The 2026-27 NBA season has kicked off, and we already have some fun things to break down. We had the 76ers spoil the Knicks’ good vibes on Opening Night before they came back from 29 points down to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers. We’ve had the Miami Heat struggle out of the gate, and the Timberwolves look amazing.

Among the early headlines, there’s been some impressive fantasy performances and dynasty value implications.

Let’s break down two risers and two fallers this past week before looking ahead to some NBA Draft prospects.

Ty Jerome, Memphis Grizzlies

After breaking out in 2024-25, Ty Jerome signed with the Grizzlies in the 2025 offseason. This season, he is currently averaging 29.8 PPG, 3.5 REB, 6.3 AST, while shooting 51% from the field, 37% from three and 88% from the free-throw line. He’s establishing himself as a starting level point guard in the NBA.

Jerome will not continue to produce at this level, but he will be a very good fantasy player as long as he is in Memphis. There is still a lot of usage available in Memphis, so it wouldn’t be crazy if he averages 23 points per game moving forward. If you’re a win-now team, acquiring Jerome might be one of the best bargain plays you can find because of two key reasons.

• Jerome has two inexpensive years remaining on the three-year, $27.6 million contract he signed last offseason. The Grizzlies could cash in given that he’s 29 years old.
  
• Jerome has had a lot of injuries during his career which could result in a decline earlier than anticipated. Over the previous three seasons, Jerome played just 87 games, with his lone healthy season coming during his breakout year in Cleveland.

There is a world where Jerome remains healthy and ends up being a great point guard into his 30s. There’s also a world where he gets hurt again and he ends up not being fast enough to get by defenders, or he just stops hitting his shots at the rate he has been, and he falls out of the league quickly as his body breaks down. With these clear risks, you will not have to pay premium value in dynasty leagues for the production he’s giving you.

Leonard Miller, Chicago Bulls

Miller has found favor in the eyes of new coach Tiago Splitter where he is getting a full-time consistent role for the first time in his career.

Last season for Chicago, Miller averaged 11.7 PPG, 5.8 REB, shooting 55.5% FG/35.6% 3PT/76.2% FT on 23.1 minutes. On a per-36 minute basis, he averaged 18 points and nine rebounds.

Tiago has had some success with Deni Avdija, and Leonard is a similar player in terms of his game as a driver. The 22-year-old (23 next month) is unlikely to overtake Matas Buzelis or Caleb Wilson in the rotation, but his scoring and rebounding could make him a valuable option in deeper fantasy leagues. He also has the potential to deliver top-100 value if given a starting role.

📉 Dynasty Fallers of the Week

Kristaps Porziņģis, Golden State Warriors

The biggest faller of the week is undoubtedly Kristaps Porziņģis, who is reportedly “contemplating his future in basketball” with recurring symptoms of POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), per Shams Charania of ESPN.

For those unfamiliar, POTS is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system, which regulates functions such as heart rate and blood pressure. The condition can cause an excessive increase in heart rate when standing, along with symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue and difficulty tolerating exercise.

At the end of the day, medical retirement is absolutely in the realm of possibilities. Naturally, that will hamper any return you’ll get if he’s on your roster in a dynasty league. Porziņģis has a $20 million player option for next season, but only $3 million is guaranteed.

If you’re a rebuilding dynasty manager with Porziņģis, you have to sell him for whatever you can get. If you’re a contending team, I would be interested in giving up any of the following for him.

• A 2027 second-round pick that is outside the top 35 to get him given how this upcoming second round is going to look.
  
• A top 300 dynasty asset on the chance that Porziņģis gives it one more go. The hope is that you get top 150 production for a month or two in your playoffs.

It’s a pure risk and it might end up not working out, but if you’re trying to win, you should be trying to take that risk if the price is low enough. Maybe it’s someone like Cody Williams or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope if your league is that deep.

Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder

On October 25, Jalen Williams went down with a gruesome injury which resulted in a dislocated left ankle and fractured fibula. He is expected to miss significant time and potentially the rest of the season. Comparable injuries in recent NBA history include those suffered by Paul George and Gordon Hayward. George eventually returned to form whereas Hayward was never the same after the injury, although he remained productive.

We will need to knock Williams down dynasty rankings but do not panic sell him. He is still a top-40 dynasty asset at worst and likely belongs closer to the top 30. There will be managers trying to buy low and hoping you accept a deal that is way lower than it should be. Do not do it. If I’m selling Jalen, I would want someone on a similar timeline that’s also an established fantasy star. An example of this would be Franz Wagner, Deni Avdija, Paolo Banchero, or Jalen Duren. I also would be fine holding until he gets back and then reassessing the situation.

The college basketball season is right around the corner. Let’s take a look at some of the most intriguing matchups involving NBA Draft prospects.

As a dynasty manager, it will be important to keep tabs on these prospects as they could be the future for your team. Here’s a look ahead to next Monday when the college season starts with two big prospect matchups.

Ohio State vs. BYU (9 ET)

Anthony Thompson (Ohio State) and Bruce Branch (BYU) are projected top 10 picks on most mainstream mocks. Both are wings who are projected to be in the 3-and-D role.

UCLA vs. Arizona (10 ET)

Nikola Kusturica is a projected top-three pick in the 2028 NBA Draft, and Arizona has 3 potential lottery picks with Caleb Holt, Motiejus Krivas, and Ivan Kharchenkov.