2026 NBA rookie class cards: who's heating up
AJ Dybantsa leads the 2026 NBA rookie class with a momentum score of 35: listed first at SF on his team's depth chart. 8 of the 50 players listed have something moving beyond their class this week. These are performance signals collectors watch, not card prices and not financial advice.
| Player | Main reason | Score |
|---|---|---|
 AJ Dybantsa | Listed first at SF on his team's depth chart. | 35 |
 Caleb Wilson | Listed first at PF on his team's depth chart. | 35 |
 Cameron Boozer | Listed first at PF on his team's depth chart. | 35 |
 Darius Acuff | Listed first at SG on his team's depth chart. | 35 |
 Darryn Peterson | Listed first at SG on his team's depth chart. | 35 |
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The 2026 NBA rookie class, ranked
Every member we hold, highest momentum first, with each signal and its points. Preseason: Sleeper's depth charts and experience, with 2025-26 minutes. This season's lines join after three games.
- 1AJ DybantsaWAS SFRookie
- Role change +20: Listed first at SF on his team's depth chart.
- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
35momentum - 2Caleb WilsonCHI PFRookie
- Role change +20: Listed first at PF on his team's depth chart.
- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
35momentum - 3Cameron BoozerMEM PFRookie
- Role change +20: Listed first at PF on his team's depth chart.
- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
35momentum - 4Darius AcuffSAC SGRookie
- Role change +20: Listed first at SG on his team's depth chart.
- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
35momentum - 5Darryn PetersonUTA SGRookie
- Role change +20: Listed first at SG on his team's depth chart.
- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
35momentum - 6
Keaton WaglerLAC SGRookie- Role change +20: Listed first at SG on his team's depth chart.
- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
35momentum - 7
Mikel BrownBKN PGRookie- Role change +20: Listed first at PG on his team's depth chart.
- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
35momentum - 8
Yaxel LendeborgGSW SFRookie- Role change +20: Listed first at SF on his team's depth chart.
- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
35momentum - 9
15momentum - 10
15momentum - 11
15momentum - 12
15momentum - 13
15momentum - 14
15momentum - 15
Andrew HolifieldOKC PFRookie- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
15momentum - 16
15momentum - 17
15momentum - 18
Ben HumrichousBKN PFRookie- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
15momentum - 19
Bennett StirtzOKC PGRookie- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
15momentum - 20
15momentum - 21
Brayden BurriesMIL SGRookie- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
15momentum - 22
Bruce ThorntonHOU PGRookie- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
15momentum - 23
15momentum - 24
15momentum - 25
Cameron CorhenATL PFRookie- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
15momentum - 26
15momentum - 27
15momentum - 28
15momentum - 29
Christian AndersonCHA PGRookie- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
15momentum - 30
Christoph TillyOKC CRookie- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
15momentum - 31
15momentum - 32
Damari MonsantoSAC PGRookie- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
15momentum - 33
Dillon MitchellBOS SFRookie- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
15momentum - 34
15momentum - 35
15momentum - 36
15momentum - 37
15momentum - 38
15momentum - 39
15momentum - 40
Gabe McGlothanBOS PFRookie- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
15momentum - 41
15momentum - 42
Hannes SteinbachCHA CRookie- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
15momentum - 43
Ian SchieffelinMIA PFRookie- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
15momentum - 44
15momentum - 45
15momentum - 46
Ja'Kobi GillespieSAS PGRookie- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
15momentum - 47
15momentum - 48
15momentum - 49
15momentum - 50
Jaylin SellersCHI SGRookie- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
15momentum
Other classes: 2025 NBA rookie class, and the full NBA card watch.
How the momentum score works
Six signals, each with its own cap, added up and capped at 100. A player is listed at 20 or more, and only when something other than his rookie status is moving. Every number comes from data Parlae already stores; no card price is read or shown.
| Signal | Rule | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Usage trend | Share-based roles (snap share): 1 point per percentage point gained. Minutes, ice time and form: 1 point per 2 percent gained over his own earlier level. A gain counts from 8 points of share or 15 percent. | 30 |
| Search demand | 2 points per extra Google reader on his Parlae player page this week against last week, from 3 readers this week. | 25 |
| Role change | A promotion this week: top of his team's depth chart by snaps or minutes, or a first power-play unit he did not hold last season. | 20 |
| Leaders and award races | Rank 1 in his rookie class or at his position earns 20, then 2 fewer per rank, down to rank 10. | 20 |
| Rookie or second year | 15 for a rookie, 8 for a second-year player, counted only alongside another signal. | 15 |
| Injury return | Back in the lineup this week after missing at least one of his team's games. | 10 |
These are performance signals collectors watch, not card prices and not financial advice.
By the Parlae deskCard data updated Oct 15, 2026 at 3:22 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number