Happy New Year! We move into 2026 fresh with new possibilities, and we want to make sure your fantasy teams get the boost from that fresh start as well.
The NFL regular season is over, but the NBA is churning at high speed as we approach the halfway point in the season. Your fantasy championship is still possible if you make the right moves, so let’s find some lightly rostered players that can come in and contribute to your squad right away.
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Point guard
Isaiah Collier, PG, Utah Jazz (18.4% rostered in ESPN leagues): Collier has become an excellent playmaker even in his role off the bench. In his last 11 games, 10 of which came in a reserve role, Collier has averaged 8.5 APG with at least seven assists in 10 of the games. He is a low double-double threat on a nightly basis.
Brandon Williams, PG, Dallas Mavericks (5.0% rostered): Williams has become a key offensive threat off the bench for the Mavericks. He has scored at least 14 points in his last four games, averaging 19.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG and 3.8 APG in 27.0 MPG in that stretch.
Shooting guard
Max Christie, SG, Mavericks (7.3%): Christie moved back into the starting lineup four games ago, and in his last three he has turned in his best three-game scoring stretch of the season. His averages in that span: 22.3 PPG, 3.7 3PG in 31.0 MPG.
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Max Christie rocks the rim with slam
Max Christie rocks the rim with slam
Quentin Grimes, SG, Philadelphia 76ers (38.4%): Grimes has been strong as both a starter and off the bench for the 76ers this season. He is currently playing the sixth-man role and has tied his second-longest streak of double-digit scoring efforts this season at four games. The scoring has been the lesser part of his contributions, though; in that stretch he has notched 3.0 3PG, 1.8 SPG and 1.3 BPG in the hard-to-fill categories.
Small forward
Tari Eason, SF/PF, Houston Rockets (38.2%): Eason has built has stamina in the two weeks since returning from an extended injury absence, moving back into the starting lineup five games ago and increasing his minutes in the last three. In that span, he has averaged almost a double-double with 15.7 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 2.0 3PG and 2.0 stocks (steals + blocks) per game.
Julian Champagnie, SF, San Antonio Spurs (7.2%): Champagnie has been starting for the Spurs in place of Devin Vassell, who is sidelined with a left adductor strain. In his three starts, Champagnie has averaged 21.7 PPG, 8.0 RPG and 5.7 3PG in 31.3 MPG.
Power forward
Jake LaRavia, PF, Los Angeles Lakers (18.3%): LaRavia has moved back into the starting lineup with Rui Hachimura (calf) sidelined. He is a high variance starter, with as many as 27 points and as few as three in his 11 starts on the season, but his average is solid: 11.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.9 SPG and 1.2 3PG.
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Jake LaRavia gets the hoop and the harm
Jake LaRavia gets the hoop and the harm
Nikola Jovic, PF, Miami Heat (8.6%): Jovic has stepped into a larger role off the bench for the Heat with Tyler Herro (toe) and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (ankle) sidelined. In his last five games, he has averaged just over 15 PPG, 5 APG and 5 RPG while knocking down almost three 3-pointers.
Center
Luke Kornet, C, San Antonio Spurs (9.2%): Kornet moved back into the starting lineup when Victor Wembanyama hyperextended his knee last week. Wembanyama could return as soon as Tuesday, but Kornet has been solid even off the bench. In his last eight games, including five starts, Kornet has averaged 11.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG and 1.5 BPG.
