NBA Fantasy Picks: Rising Stars to Watch in 2023

Contract years, expanded roles and young legs. That’s the cocktail that can turn a mid-round fantasy pick into a weekly league-winner in Yahoo’s High Score format.

The 2023 NBA Draft class has reached the money stage. Every first-rounder is now eligible for an extension as they enter Year 4. Some, like Victor Wembanyama, are already locked in. Others are still playing for that life-changing deal — and fantasy managers should be circling them.

Here are six names where motivation, opportunity and talent all collide.

Brandon Miller – Hornets’ new alpha in waiting

RotoWire overall points rank: 42

Charlotte has been stripped down. LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges are gone, and with them a massive chunk of usage. What’s left is a wide-open runway for Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel to grab the ball and the spotlight.

Miller has already shown the scoring chops. He’s topped 20 points per game in each of his last two seasons, still only 23, still learning the league, and now staring at more touches, more responsibility, and more freedom. With extra on-ball reps, his rebounds and assists have room to climb, not just his points.

In High Score, where you’re hunting for explosive box scores rather than nitpicking inefficiencies, a young wing capable of dropping one or two big nights every week is gold. Miller has a clear path to becoming both Charlotte’s No. 1 scoring option and a genuine fantasy headliner on an upwardly mobile Hornets team.

Keyonte George – contract-year engine in Utah

RotoWire overall points rank: 60

Keyonte George already broke through last season. He averaged 23.6 points and 6.1 assists, seized the starting point guard job, and became the face of Utah’s backcourt.

Now comes the edge: extension talks, but no deal yet.

If the contract doesn’t land before the season, George walks into 2026-27 with every reason to prove he belongs in the max-money conversation. Utah, for its part, looks ready to chase the playoffs. That usually means more minutes, not fewer, for the primary ball-handler.

He won’t be alone. With Jaren Jackson Jr., Darryn Peterson and Lauri Markkanen around him, George has real playmaking targets. That supporting cast should help him push his assist numbers even higher, potentially setting a career-high for the fourth straight season.

A 22-year-old with clear volume, rising efficiency and room to grow at a thin fantasy position, often available around the sixth round? That’s exactly the kind of upside swing that wins leagues.

Ausar Thompson – Detroit’s defensive anchor with untapped scoring

RotoWire overall points rank: 82

Amen Thompson got the leap and the bag in Houston. Ausar Thompson is still chasing both in Detroit.

The Pistons did little to juice their offense this summer. Tobias Harris left for San Antonio, John Collins arrived, but there was no marquee scorer dropped into the mix. That leaves plenty of oxygen for Ausar to expand his role.

His defense already guarantees him minutes. He stays on the floor because he guards, competes and covers ground. The question is whether the offensive step forward finally arrives.

At his current draft slot — around the eighth round — the risk is manageable, especially in formats like High Score that don’t punish him for a thin 3-point profile. If the shot volume nudges up and he adds a few more drives, putbacks and transition buckets, he can easily outplay his price.

This is a bet on role, minutes and competitive fire, with the upside of a two-way wing who finally starts to match his twin’s production.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. – from Sixth Man runner-up to Bucks starter

RotoWire overall points rank: 100

Jaime Jaquez Jr. spent last season as one of the league’s most reliable bench weapons. He filled every column of the box score for the Miami Heat and finished second in the Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year race.

Now he’s in a very different situation.

Traded to Milwaukee in the blockbuster that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo the other way, Jaquez Jr. lands on a team that suddenly needs production from everywhere. He averaged 28.3 minutes per game last season, coming off the bench in 74 of 75 appearances. In Milwaukee, he enters camp as the favorite to start at small forward.

Rebuilding teams still need someone to put the ball in the basket. Jaquez Jr. can score, rebound, pass and contribute defensive stats, and he’s walking into his best opportunity yet to put up starter-level numbers. For fantasy managers, that combination of versatility and volume at a modest draft cost is exactly the kind of edge you look for in the middle rounds.

GG Jackson – deep-league swing in a wide-open Memphis

Unranked in RotoWire’s top 150 overall points rankings

GG Jackson doesn’t come with first-round pedigree. He was a second-round pick in the loaded 2023 class, which means he’s on a different contract timeline and will hit unrestricted free agency after 2026-27.

He might just play his way into a big market by then.

Memphis enters camp with a wide-open rotation. Roles at the forward spots are there to be claimed, and Jackson finished last season loudly. Over his final 23 games, he averaged 17.9 points and 5.3 rebounds in only 25.7 minutes a night — strong production in limited run.

He’ll have to battle Jerami Grant and Cameron Boozer for minutes, but there should be enough playing time to keep all three fantasy-relevant if Memphis leans into a flexible, multi-forward look.

For now, Jackson is more of a deep-league stash than a standard-league lock. But if his late-season surge carries over and the minutes follow, he won’t stay under the radar for long.

Dereck Lively II – forgotten big with sneaky upside in Dallas

Unranked in RotoWire’s top 150 overall points rankings

Seven games. That’s all Dereck Lively II gave Dallas last season, and it’s easy to see why fantasy managers have pushed him to the back of their minds.

That might be a mistake.

The Mavericks are expected to split center minutes between Lively II and Daniel Gafford. If you’re playing in very deep leagues, that alone makes Lively worth a look. In formats where field-goal percentage carries real weight — especially category leagues — his efficient finishing can quietly swing a matchup.

There is risk. Both Lively II and Gafford have already built up concerning injury histories in Dallas. But that cuts both ways. The one who stays on the floor will likely command the lion’s share of center minutes as the season wears on.

If Lively is the one who holds up, late-round investors could find themselves with a starting big man at a bargain price — and in a contract-driven season like this, that’s the kind of edge that separates contenders from the pack.