Raphielle Johnson Wed, October 14, 2026 at 5:16 PM UTC · 6 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A big part of the preseason process for fantasy managers is finding players who can significantly exceed expectations. Some players who break out have already shown potential; now it's time to give them more chances to prove it. For others, breaking out means surprising the masses and delivering reliable fantasy value after failing to do so in the past.
Below are some players I believe can break out this season and deliver more fantasy value than many expected. We'll start in Charlotte, as the Hornets enter a new era after trading LaMelo Bal l and Miles Bridges this offseason.
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While Miller's 2025-26 averages weren't far from his prior-season numbers, they were a clear bounceback after injuries limited him to 27 games in 2024-25. In 2026-27, he could take things to another level with Ball and Bridges no longer in the picture. Also, with Coby White and Kon Knueppel sidelined for the preseason due to injury, the Hornets may have to lean even more on Miller at the start of the regular season. He was close to a top-50 fantasy player last season, and Miller can be even better in 2026-27.
After two seasons in Miami, where he showed flashes of the potential that made him a lottery pick, Ware was sent to Milwaukee this offseason as part of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. The 7-footer isn't guaranteed to start when the regular season begins, but he'll have every opportunity to flourish.
Current starting center Myles Turner doesn't offer much value as a rebounder, and the Bucks have also played Ware and Turner together during preseason. Not far from being a top-50 player last season, Ware could take the next step for the rebuilding Bucks.
There's no shortage of people on the Jerome bandwagon, especially after the Grizzlies traded Ja Morant to Portland. Injuries limited him to 15 games last season, but what Jerome produced in those outings is why he's on this list. In those appearances, he averaged 19.7 points, 5.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 2.8 three-pointers, shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 87.5 percent from the foul line.
Given the career track record, expecting similar production over 82 games could prove to be foolish. However, the opportunity makes it challenging to bet against Jerome in Memphis.
Harper made waves in an offseason interview with GQ , where he said he sees himself starting. It's unclear whether that will happen once the regular season begins, but the second-year guard has been starting with De'Aaron Fox sidelined by a minor injury. Harper took things up a notch in the postseason, averaging 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 three-pointers in 26.7 minutes per game.
He did that starting just two of the Spurs' 23 postseason games, suggesting Harper doesn't need to start to put up quality numbers. It remains to be seen who loses minutes, but Harper should play more than the 22.6 minutes per game he averaged in the 2025-26 regular season.
Like twin brother Amen, Ausar does not bring much to the table as a perimeter shooter. After attempting 113 three-pointers as a rookie, he's taken 73 over the last two seasons. That said, he's good enough in other areas to still offer strong fantasy value. Thompson led the NBA in steals per game (2.0) and finished third in total steals (146), four behind Thunder guard Cason Wallace .
Reports suggest Thompson will play more than the 26 minutes per game he averaged last season, which should raise his fantasy ceiling. While Ausar doesn't need to become an elite shooter, any progress there makes him an even more appealing option for fantasy managers.
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Wallace has offered top-100 fantasy value before, and he fell just shy of that threshold in category leagues last season. In 77 games, he averaged 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.3 three-pointers in 26.6 minutes. The opportunity ahead for the Thunder guard this season makes him an easy pick for this list. With Luguentz Dort , Isaiah Joe , and Aaron Wiggins all being traded during the offseason, Oklahoma City will need more production from Wallace. And after starting 58 games in 2025-26, he should be a fixture in the starting lineup alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander .
The ninth overall pick in the 2025 draft, Murray-Boyles played in only 57 games as a rookie due to injuries. However, he boasts a skill set that appears tailor-made for fantasy basketball, especially category leagues. As a rookie, CMB averaged 8.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks in 21.9 minutes per game. Starting center Jakob Poeltl is healthy after a lower-back issue limited him in 2025-26, but Murray-Boyles still has room to provide increased fantasy value.
Grimes essentially bet on himself in Philadelphia, signing a one-year qualifying offer ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. The former first-round pick played well enough to earn a multi-year deal with the Lakers, and he's likely to start. Sharing the court with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves limits other players' usage rates, including Grimes, but his perimeter shooting and defense will still add value. After finishing last season well outside the top-100 in category league value, don't be surprised if Grimes breaks through and provides reliable production in Los Angeles.
Of the five players the Nets selected in the first round of the 2025 draft, Dëmin showed the most promise last season, and by a safe distance. Starting 45 of 52 games, the 6-foot-8 guard averaged 10.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.8 steals, and 2.4 three-pointers per appearance. Not known for his perimeter shooting coming out of college, Dëmin shot 38.5 percent from three as a rookie.
Dëmin has started at point guard in the preseason, and that change, along with the addition of Julius Randle , raises his fantasy ceiling going into Year 2. If Dëmin can improve his overall shooting, as he was a 39.9 percent shooter last season, cracking the top-100 becomes more realistic.
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