"Sleepers"
One of the best things about this site is also one of the trickiest parts to navigate. No matter what type of league you play in, we generate custom numbers, projections, standings, trade analyzers, and more. Enter your scoring format, roster size, and instantly you get something tailored to you.
But when it comes to me making a comment on a player, writing an article, or giving any sort of value assessment, I cannot possibly cover every league format. If your league has 30 teams and 450 rostered players, great. If it is a 10-team league with 16 roster spots, also fine. If it is a 12-category roto, no problem. The challenge is that the real value comes from the projections and how they feed into everything else. That is where you get your edge.
With that said, here are five players in a standard league that you should consider with one of your final draft picks. Each has the upside to deliver more than even I have projected for them.
Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman are both recovering from Achilles injuries, and the Indiana Pacers traded for Huff. I expect him to start at centre on opening night. His value likely will not match his per-36 numbers from last season, but he should be serviceable. Jackson could eventually take the role, but he will be limited early and likely sitting back-to-backs, which caps his impact. If the Pacers clearly hand the job to Jackson, then he becomes the target.
Queta has looked good at EuroBasket, but he is not locked in as the Boston Celtics' starter. It could be Luka Garza, or they might use Chris Boucher at centre alongside Sam Hauser or Josh Minott at power forward. Still, Joe Mazzulla knows Queta well, and his shot blocking, rebounding, and finishing, along with flashes of three-point shooting, make him intriguing.
This one is fairly obvious, and he may climb up Yahoo's ranks quickly. I expect Porter to start for the Milwaukee Bucks ahead of Ryan Rollins and Cole Anthony. His shooting and ball-dominant style are concerns, but if he gets close to 30 minutes a night, his counting stats should be strong. He also showed steals and efficiency in his limited time with Milwaukee last season.
Whitmore is a high-usage player, and his camp was clearly fine with landing in Washington to get a bigger opportunity. He may not start, with Bilal Coulibaly and Kyshawn George possibly opening as the forwards, but the Wizards should give him extended run. They will want to see if he can be a go-to usage option on a roster that does not have many of those players.
This is more of a long shot, but Sensabaugh might already be the Utah Jazz's best shooter. A lot depends on how Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier are used, as well as whether Lauri Markkanen plays small forward or power forward. Still, Sensabaugh made big strides last season, and his shooting and spacing could make him a valuable piece if the Jazz keep his minutes up.
This is not an exclusive list. Plenty of other players could step into these roles or even beat out the names I have mentioned. That is why projections are always evolving as new information comes in. But these are the types of players I like targeting late in drafts to see what they can deliver.