Zach Edey is Going to Turn Into a Fantasy Beast: Grab Him Before It's Too Late

Zach Edey is favored to win Rookie of the Year, and everyone else has odds at least twice as long. As a heavy favorite, it’s assumed he is going to rack up stats. Players who get stats are the best fantasy basketball guys.

Edey is available in over 10% of leagues, which is way too many, especially at center, often the hardest position to fill. I am advising anyone who will listen (it’s not many, which is probably for the best) that Edey’s fantasy value is about to skyrocket when he starts getting double-digit rebounds and five-block games.

There are reasons Edey might be undervalued, and it’s a good time for fantasy owners to take advantage. Let’s look at Edey’s possible fantasy value and why he is a player to target early in the season.

Real Value vs. Fantasy Value

There are fair questions about whether Edey can survive in a playoff series given his size and the lack of mobility it causes. Even multi-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert gets singled out and beat in the playoffs; it’s a tough time to be a big man.

That’s something for Memphis to worry about in the playoffs, though, not a concern for fantasy owners during the regular season. The Grizzlies drafted Edey ninth overall and have every reason to give him plenty of minutes to develop and prepare for a potential playoff run, so he’s unlikely to spend long stretches in the doghouse.

When he’s on the court, Edey is going to rack up stats. Edey is SO big: He can’t help but run into blocked shots, rebounds, and slam dunks. You know in youth basketball when there’s one kid who grew way faster than everyone else, and he can just stand flat footed and out-do everyone else on the boards? Edey will do the same thing at the professional level at times.

Acquiring Edey

If he’s a free agent, pick him up immediately. Grabbing Edey in a trade is a little harder to gauge, but you could probably grab him pretty cheap if you are deep at guard or forward. Even if you might overpay a bit, those concerns could be forgotten by the All-Star break.

It’s much easier to pick up a guard or forward during the season than a center who will regularly produce. If the owner who has Edey is underestimating his potential, you might be able to get him before he puts up a game with 15 rebounds and immediately hits the fantasy radar.

Fantasy value is often about finding guys before they blow up. Alperen Sengun from Houston is a good example from 2023-24: Sengun increased his scoring and shot attempts by close to 50% from the previous season and averaged career highs in most categories. He went from being lightly owned to one of the most sought-after fantasy centers.

Edey has the potential to do the same thing. His value is currently low, but he will be drafted as a regular starter next season. The number of blocks, steals, and rebounds he will get just from putting his arms out will give him a fantasy floor even if he doesn’t score.

Edey is in line to grow faster in fantasy value than about anyone else in the league, and you have the chance to jump on the bandwagon now before it takes off.