Welcome to the ultimate search for fantasy basketball late-round gems! Today, we are digging deep into the ADP rankings on Fantrax to uncover high-upside players flying far under the radar.
To quote Coach Carter: “Sometimes you gotta take what’s yours.”
That mindset is how you win fantasy championships, especially in Points Leagues where overall quantity is king. You can’t sit around waiting for a Cave of Wonders to magically drop a ‘diamond in the rough’ onto your roster in round 10. Instead, you must go out and claim that draft value early.
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8 Late-Round Gems for 2026 Fantasy Basketball Drafts
In points formats, fantasy value is simple. You do not need to chase rare stat categories like steals or block percentages. Focus instead on minutes, usage, and opportunity. Every player listed below is currently selected outside the top nine rounds (ADP 108+), yet every single one can crush their current draft cost. Whether they are promising rookies thrust into immediate roles, beneficiaries of offseason departures, or stepping into guaranteed starting minutes on rebuilding squads, these players possess the volume to deliver early-round value.
Do not wait to fight over these guys on the waiver wire three weeks into the season. Here are eight late-round gems hidden deep in the Fantrax ADP that you need on your draft board:
1. Cedric Coward (Fantrax ADP: 109.7 — Round 10)
Memphis drafted Cedric Coward 11th overall in 2025 out of Washington State, and he put together an impressive rookie campaign for the Grizzlies. Specifically, across 62 appearances (47 starts), the 22-year-old wing averaged 13.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 25.8 minutes, translating to a reliable 25.5 fantasy points per game.
Coward carried that momentum directly into Summer League play. He capped it off with 19 points on a perfect 5-of-5 from deep in the championship game, demonstrating noticeable chemistry alongside prized rookie Cameron Boozer. With Memphis evaluating its young core, Coward is slated for heavy starting minutes this season.
Suiting up for 62 games as a rookie proved his durability on a retooling squad. With Zach Edey anchoring the frontcourt, late-season shutdown risks should be minimal. Overall, his guaranteed volume, starting upside, and efficient scoring make him an ideal 10th-round target.
2. Darryn Peterson (Fantrax ADP: 114.2 — Round 10)
The Utah Jazz drafted 19-year-old guard Darryn Peterson 2nd overall out of Kansas following an intense pre-draft debate with A.J. Dybantsa. While the Wizards selected Dybantsa at No. 1, Peterson proved in college that he possesses elite creation skills. He backed up that pedigree immediately in Las Vegas, lighting up Summer League across five games with averages of 23.0 points, 5.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, and 1.0 steal per contest.
Peterson enters training camp competing for the starting shooting guard spot against Ace Bailey, who is another solid late-round target in his own right. While coming off the bench would temporarily relegate Peterson to a wait-and-see stash, winning the starting job makes it wheels up for the No. 2 pick.
If he secures 28-plus minutes on a retooling Jazz roster, his ceiling far exceeds a typical 10th-round selection.
3. Cason Wallace (Fantrax ADP: 115.1 — Round 10)
Guard Cason Wallace is entering his third NBA season and is primed for a major breakout in Oklahoma City’s starting lineup. Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe all departed this offseason, opening up a massive chunk of wing minutes and perimeter usage on the Thunder.
Wallace proved his value last season as a spot starter, averaging 9.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.1 steals in 27.6 minutes across 58 starts. His elite defensive instincts give him a high fantasy floor, but securing a permanent 28-plus minute role elevates his baseline significantly. A modest third-year leap could push his stat line toward 12/5/5 with two steals per contest.
In points leagues where guaranteed starter volume is essential, grabbing Wallace in the 10th round provides exceptional consistency with upside to spare.
4. Egor Demin (Fantrax ADP: 130.4 — Round 11)
A 6-foot-8 guard with elite playmaking potential is rare, and Brooklyn Nets sophomore Egor Demin brings that exact profile to the floor. Selected 8th overall in 2025 out of BYU, the 20-year-old experienced expected growing pains on a rebuilding Nets squad. Still, he carved out 10.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.4 threes across 52 games (45 starts).
Demin showed major signs of a second-year leap in Summer League, dominating across five games with averages of 21.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.8 steals.
Slated to operate as Brooklyn’s starting guard alongside rookie Mikel Brown, Demin is positioned for massive usage. Shooting efficiency might remain slightly bumpy, but efficiency takes a backseat to raw counting stats in points formats. If he maintains solid baseline stats, Demin should comfortably push past 25 fantasy points per game and easily beat his 11th-round price tag.
5. Darius Acuff (Fantrax ADP: 135.3 — Round 12)
Darius Acuff was a dynamic college playmaker at Arkansas, and he lands in an ideal spot to make an immediate impact. Sacramento selected the 19-year-old guard 7th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, stepping directly into a wide-open backcourt opportunity. The Kings signed veteran Ben Simmons after Russell Westbrook retired, but Simmons serves strictly as depth and poses zero threat to Acuff’s high usage rate.
The Kings are ready to hand the keys to their top-10 pick right away, giving Acuff all the minutes, shot volume, and playmaking duties he can handle.
High-usage lead guards thrive in points formats, which gives Acuff legitimate league-winner potential. He is drafted around the 12th round at an ADP of 135.3, so reaching a round early is a small price to pay for this level of guaranteed touches.
6. Davion Mitchell (Fantrax ADP: 150.8 — Round 13)
Davion Mitchell remains one of the most chronically underrated players in fantasy basketball. Last season, Mitchell started all 70 games he played for the Miami Heat, quietly posting 9.3 points, 6.5 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.0 steal in 28.6 minutes (23.1 fantasy points per game). Despite his starting role, managers treated him as a waiver streamer—a complete mistake that you can exploit on draft day.
Miami traded Tyler Herro to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo, and now Mitchell is primed for an even larger role as Miami’s primary facilitator.
Operating as a linchpin in Heat Culture, Mitchell will have wide-open driving lanes and endless pick-and-roll chances alongside Giannis. Expect career highs across the board in assists, steals, points, and minutes. Snagging a locked-in starting point guard in the 13th round is absolute robbery.
7. Scotty Pippen Jr. (Fantrax ADP: 196.7 — Round 17 / “Basically Free”)
Scotty Pippen Jr. is entering his fourth NBA season, and the undrafted son of Scottie Pippen consistently delivers when given a starting opportunity. The 25-year-old flashed massive potential in 2024–25 by averaging 14.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.7 steals across 21 starts. He followed that up in 2025–26 by averaging 11.4 points, 4.7 assists, and 1.9 steals in just 21.2 minutes per game.
With Ja Morant traded to Portland, Pippen faces a training camp battle against Ty Jerome for the starting point guard job. Memphis is reassessing its roster for the future, so choosing the 25-year-old Pippen over the 29-year-old Jerome makes total sense.
There is inherent risk here, as losing the job makes Pippen a wait-and-see stash. However, an ADP near 197 makes him essentially free. Taking a late flyer costs nothing, yet it yields immense starting point guard upside if he wins the job.
8. Jerami Grant (Fantrax ADP: 210.6 — Round 18 / “Basically Free”)
Jerami Grant is the ultimate late-round target for immediate starter production. Memphis acquired the 32-year-old forward in the Ja Morant trade, and he enters training camp as the favorite to start at small forward. While he may not spend the entire season in Memphis with a trade deadline move likely, that short-term window is fantasy gold. (Bonus nugget: a midseason Grant trade inserts GG Jackson into the starting lineup, making Jackson a top post-deadline waiver stash!)
The Grizzlies will showcase Grant with heavy minutes alongside their young core, and Grant delivers when given the run. Across 57 appearances last season, he averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.4 threes in 29.7 minutes, translating to 26.8 fantasy points per game.
Carrying an ADP past 210, Grant is essentially free at draft tables and deserves far more love as a starting forward with instant top-100 value. If he goes undrafted, keep him atop your short-term watchlist or scoop him up with your final draft pick.
What’s Next?
The start of the NBA regular season is right around the corner, so do not sleep on these late-round targets! When drafting in points leagues, remember that securing guaranteed minutes and usage late in your draft gives your roster a massive weekly scoring edge.
Do you agree with my list? Are there other high-upside fliers or expanded-role players selected late in drafts that you are targeting? Drop them in the comments below!
Follow me on X @AintDunneYet to ask questions before and during the NBA season. God bless, and let’s dominate your draft and win your league—it all starts with identifying these late-round gems hidden in the Fantrax ADP!
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