Fantasy Basketball: Wembanyama, Jokić kick off extremely early 2026-27 mock draft

At this point in the calendar, there is a lot to be determined regarding the next season in fantasy basketball. Between free agency, the draft and injuries, there are going to be a lot of changes to NBA rosters by the time that fantasy drafts are held in the fall. With that in mind, Rotoworld staffers Raphielle Johnson and Noah Rubin are part of a six-round mock draft for a 10-team, eight-cat head-to-head league.

While the beginning of the mock draft was unsurprising, some picks clearly illustrate the difference between eight-cat formats and leagues in which turnovers are a scoring category. How early will Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton go after missing the entire 2025-26 season with a ruptured Achilles tendon? And what should fantasy managers make of Anthony Davis, whose name has already come up in trade rumors despite not appearing in a game for the Wizards after his trade from Dallas?

Below are the results of the mock draft, which includes a third-round reversal.

Round 1

One question that many fantasy managers will grapple with during the draft season is whether this is the time when Wembanyama becomes the unquestioned first overall pick. Injuries limited him to 64 regular-season games in 2025-26, but the production was elite. And at 22 years of age, the 7-foot-4 phenom still has not reached his ceiling. Jokić will definitely remain in the 1.1 conversation. Still, it will be interesting to see what changes Denver makes during the offseason and how (or if) they affect the three-time league MVP’s production.

The most interesting pick made in the first round may be Haliburton, who did not play at all this season after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. There’s no doubt that Haliburton can, when healthy, provide elite fantasy value. What will the early stages of his return look like, especially with Ivica Zubac in the fold at the center position? Also, if the Pacers land a high lottery pick, that’s another talented option for Haliburton to work with.

Round 2

As good as Flagg was during his rookie season, the sky may be the limit for him in Year Two. Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd’s decision to use him at point guard was questioned early on, but the approach may benefit the talented forward in the future. Getting a healthy Kyrie Irving back on the court will help, and Dallas will also have a lottery pick to work into the fold this summer.

Antetokounmpo, whose future in Milwaukee remains undetermined, and Davis are two other interesting second-round picks. The Bucks can’t sign Antetokounmpo to an extension until October 1; will they have an idea of what the star forward wants before then? And if Giannis is traded, where will he land? When healthy, he’s an excellent option in eight-cat formats, especially in roster builds in which free-throw percentage is being punted.

Davis has yet to appear in a game for the Wizards after Washington acquired him from the Mavericks. Injuries have been an issue in recent years, making him a challenging player to rely on in fantasy leagues. How well will Davis fit alongside Alex Sarr? Also, AD’s name has come up in some trade rumors. Would Washington entertain the possibility if the return is favorable?

Round 3

This is the round where some turnover-prone playmakers could represent significant value in 2026-27 if they were to go this low. Harden, Giddey, Ball and Avdija can all be highly valuable options in eight-cat formats, as was the case this season. For Giddey and Avdija, the question for next season is the fit of the roster around them.

In Chicago, they’re hiring a new front office and head coach; Giddey should have the ball in his hands plenty, but who else is in the fold besides Matas Buzelis is something that will be considered in fantasy drafts. As for Avdija, does his usage take a significant hit with a healthy Damian Lillard (Achilles) on the court? He’s coming off the best season of his NBA career to date, and adding a consistent shooter of Lillard’s caliber should help with Portland’s offensive spacing.

Round 4

One player whose draft value I’ll keep a close eye on during the fall is Houston’s Şengün, who was recently named the NBA’s most overrated player in an anonymous player survey conducted by The Athletic. From a fantasy standpoint, the expectations were high going into the 2025-26 season, with the Rockets’ center having a top-20 ADP.

While Şengün did not reach those heights in eight-cat formats, receiving third-round value was not a bad deal for fantasy managers. It will be interesting to see how Fred VanVleet’s return and any other potential roster changes in Houston affect Şengün’s fantasy value.

Utah’s Jackson and Kessler are also interesting figures, as we still don’t know what the Jazz frontcourt rotation will look like when whole. The first order of business for Utah will be to re-sign Kessler, who will be a restricted free agent this summer. The expectation is that the Jazz would start Jackson, Kessler and Lauri Markkanen together, and the former is at his best defensively when paired with a traditional center.

Round 5

Young slipping to the fifth round in an eight-cat format grabbed my attention immediately, given how productive he has been in the past. Injuries limited the Wizards’ point guard to a career-low 15 games this season, and it’s just the second in which he’s appeared in fewer than 60 games. Washington’s young rotation will also be something to consider when evaluating Young, especially if Davis is not in the fold.

And what a difference a season makes for Keyonte George, whose career year boosted his fantasy value considerably. Also, the fifth round of this mock draft included some players returning from lengthy injury-related absences. While I wouldn’t be too concerned about Irving or Markkanen, Edey’s lower-body issues at this stage of his career are worth keeping an eye on.

Round 6

Embiid in the sixth round of a fantasy draft has the potential to represent elite value, but only if he can remain healthy for the playoff weeks. Those who rolled the dice on the 7-footer this season received a second-round return in 12-team formats, but he only played 38 games and has appeared in 40 or fewer in each of the last three seasons.

Murray, Sabonis and Herro will be coming off of seasons in which they missed considerable time due to injuries. Regarding Sabonis, will he remain in Sacramento? The veteran center’s name was one of many that came up in trade rumors before his season-ending knee injury, and Maxime Raynaud had some good moments to end his rookie campaign.

Siakam’s fantasy value should see a boost with Haliburton’s return, as it lightens the workload the Pacers needed Spicy P to carry in the point guard’s absence. Buzelis is coming off a productive 2025-26 and should be a key building block for the Bulls moving forward, but who the team hires as its next head coach will also factor into his fantasy outlook.