Forward is where a fantasy roster can start to separate, and the 2026-27 board is loaded with players who can carry more than one category. Cooper Flagg heads the position after a rookie year that cleared 20 points per game and hinted at real defensive-stat upside, while Scottie Barnes, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jalen Johnson round out the first group of five.
Flagg enters his second Dallas season as the Mavericks’ leading offensive option, with another usage jump expected to strengthen an already broad profile. Barnes posted 30 double-doubles last season while shooting 50.7 percent from the field and 81.5 percent at the line, giving Toronto a forward who rebounds, creates, defends and protects percentages. Durant will turn 38 late in September, but his shooting has remained absurdly steady: he has finished above 50 percent from the floor in each of the past 13 seasons. Houston will manage his workload, though his efficiency, scoring and secondary production still put him near the top of category formats.
Antetokounmpo begins a new Miami chapter after 13 seasons and a championship with Milwaukee. Injuries interrupted his previous campaign, but his points-league ceiling remains as high as any forward’s; managers in category leagues will still have to account for the free throws and turnovers. Johnson’s breakout in Atlanta came with 49 double-doubles and 13 triple-doubles. He shot 48.9 percent overall and 35.2 percent from three, and Trae Young’s departure leaves him as the Hawks’ clear No. 1 option.
Risk, role changes and category anchors
Kawhi Leonard sits just outside the top tier because availability remains the deciding question, not the two-way talent. He returns to a Raptors group expected to contend, and his game remains especially useful in category leagues, while high-score formats soften the impact of missed time. Jayson Tatum is also working back from a significant injury while Boston adjusts to roster turnover. Jaylen Brown lands in Philadelphia, where a crowded projected starting five could trim the volume that helped him reach a career scoring high last season.
Paolo Banchero is entering his fifth year with Orlando and remains built for volume: his size, handling and scoring base give him a sturdy points-league profile even when the shot is not falling. Evan Mobley stays in Cleveland beside new lead guard James Harden, a setup that should preserve Mobley’s efficient, low-turnover work. He does not always produce the huge scoring spike, but blocks, field-goal percentage and steady rebounding make him a category staple.
Chet Holmgren’s third season brought another step forward, and his combination of rim protection, three-point shooting and efficiency is rare at forward. Deni Avdija surpassed 20 points per game last season and should benefit from Portland having more talent around him, reducing the defensive attention he has faced. Pascal Siakam remains a dependable Indiana scorer, and the arrival of Ivica Zubac in the frontcourt could help his offensive efficiency. Lauri Markkanen has lost time to injuries in recent years, but Utah’s reworked roster and a clean health report offer a path to a strong 10th NBA season.
LeBron James enters the year at 41 in Philadelphia, where the 76ers’ talent level should ease the nightly burden. Scheduled rest is a real possibility, but the triple-double upside still makes him a useful high-score target. Franz Wagner should continue to score efficiently and create as a secondary playmaker for Orlando. OG Anunoby’s three-point shooting, steals and defensive impact make him more valuable in category leagues than in points formats, where modest rebounding and assist totals limit the appeal.
Jalen Williams is coming off an injury-hit season in Oklahoma City but remains a well-rounded option with potential draft-day value. Jaren Jackson Jr.’s move to Utah creates a fresh opportunity for a forward whose blocks-and-threes blend is among fantasy’s best. Chicago’s Matas Buzelis has already shown flashes as an all-around contributor and remains a ceiling bet after establishing himself last season.
The fifth tier still carries plenty of usable volume. Julius Randle should be Brooklyn’s primary option, with scoring and double-doubles supporting him in points and high-score leagues. Brandon Miller has averaged more than 20 points in each of the past two seasons and is positioned as Charlotte’s main offensive weapon. Mikal Bridges brings durability, threes, steals and blocks to New York, an appealing profile for managers seeking lower-risk category production.
Michael Porter Jr. joins Randle in Brooklyn after shooting 48.5 percent from the floor across the past four seasons. His scoring and rebounding travel well, though assists and defensive counting stats remain thin. Anthony Davis, now in Washington, still owns elite per-game upside when available. The caution is unavoidable: he has played fewer than 57 games in five of the last six seasons, including three years of 40 games or fewer. That risk is hardest to absorb in season-long formats and least damaging in a high-score setup.
Names beyond the top 25
The next forward group includes Dyson Daniels in Atlanta, Charlotte’s Naz Reid, Zion Williamson in New Orleans, Brandon Ingram with the LA Clippers, Phoenix teammates Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges, Jaden McDaniels in Minnesota, Paul George in Boston, Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr. and Detroit’s Ausar Thompson.
Three rookies to monitor are Washington’s AJ Dybantsa, Memphis forward Cameron Boozer and Chicago’s Caleb Wilson. Deeper formats can also keep tabs on Quentin Grimes with the Lakers, Dallas’ Naji Marshall, Miami’s Andrew Wiggins, Washington’s Kyshawn George, San Antonio’s Devin Vassell and Tobias Harris, Cleveland’s Peyton Watson, Denver’s Cameron Johnson, DeMar DeRozan and Aaron Gordon, Golden State’s Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler III, Indiana’s Kelly Oubre and Aaron Nesmith, Memphis’ Jerami Grant, Sacramento’s Ben Simmons and Keegan Murray, Lakers big Sandro Mamukelashvili, Detroit’s John Collins, New Orleans forward Saddiq Bey, Dallas’ P.J. Washington, Philadelphia’s Dean Wade, Milwaukee’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kyle Kuzma, plus Portland defender Toumani Camara.
