade situation, and the Pistons' presumed starter is Paul Reed with very little competition after him. Onyenso could rise very quickly if he impresses at Summer League or in the preseason and easily snatch a role.

He’s a solid defender and shot blocker who led the ACC in total blocks (105) and blocks per game (2.9) despite zero starts and only playing a total of 669 minutes all year. There is absolutely a role here as a change-of-pace big with so much up in the air with Detroit. Onyenso is on a two-year, two-way deal for Detroit and should really pop when he gets minutes this year.

Izaiyah Nelson, ORL (41st)

As a USF alumnus, I’m pretty excited to see Izaiyah Nelson get a shot at the NBA and get to stay in Florida. He’s a bit of an undersized 5 that’s fairly limited as a scorer, but he is a standout athlete, rebounder, defender and high-motor big that could find a real role as a versatile defensive specialist.

Everything I’ve heard and that you’ll hear from scouts across the industry is that Nelson is a high-character player and was a very vocal communicator and leader on the court during scrimmages. That absolutely matters. His offensive game is almost exclusively going to be limited to play finishing, but is there any chance he could develop more of a 3-ball on lower volume? It’s definitely possible. The keyword here for fantasy is stocks, which he'll likely get in droves in the G League. Nelson could be a worthy swing here if you want to bet on Orlando’s big man situation thinning out over the next two years on his two-way deal.

Dillon Mitchell, BOS (43rd)

The name of the game this deep into your drafts is finding players with NBA-caliber skills that can get them on the court and how their skills intersect with fantasy basketball. In Dillon Mitchell’s case, we see someone with a couple of NBA-caliber skills. He’s a strong defender, rebounder and passer who only scores in the paint right now.

Mitchell will be asked to do basically everything but score at the next level by Joe Mazzulla, and I have an inkling that the team will like the skills he brings. There’s a lot of spice here in the fantasy game if you want to swing on hoping the offensive end could come around. Mark my words: If Dillon Mitchell could ever consistently hit 3s, there is a decade-long NBA career in his future. 

Nick Martinelli, LAC (46th)

There are a few throughlines on this list of players that I really like. There’s one piece I want to specifically highlight with Northwestern’s Nick Martinelli, and that’s focusing on high-motor, high-character players. Why does that matter? Well, in a new-age NBA where it’s harder than ever to secure a firm roster spot, there are three things you’re going to notice about recent players that broke the mold and got converted from two-way contracts to standard deals. Identifiable NBA-caliber skills outside of scoring, effectiveness off the ball, and good motor and locker room presence.

It’s these things that will get players in the building and impact their teams on and off live courts that build trust. Energy sparks off the bench can be so important, and it’s things like that that will allow players to get minutes, shine when called on, and can lead to more. Now, with Nick Martinelli, all accounts and scouting reports tell us that he is an absolute psycho in the gym and works his tail off all the time. His energy is high, he’s extremely vocal and passionate, and he’s a guy coaches and fans will love.

In terms of NBA-caliber skills, Martinelli is a solid shooter who can score in droves and gets to the rack well. He’s also a very good rebounder who grabs a lot of offensive boards (which, again, speaks to the high motor). The biggest concern is the lack of athleticism and the defense, as he’s really not much of a positive defender. There are worlds where he becomes one, and if he does, there is a very good role player here. 

Maliq Brown, SAS (48th)

When it comes to these defensive specialist players like Ryan Dunn or Matisse Thybulle, it’s hard to know exactly where to come in and what their fantasy game will amount to. By nearly all accounts, Maliq Brown is a very offensively limited player, and the shooting is purely theoretical at this point. However, it can be argued that Brown is among the absolute best defenders in this class with good length, physicality, ridiculously high basketball IQ, and impressive defensive instincts. Brown can/will rack up stocks, and he can legitimately guard all five positions.

You watch him with Duke over the last two years, and you’d be hard-pressed to find enough mistakes on defense to count on more than one hand. That’s not an exaggeration, either. He’s just that good. I’m willing to take a flier on Brown just off the strength of the defense and hoping the offensive end can lead to something here. The shooting is what could really allow him to shoot up boards, much like Dillon Mitchell. 

Aaron Nkrumah, DEN (50th)

I want to be clear here: Aaron Nkrumah is likely going to be available in basically any draft in the 50s and maybe even as a pickup in deep leagues after the fact. There is definite risk here, as Nkrumah only went on to sign an Exhibit-10 contract to play with Denver this summer.

However, I have high hopes that Nkrumah can emerge as a potential bench player if he plays well. Despite coming out of a small school (Tennessee State), Nkrumah looks every bit of a 3&D player you could want with good size and length, great defensive play and technique, scalability, an ability to create his own shot, and nice physical attributes. This is my sneaky stash I’m planning to add to my deeper 30-team leagues to see if he can emerge. The fantasy game is solid without question. 

Rafael Castro, MIL (58th)

Rounding things out is George Washington’s finest, Rafael Castro. He’s a very athletic big man who went undrafted and immediately signed a two-way contract with Milwaukee. The implication based on the reporting around Castro is declined being drafted in the second round to go to a more interesting situation with the Bucks. If he can really shine at Summer League this year and if Myles Turner is traded, it’s not impossible to see Castro in a backup role behind Kel’el Ware.

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