Fantasy drafts at center begin with Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama, then get complicated in a hurry. The two are the clear top choices across formats: Jokić remains the safer week-to-week foundation despite appearing in only 65 games last season, while Wembanyama carries the kind of ceiling that can reshape a roster by himself. But this is no longer a position limited to points, boards and a few blocks. The middle of the board is packed with bigs who can pass, stretch the floor and cover categories once reserved for perimeter players.
Alperen Sengun is coming off personal bests in assists, blocks and made 3-pointers, extending the point-center model. Chet Holmgren supplies the rare blend of rim protection and outside shooting, while Karl-Anthony Towns remains a high-end contributor across the stat sheet. That depth gives managers room to maneuver if they miss the top two, though waiting too long can still leave a roster thin in rebounds, blocks and field-goal percentage.
Those categories also make injuries especially damaging at this spot. A replacement guard can often patch together some points or assists, but a lost starting center is harder to replace when he was carrying a team’s rebounding base and shot-blocking volume. Joel Embiid has played just 57 of a possible 164 regular-season games over the past two years. Walker Kessler was limited to five games last season before shoulder surgery, Mark Williams logged 19 and 44 games in his final two Charlotte seasons, and Dallas spent last year managing health issues for both Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford.
That volatility raises the value of reserve centers with clear paths to larger roles. When a backup big is pushed into the starting lineup, the rebounds usually follow quickly. Draft boards should reflect that opportunity as much as raw ranking. Missing Jokić and Wembanyama does not require an immediate reach, but managers cannot let a center run pass them entirely and hope power forwards will cover every interior category.
Changing frontcourts create value
Nic Claxton lands in Chicago with a chance to fill a need the Bulls addressed directly in their trade for him. He averaged 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 blocks last season while shooting 57 percent. There are rotation questions around him, however. Claxton is working through a hamstring injury and is expected to be available for the opener, though such injuries can flare up again. Jalen Smith proved serviceable as Chicago’s stopgap at center last season, and rookie Caleb Wilson adds another frontcourt piece. Wilson’s likely work at power forward could ultimately help Claxton more than it hurts, but the minutes picture is not entirely clean.
Brooklyn’s side of the Claxton deal puts Day’Ron Sharpe in line for a much larger assignment. Over the previous two seasons, Sharpe produced 8.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in only 18.5 minutes per game. He also owns the best career offensive-rebounding rate in NBA history. A rebuilding Nets club can give him starter-level run, creating a real path to discounted double-doubles, though Moritz Wagner will take some frontcourt minutes and Sharpe’s thumb injury remains worth monitoring.
Kessler’s move to the Los Angeles Lakers supplies one of the more appealing breakout settings at the position. Before his shoulder injury ended last season after five appearances, he was averaging 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks on 70 percent shooting for Utah. Playing alongside Luka Dončić should offer a steady diet of rim-running opportunities, and Kessler still has room to grow beyond the production he showed in that brief opening stretch.
Kel’el Ware is another upside swing in Milwaukee. The 22-year-old 7-footer has delivered strong numbers on a per-minute basis, even if inconsistent effort has previously cost him time on the floor. The Bucks are leaning younger, and Myles Turner does not match that timeline. If Ware earns trust in the rotation, the physical tools and production potential are there for a significant jump.
Donovan Clingan may already have started his climb in Portland. He played 77 games last season and posted 12.1 points, 11.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.7 blocks in 27.2 minutes a night. With the Trail Blazers’ starting center role unchallenged, a move beyond 30 minutes is within view. That would put regular double-doubles firmly on the table, while his draft cost should remain manageable compared with the production he can deliver.
