The season is rapidly approaching and whether you’ve already drafted or are doing so this weekend, we’re diving into some of the most common questions heading into each fantasy season. After all, every single year there will be sleepers, busts, and a rookie or two that you wish you had thought about early on.
To help sift through who these players may be, we’ve reached out to a few fantasy pundits to get their thoughts which you’ll find below. Get the season started off right by knowing who to target in your draft or grabbing a potential sleeper/rookie off the waiver wire.
Get pick-by-pick advice for your draft with our award-winning Draft Wizard
Featured Experts:
Dalton Del Don – Yahoo! Sports
Matt Bohannan – Fantasy Couch
Dan Stokes – Legion Report
Leszek Bialecki – FB-Ninja
Q1. Name your top non-rookie sleeper ranked outside of the top 100 players in our consensus.
Clint Capela (PF,C – HOU)
“Look for the 3rd year big man to take a leap forward this season. The Rockets are certainly showing confidence in Capela, with little depth behind him. Starting at center for 10 games last year, Capela put up about 9 points, 9 boards a steal and over a block per game. Hopefully this season he can get a nightly double double with 3-4 STL/BLKs combined and good field goal shooting. ”
– Matt Bohannan (Fantasy Couch)
Jusuf Nurkic (C – DEN)
“It’s looking likely the Nuggets are going to go big and start both Nurkic and Nikola Jokic, making the former a steal at his current ADP. Nurkic is just 22 years old and has put up huge numbers when given the opportunity in the past (he averaged 12.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 2.3 blocks while starting last season, albeit in a small sample). He’s ready to fully break out in 2016/17.”
– Dalton Del Don (Yahoo! Sports)
Eric Gordon (SG – HOU)
“Health is always an issue, but Eric Gordon will be playing in a high-octane offense with James Harden and Mike D’Antoni at the helm. Not only are the Rockets averaging 123 points per game this preseason, but Gordon is averaging 13 points and two 3-pointers per game in that span. Again, health is a big concern with him.”
– Dan Stokes (Legion Report)
Danny Green (SG,SF – SAS)
“For me it’s Danny Green. His last season was simply horrible and now, after eye surgery, his vision should improve. That sounds like a bounce-back to me.”
– Leszek Bialecki (FB-Ninja)
Q2. What notable player are you avoiding in drafts that you expect to be a bust relative to their draft cost?
Brook Lopez (C – BKN)
“I would avoid Brook Lopez. According to ESPN.com, he was one of the worst rebounders in the NBA last season among centers. Also, a simple reminder, he is 7’0”. Yes, he will be the primary scorer, but you can find scoring throughout the draft. Andre Drummond and Rudy Gobert are cheaper options, plus you get blocks with them.”
– Dan Stokes (Legion Report)
Nikola Vucevic (C – ORL)
“Vucevic has declined in rebounding the past 4 seasons and barely gets you a block per game. Not something I want from a big man that I’d have to burn a 4th round pick on. The Magic didn’t just cash out Bismack Biyombo $72 million to be a backup role player, and if the preseason is any indication of what’s to come, Vucevic’s stat line will be very pedestrian this year.”
– Matt Bohannan (Fantasy Couch)
Rajon Rondo (PG – CHI)
“Rondo inside the top-60 picks is too high for me. He thrived in Sacramento last year, but he finished with his highest fantasy value in the past five years and still wasn’t even a top-50 player. Now he’s joining a Bulls system in which he’s unlikely to duplicate last year’s numbers, and Rondo is also now on the wrong side of 30. No thanks.”
– Dalton Del Don (Yahoo! Sports)
Giannis Antetokounmpo (SG,SF,PF – MIL)
“I tend to avoid highly hyped players. This season it’s Giannis, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid. All of them may have good seasons, but are drafted too high which leaves barely any margin for error.”
– Leszek Bialecki (FB-Ninja)
Q3. What rookie do you expect to have the greatest fantasy impact this season and why?
Joel Embiid (C – PHI)
“He’s looked fantastic, fully healthy and ready to roll. A minutes restriction limits his upside, but Embiid is going to be a nightly double-double threat who should help out greatly in the defensive stats. Only health can prevent him from running away with Rookie of the Year this season.”
– Dalton Del Don (Yahoo! Sports)
Buddy Hield (SG – NO)
“The stars couldn’t have aligned better for Buddy Hield. Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon are gone, Jrue Holiday is tending to his wife, and Tyreke Evans is hurt (shocker). Hield will play second fiddle to Anthony Davis, but the Pelicans will be desperate for outside shooting. The No. 6 overall pick has scored in double-digits in four of his five preseason games.”
– Dan Stokes (Legion Report)
Brandon Ingram (SF,PF – LAL)
“The Lakers are in rebuilding mode, and Ingram is a key part of their future. Coach Walton is going to put him in a position to succeed, and bringing him off the bench initially should help ease the rookie into the NBA. Ingram will struggle with the size and speed of NBA competition on the wing, but he should adapt and learn how to use his skill set at the NBA level. Look for Ingram to be a valuable fantasy asset down the stretch when the Lakers could take the training wheels off and give him big usage.”
– Matt Bohannan (Fantasy Couch)
Marquese Chriss (PF – PHO)
“I’m not counting Embiid as a rookie even though he technically is one. From the 2016 rookie class to me it’s Marquese Chriss. If or rather when the Suns realize they have nothing to play for this season, I won’t be surprised if they focus on youth development. Chriss is raw, but his athletic attributes combined with potential to contribute across the statistical board make him an intriguing candidate.”
– Leszek Bialecki (FB-Ninja)
—
Thank you to the experts for taking the time to give us their picks. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter for more fantasy advice.