Yaxel Lendeborg And 3 Other 2026 NBA Draft Prospect Sleepers For Fantasy Basketball

Some 2026 NBA Draft prospects flying under the radar who could have big years in fantasy basketball in their rookie seasons.

Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) looks to keep the ball in bounds during the second half of the NCAA national championship game against Connecticut at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Monday, April 6, 2026. | Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Every year in the NBA, there are a couple of rookies who come out of nowhere and have seasons that many did not believe were possible. Here are five projected first-round 2026 NBA Draft picks who have all the potential to do just that.

Labaron Philon Jr.

Mar 27, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Labaron Philon Jr. (0) looks on after a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Michigan Wolverines at United Center. | David Banks-Imagn Images

Guard out of the University of Alabama, Labaron Philon Jr. has an extremely intriguing skillset that could make him a big impact player on day one of his  NBA career. Last season for the Crimson Tide, he averaged 22.0 PPG, 5.0 APG, and 3.5 RPG. He also shot 39.9% from three on 6.3 attempts per game.

Philon Jr. already has the game of a modern NBA point guard. He also truly showed the capability of being a team’s number one option. If he lands in the right spot with a team needing a number one scoring option, a fantasy breakout is in the cards.

Karim Lopez

Karim Lopez's name has been mentioned more and more as the NBA draft has neared, and his hype train could be building up for good reason. Standing at 6’8”, Lopez brings a dynamic game to the table, which he has improved against pro competition over the past two seasons in the NBL. Last year, he averaged 11.9 PPG and 6.1 RPG.

Listed as a PF, Lopez has the capability to create some off the dribble and is continuing to develop his 3-point shot. He increased his long-range shooting percentage to 32.6% from 30.8% a season ago. If Lopez can continue to piece his game together, at some point late into the 2026-2027 NBA season, it is foreseeable to look up and see him being one of the best rookies for fantasy basketball.

A slight comparable giving the possibility of Lopez being a good NBA player off the bat, is Josh Giddey’s rookie season. He got drafted from the NBL, and in his first season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, he averaged 12.5 PPG, 6.4 APG, and 7.8 RPG. In his season in the NBL prior to getting drafted, he averaged 10.9 PPG, 7.5 APG, and 7.4 RPG.

Bennett Stirtz

Mar 28, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Bennett Stirtz (14) reacts in the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini during an Elite Eight game of the South Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Toyota Center. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Bennet Stirtz, after starting his college career playing Division II basketball, is now more than likely going to be a first-round NBA Draft pick. This past season for the Iowa Hawkeyes, he averaged 19.8 PPG and 4.4 APG. He also shot 35.8% from distance on 6.9 attempts per game. 

Stirtz has day one starting point guard upside, but also could be a good support piece off the bench for an already competitive team. His ability to make difficult shots and maneuver more than comfortably off the dribble is a couple of aspects of his game that could lead him to be one of the better rookies for fantasy in the 2026 NBA Draft class.

Yaxel Lendeborg

Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) on the court during the first half of the NCAA national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Monday, April 6, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Yaxel Lendeborg, already at 23 years old, has an upper hand in having a surplus of basketball experience. With his age, he has the potential to transition his game to the NBA more seamlessly than most players in his draft class and become a notable good player for fantasy.

This past season for Michigan, he averaged 15.1 PPG and 6.8 RPG. He is also already on the right path to translating his game to become a more modern big man. Prior to this season, in his last two years of college basketball, he averaged under two 3-point attempts per game. This past season, he averaged 4.5 attempts per game and shot 37.2%.