Looking to win your league? Identifying fantasy basketball breakout players before draft day is critical. Our analysts dive into eight must-add candidates whose fantasy value is set to explode due to increased minutes, usage hikes, or prime roster opportunity. From rookies like Reed Sheppard and Donovan Clingan to veteran beneficiaries like Josh Giddey, learn which players are poised to deliver top-100 production and become league-winners this 2025-26 NBA season.
Fantasy Basketball Breakout Candidates
1. Reed Sheppard, Rockets 
The case for Sheppard is immediate and high-impact following the unfortunate news that Fred VanVleet tore his ACL during an offseason workout and is expected to miss the entire season.
- Context: Sheppard, the number three overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, spent time in the G-League and showed promising signs in the 2025 Las Vegas Summer League.
- Fantasy Outlook: VanVleet's absence opens up a massive opportunity, immediately placing Sheppard at the top of the breakout list. Sheppard is now a candidate to be taken inside the top 100 in fantasy drafts.
2. Chet Holmgren, Thunder 
While already known as one of the best rim protectors in the NBA, Holmgren's fantasy breakout hinges on an increased workload and offensive development.
- Minutes Increase: Holmgren has not consistently played 30 minutes per game due to injuries, but he has the potential to step up to 32-33 minutes this season.
- Offensive Growth: There is significant room for him to develop as a creator and playmaker, expanding his game beyond just pick-and-roll lobs and catch-and-shoot threes. This development would be beneficial for both Holmgren and the Thunder as a team.
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3. Matas Buzelis, Bulls 
Buzelis showed significant improvement during his rookie season, moving into a starting role and showing flashes of phenomenal play.
- Efficiency: After struggling early on, he became a super-efficient offensive player in the second half of the season.
- Performance: He shot nearly 50% from the field, with a high volume of his attempts coming from three-point range, combining dunks and open looks. This strong, efficient performance is notable for such a young player.
4. Josh Giddey, Bulls
Giddey's potential leap comes from solidifying his role as the team's primary offensive driver.
- Primary Playmaker: This season is set up to be the first where Giddey is, from start to finish, his team's go-to number one playmaker. The team has every reason to feature him as their best long-term asset.
- All-Around Game: Already one of the NBA's best passers and a triple-double threat, he can consistently average seven to nine rebounds.
- Defensive Upside: While not known as a great defender, Giddey's defensive counting stats are solid, averaging 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks per 36 minutes last season.
5. Bennedict Mathurin, Pacers 
Mathurin is primed for a massive opportunity following significant roster changes on the team.
- Opportunity: The departure of players like Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner after the team's Game 7 NBA Finals loss creates a void in offensive usage.
- Upside: Mathurin is seen as having the highest upside on the roster and is capable of breaking through his ceiling this season. His existing "alpha mindset" suggests he will naturally step up to seize this increased role.
6. Donovan Clingan, Trail Blazers 
The rookie center is expected to make an immediate impact based on his elite foundational skills.
- Elite Defense: Clingan is one of the best shot-blocking and rebounding combinations in the league on a per-possession basis and is expected to start.
- Keys to Breakout: To reach his ceiling, he must improve his conditioning and reduce his fouling, which has been a problem that limits his minutes.
- Offensive Potential: He has potential to contribute more on offense, particularly as a better passer (perhaps utilizing Sabonis-like dribble handoff actions) and improving efficiency on shots following offensive rebounds. He has the potential to be a top-60 fantasy player if he can consistently play close to 30 minutes a game.
7. Ausar Thompson, Pistons 
After a tumultuous, absence-plagued start to his career, Thompson is ready for a full breakout.
- Minutes Necessity: The Pistons must commit to playing Thompson at least 30 minutes per game this year to properly evaluate the fit with the young core (Cunningham, Ivey, Duren).
- Defensive Monster: Even with zero improvement on offense, an increase in minutes will lead to an insane amount of steals and blocks, making him a valuable fantasy asset.
- Offensive Development: He will need to develop his offensive game, including ball-handling, playmaking, and three-point shooting.
8. Kon Knueppel, Hornets 
The rookie wing is considered one of the most NBA-ready players in his draft class (outside of Cooper Flagg) and has a clear path to production.
- Clear Role: Knueppel is expected to be an immediate contributor and may start alongside Brandon Miller, allowing LaMelo Ball to run the offense and generate easy looks for Knueppel. He is also a great connector and ball mover, not just a sharpshooter.
- Upside: He has a clear path to a leading role. Given the injury history of Charlotte's core players (LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller), Knueppel is only "one injury away" from potentially stepping into a number two or even number one option role on the team.
Essential Fantasy Basketball Resources
Check out RotoWire's How to Play Fantasy Basketball guide for a complete walkthrough, but here is some basic advice:
- Check out custom NBA Fantasy Projections
- Look into Fantasy Basketball Mock Drafts
- Listen to a Fantasy Basketball Podcast
- Check in on Fantasy Basketball Player News
- Read Fantasy Basketball Articles
- Dive into RotoWire's Fantasy Basketball Draft Kit
- Study NBA Depth Charts
- See RotoWire's Fantasy Basketball Dynasty Rankings
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