We kicked off the season with a fast-paced double-week. At the beginning of the season, we mentioned a number of ambitious teams, and that has grown even more with strong 2–0 starts from Valencia, Zalgiris and newcomer Hapoel Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, all of last season's Final Four participants have already tasted defeat and hold a 1–1 record. It's already clear that there won't be much room for mistakes, because opportunities for redemption may be far rarer compared to previous years.
Players from all kinds of teams are listed below in the latest edition of our EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge picks.
If you have any questions or comments about strategy or the picks below, feel free to drop those at the bottom of this article or reach out on X via @RotoWireEuro.
Good luck in Round 3!
Guard
Mike James, AS Monaco (15.7 credits)
Years go by, rookies come and go, but one thing remains unchanged: James remains one of the fiercest competitors at the highest level. Having produced an average of 22.6 fantasy points over the first two Rounds, James ranks third among all guards and honestly, expecting anything less from him would be disrespectful. Monaco is set to play back-to-back road games in Italy, a perfect setup for a player like James who thrives on taking responsibility in tough matchups.
Wade Baldwin IV, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (11.4 credits)
Consider this an appreciation post. He may have missed out on the Round 2 MVP due to Fenerbahce's loss to Zalgiris, but Baldwin delivered an epic 36-point performance — just missing his personal EuroLeague scoring record in the process. After the departure of Nigel Hayes-Davis, there was one big question: "Who will step up as the new leader of the team?" A healthy Baldwin has given a crystal-clear answer. Fenerbahce is set to play three consecutive games at home, and Baldwin has a golden opportunity to solidify his role as the go-to guy for his team.
Tyler Dorsey, Olympiacos Piraeus (9.2 credits)
After winning the bronze medal with the Greek national team over the summer, the EuroBasket 2025 vibes are still ongoing for Dorsey. The form he showed there must have inspired head coach Georgios Bartzokas, because after barely using Dorsey last year, he has given him over 30 minutes in each of the two games played so far. If this continues and Dorsey returns to the performance level he showed during his season at Olympiacos before moving to the NBA, it would make one of the most surprising comebacks. Olympiacos has consecutive home games ahead, which means more freedom for a player like Dorsey who tends to focus more on scoring.
Andreas Obst, Bayern Munich (7.2 credits)
With the 31 points he scored in Round 2, the German guard played a major role in securing his team's first win and it would not be wrong to call him one of the EuroLeague's most effective steady shooters. We all witnessed again what he is capable of when he finds his rhythm during the game, especially against Red Star. Generally, Obst tends to perform much better in home-court games, making Round 3 and 4 potentially ideal spots for him as Bayern will play both matches at home against Zalgiris and Milan. Additionally, despite delivering a very poor performance and struggling to score in the season opener against Panathinaikos on the road, coach Herbert's faith in him has never wavered; even in that low-performing game, Obst was kept on the court for 21 minutes.
Forward
Will Clyburn, FC Barcelona (14.1 credits)
After two seasons with Efes and a somewhat underwhelming stint with Virtus last year, many pundits had written off Clyburn, claiming he could no longer perform at a high level on a truly competitive team. But contrary to popular belief, he has proven the doubters wrong and opened the season with flashes of his old CSKA days. In a high-profile road win against Panathinaikos, Clyburn led his team with a 26 PIR by standing out as Barça's best player. Now, with momentum on his side a home game against Valencia feels like a perfect setup for Clyburn to become one of The Usual Suspects once again.
Zac Seljaas, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (10.7 credits)
If you're looking to take a chance on a surprise pick, Seljaas might just be the name to watch. With ASVEL's roster notably weakened this season he has a real shot at becoming one of their breakout players. Under head coach Pierric Poupet, he's already established himself as a key part of the rotation by averaging around 25 minutes per game. In last week's home win over Baskonia, he exploded for 23 points and a 25 PIR, clearly standing out as ASVEL's top performer. He's definitely worth a look, but here's the red flag: ASVEL now heads into back-to-back road games against powerhouses Real Madrid and Panathinaikos. Tread carefully.
Hamidou Diallo, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (10.9 credits)
While Baskonia has had a rough start to the EuroLeague season with an 0–2 record, some individual performances still offer reason for optimism. If Tadas Sedekerskis sits out due to injury, the game plan may shift toward a mandatory small-ball approach -- potentially featuring both Diallo and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot as dual small forwards. Diallo quietly posted a 17 PIR in each of the first two games and all eyes could be on him as he faces Panathinaikos -- one of the strongest title contenders. This matchup will be a major test and a chance for Diallo to prove what he can really do at the EuroLeague level. The stage is his.
Ercan Osmani, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (7.3 credits)
The Turkish power forward has picked up right where he left off at EuroBasket quickly earning the full trust of new head coach Igor Kokoskov. He logged 31–32 minutes in each of Efes' first two games making him arguably the most reliable name in the team's frontcourt. Having multiple options in the guard rotation but limited depth among the bigs, Osmani might even see minutes at center in small-ball lineups as the season progresses. The only real concern here is Efes' brutal upcoming schedule: they are going to set to face Partizan and Olympiacos on the road, followed by home games against Panathinaikos and Fenerbahce. The level of competition is elite, but Osmani's playing time seems secure regardless.
Center
Nikola Milutinov, Olympiacos Piraeus (13.1 credits)
Last season, Milutinov had to share the minutes with Moustapha Fall and Moses Wright in center rotation, but this year, with only Donta Hall added to the mix, he stands as the clear-cut first option at the five for Olympiacos. During their Spanish road trip to open the season, he averaged around 26 minutes on the court via posting PIRs of 27 and 17 in back-to-back games. After a heartbreaking loss against Real Madrid where the team collapsed in the final quarter , Olympiacos now returns home for matchups against Dubai and Efes. These will be key opportunities for Milutinov to step up and set the tone both physically and mentally.
Daniel Oturu, Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (11.1 credits)
Expected to back up Johnathan Motley at the center position, Oturu has flipped the script through the first two rounds by making a strong case for himself as Hapoel's primary big man. With PIRs of 21 and 17 he has shown consistency and impact on both ends of the floor. This week, his biggest edge comes from scheduling — Hapoel plays the very first (and only) game of the day which makes Oturu a prime candidate for a Turn-1 captain pick, especially for managers looking to roll the dice on a surprise differential. Riding the momentum of a 2–0 start, a derby win — even in front of a limited home crowd — would only boost the team's confidence further.
Head Coach
Sergio Scariolo, Real Madrid (9.0 credits)
For Round 3, Scariolo is probably the most popular coaching pick — even though Real Madrid's overall style of play so far this season has not exactly impressed anyone. Still, if the Spanish giant wants to turn the page and set a new tone, a dominant win at home could be just the spark they need.
Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (7.2 credits)
After a flat performance in the EuroLeague opening game on the road in Dubai, Partizan bounced back in Round 2 with a tightly contested win over Milan in front of their home crowd. Now it's time to take the next step and with a key matchup against Efes (a direct playoff rival), they will be pushing for a clear victory. Considering on head-to-head records likely to matter down the line every point will count.
Drop Candidates
Lonnie Walker IV, Maccabi Rapyd Tel-Aviv (13.5 credits)
At the beginning of last season, after losing their star guard duo Lorenzo Brown and Baldwin, Maccabi chose to go for Rokas Jokubaitis who was a completely different player profile, but it paid off. However, following Jokubaitis' departure, the team started searching for a combo guard again and acquired Walker by offering him a significant salary. It seems that the star guard has not yet fully adapted to the team's style of play, but he will definitely overcome the adjustment period and fit into the team at some point. However, the chance of this happening in Round 3 seem quite low.
For up-to-the-minute updates on injuries, rosters and everything else, head to RotoWire's latest EuroLeague news or follow @RotoWireEuro on X.
