5 Fantasy Basketball Breakout Candidates to Target for 2026-27
Matas Buzelis, Anthony Black and three other young players could be ready for breakout seasons next year.
Let's continue our fantasy basketball offseason coverage by going over some possible breakout candidates for the 2026-27 NBA season.
Be sure to check out yesterday's article, which was on my top-10 dynasty rookies.
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Matas Buzelis - Chicago Bulls
Buzelis took a nice step forward in his second NBA season, and I think another big leap could be in store for the coming year.
He averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.5 blocks and 0.7 steals per 29.2 minutes per game over 77 games (all starts) last season. Buzelis shot 46.3% overall and 34.9% from deep.
Along with some more progression, I see Buzelis improving thanks to some better players around him. That will take a little focus off Buzelis and help him, and the Bulls, be a bit better this coming season.
We will see where Buzelis sits in coming fantasy drafts for the 2026-27 season, but he could end up being a draft steal candidate. He's one to keep in mind going into the next season.
Anthony Black - Orlando Magic
Black took a step forward in his third NBA season, and I think he could take his game to a new level in 2026-27.
He averaged 15 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.7 blocks across 29.8 minutes a game. Black started 40 of the 64 games he appeared in, while shooting 44.7% overall and 33.3% from deep.
Black might be expected to come off the bench this season, but he should be the top reserve at point guard/shooting guard, so he'll play plenty of minutes again, and it should lead to a bigger season.
Him coming off the bench could give Black a very reasonable ADP for the coming year, so he's another name to keep in mind for a possible draft steal and big-time asset later in drafts.
Ajay Mitchell - Oklahoma City Thunder
Mitchell took off in his second NBA season, and I think an even bigger year is coming from Mitchell.
He averaged 13.6 points, 3.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 0.3 blocks over 25.8 minutes across his 16 starts and 57 total games played. Mitchell shot 48.5% overall and was 34.7% from deep.
Mitchell is another guy expected to come off the bench, but he should log plenty of minutes as a reserve guard to have a good season, both in the real world and for fantasy basketball purposes.
I also like Cason Wallace, but I like Mitchell's offensive upside more, so he's the one I decided to include in this article. With the moves the Thunder made this offseason, it's opening minutes for both guys, and I like Mitchell to take advantage of the extra opportunities a bit more.
Donovan Clingan - Portland Trail Blazers
Clignan was a double-double threat in his second NBA season, and there's still more he could achieve, so I'm labeling him as a breakout for the coming year.
He averaged 12.1 points, 11.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.7 blocks and 0.6 steals over 27.2 minutes in his 77 games (all starts) this past season. Clingan shot 52% overall and was 34.1% from behind the 3-point line.
Clingan will be the starting center for the Trail Blazers again in 2026-27. If he can get closer to 30 minutes per game, I see him exploding. He already will be a good fantasy asset, and with progression from last season, he should take his game to the next level.
Depending on where Clingan goes in fantasy drafts, I think he could be another possible draft steal. He's one to target after the first group of big men are selected.
Stephon Castle - San Antonio Spurs
He improved a bit from year 1 to year 2, and I think he takes a big leap forward in his third NBA campaign in 2026-27.
He averaged 16.7 points, 7.4 assists, 5.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 0.3 blocks over 30 minutes a night. He started 67 of the 68 games he played in, while shooting 47.1% overall and 33.2% from deep.
Castle should start at shooting guard for a well-rounded Spurs' team in the coming season. He's not the top option, but he could take over as the team's No. 2 scorer as early as this season. Throw in good well-rounded numbers and he's a really good fantasy asset to roster.
He's likely to go pretty early in fantasy drafts, but I think he's worth it, and could still end up as a fantasy draft steal by the end of the season. Keep Castle in mind as you prepare for next year's fantasy drafts.
