High Score reshapes weekly fantasy basketball by rewarding big weekly ceilings in assists and steals with minimal turnovers. Five sleepers outside the top 100 ADP stand out: Kevin Porter Jr., Reed Sheppard, Jaden Ivey, Stephon Castle and Isaiah Collier, each equipped for spike weeks with 30+ minutes and heavy usage.

Additional upside comes from Kyshawn George, Dennis Schröder, Ayo Dosunmu, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Davion Mitchell, who bring late-round dart throws in punt-turnover builds. Together they map a flexible strategy for weekly winners in 2025-26.

Chicago pulls off a defensive pivot by acquiring Isaac Okoro from Cleveland, betting that his physical, multi-positional perimeter defense can catalyze a cultural reset. Okoro vows to guard the toughest assignments and lead with effort, while Billy Donovan weighs starting options as the Bulls push to maximize defensive energy. The move comes as Chicago emphasizes a faster, more relentless pace, with Okoro’s leadership seeding a contagious hustle throughout training camp.

Okoro’s arrival isn’t just about one player; it signals a broader shift in the Bulls’ roster dynamics. Young talents like Matas Buzelis are watching closely as Okoro models the gritty, team-first mindset the team seeks. The conversation around roles, rotations, and defensive identity could define Chicago’s fantasy upside this season, especially for managers seeking a true hustle-based floor.

Buzelis stole Bulls media day with candor and swagger, framing growth as a team pursuit and vowing to chase Most Improved Player. His confidence, paired with an energized locker room, signals Chicago’s push toward a youth-led rebuild while the front office doubles down on internal development and patience.

Chicago’s veterans—White, Dosunmu, Vucevic—provide stability as the franchise leans into its young core. Front office logic centers on development and draft leverage, with a reminder of last season’s play-in stumble. The mood: win first, grow together, and let the sea of potential try to translate into wins when the season opens against a Heat reminder of past bumps.

Houston’s win-now push hits a snag as Fred VanVleet faces ACL surgery, likely sidelining him for the season. Five guard options—Ayo Dosunmu, Jose Alvarado, Scottie Pippen Jr, Payton Pritchard, and TJ McConnell—are floated as stopgaps, each with a distinct fantasy path depending on minutes, role, and fit with Houston’s core.

The decision hinges on which guard can grab a reliable workload quickly, how Houston spaces the floor, and how quickly they can translate a high-upside guard rotation into steady fantasy production across categories.