Dynasty Rankings for Fantasy Basketball: January 2026 Updates

Zach Reifschneider's Top 150 fantasy basketball rankings for dynasty leagues as of January 15, 2026. This is his first look at his rankings for the upcoming season and includes rookies from the 2025 NBA Draft, as well as rookies in the 2026 NBA Draft.

As we near the halfway point of the 2025-2026 NBA season, I’ve been reflecting on my dynasty rankings from the beginning of the season and even as far back as early 2025. Things continue to evolve around the NBA on a season-to-season basis rapidly, and this season in particular has been full of surprises. Many leaps, many regression candidates, and a stacked rookie class with an even better one on the horizon.

Today, I’m excited to deliver my January 2026 update to my longstanding dynasty basketball player rankings for category leagues. We will cover my latest top 150 players, along with discussing a few key players and notable names that have seen significant changes in value. Along with that, I’ll also touch on a few players outside of my top 150 who I either expect to potentially keep rising or may begin to fall more, plus some players to add to the watchlist for possible trades or waiver pickups.

Finally, we’ll take another brief look at the class of 2026 and what I’m expecting in the rest of the 2025-2026 college basketball season.

Zach's Top 150 Dynasty Rankings Update (January 2026)

Jalen Johnson Leaps Into the Top 10

Jalen Johnson has easily been among the biggest breakout candidates this year from a fantasy perspective, and with Trae Young now traded to the Washington Wizards, his spot as the cornerstone piece of the Atlanta Hawks is now solidified. Now, many of us in the fantasy/dynasty community have been very high on Johnson and his impending breakout, but even I couldn’t have seen the way he’s been demolishing this year. He’s delivering elite per-game value, and he’s continuing to flirt with triple-double averages on the year.

As the Hawks transition away from Young, there are questions we will have in the remainder of the season and on Lottery Night to see if they can snag a top-4 pick with a first-round pick owed by the New Orleans Pelicans. Even then, Johnson feels like a very safe elite-level prospect at this point.

Does Nikola Jokic’s Injury Affect His Value?

Nikola Jokic has famously played his entire NBA career to date without any real significant injury that’s caused him to miss time. That’s never really been a surprise for me when you consider how his play style is not built on athleticism and is sustainable even as he continues to age. Still, in a world where athletes are faster, stronger, and we’re pushing the human body harder, he’s a unique Iron Man in an era where everyone misses time.

However, Jokic’s recent knee injury may give some pause about just how much we can trust him to remain a top-5 dynasty asset moving forward as he closes in on his 31st birthday. Personally, I’m not worried for all the reasons I listed above, and I trust that this is not going to be normal for him. He has a skillset and game sure to age like fine wine, and I have no worries that it’s time to sell or abandon ship in any format. 

Jalen Williams: Slump or Regression?

Jalen Williams, one of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Big 3, has been one of the fantasy season’s biggest disappointments relative to expectations. Coming off a fantastic season and a pivotal role in helping OKC take home their first title, but Williams’ extensive time missed with a wrist injury and returning less than his usual level has people worried. 

Don't look now, but Jalen Williams has started to turn the corner and is playing some of the best basketball he has all season for OKC.

You can look at JDub not making a three in this stretch as a negative, or you can view it as him playing this well DESPITE not hitting a three. pic.twitter.com/j8Ab4UOKGE

— Michael Martin (@MichaelOnSports) January 16, 2026

Personally, I’m not panicking, and while this current slump has been bigger than I had hoped, I think now is the perfect time to try and trade for him if managers are worried. Granted, I am higher on him than many of the content creators in this space, and I acknowledge many may not view him as high as 13th or even as a top 20 dynasty player, capped by OKC’s stacked roster, but still, I remain steady on his value. He is sure to bounce back as he continues healing a complicated wrist issue and needs to play closer to his elite level for a team that’s hardly needed it yet.

What Does Trae Young’s Future Look Like in Washington?

We’ve all heard the news by now that Trae Young essentially got traded for a bag of chips (CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert) to the Washington Wizards, his apparent desired landing spot. While I do have some mixed feelings about the addition solely on its face and for what Young could do to this rebuild, one thing is obvious: if you can get a multi-time All-Star guard and elite playmaker for dirt cheap, you do it.

My biggest takeaway on this trade from a dynasty perspective is this: I’d guess that, based on where I have Trae Young now just hovering around the top 25-30 range, it would not be surprising to see the value stay somewhat the same. Granted, we still have to see what the loaded 2026 NBA Draft holds for Washington as they seek a top 3 pick to land one of Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, or Cam Boozer. Unfortunately for all our Wizards fans and fantasy bag holders, I think the only Wizards player who will benefit greatly from Young coming in as a big-time usage eater will be Alex Sarr.

Sarr finally gets a very competent point guard to help him, and he gets lucky to get one of the better ones out there. This doesn’t help anyone else right now, really; Kyshawn George’s outlook shift is likely small enough to make me feel somewhat safe about his long term potential. I don’t really love it for Tre Johnson, but we’ll see. Bilal Coulibaly, I don’t know, considering he’s failed to thrive on more usage anyway and might just be who he is. Unfortunately, this may seal Bub Carrington’s fate as he continues to struggle this year. Still, maybe nothing changes for now, especially if reporting that Trae Young may still miss extensive time or even the rest of the season is true.

Keyonte George: The Breakout Player of the Year

This has been a very fun year for young players making big leaps, such as Ryan Rollins, whom I covered in my last update here at RotoBaller. However, as far as the singular biggest breakout of the year, that title goes to Keyonte George, Utah’s newest rising star next to Lauri Markkanen.

Despite lots of flashes and promise over the last 2 seasons, there was growing concern that George may begin to get pushed out in favor of more newcomers in Isaiah Collier and Walter Clayton Jr. George’s troubles continued, and, with a looming contract being owed soon, it was time to show something or risk falling out of favor. George has turned it around beyond any of our wildest dreams so far, and if it was already a debate a month or so ago, it should be about done by now. Keyonte George is the new frontrunner for the Most Improved Player award and has developed into a legitimate star for Utah.

This is advanced ball handling ability, body control and awareness. Keyonte George is a pure hooper. pic.twitter.com/QPw22Lyz4g

— Ball Don't Stop (@balldontstop) January 9, 2026

How did George get here? He’s been quietly working throughout the offseason to resolve many of the issues that plagued his career to date: bad efficiency, poor decision-making and on-ball play, and generally just not showcasing many winning habits on the court. He struggled last season and was benched at times as well. George himself even said that his exit interview with head coach Will Hardy was brutal and very harsh, while also sharing some actionable improvements.

Sure enough, George worked behind the scenes to make the jump. It’s been paying off in a major way this year as he’s averaging top-30 per game value on the fantasy side and flirting with 24 points per game on much better efficiency and a much better ability to get to the rim.  George is rising and hasn’t seemed to come down yet. It’s exciting to consider how much further he could go.

Anthony Black Continues to Skyrocket

One of the hottest names in the dynasty community over the last 1-2 months is Anthony Black. Black came into this season facing a lot of pressure to be great in his role for Orlando. As their projected 6th man to open the season behind Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, and Wendell Carter Jr.,

ANTHONY BLACK

SAY IT BACK pic.twitter.com/2IotDvdOm0

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) January 15, 2026

Black has taken every advantage of his teammates' missing time and has begun making an exciting case for his future. Over the last two months, Black has been playing at a top-80 per game fantasy value and just a hair off the top 40 over the last month. He’s risen over 60 spots between my December rankings and now, and if he keeps it up, who’s to say he won’t be a top 100 player very soon?

Checking in on the Class of 2026

This year, I decided to get started on 2026 NBA Draft fantasy content early and start mixing in the 2026 rookies with my last update. How have things changed since then?

Previously, I had Duke’s Cameron Boozer as my 2026 2nd overall selection in dynasty leagues, but given how statistically dominant he’s been, he’s since moved to my 1.01 slot, coming in at 18th overall in my rankings. Just below him at 1.02 and 19th in my rankings is Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, who’s just a hair under Boozer for the simple fact that injury has kept us from seeing his best. Even then, he’s continued to dominate and show he’s got the juice to be an elite scorer at the NBA level. Both Boozer and Peterson are just above Scottie Barnes and Franz Wagner in my rankings.

Anyone evaluating Darryn Peterson must do so while also acknowledging that he is very much still ramping up after nursing a hamstring injury, which notoriously lingers

Despite that, DP is still showcasing the difficult shotmaking abilities we’ve expected pic.twitter.com/J277eUIr2k

— Point Made Basketball (@pointmadebball) January 14, 2026

Just below them at 1.03 and 26th overall is BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, an electric wing/forward who has been unreal. To call anyone in this top three "the 3rd guy" is just disrespectful, but on the fantasy side of things, Dybantsa is likely one of the three with the worst fantasy game as of right now. Still, he continues to make that look silly, as even the “worst fantasy game” of all three yields a top-25 caliber of player.

So, who else do I like in this class? Just a tier down is a great group of consolation prizes for managers who didn’t tank hard enough for one of the top 3 in this class. You’ve got North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson, who continues to drop 20 points and 10 rebounds in his sleep. You’ve got Houston guard Kingston Flemings, who has exploded onto the scene as my clear-cut PG1 of the class that’s got all the goods, burst, and budding shooting of a future All-Star guard. You’ve got Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr., who has some areas of concern in his shooting percentages but makes up for it as a high-end scorer and quality passer.

Finally, to round out this tier, you’ve got Jayden Quaintance, arguably one of the very best defensive prospects we’ve had come into the NBA of the 2020s, with all the stocks and big man stuff you want while developing more of an offensive game. Each of those players ranges from about the top 50 to the top 80, and as I continue expanding to the top 80-125 range, there are a few more players not far off, including Alabama guard Labaron Philon, Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr., Washington's Hannes Steinbach, Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg, and more.

Make no mistake, this is a class with 3 elite prospects you don’t want to miss out on, but there is a lot of talent in this class from top to bottom, and if you have a first-round pick in any of your dynasty drafts, there’s a good chance you’re going to walk away happy on Draft Day.

On the Bubble: Notable Players Outside of my Top 150

Just as I do for every RotoBaller update, I wanted to close this out by touching on a few of the players who didn’t make my top 150. For each player, I’ll touch briefly on them, why they did not make it, or what I’m looking to see to get them into my top 150 later in the year or beyond. 

DeMar DeRozan, Sacramento Kings

Say what you will about these Sacramento Kings or DeRozan in his age, but he’s very quietly been having an excellent fantasy season this year. Even though he did not make my top 150 in this current update, he’s still posting up to top-40 per-game fantasy value and turning back the clock. He’s one of the best contending buys relative to cost for me right now. 

Cam Thomas, Brooklyn Nets

I continue to remain very, very low on Cam Thomas’ future beyond this year. It’s the same stuff over and over again, it seems: he plays poorly and is not conducive to winning, he doesn’t contribute elsewhere, he’s pulled by Jordi Fernandez, and he continues to have attitude issues that bubble up. He just doesn’t have any strong fantasy value and it begs the question if he can even find a consistent NBA role for the amount of money he wants and the caliber of player he is.

Maxime Raynaud, Sacramento Kings

Raynaud still has a lot to do to impress me about his chances of being a quality starting big man in the NBA, but he sure has been playing well from a fantasy perspective with Domantas Sabonis out. He’s currently delivering on top-150 value per game and consistently earning heavy minutes. If he can improve as a defender and does indeed remain a starter if Sabonis is traded, he will be entering my top 150 range.

Scotty Pippen Jr., Memphis Grizzlies

You might be asking yourself, “Why Pippen? He hasn’t played this year!” While that may be true, I think Pippen is a beast in waiting and is one of the better dynasty buys for fairly cheap right now. With the continued drama surrounding Memphis and guard Ja Morant, they’re very much lacking in the guard department without him. I’m buying Pippen everywhere I can and stashing him in the hopes of having a bounce-back year after catching fire in the 2024-2025 playoffs, last we saw him.

Neemias Queta, Boston Celtics

Maybe I’m simply not putting enough respect on Queta’s name despite him remaining a good starter for Boston all year as they’re winning games and posting top-100 per game value, but I just really struggle to see Boston decide he is their future. With a lot of smoke around Boston and other teams being interested in players like Ivica Zubac and Daniel Gafford, I’m being a little cautious around the center position for Boston in general. 

Kevin Porter Jr., Milwaukee Bucks

I’ve caught my fair share of flak over Kevin Porter Jr. this year and I understand that he has had some big games. However, I’ve failed to be impressed by it, and when you consider he’s currently been dropping a stinker for every good game he has, I’m just not buying any of what he’s doing as sustainable. This Bucks roster is simply not good enough, and Porter is largely doing what he’s done in a similar way to how he played for the Houston Rockets. I’m keeping an open mind, but I have no real faith this is going to last. Major sell-high, in my opinion.

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