NBA Fantasy Basketball Rookie Stock Watch: Caleb Love, VJ Edgecombe Climbing

Here is a stock watch on four star rookies for fantasy basketball lineups after one week into the New Year.

Jan 2, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Caleb Love (2) reacts to making a three-point basket against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at Smoothie King Center. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Rookies throughout the NBA have managed to leave their mark early in their respective professional careers. Some top picks, such as Cooper Flagg, have managed to live up to immense expectations. Other under-the-radar first-year players have emerged, already exceeding expectations after entering the association with question marks. 

From a fantasy basketball perspective, many rookie players have provided valuable production for lineups, ramping up efforts as the midpoint of the regular season approaches. Here’s a pulse on the fantasy basketball stock for four star rookies to this point of the season: 

Caleb Love Skyrockets Amid Blazers Win Streak

Jan 5, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Caleb Love (2) drives to the basket during the second half against Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (8) at Moda Center. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

After going undrafted following a storied collegiate career at North Carolina, Caleb Love has begun carving out a significant role for the Portland Trail Blazers in his first NBA season. Love has contributed immensely to Portland’s 6-1 stretch over their last seven games, averaging 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists during that stretch, shooting 45.6% from the field and 41.7% from beyond the arc. Love’s production has translated to fantasy, where he’s averaged 24.5 fantasy points during Portland’s recent four-game win streak. Love is quickly rising in fantasy basketball rankings, a trend that projects to continue as he cements a notable role in the Trail Blazers’ rotation. 

Cooper Flagg Living Up To No. 1 Billing

Jan 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) controls the ball during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets at American Airlines Center. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Despite the team’s overall struggles, winning just 14 of their first 37 games, top pick Cooper Flagg has offered significant contributions for a banged-up Dallas Mavericks squad. Over his first 36 games, Flagg has averaged 18.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists, shooting nearly 48% from the field. Though he’s yet to find his rhythm from three, shooting just 27.6% from beyond the arc to this point of the season, he’s offered major production for fantasy basketball lineups throughout the season. Flagg’s 36.9 fantasy points per game rank 14th among all forwards in fantasy, leading all rookies so far this year. 

Kon Knueppel Trending For Charlotte Hornets

Dec 22, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) dribbles the ball in the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. | David Richard-Imagn Images

Rookie sharpshooter Kon Knueppel has contributed to valuable wins for a Charlotte Hornets team looking to right the ship. The fellow Duke product leads all rookies with 19.3 points per game, adding 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists while connecting on 43% of his 3-pointers so far this season. Like his Blue Devil counterpart, Knueppel’s fantasy stock continues to trend with valuable production, averaging 32.7 fantasy points per game, the 10th-most among all shooting guards. Knueppel has already cemented his role as one of the Hornets’ top scoring options, and projects to continue such an upward trend in fantasy in the second half of the season. 

VJ Edgecombe Surging With Stellar Two-Way Production

Jan 1, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe (77) brings the ball up court against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at the American Airlines Center. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

V.J. Edgecombe’s recent stretch of production has matched that of some of the best guards in the NBA, including Luka Doncic and his partner in the backcourt, Tyrese Maxey. The rookie guard has played a direct role in the 76ers’ turnaround, helping the team to wins in 19 of his 31 appearances this season. Edgecombe is averaging 16.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists, adding 1.5 steals on the defensive end while shooting 43% from the field and 38% from deep. The 76ers guard is averaging 34.9 fantasy points per game, mirroring league-leading fantasy basketball production over the two weeks. Edgecombe’s rebounding ability, assist production and two-way play help project a sustained trend for his fantasy stock.