Jakob Poeltl anchors late-round value with top-50 upside when healthy, but rest days and a 25-game absence keep his floor volatile. Jalen Suggs carries elite steals upside if he stays on the floor, but injury risk keeps his ceiling tempered. Payton Pritchard can push into strong 9-cat value in Boston’s shuffled lineup, while Shaedon Sharpe and Onyeka Okongwu offer high-upside, high-usage paths with caveats in efficiency and role clarity. Kristaps Porzingis, Miles Bridges, Scoot Henderson and Desmond Bane add varied pathways—floor-safe totals, durability, and breakout potential in a crowded 9-cat landscape.

Careful construction around these names can unlock strong roto totals and 9-cat upside this season, especially when rosters are built to weather rest days and shifting rotations. The episode dives into how changes in starting lineups, rest schedules, and new teammates impact usage, efficiency, and categoricals, framing a pragmatic ladder for late-round fantasy growth and early-round risk.

Washington's roster rebuild centers on a heavy youth influx paired with seasoned veterans, creating a high-upside fantasy landscape but with built-in early-season uncertainty. Cam Whitmore and Bilal Coulibaly join a young core led by Alex Sarr and Trey Johnson, while Will Riley and AJ Johnson push for minutes behind the main rotation. CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton anchor the veteran presence, with Kyle Kuzma handling primary scoring responsibilities. The plan emphasizes developing young talent now with a potential midseason asset haul, while guarding minutes and preserving upside for the long haul.

From a fantasy lens, the key questions are minutes and role clarity. McCollum likely starts, Middleton probably eases into a lighter load as he ages, and Bal Koulibali/Bilal Koulibaly projects as a stretch big with upside but mixed early-season production. Whitmore's rookie ceiling is sky-high if he carves a consistent role, while Sarr's shooting and rim protection will determine how quickly the team can lean into a five-out line. Kispert and Kuzma remain steady sources of scoring and threes, but depth and competitive camp battles will sculpt the daily fantasy shimmer throughout the year.

Washington’s fantasy playbook hinges on CJ McCollum steering a rebuilt offense while a rookies-led core—Cam Whitmore, Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, and Keshon George—grows into meaningful roles. FanDuel pegs the Wizards at 20.5 wins after finishing around 18 last season, with the team boasting scarce cap commitments next year. Middleton’s veteran presence is tempered by age and health risk, while McCollum’s minutes and usage shape most draft-day decisions. Whitmore’s unknown minutes, Sar’s efficiency gaps, and the multi-cat upside from the younger guys offer late-round edges in different formats. Bub Carrington and Champagnie sit in the late-flyer tier, with the starting five still up in the air as the team embraces a tank-year trajectory.

The New Orleans Pelicans face significant uncertainty heading into the offseason, particularly after ending the season with a dismal 21-61 record. With the firing of GM David Griffin, the team is now under the leadership of Joe Dumars, a hire that has raised eyebrows due to his mixed track record in the league. The Pelicans hold only one draft pick for the upcoming NBA draft, with the potential to select between picks one to eight, but most projections see them likely landing at six. This limited lottery position combined with a lack of promising assets complicates their rebuild.

Among the players on the roster, CJ McCollum's future remains a question mark as the team considers its direction without DeJounte Murray, who suffered a significant injury. McCollum's statistics have declined, and he is no longer viewed as a fantasy asset worthy of high picks. Additionally, players like Herbert Jones and Jose Alvarado offer some potential, but their limitations mean the franchise must strategically navigate free agency and trades to bolster their squad. Overall, the Pelicans' path forward is clouded with challenges.