Sometimes in fantasy basketball it’s not all about drafting the up-and-coming young stars who headline your social media feeds. Perhaps it’s more exciting to do so, but is it really the key to winning your league?
Below we’ll examine five “boring” players who all carry underrated upside thanks to their favorable situations or playstyles. Pay more mind to them when your draft rolls around and your league mates are more concerned with those aforementioned headliners.
Let’s jump in.
Fantasy Basketball Undervalued Veterans
Jamal Murray (G – DEN)
The often unnavigable financial apron system that plagues the NBA’s best teams has steered the Nuggets off course. In turn, the vibes in Denver are far from great.
Jamal Murray, who made his first All-Star game last season, is an incredible individual talent but has lacked the popularity and bright star appeal that many of his guard counterparts possess. That hasn’t stopped the 29-year-old from becoming an NBA champion and one of the greatest playoff risers of all time, of course.
Murray averaged 25.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game last season, good enough for 42.7 fantasy points per game, a career best. With the departures of Peyton Watson and Tim Hardaway Jr., and the addition of DeMar DeRozan, Murray will have as much on his plate this year as any.
As the Nuggets continue to fly further under the radar, the noise surrounding Murray and his teammates lessens. For a player coming off a career year, Murray is emerging as an incredible value.
Lest we forget, as a basketball community, that CJ McCollum was one of the few players who struck fear into the Knicks during their NBA Finals run. The veteran guard averaged 19.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game as the Hawks stole two games in the opening round of the playoffs.
McCollum was the primary piece of Atlanta’s return from the Trae Young trade in January. The 35-year-old started 25 regular-season games for Atlanta and averaged over 30 fantasy points per game. Even still, both the Hawks as a unit and McCollum himself aren’t getting the respect they deserve following a strong finish to a season of major change.
Few fantasy managers will be excited about drafting McCollum, and that’s what makes him a perfect candidate for this list. If he can match his production from those 25 games and in the postseason, McCollum is an unheralded player to have rostered.
Lauri Markkanen was one of the best fantasy players at his position not too long ago. After a solid season in Cleveland in 2021, the 7-foot-1 Finn was traded to Utah as part of the Donovan Mitchell deal. Markkanen has proceeded to average 23.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.5 stocks (steals plus blocks) per game since.
Perhaps it’s because he plays in Utah, but Markkanen has undoubtedly become one of the most underappreciated players in the NBA. Despite the stellar numbers and an All-Star nomination, Markkanen isn’t deemed an exciting player.
Even now, it feels as if Markkanen has become the forgotten man due to the arrivals of Darryn Peterson and Jaren Jackson Jr., and the emergence of Keyonte George.
The most appealing part of Markkanen’s game from a fantasy perspective is that he doesn’t need the ball to produce. He ranked 37th among all players in usage rate last season across 42 games. What’s better is that Walker Kessler‘s interior presence as a strong rebounder is now Los Angeles-bound. Plenty of double-doubles are on the way for Markkanen.
Maybe, just maybe, Derrick White will shoot the ball at an average rate next season. The Boston guard finished 2026 with shooting splits of 39.4/32.7/90.2. White still managed 35.3 fantasy points per game.
Even as the Celtics enter a season of considerable turnover, don’t expect White’s offensive role to change much. Jayson Tatum is taking Jaylen Brown‘s job as the first option. Paul George will serve as an off-ball, complementary player, and Payton Pritchard is in line for an increased workload.
What remains for White is the other stuff. He averaged 4.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game last season while maintaining his reputation as one of the league’s best defensive players. With stock in Boston down, you should be able to draft White at a more affordable price than last fall. If he manages to shoot just a hair better, it’s a massive win for those who pick him up.
While it’s not the wisest player-situation combo to target, Tyler Herro’s role in Milwaukee offers intriguing upside. Herro was the biggest name Milwaukee received in exchange for Giannis Antetokounmpo. In seven seasons in Miami, the Wisconsin native earned an All-Star nod and averaged 19.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 32.1 fantasy points per game.
Herro joins a Bucks guard room that features last season’s breakout darling Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr. and first-round rookie Brayden Burries. Suffice to say, Herro is the best of the bunch.
The catch — because when is there ever not one — is health. As solid as Herro has been over the past few seasons, he’s played in just 61% of possible games since 2023. If he can manage to get more action in Milwaukee, Herro should be able to top his 33.7 fantasy points per game mark from last season.
