2026-27 fantasy basketball · Rookies

2026-27 rookie rankings

Rookies haven't played an NBA game yet, so we project them from where they were drafted: what players picked near the same spot in the last two drafts did as rookies. Then they're ranked on the same scale as everyone else.

The short version for redraft leagues: rookies usually cost more than they return in year one, especially in category leagues, where low shooting percentages and turnovers hurt. The "Upside" column shows the better-case outcome, which matters most in dynasty and keeper leagues.

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Pick	Rookie	College	9-cat rank	Upside	Pts rank	G	Min	Pts	Reb	Ast	FP/g
1	AJ Dybantsa F · WSH · 19	–	257	46	125	70	26.2	13.8	5.1	2.4	26.7
2	Darryn Peterson G · UTAH · 19	–	297	59	143	69	26.1	13.4	3.9	3.2	25.0
3	Cameron Boozer F · MEM · 19	–	293	59	163	68	24.3	12.0	4.8	2.1	23.8
4	Caleb Wilson F · CHI · 20	–	325	184	189	67	23.1	10.9	4.6	1.9	22.0
5	Keaton Wagler G · LAC · 19	–	306	157	158	65	25.6	13.1	3.7	3.0	24.0
6	Mikel Brown Jr. G · BKN · 20	–	287	196	167	62	25.1	12.7	3.6	2.9	23.3
7	Darius Acuff Jr. G · SAC · 19	–	276	186	183	59	24.4	12.2	3.5	2.8	22.3
8	Kingston Flemings G · ATL · 19	–	352	177	201	56	23.6	11.4	3.3	2.7	21.1
9	Morez Johnson Jr. F · DAL · 20	–	331	156	246	54	20.4	8.7	4.3	1.6	18.7
10	Brayden Burries G · MIL · 21	–	321	164	252	51	22.2	9.5	3.0	2.5	18.4
11	Yaxel Lendeborg F · GS · 24	–	310	144	254	50	19.8	8.7	4.1	1.5	18.3
12	Aday Mara C · OKC · 21	–	212	123	198	49	19.1	8.1	6.1	1.7	21.3
13	Nate Ament F · MIL · 19	–	299	142	292	49	18.7	8.2	3.7	1.3	16.6
14	Hannes Steinbach F · CHA · 20	–	391	142	323	49	18.4	8.0	3.5	1.2	15.7
15	Dailyn Swain G · CHI · 21	–	410	221	275	50	22.0	8.3	2.8	2.9	17.3
16	Bennett Stirtz G · OKC · 23	–	425	292	286	51	21.5	8.2	2.7	2.8	16.9
17	Ebuka Okorie G · DET · 19	–	433	296	294	52	21.0	8.1	2.6	2.7	16.5
18	Christian Anderson Jr. G · CHA · 20	–	434	312	308	52	20.7	7.9	2.6	2.6	16.2
19	Allen Graves F · TOR · 20	–	443	330	376	52	18.0	7.2	3.1	1.1	13.9
20	Jayden Quaintance F · SA · 19	–	455	330	378	52	17.6	7.0	3.1	1.1	13.8
21	Karim Lopez F · MEM · 19	–	456	330	384	52	17.3	6.8	3.1	1.1	13.7
22	Labaron Philon Jr. G · PHI · 20	–	492	351	337	52	19.8	7.3	2.6	2.3	15.3
23	Zuby Ejiofor F · ATL · 22	–	446	327	386	51	16.9	6.4	3.3	1.2	13.7
24	Cameron Carr G · LAL · 21	–	489	343	352	51	19.3	6.9	2.6	2.2	14.8
25	Sergio De Larrea F · DAL · 20	–	488	343	357	51	19.0	6.8	2.6	2.2	14.6
26	Tarris Reed Jr. C · SA · 23	–	476	307	250	50	19.2	6.8	5.4	1.2	18.4
27	Chris Cenac Jr. F · BOS · 19	–	477	325	383	50	16.6	6.0	3.4	1.2	13.7
28	Joshua Jefferson F · BKN · 22	–	471	321	389	49	16.6	5.9	3.4	1.2	13.6
29	Alex Karaban F · SAC · 23	–	470	321	390	49	16.5	5.9	3.5	1.2	13.6
30	Koa Peat F · PHX · 19	–	464	315	392	48	16.5	5.8	3.5	1.2	13.5
31	Bruce Thornton G · HOU · 23	–	468	323	396	47	17.2	6.0	2.4	2.0	13.2
33	Isaiah Evans F · MIN · 20	–	448	292	404	45	16.9	5.9	2.3	2.0	12.9
34	Meleek Thomas G · CLE · 20	–	437	285	406	44	16.8	5.8	2.3	2.0	12.9
35	Trevon Brazile F · DEN · 23	–	394	271	413	43	15.9	5.3	3.3	1.2	12.8
36	Baba Miller F · LAC · 22	–	380	261	424	42	15.7	5.2	3.3	1.2	12.6
37	Ryan Conwell G · MIA · 22	–	399	250	414	41	16.7	5.9	2.2	1.9	12.8
38	Braden Smith G · IND · 23	–	384	243	416	40	16.6	5.9	2.2	1.9	12.8
40	Dillon Mitchell F · BOS · 23	–	363	238	450	39	14.8	4.7	3.1	1.1	11.7
41	Otega Oweh G · OKC · 23	–	359	229	412	38	16.6	5.9	2.1	1.9	12.8
42	Ja'Kobi Gillespie G · SA · 22	–	353	225	411	37	16.6	6.0	2.1	1.9	12.8
43	Tyler Bilodeau F · BKN · 22	–	348	217	462	36	14.0	4.4	2.9	1.1	11.0
44	Maliq Brown F · SA · 22	–	346	208	466	35	13.7	4.3	2.8	1.0	10.7
45	Emanuel Sharp G · SAC · 22	–	341	206	415	35	16.5	6.0	2.1	1.9	12.8
46	Felix Okpara F · WSH · 22	–	337	200	475	34	13.2	4.2	2.7	1.0	10.3
47	Tyler Nickel F · NY · 23	–	336	200	479	34	13.0	4.1	2.7	1.0	10.1
48	Tobi Lawal F · DAL · 23	–	324	194	484	33	12.8	4.0	2.6	1.0	10.0
49	Bryce Hopkins F · DEN · 24	–	307	186	488	32	12.6	3.9	2.6	1.0	9.8
50	Jaden Bradley G · TOR · 23	–	296	186	418	32	16.4	6.0	2.0	1.8	12.7
51	Izaiyah Nelson F · ORL · 23	–	311	186	496	32	12.3	3.8	2.5	1.0	9.5
52	Henri Veesaar C · ATL · 22	–	244	170	301	31	17.3	7.1	4.5	1.0	16.3
53	Ugonna Onyenso C · DET · 22	–	245	170	309	31	17.2	7.0	4.5	1.0	16.2
55	Nick Martinelli F · LAC · 22	–	282	176	500	30	11.8	3.7	2.4	0.9	9.1
58	Jaron Pierre Jr. G · NO · 24	–	251	169	421	29	16.3	5.9	2.0	1.8	12.6

How rookie projections work

For each rookie, we look at the rookie seasons of players drafted near the same pick in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 classes, giving the closest picks and players at the same position (guard, forward, center) the most weight. The 9-cat rank uses the typical (median) outcome; "Upside" is where a better-case outcome (80th percentile of similar rookies) would rank. Last year's top five picks finished their rookie seasons 35th, 297th, 56th, 67th and 282nd, so the spread is real. Projected games come from how often rookies at that slot actually played. Rookies vary far more than veterans: a top-3 pick can be an instant starter or a slow developer. Treat these as a starting point, and in dynasty leagues weigh the upside more than year-one numbers. Projections update to real results once the season starts.