X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Five NBA Players Poised to Take a Major Leap

Every year, a few young players take the next step and elevate their games into fantasy stardom.  The hype train will be going full force on many young players, and a lot of them will end up burning you.  If you pick the right young players, though, you'll be vastly rewarded.

Let's take a look at a few early to mid round draft picks who carry some of the biggest upside heading into the 2016-17 NBA season. Note: Position eligibility based on Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Editor's Note: Be sure to check out FantasyAces DFS contests. New users that sign up on Fantasy Aces and make a $20 deposit will receive RotoBaller's full season NFL Premium Pass for free (including Premium DFS), normally a $59.99 value. Expert DFS research, sample lineups, matchup ratings and lots more!

 

Five NBA Players Poised to Take a Major Leap

Giannis Antetokounmpo (PG/SF/PF, MIL)

From Jan 1st through the end of the year the Greek Freak played 48 games and averaged an outstanding 17.7 points, 5.4 assists, 8.3 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.6 blocks.  All of this while boasting a season long field goal percentage of 50.6% and a solid 72.4% from the free throw line.  Did we mention that he did all that in his age 21 season?

In his first three seasons in the NBA, Antetokounmpo has seen scoring, rebound, assist, and shooting numbers increase each season showing how he has grown as a player in his short career.  The one downside to his game has been his lack of a consistent deep shot as well as an increase in turnovers.  In nine category leagues the 2.5 turnovers per game are not a great stat but certainly do not compare to the 4.6 that a James Harden will commit per game.  Also in terms of his three-point shot, after a 2014-2015 season that saw him only make seven all season on 15.9% shooting, Antetokounmpo bounced back last season with 28 three pointers made on a better 25.7% from deep.

All of this does not take into account that for much of this season the Bucks will be without star wing Khris Middleton who suffered a torn hamstring and is likely out six months.  That will put even more of the offensive load on a player who only had a usage rate of 23.2 last season.  If that number can rise to around 30, on par with other stars, he will undoubtedly return top 10 if not top five value.  Be prepared to draft him in the top eight picks if you want him in your upcoming drafts.

 

Victor Oladipo (PG/SG, OKC)

When Kevin Durant decided to join the Golden State Warriors, fantasy owners began to think of the possibilities of how good Russell Westbrook could be in fantasy basketball.  Although he will be a top end player, it may actually be the newly acquired Oladipo who is the biggest beneficiary of Durant’s exit.  The former Orlando guard has shown flashes of fantasy brilliance as he posted a solid 16.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.4 three pointers made per game last year.  Along with the counting stats, Oladipo also has solid rotisserie value with a free throw percentage of 80.8% for his career while also only turning the ball over 2.1 times per game last season.

Westbrook’s new running mate has also been a very durable player having played at least 72 games in each of his first three years while averaging over 31 minutes played per game in all three.  That will be critical as the team will have to replace Durant’s 32.2 usage rate, but also Serge Ibaka’s 17.3 usage rate and Dion Waiters 17.7 rate.  The hope for fantasy owners is his across the board statistics will go up with teams focusing all of their energy to stopping Westbrook.  He'll also get a chance to run the offense against bench units for those short stretches when Westbrook is sitting out. Because of his skill set a top 15 ranking is not out of the question for Oladipo if Billy Donovan can work him into the Thunder lineup.

 

Nikola Jokic (C, DEN)

Unlike Oladipo and Antetokounmpo who are already somewhat known commodities locked into big roles, the young Jokic of the Nuggets is more of a gamble with tremendous upside.  In his rookie year, the Serbian big man posted a pedestrian stat like of 10.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 0.6 blocks per game.  However, it is important to notice those numbers came in just 21.7 minutes per game.  If you extrapolate those numbers to a per 36-minute basis you see a future star at 16.5 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.0 blocks.  Those stats put him right on course with a player such as Marc Gasol a few seasons ago when he was an early second round pick and a consensus top 20 player in all formats.

Also encouraging for players in rotisserie leagues is that despite being a 20-year-old rookie, Jokic had a sparkling 51.2% field goal percentage and an elite 81.1% rate from the free throw line.  This season he should be expected to jump near the 30 minute per game line with a likelihood of seeing a huge jump in his 21.0 usage rate from his rookie campaign.  His preseason ranking on Yahoo! has already shot up from 48 to 25 over the course of about a week.  It looks like the Nuggets are committed to getting him plenty of minutes.  Even if he is limited to around 25 minutes, his percentages and solid defensive numbers drastically decrease the chances he has a bust season, while if he gets more minutes he has top 15 upside.

 

Dennis Schroder (PG, ATL)

Like Jokic, Schroder comes into this season as a bit of an unknown to the larger public but has huge upside to be a fantasy star.  The move that may unleash the German guard on the NBA is the trade of veteran point guard Jeff Teague to Indiana.  Entering his fourth season in the NBA, Schroeder will finally get a chance to start and play big minutes.  Last season in just six starts he put up a respectable 13.7 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.8 rebounds.  Those numbers should be easily attainable with the loss of not only Teague but also stalwart Al Horford to Boston.

Schoder’s per 36 counting stat numbers are similar to a top 36 pick with 19.5 points, 7.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals.  Those numbers would put him right in line with the like of Kyle Lowry and Kyrie Irving in terms of production.  The one down side to his game will be a high turnover rate and shooting percentage around 40%.  You can easily build around those deficiencies in head-to-head leagues, but they could cap his upside in roto leagues.

 

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (SG/SF, BKN)

While he's now up to a much higher draft price than he was in early drafts (currently pre-ranked at 81 on Yahoo! after starting at 337), it's still worth singling out this highly talented young wing from Brooklyn.  Hollis-Jefferson’s numbers from last year are nothing to behold as he only played 29 games due to injury and posted just 5.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game.  However, the second year wing should see a huge uptick in production on what may be the worst team in the NBA.  The team traded away veterans Thad Young and Joe Johnson last season to make room for the Arizona product.

With the likes of Jeremy Lin and Brook Lopez around, he will not contribute a ton in terms of scoring, but he has per 36 minute totals of 2.3 steals and 1.0 blocks from last season.  If you are looking for a high upside contributor across the board, defensive minded young players such as Hollis-Jefferson and Justice Winslow are drastically being undervalued in fantasy leagues.  They'll provide a solid base in "hustle" stats while they have the capacity to make a leap offensively that could pay dividends on your draft investment.

 


By popular demand, RotoBaller has aggregated all of our fantasy basketball NBA waiver wire pickups into a running list of NBA waiver options, so bookmark the page and check back often for updates.

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Close to Triple-Double Versus Serbia
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Fills Box Score Against Turkey
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Shakes Off Minor Injury
NBA

E.J. Liddell Inks Two-Way Deal With Nets
NBA

Ben Simmons Reportedly Considering Retirement
P.J. Washington

Agrees to Four-Year, $90 Million Extension
Mike Trout

Plans to Return on Thursday
Will Smith

X-Rays Negative on Will Smith's Hand
Jauan Jennings

Gets Incentives Added to Contract
Jakobi Meyers

Unsure About Potential Extension
Matthew Stafford

Off Injury Report Ahead of Week 1
Will Smith

Exits With Hand Contusion
Jackson Chourio

in Lineup Wednesday Despite Hamstring Cramps
Sepp Straka

Gets Captain's Pick to Join Team Europe
Christian Yelich

Dealing With Soreness in Lower Back
PGA

Victor Hovland to Make Third Ryder Cup Appearance for Team Europe
J.J. Spaun

Set to Represent Team USA for First Time at Bethpage
Russell Henley

Makes First Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Harris English

Named to Ryder Cup Team for Second Time
Kyle Finnegan

Dealing With Groin Issue
Shohei Ohtani

Will Pitch "Sometime This Weekend"
Jackson Chourio

Absent on Wednesday With Hamstring Cramp
Roman Anthony

Officially Goes on Injured List
Jauan Jennings

Limited on Wednesday, Expected to Play in Week 1
Malik Nabers

Not on Initial Injury Report
Roman Anthony

"High Probability" Roman Anthony Lands on Injured List
Justin Thomas

Making Fourth Ryder Cup Team Appearance at Bethpage
Ben Griffin

Making First Career Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Bryson DeChambeau

Set to be Part of Team USA at Bethpage
Jason Adam

to Undergo Season-Ending Surgery
Roman Anthony

Will Undergo MRI on Wednesday
Santi Aldama

Bags Double-Double in Losing Effort
Guerschon Yabusele

Erupts for 36 Points Against Poland
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Leads Slovenia Into Next Round at EuroBasket
San Antonio Spurs

Stanley Umude Signs Training Camp Deal With Spurs
Reece Beekman

Joins Magic for Training Camp
Justin Minaya

Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Magic
Travis Hunter

Jaguars List Travis Hunter as Starting Wide Receiver, Backup Cornerback
Kyle Tucker

Leaves With Calf Tightness on Tuesday
Alexandre Sarr

to Miss Rest of EuroBasket
Max Scherzer

Blue Jays Confident Max Scherzer Will Make Saturday Start Despite Back Tightness
Roman Anthony

Leaves Early With Back Injury
Jared McCain

"On Pace" for Training Camp
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Done for the Year With Torn ACL
Luke Hughes

Devils Optimistic About Signing Luke Hughes
Martin Fehérváry

Martin Fehervary on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Dylan Holloway

Good to Go for Start of Season
Nick Kurtz

Back in Action on Tuesday
Josh Morrissey

Fully Healthy for Start of Season
Dennis Hildeby

Signs Three-Year Extension With Maple Leafs
Nick Lodolo

Scratched With Illness
Dalton Kincaid

Role Not Expected to Grow?
Quinshon Judkins

Zero Chance Quinshon Judkins Plays Against Bengals?
Najee Harris

Says He's Expecting to Play Against Chiefs
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia Departs Monday with Quad Injury
Franz Wagner

Collects Double-Double in Blowout Win
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Achieves Rare Numbers at EuroBasket
Nikola Vučević

Nikola Vucevic Dominates Against Sweden
Stefon Diggs

Expected to Suit Up in Week 1
Kristaps Porzingis

Finding Form at EuroBasket
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Suffers Minor Injury at EuroBasket
DJ Moore

Bears Experimenting with DJ Moore in Backfield
Rome Odunze

Could Move All Around the Offense
Carolina Panthers

Dave Canales Comfortable With Panthers' Young Receivers
Quinshon Judkins

Not Considering NCAA Return
Dallas Goedert

Healthy for Week 1
Marvin Mims Jr.

Returns to Practice Monday
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Carted Off Monday With Knee Injury
Jason Adam

Diagnosed With Ruptured Left Quadriceps Tendon
Victor Wembanyama

Looking "Quite Stellar"
Matthew Stafford

Expected to Start in Week 1
Najee Harris

Cleared for Contact, Could Play in Week 1
Denny Hamlin

Ends Eventful Day at Darlington in Seventh Place
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Almost Earns a Top-Five Finish at Darlington
John Hunter Nemechek

has His Best 2025 Performance at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

Has An Underwhelming Performance At Darlington
Josh Berry

Crashes Early and Suffers A Playoff Setback at Darlington
Giannis Antetokounmpo

"Staying in Milwaukee"
Jaylen Warren

Agrees to Two-Year Extension With Steelers
De'Von Achane

Practicing Monday, on Track to Play in Week 1
Quinshon Judkins

Could Report to Browns This Week
Chase Elliott

Under Playoff Pressure After 17th-Place Darlington Finish
Kyle Larson

Despite Hendrick Mediocrity, Kyle Larson Remains Pretty Safe in Playoffs
Alex Bowman

Opening-Lap Crash and Botched Pit Stop May Have Sunk Alex Bowman's Playoff Hopes
Erik Jones

Darlington Master Erik Jones Comes Up Short but Still Finishes Third
AJ Allmendinger

A.J. Allmendinger Impresses at Southern 500
Daniel Suarez

is A DFS Risk for Darlington Lineups?
Noah Gragson

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Noah Gragson for Darlington?
Ty Dillon

is an Excellent Punt Option for Darlington DFS Lineups
Denny Hamlin

Picking Up Where He Left Off At Darlington
Kyle Larson

The Sky Is The Limit for Kyle Larson at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

a Strong DFS Play at Darlington This Weekend
Tyler Reddick

Shouldn't Be Overlooked at Darlington This Weekend
Alex Bowman

An Easy Place-Differential Play in DFS This Weekend
Ty Gibbs

Could Be Strong at Darlington This Weekend
Erik Jones

Has Best Darlington Qualifying Effort Since Last Win
Zane Smith

Hopeful For Another Solid Run At Darlington

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP