NBA Fantasy Week 1 Power Rankings Highlight Jokić, Wembanyama

The NBA’s 2026-27 season tips off as superstar movement across the league reshapes fantasy basketball outlooks for opening week.

Nikola Jokić, Victor Wembanyama, and Luka Dončić Set the Fantasy Standard

As the 2026-27 NBA season gets underway, fantasy basketball managers are adjusting to a dramatically altered landscape. Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama command the top tiers of fantasy boards, with Jokić anchored by a reliable supporting cast that includes Jamal Murray and DeMar DeRozan. Throughout all 11 of his NBA campaigns, Jokić has consistently appeared in a minimum of 65 contests despite running into injuries during stretches of past action. Meanwhile, Wembanyama enters the season with an exceptionally high floor driven by his elite defensive output. Across last year’s campaign, the reigning Kia Defensive Player of the Year put up averages of 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 3.1 blocks to yield 53.4 fantasy points, following up a second-place finish in 9-cat that featured nightly marks of 25.0 points, 11.5 boards, 1.0 steals, 3.1 blocks, and 1.9 3s which secures his status as a premier candidate to finish atop the fantasy leaderboards throughout an 82-game schedule.

Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also picked up right where he left off, erupting for 32 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks for a total of 61.2 fantasy points during a rematch of the Western Conference Finals.

NBA: Preseason-Chicago Bulls at Denver Nuggets — Photo: NBC Sports

Additional elite standouts from the opening slate include Jalen Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks, who averaged 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists for a total of 48.3 fantasy points as an All-Star forward last year. Cade Cunningham, now 25 years old, has established himself as a reliable fantasy MVP candidate over recent seasons. In the draft room, industry experts like Josh Lloyd, Dan Besbris, Brian Taylor, George Bissell, Dan Titus, Dan Palyo, Alex Barutha, Adam King, and Adam Stock built rosters featuring elite names such as Stephen Curry, James Harden, Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, Brandon Miller, Jaylen Brown, Deni Avdija, Damian Lillard, Austin Reaves, Trey Murphy III, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, Jaren Jackson Jr., Michael Porter Jr., and Anthony Edwards.

Roster Shakeups and Opening Week Schedule Advantages

Major offseason movement has forced fantasy managers to rethink traditional selections. The Philadelphia 76ers pulled off the most talked-about re-tooling by bringing in Jaylen Brown, giving them a four-game schedule for the opening week. On the other side of the floor, the Los Angeles Clippers face a delayed start for shooting guard Bradley Beal, who will not be ready for the start of the regular season due to a knee injury.

He’s been getting better. Rehab is going pretty well, so we’ll see where he’s at. We don’t know the timetable, just making sure he feels good before he steps on the floor.

Tyronn Lue, Head Coach, Los Angeles Clippers

With Beal, Brandon Ingram, Max Strus, and Jordan Miller sidelined as the season opens, head coach Tyronn Lue confirmed that rookie options will see immediate floor time. Fantasy managers scouring the waiver wire have already reacted to the early rotation shifts. New Orleans center Yves Missi saw his rostered percentage climb after strong opening minutes, while Charlotte’s Moussa Diabate started and played over 33 minutes in a season-opening victory, contributing 17 points, 8 rebounds, 5 steals, and 3 assists. Additional rotation figures like Sandro Mamukelashvili logged 22 minutes off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers, while young talents such as Yaxel Lendeborg and rookie Darius Acuff Jr. generated significant preseason buzz across the league.

NBA Fantasy Week 1 Power Rankings Highlight Jokić, Wembanyama — Photo: AOL.com

Draft Values and Early Waiver Wire Targets

Industry experts wrapping up pre-season mock drafts highlighted several high-value targets sliding past their normal draft positions. Cason Wallace signed a contract extension in Oklahoma City and benefits from a schedule where the Thunder play three games on low-volume nights. Conversely, veterans like Nikola Vucevic saw early fantasy panic after playing just five minutes off the bench without a shot attempt in their opener. Other roster choices include Christian Braun, whose draft stock slipped due to an injury-riddled 2025-26 campaign, and Jrue Holiday, who faces a crowded backcourt rotation alongside Damian Lillard, Deni Avdija, and Scoot Henderson.

As standard and deeper leagues settle into their regular-season routines, managers balancing multi-category builds must monitor injury reports closely.