2026-2027 Fantasy Basketball Rankings - Thunder Dan's Draft Guide

October 12, 2026

Thunder Dan's fantasy basketball rankings (2026-2027) and draft guide. Use his tiered rankings as your fantasy basketball draft guide for draft sleepers and targets.

This is the biggest week of the year for fantasy basketball prep. I'm burning the midnight (or maybe early morning?) oil trying to tweak my rankings and finish my fantasy basketball unicorn series (you can see part one here).

But every year, I put out my top 150 rankings for redraft category leagues. These rankings can be used for head-to-head or roto leagues. This year, I have expanded to 250 (as requested by you deep-leaguers), but I won't focus too much analysis on players outside the top-150.

I'm never afraid to take some stands on players and be aggressive with my rankings. I will highlight some players in each tier that I have ranked either higher or lower than the current Yahoo ADP. So here they are: my top-150 9-Category draft rankings for the 2025-2026 fantasy basketball season.

Thunder Dan's Fantasy Basketball 9-Category Rankings: Top 150

See my full top-250 9-CAT rankings here, along with their projections. We are still a week away from opening night, so there will likely be a few minor adjustments yet. But here's where I stand right now.

My Guys: Players I'm Targeting Ahead of ADP

Austin Reaves, G - LAL

• Yahoo ADP: 23.6
• TD Rank: 16

Reaves finished 27th in 9-CAT overall last year. He did miss 31 games, but he had been super durable for three straight years before that, so I am not buying any injury concerns.

LeBron is gone, and Reaves is ready to ascend as the Robin to Luka Doncic's Batman. He's an efficient scorer and a good passer. I see the assists ticking up a bit, especially as he should have his minutes staggered from Luka and he has a new big man, Walker Kessler (who I love this year, too), to finish his passes at the rim.

He's easily my favorite second-round target, and he's going to put up video game numbers in any games that Luka sits out. Draft with confidence; he's going to be a very, very good fantasy basketball asset this season.

Brandon Miller, F - CHA

• Yahoo ADP: 44.7
• TD Rank: 30

Yep, I'm officially in on a big Brandon Miller breakout in 2026. I've been skeptical about him in the past, but he's coming off a very good year, and everything that has transpired in the offseason is lining up just right for him to explode.

LaMelo is in Minnesota. Coby White and Kon Knueppel are hurt and not ready to start the year. That means we should see some massive usage for Miller right out of the gate and potentially more assists, as he should initiate the offense quite often.

.@brandmillerr from behind the arc 🤌

@Lowes | #HiveMentality https://t.co/ojjBJs1xJX

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) October 11, 2026

Miller's usage in three games last season when LaMelo was out was 33%. His on/off splits with games that LaMelo did play also show a massive usage increase for Miller (32.4%, which was roughly a 5% increase over his normal usage).

Gameflow courtesy of WinkyChrist.com

Granted, Grayson Allen was out, but Miller had a 38% usage rate in his first preseason appearance. He put up 15 shots in 23 minutes. I worry a little about his efficiency as a scorer, but I'm not sure it's going to be enough to dissuade me from drafting him well ahead of his ADP.

He played only 30 minutes last year. I think he'll play closer to 34-35 minutes this season and has a very good chance to take a big jump in scoring, threes, and assists. 25 points per game is a real possibility. Don't get left behind.

Jaden McDaniels, F - MIN

• Yahoo ADP: 91
• TD Rank: 59

One of the big winners of the LaMelo Ball-Naz Reid trade, in my opinion, at least for fantasy purposes, was Jaden McDaniels. I wish the Wolves hadn't brought in Jonathan Kuminga to play power forward, but I am honestly not all that worried about his impact on McDaniels this season.

JAD3N https://t.co/eTRN3NBkAr

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) October 7, 2026

McDaniels is coming off the best season of his career and is ready to help propel the Wolves to a deep playoff run, and hopefully some of our fantasy basketball teams, too. He finished 70th in 9-CAT last season and is a member of the 1-1-1 (threes, blocks, steals) club while shooting better than 50% from the floor and 41% from behind the arc.

You know how OG Anunoby is perpetually undervalued? What if I told you that you could get super similar production from McDaniels 20-30 picks later? See how they stacked up head-to-head last season.

The volume of threes attempted and the overall scoring is where McDaniels trails, but don't be surprised if he's more aggressive on offense this year.

Dylan Harper, G - SAS

• Yahoo ADP: 81
• TD Rank: 70

The season really needs to start soon, because with each Dylan Harper preseason performance, I am getting more bullish on his outlook.

Dylan Harper in the first half

16 PTS (18 mins)
3 REB
4 AST
1 STL
3/5 3PT
5/7 FG https://t.co/5tGrOdYMW2

— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) October 9, 2026

This is a situation where you have to believe your eyes (and take a little leap of faith) a little bit more than last year's stats. I mean, the good news is that he shot over 50% from the floor in his rookie year, but he was brought along slowly and managed just 12-3-4 with 0.9 threes and 0.8 steals, so he finished well outside the top-150 on the year.

But he was dynamic in the playoffs, and arguably the best player on the floor (other than Wemby) for the Spurs in the finals. I love the way he attacks the rim, and I have a thing for guards who can rebound, shoot a solid percentage from the floor, and chip in some out-of-position blocks.

Harper can do all those things - all he needs is the minutes. I think the Spurs have to find a way to get him on the floor for 30 per night, and Mitch Johnson has already discussed some three-guard lineups where Harper would join Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox.

Day'Ron Sharpe, C - BKN

• Yahoo ADP: 94
• TD Rank: 80

Sharpe has been a long-time favorite as a late-season streamer/silly season hero, but it looks like he's finally going to get his chance to start for Brooklyn at center. His first outing this preseason was a good preview of what he's capable of doing. He went for eight points, seven boards, three assists, and two blocks in just 18 minutes. He also hit a corner three, but his foot was on the line, and attempted two more.

He's always flashed major per-minute potential, with career per-36 numbers of 16-13-3, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks. No one is saying we'll get anything close to that, but 25-28 minutes seems quite possible and that's more than enough for him to flirt with some top-50 value.

It's hard to trust the Nets, I know. But this might be the first season, thanks to the anti-tanking rules, that we can trust them to be competitive on a nightly basis and play their core group of guys pretty normal minutes. I am not shying away from Sharpe, Michael Porter Jr., or Egor Demin this year.

Late Rounds

Andrew Wiggins, G/F - MIA

• Yahoo ADP: 98
• TD Rank: 86

I wonder how many folks realize that Wiggins was 61st in 9-CAT last year? If you like Anunoby and McDaniels, you should like Wiggins, too, as he was good for 2.0 threes, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 blocks last year, while averaging 15 points on 47.5% shooting.

He's going to have a pretty large role on this Miami team. Someone else besides Giannis and Bam Adebayo is going to have to step up, and the void left behind by Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez, and Kel'el Ware is substantial.

Collin Murray-Boyles, F/C - TOR

• Yahoo ADP: 113
• TD Rank: 90

The hype train rolls on! I'm just not sure what the downside to drafting CMB is this season. He was a stocks machine (1.8 per game in 22 minutes) as a rookie, while chipping in boards, assists, and solid FG%. He needs to improve his FT% (65.7%) and three-point shooting (34%), but has the potential to do both this year.

He needs more minutes, and his coach has already said that he wants to play him at both power forward and center. So while he's not projected to start, he's probably heading for at least 25-26 minutes off the bench to start the year.

Jakob Poeltl's health was a major struggle last year, so I don't see him playing more than 28 minutes a night as they try to keep his back from flaring up. CMB's athleticism and defense is going to be a real asset to this Toronto team, and I can see him closing games at center for them as they roll out a small-ball death lineup that features Scottie Barnes, Kawhi Leonard, and CMB together. The sky is the limit.

Yaxel Lendeborg, F - GSW

• Yahoo ADP: 115
• TD Rank: 91

I was already high on him coming out of the draft as an NBA-ready prospect, but this preseason Yaxel has shown off his all-around game with some impressive performances. He's picked up right where he left off in Summer League, with a 23% usage rate, strong rebounding and assist numbers, and plenty of defensive stats.

Yaxel Lendeborg stuffed the stat sheet in a win over the Kings 📊

23 PTS
10 REB
6 AST
10-14 FG https://t.co/aoLgiPSpZD

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) October 11, 2026

The Warriors seem ready to let him play big minutes right from the jump, and they simply need another scorer out there to help Stephen Curry and Brandin Podziemski. He's no secret anymore, so be prepared to grab him at least a round ahead of his ADP. I might go two rounds early just to be safe!

Pelle Larsson, G/F - MIA

• Yahoo ADP: N/A
• TD Rank: 114

Larsson's sophomore season was pretty impressive from a fantasy perspective. He averaged 11 points, 3.5 boards, and 3.4 assists while adding 0.9 threes and shooting 49.6% from the floor. He's not a great three-point shooter, but he is an excellent slasher who can get points at the rim from the wing.

Whether he starts for Miami or not, I think he's primed for a major role on this Miami team. If you value efficiency from your wings, he fits the bill and has a lot of room to grow as a shooter and defender. He's just an easy pick late in drafts as he's a young player who should have a ton of opportunity this year.

Other Notables That I'm Higher On Than ADP

• Jayson Tatum
• OG Anunoby
• Paul George
• Ty Jerome
• Payton Pritchard
• Khaman Maluach

NOT My Guys: Players I'm Avoiding At ADP

Jalen Brunson, G - NYK

• Yahoo ADP: 21
• TD Rank: 46

"How can you have Brunson ranked 46th, bro? Didn't you watch the NBA playoffs last year?"

I'm fading the good vibes hype that surrounds Brunson this year. I won't deny that he was incredibly clutch in the Knicks' amazing run to a title, or that he's one of the best unconventional scorers in the league.

Jalen Brunson sinks the turnaround jumper for his first points of the 2026-27 preseason 👏

Knicks/Sixers is LIVE on NBA TV! https://t.co/wMA0Sg1iBB

— NBA (@NBA) October 5, 2026

But he finished 47th overall in 9-CAT, and there's no reason to think that he improves that in any way this year. He's only helpful in four categories (PTS, FT%, AST, 3s), and I think you can make the argument that the Knicks could look to manage his minutes a bit more this year to keep him fresh for the postseason.

Josh Giddey, G - CHI

• Yahoo ADP: 23
• TD Rank: 38

I am not really sure why Giddey is ranked as highly as he is, other than the "assists are really rare" argument. Yes, guys who can average eight boards and nine assists per game are not common by any means, but Giddey is a real liability in all FG%, FT%, and turnovers while not adding many defensive stats.

Furthermore, his career-high 17 points per game last year came on a Bulls team that didn't have Norman Powell or Caleb Wilson on it. When you consider that both those guys are going to have the green light to shoot, as well as Matas Buzelis, then it's likely that Giddey's scoring suffers. Through three preseason games (yeah, I know it's ONLY preseason), he has just a 15.8% usage rate.

Jaylen Brown, F - PHI

• Yahoo ADP: 30
• TD Rank: 64

Jaylen Brown is a phenomenal basketball player. I'm really not interested in getting into the discourse that surrounded him this Summer, or why the Celtics felt compelled to trade him and his massive contract.

All you really need to know is that Brown had a career year in 2025-2026 with Jayson Tatum missing most of the season, averaging 28-7-5 with a 36% usage rate. And he still only finished 62nd in 9-CAT leagues thanks to 3.6 turnovers per game, decreased efficiency as a shooter, and only 1.4 stocks per game.

That volume is going to take a hit in Philly; I don't care what anyone says. Yes, LeBron will miss some games, and surely Joel Embiid will, too. But Tyrese Maxey (29.6% usage) and V.J. Edgecombe both still exist! Even if his efficiency improves, it's not going to be enough to make up for the counting stats or holes in his fantasy game.

I just don't see any path for Brown to live up to his ADP. The last time I checked, they only play with one ball at a time, and he's going from being the Alpha dog to just one of four alphas on this super team in Philly.

Pascal Siakam, F/C - IND

• Yahoo ADP: 50
• TD Rank: 69

Siakam tied his career-high in scoring last year with 24 points per game as Tyrese Haliburton missed the entire season. He's a really good all-around player in terms of his ability to hit threes and rack up counting stats, but he has major flaws (FT%, lack of blocks).

If you're punting FT%, then maybe I get it, but I think his stats have the potential to decrease across the board. Ivica Zubac is going to suck up rebounds, while Haliburton will eat into his scoring and assists. He's not a bad player in real life or fantasy, but he's simply not the top-50 guy that he's being drafted as either.

AJ Dybantsa, F - WAS

• Yahoo ADP: 79
• TD Rank: 104

It's not as if I don't think that this kid is a star in the making, because that's quite obvious. But I think he has the biggest bust potential in terms of his fantasy value of the big four rookies. Cameron Boozer has top-50 upside in Memphis, Caleb Wilson probably top-75, and even Darryn Peterson, I think, can climb inside the top-100.

Dybantsa happened to land in a tough spot in Washington. They're built to try to contend this year, which for a rookie who needs usage to be valuable, is a bad thing. He's at 24% through the first two preseason games after seeing 35% usage in Summer League.

Anthony Davis and Trae Young are going to get theirs first, with Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, and Tre Johnson also commanding shots. I don't think he does enough in other areas to make up for a lack of scoring. Realistically, I expect him to average around 15-16 points per game, but he's not a great three-point shooter and is going to have to fight for scraps in terms of shots and boards.

There's potential here, but only if Sarr or AD happen to get hurt and miss a lot of time (which is certainly a possibility; I will acknowledge that!) He's being drafted at least a round or two early for me.

Other Notables That I'm Lower On Than ADP

• Jalen Johnson
• Alex Sarr
• Zion Williamson
• VJ Edgecombe
• Derik Queen
• Brandin Podziemski

The "Always Drafted Too High in 9-CAT" All-Star Team

I rarely end up with these players on my team because someone else will take them ahead of me based on counting stats or name-brand recognition. Yahoo ADP included just for fun.

• Paolo Banchero (35.5)
• Julius Randle (68.7)
• Ja Morant (89.3)
• Jalen Green (101)
• RJ Barrett (112)

Alright, as usual, I have rambled for too long. But I really hope you found this analysis helpful and that you may incorporate my rankings into your draft process.

Good luck this season, and thanks for reading!

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