The highly anticipated start of the 2026-27 NBA season is upon us, and there’s a loaded Week 1 schedule to help fantasy players hit the ground running.

Each week, we’ll highlight six players who have a bright fantasy outlook for Yahoo’s High Score contests. Because each player’s best score of the week only counts toward a High Score lineup of six, we’ll target high-upside players with a strong matchup, a big opportunity or both.

Without further ado, here are six players to consider for your Week 1 High Score lineups.

Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers

Week 1 schedule: @NYK, CLE, MIL, DET

The 76ers famously loaded up this offseason with the additions of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, but all signs point toward Maxey still being the conductor of what could turn out to be a runaway locomotive if good health prevails. Maxey took yet another step forward in 2025-26 with new career highs in points (28.3), rebounds (4.1), assists (6.6) and steals (1.9), while also bouncing back shooting-wise (46.2%) following a couple of down years.

The big-name additions are going to lead to a usage hit of some degree, but Maxey has a couple of things working in his favor to open a season of lofty expectations for Philadelphia.

For starters, Brown and James will likely have at least a bit of an acclimation curve in a regular-season setting, but they’ll also immediately begin diverting plenty of defensive attention. Additionally, Maxey is a high-upside fantasy asset that has the benefit of four games right out of the gate. Although he’ll face some quality defensive teams within that schedule, he’s certainly proven capable of eclipsing challenging matchups in the past.

Week 1 schedule: MIL, TOR, @CHI

Davis is one of several prominent faces in new places to begin the season, even though in the big man’s case, he’s been in Washington since last season’s trade deadline but has yet to suit up for a regular-season game. The Wizards are expected to be an intriguing group this season, given Trae Young has had the benefit of a full offseason and Washington added star forward AJ Dybantsa with the top overall pick in June.

Dybantsa is dealing with an ankle sprain that he suffered in the preseason finale, so whether he’ll be available for Wednesday’s opener against the Milwaukee Bucks is still up in the air. Any missed time on the rookie’s part this week will benefit Davis, but AD is always an upside-rich play for your fantasy lineup. The Wizards are expected to once again play fast this season, and they’ll draw a team that pushed the pace even further than them last season in the Chicago Bulls as one of their three Week 1 opponents.

Week 1 schedule: @BKN, ATL, MIA

Miller is finally expected to have a chance to fully put the Hornets on his shoulders this coming season, following the departures of LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges. That pair of exits opens up plenty of usage in Charlotte, and entering his fourth season, Miller may be ideally suited to maximize the opportunity. The talented wing bounced back nicely last season on the health front after a wrist injury limited him to 27 regular-season games during his 2024-25 sophomore campaign. Last season, Miller suited up for 65 regular-season tilts and turned in averages of 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.0 steals across 30.3 minutes.

Miller’s overall offensive efficiency remains a work in progress, as he shot just 43.5% a season ago. However, he enjoyed his best season yet from 3-point range (38.3%) and opens the 2026-27 campaign with a pair of particularly appealing matchups against the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks, which both finished 30th and 19th, respectively, last season in opponent shooting percentage. The fastest-paced team in the league last season, the Miami Heat, is also on the docket, and Miller could play at least part of the week, if not all, without Coby White (calf) and/or Kon Knueppel (hamstring).

Week 1 schedule: @WAS, CHI, @PHI

Porter is expected to come off the bench behind Ryan Rollins to open the season, and the former should be available on the wire in some leagues out of the gate. As a one-time very productive starter, Porter makes for an intriguing Week 1 add given his schedule and his averages of 17.4 points, 7.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals over 38 games in 2025-26.

Porter is still expected to see plenty of opportunity in his second-unit role, so minutes shouldn’t be an issue for the 26-year-old guard on a Bucks team with plenty of new faces. It also bears mentioning Porter enjoyed his most efficient season as a shooter last season while draining 46.5% of his attempts from the floor and 87.8% from the line, both career highs. He’ll face the very fast-paced Wizards and Bulls to start off the season as well, making him all the more appealing.

Week 1 schedule: ATL, MIN, @NYK

Bane’s first season in Orlando was largely successful, as he averaged 20.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.0 steals while shooting 48% from the field, including 39% from beyond the arc. The veteran wing took a career-high 4.2 trips to the free-throw line as well and converted those opportunities at a career-best 90.8% clip, and despite facing a couple of what should be quality defensive units in Week 1, Bane may have an opportunity for a usage boost right out of the chute.

Franz Wagner is once again dealing with an injury, suffering a shoulder injury in Friday’s preseason finale that has him listed as questionable for Wednesday’s opener against the Hawks. Bane had a robust 24.5% usage rate with Wagner off the floor last season, along with per-36 averages of a team-high 22.7 points, as well as 4.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.2 steals. Wagner missed 48 regular-season games last season due to an ankle injury, and the Magic may very well tread carefully with him to open the new campaign and therefore set Bane up for a nice boost in opportunity.

Week 1 schedule: @LAC, POR, MEM

Acuff was already slated to see huge usage as a rookie, and that was cemented after Ben Simmons suffered a torn Achilles’ tendon. In his four preseason appearances, the rookie averaged 17.3 points (two 3-pointers), 3.8 assists and 1.8 rebounds on 42.4% shooting in 24.2 minutes.

The fact the Kings do have plenty of quality veterans like Zach LaVine, DeAndre Hunter, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis in the first unit is likely to make Acuff’s learning curve a lot shorter. His Week 1 schedule doesn’t hurt his cause, either, considering the LA Clippers no longer have Kawhi Leonard and both the Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies finished in the bottom half of the league a season ago in opponent shooting percentage. Memphis was also a bottom-five squad in assists allowed.