Fantasy basketball is not always about getting a bucket. There are “H2H” leagues head-to-head, and the winner with the most points wins. There are also “categories” leagues that involve winning the most categories, such as points, steals, and three-point percentages to get the win. That said, a center that can be a walking double-double is a perfect center to have. Not every big man will give you 25 points and 12 rebounds. Here are my three fantasy basketball sleepers for centers.
Fantasy Basketball sleepers: Centers
Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
Zach Edey averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds during his college career, but that will not be the case in the NBA for now. Edey enters one of the better spots a rookie can be in. He is now in the Steven Adams role. Be Ja Morant’s muscle, catch a lot of lobs and a ton of pick-n-rolls. Adams averaged 22.7 fantasy ppg in the two seasons he spent with the Grizzlies. That was good for C26 (center 26) in fantasy. He is currently going in the ninth round as the 21st center selected and is a fantastic pick at that stage of drafts. Edey is more skilled than Adams, and I expect Rookie of the Year for him with around 15 ppg and 11 rebounds pg.
Jakob Poeltl, Toronto Raptors
Jakob Poeltl began catching the eyes of teams after his 2021-2022 season, in which he averaged over 28 fantasy ppg. The following year, the San Antonio Spurs traded Poeltl to the Toronto Raptors. In his first full season with the Raptors, Poeltl averaged 25.12 fantasy ppg in 50 games. In his final 14 games before missing the rest of the season due to injury, Poeltl averaged 28.12 fantasy ppg. Poeltl even had a six-game stretch in those 14 games where he averaged 33 fantasy ppg. Currently, Poeltl is being drafted as the 17th center and is projected 26.4 fantasy ppg. I expect a contending team to look at his availability during a point in the season.
Jonas Valanciunas, Washington Wizards
Jonas Valanciunas is another center like Poeltl, who I think will find himself on a contender when the playoffs come around. Valanciunas averaged 24.7 fantasy ppg in 81 games, which is good for center 24. That was with scoring options like Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, and Zion Williamson. Now, Valanciunas finds himself on the Washington Wizards. He and Malcolm Brodgen are the two veterans of the Wizards and should see the majority of the work fall on them. He is currently being drafted as the center 20 in fantasy basketball and is one of the better sleepers amongst all positions in 2024-2025.