Rookies passim nan NBA are making a important effect connected imagination hoops this season. Now past nan halfway constituent of nan season, first-year players astir nan convention are hitting their stride and uncovering accordant accumulation connected a nightly basis.
Players picked adjacent nan apical of nan draft, specified arsenic Cooper Flagg and VJ Edgecombe, person worked to unrecorded up to sky-high expectations. Other rookies, precocious draught picks aliases undrafted free agents, are carving retired important roles and exceeding expectations. Monitoring prima rookies passim nan league, present are 3 first-year players that are trending successful imagination basketball:
Derik Queen Surging Despite Pelicans’ Struggles
Jan 13, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans halfway Derik Queen (22) talks to Denver Nuggets defender Bruce Brown (11) during nan 2nd half astatine Smoothie King Center. | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
The New Orleans Pelicans person struggled mightily done nan first half of nan regular season, carving retired conscionable 10 wins done their first 43 games. Despite nan team’s struggles connected some ends of nan floor, No. 13 wide prime Derik Queen has shown tremendous flashes. The rookie large man is averaging 12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists to this constituent of nan season, adding 2.0 stocks per crippled connected nan protect end.
Queen’s versatility has helped him look arsenic 1 of nan apical rookie bigs successful imagination basketball, averaging 31.6 imagination points per game. Prior to a quiet capacity connected Wednesday night, Queen upped his scoring mean to 37.3 points complete his erstwhile 5 games, including a 52.2-point capacity against nan Washington Wizards connected Jan. 9.
Cooper Flagg’s Stock Takes Minor Hit Following Injury
Jan 14, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guardant Cooper Flagg (32) grabs his ankle arsenic he falls to nan level during nan 2nd 4th against nan Denver Nuggets astatine nan American Airlines Center. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Though nan Dallas Mavericks person dealt pinch their ain stock of struggles, Cooper Flagg has lived up to his billing arsenic nan No. 1 wide prime successful nan draft. Over 40 appearances to this constituent of nan year, Flagg has posted 18.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists, pinch 2.1 stocks per crippled defensively. The ROY favourite sustained an ankle sprain connected Wednesday night, which will hamper his short-term imagination stock, though his semipermanent projections stay unaffected.
Fantasy basketball’s starring rookie entered Wednesday’s crippled connected an upward trend, eclipsing 40.0 imagination points successful 3 of his erstwhile 4 games. While his contiguous position is up successful nan aerial pursuing an ankle injury, Flagg remains fantasy’s No. 7 mini forward, averaging 36.6 points per crippled successful fantasy.
Cedric Coward Rising Amid Ja Morant Trade Rumors
Jan 11, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guardant Cedric Coward (23) shoots for 3 during nan 4th fourth against nan Brooklyn Nets astatine FedExForum. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Rumors are swirling astir nan Memphis Grizzlies this week, which could bode good for Cedric Coward’s imagination banal going forward. Memphis, which could beryllium trending toward a imaginable rebuild pinch Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. each garnering immense waste and acquisition interest, has recovered promising accumulation from its No. 11 wide pick. Over 36 games, Coward has made 23 starts, averaging 13.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
Despite missing time, Coward has shown retired complete his past 5 games, posting valuable imagination accumulation from nan shooting defender spot. During that span, nan rookie defender is averaging 34.7 points per game, including a 55.0-point effort connected Dec. 30. Coward has vastly exceeded imagination projections already this season, presently classed arsenic nan No. 21 two-guard successful fantasy.
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