Fantasy Basketball Week 12 Buy-Low Candidates: Alex Sarr and 4 Others

I find these five players to have upside worth the risk in the current state of Fantasy Basketball. They can be league-winners, for sure.

Jan 7, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr (20) dribbles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

If you are setting out to win your Fantasy Basketball league, you must monitor Free Agency like a hawk. Many players may go hot, and cold, but their values will ultimately vary. As a manager, you can buy, sell, and scheme up the best long-term plan(s) for your roster. Today, we will focus on (5) key buy-low candidates as we approach mid-January.

LaMelo Ball, Guard — Charlotte Hornets

Ball is somewhat devalued solely because he has only played (27) Games on the season. On a per game basis, Ball is still just the G17 in Fantasy Basketball. His usage and pure ability show me that the upside looms large for Ball.

Any Usage Rate above 28% is generally considered elite. Ball has a 30.7% Usage Rate. The Hornets surely look to mix in their young players, but Ball will usually average near (35) Minutes Per Game. Currently, he sits below (30). We know that he shoots at-will, and that will favor Top-10 Upside at the Guard position. This is a big splash, but one worth making.

Jalen Suggs, Guard — Orlando Magic

I love me some Jalen Suggs. He leads the entire Magic team with a (+-) Rating of +5.5 . He is the heart of this Magic roster. Yet, he is the G41 in Fantasy Basketball. I believe that Suggs can trend much higher and he is a more rare asset with Top-20 Positional Value.

Suggs is 3rd on the Magic in Usage Rate and %Pts While on the Court. His best attribute of all is his (31.8%) Assist Rate, being 1st on the team. As the Magic are a dark-horse Eastern Conference Contender, the sky is the limit. Any Top-2 option on a team should not be 41st at their position. I am sure that Suggs will rise.

Ace Bailey, Forward — Utah Jazz

If you are making any sound investments, it will usually be done early. How about the rookie 2nd overall pick? Bailey is playing under (30) Minutes per Game, but as time goes on, that should only go up. As for now, Bailey is just the F89 in Fantasy Basketball.

The pure-scoring ability of Bailey is amazing. He is already 4th on the Jazz in Usage Rate and % of Team Field Goals Made. The Jazz are very heavily rumored to be in the trade market. Whether Lauri Markannen, Walker Kessler, or any else is dealt, that may well only favor the playing time of Bailey. A young, rebuilding team will logically have Bailey be a key starter by seasons end.

Jalen Williams, Forward — Oklahoma City Thunder

Chet Holmgren + Jalen Williams tonight

Chet
23 PTS
12 REB
1 STL
3 BLK

JDub
17 PTS
6 REB
8 AST pic.twitter.com/zozjcw4j4o

— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) January 8, 2026

Risk versus Reward — that is always the process that we follow. Williams is the F24 in Fantasy Basketball, and he is not a deep-cut. However, the reward may be worth the risk. Why? Usage. Usage is King.

We may think of the Thunder as a team with a deep, competitive depth chart. However, Williams is the best of them. He is 2nd in Usage Rate (25.0%), and one of two players on the team (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) with a "high" Usage Rate >24% . Williams is also 3rd in % of Team Points Scored and 2nd in Assist Rate. He averages (30.0) Minutes per Game and has only played (19) Games, but is now healthy.

Going forward, Williams has Top-15 upside as a heavily used, and trusted piece on the best team in basketball. I find that all to be a good selling point.

Alex Sarr, Center — Washington Wizards

Alex Sarr 23 PTS, 8 REB, 4 BLK (7/14 FG, 7/7 FT) pic.twitter.com/AJnchqAPdu

— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) January 7, 2026

I have been very impressed with the Wizards young center. Sarr is the C17 in Fantasy Basketball, but I see an elite player in him and an elite player at the Center position will have Top-10 upside. The Wizards are not good, but he will grow, and this means that his usage remains very high, and only goes up.

The trade for Trae Young should matter little, so do not worry about that matter. If anything, it frees up space for Sarr with two players going out and one coming in.

Sarr is 1st on the Wizards in Usage Rate (25.0%) and % of Team Points Scored (26.7%). He is then 2nd in Rebound Rate (30.3%). This is all on (28.3) Minutes per Game, which will surely rise to well over 30%.