2017-18 fantasy basketball preview: Breakout players

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The key to nailing any fantasy basketball draft is unearthing early-round values with middle- and late-round picks.

Grabbing sleepers and avoiding busts is critical, but you ultimately want to amass as much top-50 talent as humanly possible. To do so, you’ll need to use the power of projection to figure out which players are poised for breakout seasons in 2017-18.

Some soon-to-be fantasy studs will put up career-best numbers courtesy of offseason overhauls which force them into larger roles. Others will take advantage of injuries to their teammates, which enable them to carve out additional playing time. Teams pivoting into all-out rebuilds will pave the way for young prospects to make a name for themselves, while certain breakout candidates found their way into new situations this summer that will fuel their fantasy rise.

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With one notable exception, I’m at least a full round higher on each of these breakout picks than their current average draft positions across ESPN, Yahoo and CBS Sports leagues. Start targeting some of these guys once you move past the first round or two of your drafts, even if their ADPs suggest they’ll be on the board later. Your leaguemates may view them as a reach on draft day, but you’ll be the one laughing once the fantasy playoffs roll around.

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