Jalen Johnson could surge to a top-10 roto finish if health cooperates, tapping a 20/10 floor with blocks, steals, and 3s. LaMelo Ball’s usage stays sky-high even with injury risk, while Desmond Bane and Zion Williamson carry immense scoring upside, and Desmond Bane’s value hinges on his endurance. James Harden and Luka Doncic anchor fantasy rosters with elite counting stats, Embiid’s ceiling remains obscene but health is the wild card. Holmgren’s 20/10 ceiling looms large for the thin Thunder, and Embiid’s workload remains a key lever for the season.

Across teams from the Celtics’ wings to the Pistons’ guards and the Spurs-adjacent rookies, the article maps out bold, sometimes contradictory outcomes, emphasizing durability and role changes as the season’s X-factors. The overarching theme: expect big swings, but identify which players own the clearest paths to massive fantasy leverage and pounce when narratives align with value in drafts and in-season moves.