Six fantasy basketball experts have made their boldest predictions for the 2026-27 NBA season, and any of them that come true could swing fantasy leagues. André Snellings, Eric Moody, Erik Karabell, Steve Alexander, Jim McCormick and Michael F. Florio each offer a hot take. Winning a league requires a strong draft and savvy waiver-wire moves, but it also takes foresight, which means seeing things before everyone else does.
Kel’el Ware finishes top 30 on the Player Rater
McCormick acknowledges that Myles Turner represents real traffic for Kel’el Ware. Even so, he believes the Milwaukee Bucks might prioritise Ware’s playing time because he gives them a massive rebounding advantage on both sides of the court. Ware is a key frontcourt building block from the Giannis package for an otherwise undersized, wing-centric roster. He and Turner overlap in trailing plays and rim protection, but McCormick is betting that talent and playing time meet in Milwaukee this season.
Someone other than Nikola Jokic leads the league in fantasy points
Snellings points out that Nikola Jokic has led the league in total fantasy points for six straight seasons. Last season he also led in fantasy scoring average, and he produced over 500 more fantasy points than the second-place player despite playing just 65 games. This year, though, Snellings sees three players with a reasonable chance to overtake him.
Luka Doncic finished second in fantasy points last season. While still a Maverick, he had a season with a higher fantasy scoring average than Jokic, though in fewer games. With LeBron James no longer on the Lakers, Doncic could be in for his biggest fantasy season. Victor Wembanyama is coming off his best season and should keep improving at only 22 years old. Giannis Antetokounmpo has historically produced scoring averages similar to Jokic’s, and his new role with the Miami Heat could give him one of his better fantasy seasons.
Julius Randle returns to the top 25 in points leagues
Florio expects Julius Randle to be the top option on an offence again, as he was in his early days with the New York Knicks. Randle averaged over 24 points per game twice in a three-year span. Over that time he averaged at least 9.9 rebounds each year and twice averaged over five assists per game. Florio also expects him to attempt more threes with the Brooklyn Nets, as he did with the Knicks. As the focal point once more, Randle should win on volume and have another breakout fantasy season.
Walker Kessler finishes top 20 in category leagues
Moody says the stage is set for Walker Kessler to have a career season. Shoulder surgery limited Kessler to just five games last season, but he is back on the court for his first year with the Los Angeles Lakers. Playing alongside Doncic should create more easy baskets, similar to what Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford enjoyed in Dallas. Kessler already gives managers excellent field goal percentage, rebounds and blocks. If he plays 30 or more minutes per game, Moody believes he could lead the league in blocked shots and crack the top 20 in nine-category leagues.
The Washington Wizards compete in the East
Alexander thinks Alex Sarr might be the odd man out in Washington. He has reached the point where he trusts Anthony Davis and Trae Young, while AJ Dybantsa, Kyshawn George and Bilal Coulibaly, among others, are all somewhat intriguing. If Davis and Young are healthy and on the same page, the Wizards could shock people in the East. Alexander calls them the ultimate risk-versus-reward team.
LeBron leads the Philadelphia 76ers in assists and finishes top five in the league
Karabell says LeBron James remains a wonderful passer and seems likely to run the 76ers’ talented offence when he is on the floor. He predicts James will lead his new team in assists and finish in the top five in the league. Karabell concedes that fans can debate how often James plays and for how many minutes, and that James may shoot less than ever before. But he argues James will always pass. Tyrese Maxey has always been more of a shooting guard than a point guard, and Karabell expects James to average at least 8.0 assists per game, a figure Maxey has never approached.