Fantasy managers always have an idea about the All-Star studs they'd love to land ahead of their drafts. People generally have a good idea about who's built to thrive in points and Roto leagues but struggle when the more popular players are off the board. Grabbing Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, or Giannis Antetokounmpo can get your team started on the right foot, but depth is important when accounting for injuries.
There's always tons of new talent entering the league, and I've already ranked my top 20 Fantasy rookies. Now I've compiled a list of five Dynasty sleepers under 25 who've played at least one pro season and could be valuable in 2022-23. Not everyone watches NBA games on a nightly basis, so here are five Dynasty gems you might want to keep an eye on for after all your favorite targets have been selected this year.
Sengun was trapped behind Christian Wood for most of last season but seems poised for a breakout sophomore campaign. The Turkish 20-year-old might not be a household name, but his versatile skillset will surely make him a valuable Fantasy asset in 2022-23. He cracked the top 10 in steals and assists among centers last season despite playing less than 21 minutes a game. Sengun also creeped into the top 20 at his position in blocks. He averaged 16.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.6 blocks per 36 minutes in Year 1. Those numbers put him on par with the San Antonio Spurs' Jakob Poeltl, who was a top 10 Fantasy center last year. Casual basketball fans likely won't bat an eye when they see Sengun's name on the board, but he'll certainly be impactful in a starting role.
The Phoenix's Suns' unexpected lottery pick from 2020 made his way to the Indiana Pacers last season and flashed quite a bit of Fantasy potential before departing. Smith couldn't get on the court with Deandre Ayton and JaVale McGee ahead of him on the depth chart, but did start in five games for the Suns during his NBA season. He averaged 16.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.0 block per game in Phoenix before. Smith went on to post averages of 13.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.0 block per contest in 22 games with Indiana. He's on track to become a full-time starter at power forward in 2022-23. I won't be surprised if Smith posts career highs across the board for the rebuilding Pacers.
The San Antonio Spurs' roster is starving for point guards, and Jones is the only real option for them. Dejounte Murray's move to the Atlanta Hawks makes Jones the clear frontrunner to win a starting spot. He's largely viewed as a defensive-minded player who is a game manager, but he comfortably averaged 12.8 points, 7.2 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game in 12 starts last season. Jones is the only player on the Spurs' roster who averaged more than 3.0 assists per game last season, so expect him to handle a large chunk of the playmaking for his young squad. His 3-point shooting is suspect, but he shoots a very respectable 48.7 percent from the field through two seasons.
Rookies in Denver usually find it extremely hard to get on the court under Mike Malone, but that wasn't the case for Bones last year. Nuggets fans fell in love with the crafty guard during his first NBA season and he impacted games with Monte Morris and Facundo Campazzo splitting time while Jamal Murray was on the shelf nursing a knee injury. Murray is set to make a return in 2022-23 and his backup will likely get plenty of exposure while he eases back into things. Hyland scored at least 15 points in 18 games last season despite being a third-string point guard for most of the season and averaged more than 19 points per 36 minutes. Stashing Hyland for injury management purposes won't be a bad move, and he'll likely be a regular rotation player in Year 2.
Mitchell Robinson will likely be the only New York Knick who won't average close to 30 minutes per game in 2022-23. That's good news for Hartenstein, who was a top-30 center last season while backing a borderline top-15 five in Ivica Zubac with the Los Angeles Clippers. Robinson has missed more than 20 games in two of his first four NBA seasons and doesn't offer much on the offensive end. Hartenstein offers more versatility as a scorer and passer. He's also averaging a double-double through four career starts. Pencil in Hartenstein as one of the best reserve Fantasy bigs flying under the radar.
