The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft took place on Tuesday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. In a deep draft class, there's sure to be plenty of relevant rookies for fantasy basketball managers going into 2026-27. Yahoo analyst Dan Titus will be shares his grades for each pick in the top-14 during the first round.
No. 1 Pick: Washington Wizards — AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU
Dybantsa joins a Washington team where he can contribute immediately. At 6'9" with a 7'0.5" wingspan, Dybantsa's size and athleticism will translate well at the next level. He averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game in his only collegiate season. His 3-ball needs work (33.1%), but otherwise, he's one of the best offensive talents in his class. Teaming up with a playmaker like Trae Young will be good for him, and he'll complete what's becoming a formidable frontcourt with Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr and (potentially) Anthony Davis. I like Dybantsa's ability to get to the rim and he should be a draftable fantasy asset from jump. Nice pick, Wiz.
Grade: A
No. 2 Pick: Utah Jazz — Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas
Peterson enters the league with some concerns over his availability after his lone season at Kansas was derailed by cramping, ankle and hamstring issues. It's funny that he ended up with the Jazz after not working out for them —similar to Ace Bailey last season. I like the fit, though, as he slots in as their shooting guard of the future, with Keyonte George running point with a large, rangy frontcourt. Peterson played off-ball primarily in Kansas' system, but has some playmaking chops. Still, he's a pure scorer at heart. Standing at nearly 6-foot-6, the two-way guard averaged 20.2 points and shot 38.2% from 3. There are a lot of mouths to feed, so it's not a slam dunk from a fantasy perspective, but getting a starting role is a good start.
Grade: B
No. 3 Pick: Memphis Grizzlies — Cameron Boozer, F, Duke
Boozer could have easily been a No. 1 pick if you're evaluating strictly on the numbers — regular or advanced, he's top of the class. Efficiency. Production. Eye test. He checks every box. Posting 23-10-4 with 55/39/79 shooting splits is a strong profile for any player, let alone a forward who can also play center. The son of former Jazz All-Star Carlos Boozer, he lands in a spot where he can thrive next to or spell Zach Edey and GG Jackson II. With a team in the midst of a rebuild, bringing in a player of Boozer's profile and stature is massive. He'll make an impact right away and this is a far better landing spot than Washington or Utah.
Grade: A
No. 4 Pick: Chicago Bulls — Caleb Wilson, F/C, UNC
My favorite prospect in this class goes to the Bulls, who just so happened to trade for former Nets center Nic Claxton a day ago. That doesn't move me, though, as Wilson has the highest upside in this class. I've been seeing Kevin Garnett vibes all year — before he suffered a hand injury that kept him out of March Madness. The processing, athleticism, footwork and pure energy and effort look like a game-changer who can shift a franchise's trajectory. Maybe I'm wrong, but i doubt it. Next to no competition in that frontcourt, Wilson can walk into at least 15-9-3 with a couple of stocks as a rookie.
Grade: A+
No. 5 Pick: Los Angeles Clippers – Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois
The Clippers land a crafty, high-IQ guard to pair alongside Darius Garland, and the fit makes more sense than the athleticism concerns suggest. Wagler's 39.7% 3-point shooting and ability to change speeds off the dribble give Garland a legitimate spacing partner who can also handle creation duties when needed — something the Clippers' backcourt has been missing. If Kawhi Leonard walks in free agency and Bennedict Mathurin doesn't re-sign, Wagler could realistically be looking at 30-plus minutes from opening night on a roster suddenly thin on wings and shot creation. The ceiling here is contingent on those two roster dominoes falling, but if they do, this is a top-10 rookie fantasy situation.
Grade: B+
No. 6 Pick: Brooklyn Nets – Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville
Brown falling to Brooklyn is a fantasy gift. The Nets needed a table-setter for Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle and he'll take over as the lead guard on a roster being built around him and Egor Dёmin. Brown averaged 18.2 points and 4.7 assists as a freshman at Louisville while flashing one of the most unique guard skill sets in this class — combining drawing fouls, off-ball gravity and live-dribble passing that puts him in historically rare company alongside Steph Curry and Trae Young in terms of volume and efficiency combination. Brooklyn's wide-open situation is the ideal environment for his game to breathe and his 3-point shooting (34.4%) to develop without pressure. The back injury is the one legitimate concern — if he's fully healthy, this is as good a landing spot as exists in this draft.
Grade: A-
No. 7 Pick: Sacramento Kings — Darius Acuff Jr., G, Arkansas
Acuff is the pick for Sacramento, and the landing spot couldn't be better (even though it's Sacramento, lol). That said, they've had some recent success drafting point guards well — see Tyrese Haliburton, De'Aaron Fox. They needed a point guard with Russell Westbrook gone, and they got the SEC's leader in both scoring (23.5 PPG) and assists (6.4 APG) this past season. He was the first player to do that in conference history since Pete Maravich. Defensive warts aside, he shot an efficient 48/44/81 split and fantasy managers should be looking at him for his points and assists. The Kings have a ton of vets, but that's OK because he's been the Kings' guy from jump. Just ask Kings GM Scott Perry. Great landing spot for Acuff, who can play right away.
Grade: A
No. 8 Pick: Atlanta Hawks — Kingston Flemings, G, Houston
Atlanta's backcourt needed some playmaking, and getting Flemings here makes sense. They just re-signed CJ McCollum on a one-year deal, which means Flemings is likely being set up to be their cornerstone lead guard. I don't love the fit right now because the Hawks play through Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels also gets over 5 assists per game. Flemings averaged 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game at Houston while setting a program record with 246 assists in a single season. He has a great feel for the game with a two-way motor that translates immediately at the next level.
Grade: B
No. 9 Pick: Dallas Mavericks — Morez Johnson Jr., F, Michigan
Johnson felt like a reach, but considering he's reuniting with college coach Dustin May, now the Mavericks' head coach, he could find some real minutes. With Cooper Flagg, Johnson brings a relentless motor and switchable defense, adding versatility on the wing. He'll thrive as a dunker-spot finisher off Flagg and Kyrie Irving's creation and attack the rim with a physicality that'll earn him immediate playing time. At Michigan, he averaged 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks while shooting 62.3% from the field, and he should get at least 1.5 stocks per game at the NBA level. There are valid questions about his shooting ability, but if he can initially land an Aaron Gordon-like role, it could mask that concern.
Grade: C
No. 10 Pick: Milwaukee Bucks — Brayden Burries, G, Arizona
Burries has the talent to be a Jamal Murray-type guard at the next level. A physical, three-level scorer who shot 49/39/81 at Arizona while defending multiple positions with toughness and footwork that belie his age. The problem isn't the player; it's the roster — Milwaukee is currently carrying Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr. and Tyler Herro in the backcourt, and until the Bucks offload that guard logjam, Burries is going to have a hard time carving out meaningful minutes as a rookie. Redraft fantasy managers should look elsewhere for now, but dynasty managers should still have him as a top-10 rookie asset. Once Milwaukee clears the deck, Burries steps into exactly the kind of featured role where his Murray-esque skill set flourishes. The talent is lottery-caliber; the situation just isn't there yet.
Grade: D
No. 11 Pick: Golden State Warriors — Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan
Turning 24 in September, Lendeborg gives the Warriors a proven winner who's ready to contribute right away. As one of the most NBA-ready players in this draft, he fills Golden State's need for a do-it-all forward who can impact the game from Day 1. At Michigan, he averaged 15.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.4 stocks per game, steadily improving his 3-point shot for a well-rounded fantasy profile. After transferring from UAB and winning a national title, he's shown he can thrive as a defensive disruptor, off-ball scorer or secondary creator — exactly the kind of versatility the Warriors demand. Lendeborg fits the team's culture perfectly. Now, the only question I have is how long it'll take to crack the rotation enough to be fantasy-relevant? Dynasty-wise, a second-round pick is fair given his age.
Grade: B
No. 12 Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder — Aday Mara, C, Michigan
Well, if OKC needed to add some rim protection to account for some guy named Victor Wembanyama, that's a way to do it. Adding Mara alongside Chet Holmgren is legitimately scary defensively — a 7'4.25" shot-eraser with a 7'6" wingspan who led the Big Ten in blocks (2.6 per 40) and shot 66.8% from the floor during Michigan's national championship run. The Thunder now have the length and versatility to throw multiple looks at any frontcourt in the league, and Mara's advanced passing and off-ball movement make him far more than just a stationary rim protector in OKC's system. The blocks and field-goal percentage translate in fantasy, and being on a contending OKC roster where they've been known to blow out teams, Mara will play. Makes you wonder what's next for Isaiah Hartenstein… either way, its an A.
Grade: A+
No. 13 Pick: Milwaukee Bucks (via MIA) — Nate Ament, F, Tennessee
Milwaukee doubles down on youth by adding Ament to replenish the wing depth lost when Giannis walked out the door and the direction makes sense even if the immediate fantasy returns are modest. At almost 6'11" with the ability to handle, shoot and dish it out, Ament has the tools to eventually fill that void on the wing. However, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kyle Kuzma are on the team, plus his efficiency at Tennessee (39.9/33.3/79.0) was a significant step back from his early preseason hype train. Ament’s more of a project than a plug-and-play contributor right now. The good news is Milwaukee already addressed the backcourt with Burries at 10, so there's no pressure to rush Ament into a featured role before he's ready. Dynasty managers can be patient here — the size and skill combination is real — but redraft managers should look elsewhere until the efficiency rounds into form.
Grade: C
No. 14 Pick: Charlotte Hornets — Hannes Steinbach, F, Washington
Charlotte adds a much-needed interior presence to complement what Ryan Kalkbrenner and Moussa Diabaté are already doing up front. Steinbach led the entire NCAA in rebounding as a freshman at 11.8 boards per 40 minutes. He has a nice touch around the rim, a reliable interior finishing game and the size to be a double-double threat as he gets more reps alongside LaMelo Ball's elite playmaking. I'm docking him points because he'll have to leap both Kalkbrenner and Diabaté on the depth chart before the fantasy upside fully unlocks, which keeps this from being a flat-out A grade. But the fit is real; Charlotte got better tonight, and fantasy managers should grab Steinbach in the mid-second round of dynasty drafts.
