Fantasy basketball breakouts 2026-27
30 players 24 or younger whose production already grew and who rank between 25 and 150 on our board. Jalen Duren leads at 48.7 fantasy points per 36 minutes, ranked 37th. 7 of them just finished their rookie season.
| # | Player | Age | FP/36 | MIN | FP/G | Growth | Rank | Slot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jalen Duren CDETDTD | 22 | 48.7 | 28.2 | 38.2 | +20% (32.0 to 38.2) | #37 | 4.01 |
| 2 |  Alex Sarr CWAS | 21 | 47.6 | 27.2 | 35.9 | +23% (29.2 to 35.9) | #44 | 4.08 |
| 3 |  Donovan Clingan CPOR | 22 | 46.0 | 27.2 | 34.7 | +51% (23.0 to 34.7) | #50 | 5.02 |
| 4 |  Chet Holmgren COKCDTD | 24 | 45.2 | 28.9 | 36.3 | 32 games in 2024-25, too few to compare | #43 | 4.07 |
| 5 |  Kel'el Ware CMIL | 22 | 45.1 | 22.1 | 27.7 | +16% (23.8 to 27.7) | #112 | 10.04 |
| 6 |  Cooper Flagg SGDAL | 19 | 42.8 | 33.5 | 39.8 | Rookie season in 2025-26 | #32 | 3.08 |
| 7 |  Stephon Castle SGSASDTD | 21 | 42.3 | 30.0 | 35.2 | +32% (26.6 to 35.2) | #48 | 4.12 |
| 8 |  Derik Queen CNOP | 21 | 42.1 | 25.0 | 29.2 | Rookie season in 2025-26 | #98 | 9.02 |
| 9 |  Keyonte George PGUTA | 22 | 41.6 | 33.1 | 38.2 | +29% (29.5 to 38.2) | #38 | 4.02 |
| 10 |  Kyle Filipowski CUTADTD | 22 | 41.0 | 23.4 | 26.6 | +25% (21.3 to 26.6) | #122 | 11.02 |
| 11 |  Brandon Miller SFCHA | 23 | 40.0 | 30.3 | 33.6 | 27 games in 2024-25, too few to compare | #61 | 6.01 |
| 12 |  Ausar Thompson SGDET | 23 | 39.9 | 26.0 | 28.8 | +14% (25.3 to 28.8) | #101 | 9.05 |
| 13 |  Ryan Rollins PGMIL | 24 | 38.3 | 32.1 | 34.2 | +152% (13.5 to 34.2) | #54 | 5.06 |
| 14 |  Isaiah Collier PGUTA | 22 | 38.3 | 25.7 | 27.3 | +21% (22.6 to 27.3) | #114 | 10.06 |
| 15 |  Matas Buzelis PFCHI | 22 | 38.1 | 29.2 | 30.9 | +79% (17.2 to 30.9) | #78 | 7.06 |
| 16 |  Kyshawn George SFWAS | 22 | 38.1 | 29.0 | 30.7 | +45% (21.2 to 30.7) | #82 | 7.10 |
| 17 |  Amen Thompson SGHOU | 23 | 38.0 | 37.4 | 39.5 | +11% (35.7 to 39.5) | #34 | 3.10 |
| 18 |  Reed Sheppard PGHOU | 22 | 37.2 | 26.2 | 27.0 | +154% (10.7 to 27.0) | #117 | 10.09 |
| 19 |  Cedric Coward SGMEM | 23 | 36.8 | 25.8 | 26.3 | Rookie season in 2025-26 | #125 | 11.05 |
| 20 |  Jeremiah Fears PGNOP | 20 | 36.7 | 25.8 | 26.2 | Rookie season in 2025-26 | #130 | 11.10 |
| 21 |  Ajay Mitchell PGOKCDTD | 24 | 36.6 | 25.8 | 26.3 | 36 games in 2024-25, too few to compare | #128 | 11.08 |
| 22 |  Anthony Black SGORLDTD | 22 | 35.5 | 29.8 | 29.4 | +40% (21.0 to 29.4) | #96 | 8.12 |
| 23 |  Moussa Diabaté CCHA | 24 | 35.3 | 26.0 | 25.5 | +50% (17.0 to 25.5) | #134 | 12.02 |
| 24 |  Kon Knueppel SGCHADTD | 21 | 35.2 | 31.5 | 30.8 | Rookie season in 2025-26 | #80 | 7.08 |
| 25 |  Brandin Podziemski PGGSW | 23 | 35.0 | 28.5 | 27.7 | +8% (25.6 to 27.7) | #113 | 10.05 |
| 26 |  Bennedict Mathurin SFNOP | 24 | 34.3 | 30.0 | 28.6 | +8% (26.4 to 28.6) | #104 | 9.08 |
| 27 |  Peyton Watson SFCLE | 24 | 34.1 | 29.6 | 28.0 | +42% (19.7 to 28.0) | #109 | 10.01 |
| 28 |  VJ Edgecombe SGPHI | 21 | 34.0 | 35.0 | 33.1 | Rookie season in 2025-26 | #64 | 6.04 |
| 29 |  Jaylon Tyson SFCLE | 23 | 33.3 | 26.9 | 24.9 | +216% (7.9 to 24.9) | #139 | 12.07 |
| 30 |  Ace Bailey SFUTA | 20 | 32.1 | 27.6 | 24.6 | Rookie season in 2025-26 | #142 | 12.10 |
MIN and FP/G are 2025-26 per game; FP/36 is the board's blended rate per 36 minutes. Growth compares 2025-26 with 2024-25 fantasy points per game. Rank and slot are our own board order in points leagues, not ADP.
Advertisement
Breakouts by position
Point guards 12
- Cooper Flagg42.8 FP/36
- Stephon Castle42.3 FP/36
- Keyonte George41.6 FP/36
- Ryan Rollins38.3 FP/36
- Isaiah Collier38.3 FP/36
- Amen Thompson38.0 FP/36
Shooting guards 16
- Cooper Flagg42.8 FP/36
- Stephon Castle42.3 FP/36
- Keyonte George41.6 FP/36
- Brandon Miller40.0 FP/36
- Ausar Thompson39.9 FP/36
- Kyshawn George38.1 FP/36
Small forwards 13
- Cooper Flagg42.8 FP/36
- Brandon Miller40.0 FP/36
- Ausar Thompson39.9 FP/36
- Matas Buzelis38.1 FP/36
- Kyshawn George38.1 FP/36
- Amen Thompson38.0 FP/36
Power forwards 9
- Chet Holmgren45.2 FP/36
- Kel'el Ware45.1 FP/36
- Derik Queen42.1 FP/36
- Kyle Filipowski41.0 FP/36
- Brandon Miller40.0 FP/36
- Matas Buzelis38.1 FP/36
Centers 8
- Jalen Duren48.7 FP/36
- Alex Sarr47.6 FP/36
- Donovan Clingan46.0 FP/36
- Chet Holmgren45.2 FP/36
- Kel'el Ware45.1 FP/36
- Derik Queen42.1 FP/36
A breakout is a sleeper who already moved
The sleepers list finds late picks whose rate would scale with minutes they do not have yet. This list finds young players whose numbers already rose and whose rank still sits outside the first two rounds. The next step for most of them is minutes, so watch the first two weeks of rotations and the injury report before you pay a premium.
Common questions
Who are the fantasy basketball breakout candidates for 2026-27?
Jalen Duren, Alex Sarr and Donovan Clingan lead 30 players on our list, sorted by fantasy points per 36 minutes.
What makes a breakout candidate here?
24 or younger on opening night, at least 40 games in 2025-26, ranked 25 to 150 on our board in points leagues, not listed Out, and scoring more fantasy points per game than the season before (or without 40 games that season to compare with). Ranks are our own board order, not ADP.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 13, 2026 at 8:41 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number