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# 2026-27 Mavs Fantasy Preview
- URL: https://www.9catninja.com/2026-27-mavs-fantasy-preview/
- Published: 2026-09-21T07:18:32.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-21T07:18:32.000Z
- Author: Erik

*The Mavericks are entering a new era with Cooper Flagg at the center of the franchise. After a disappointing 26-56 season, Dallas reshaped its roster around its young star, adding Zaccharie Risacher and Santi Aldama while hoping for healthy returns from Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II. With plenty of size and several players competing for expanded roles, which players will emerge as reliable fantasy contributors this season?*

### Cooper Flagg, SG/SF/PF

**📊 Trend: ⬆️**

**🗝️ Key Stats:** PTS, REB, AST, STL, FT%

**⚠️ Risk: 🟢** Low

**🔓 Value Unlock:** Build on his evolving well-rounded game

**💡 Quick Hits:** Entering his second season, Flagg is already an established two-way player who still has a lot of room for growth. His versatile stat set has made him a coveted early-round target in drafts. 

**❓ Big Question(s):** Can Cooper Flagg deliver on the lofty expectations managers have set for him this season?

**🎯 Draft Range:** 15-18

**⭐ Fantasy Take:** Flagg had an impressive rookie season, but it has fueled a frenzy, and the market is pricing a huge leap from him in his sophomore year. At this rate, Flagg’s ADP is clipping closer to his projected ceiling than he can realistically deliver. 

### Kyrie Irving, PG

**📊 Trend:** ↔️

**🗝️ Key Stats:** PTS, STL, 3PM, FG%, FT%, TO

**⚠️ Risk:** 🟠 ➡️ 🔴 Medium to High

**🔓 Value Unlock:** Play 55-60 games. Produce up to 80% of his prime form

**💡 Quick Hits:** Irving is working his way back from ACL surgery. Though it is a concerning injury, he has had an unusually long recovery window heading into this season. He’s a bounce-back candidate, given his historically impressive per-game numbers. 

**❓ Big Question(s):** How much of the old Kyrie will we see return this season?

**🎯 Draft Range:** 35-45

**⭐ Fantasy Take:** Consider Irving a big risk-reward pick this season. Even before the ACL injury, he has had durability issues, so stay away if you’re risk-averse. But if you want an upside swing with first-round per-game value potential and you’re willing to miss 25-35 games, Irving might be your guy.

### Daniel Gafford, C

**📊 Trend:** ⬇️

**🗝️ Key Stats:** REB, BLK, FG%, TO

**⚠️ Risk:** 🔴 High

**🔓 Value Unlock:** Keep receiving meaningful minutes even after Dereck Lively II returns

**💡 Quick Hits:** With Dereck Lively II still recovering from major foot surgery, Gafford is expected to start at center for the Mavs. Gafford’s strength is his elite FG%, and he can also chip in some decent boards and blocks. Unfortunately, he isn’t seen as part of the Mavs’ plans, so he’s a potential trade chip this season.

**❓ Big Question(s):** Can Gafford stay relevant even when Dereck Lively II is playing and starting?

**🎯 Draft Range:** 120-130

**⭐ Fantasy Take:** View Gafford as a third-string center for your fantasy team, someone to boost those already-solid big man stats. 

### P.J. Washington, PF/C

**📊 Trend: ⬇️**

**🗝️ Key Stats:** REB, STL, BLK, TO

**⚠️ Risk:** 🟠 Medium

**🔓 Value Unlock:** Get enough minutes to produce his rare 3s plus blocks stat set

**💡 Quick Hits:** The added frontcourt talent has crowded out some of Washington’s upside opportunity. So much so that they have made him available in trades. The Mavs also added Santi Aldama via trade and Morez Johnson Jr. via the draft, so Washington will have much more competition for minutes that are already expected to decline.

**❓ Big Question(s):** Can Washington still be relevant despite a reduced role?

**🎯 Draft Range:** 135-145

**⭐ Fantasy Take:** Washington is projected to decline further, so let other people roll the dice. He’s only worth considering if he falls very far in drafts. 

### Morez Johnson Jr., PF

**📊 Trend:**  NA (Rookie)

**🗝️ Key Stats:** REB, STL, BLK, FG%, TO

**⚠️ Risk:** 🟢 ➡️ 🟠 Low to Medium

**🔓 Value Unlock:**  Earn 20-25 minutes off the bench

**💡 Quick Hits:** Johnson was a Summer League standout and played under head coach Dusty May. He has a defensive-minded game and is not afraid to crash the boards, a skill set that should complement Cooper Flagg’s dynamic game. 

**❓ Big Question(s):** How quickly will the Mavs look to develop Johnson? 

**🎯 Draft Range:** 145-155

**⭐ Fantasy Take:** While Johnson has shown some nice potential, the Mavs are currently still stacked at his position. He might need the Mavs to trade one or more players ahead of him on the depth chart before he provides reliable fantasy value. He’s more of a stash project as a second-half potential breakout player.

### Santi Aldama, PF/C

**📊 Trend:** ↔️

**🗝️ Key Stats:** REB, BLK, 3PM, FG%, TO

**⚠️ Risk:** 🟢 ➡️ 🟠 Low to Medium

**🔓 Value Unlock:** A bigger role as a frontcourt creator

**💡 Quick Hits:** Aldama is an interesting piece that the Mavs added in the offseason. He’s “insurance” for the PF/C positions, helping the team’s flexibility and allowing them to part with the likes of P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, both of whom were put on the trade block during the offseason. 

**❓ Big Question(s):** How many minutes and how much usage will Aldama get with the Mavs? Will it be enough for him to produce in fantasy?

**🎯 Draft Range:** 140-150

**⭐ Fantasy Take:** Aldama doesn't need a major scoring role to be useful in 9-cat. His ability to contribute threes, rebounds, blocks, and solid percentages gives him multiple paths to value. If Dallas gives him consistent starter-level minutes, he could outperform his draft position.

### Dereck Lively II, C

**📊 Trend:** ⬇️

**🗝️ Key Stats:** REB, BLK, FG%, TO

**⚠️ Risk:** 🔴 High

**🔓 Value Unlock:** Have a smooth return with no setbacks

**💡 Quick Hits:** Lively suffered a stress fracture in his right foot in 2025-26 and played just seven games. He underwent surgery and has been gradually rebuilding his strength, but Dallas has yet to provide a firm return timeline.

**❓ Big Question(s):** How many games will Lively be able to play this season? How much time will he need to ramp up?

**🎯 Draft Range:** 150-160

**⭐ Fantasy Take:** The fracture itself has been surgically addressed, but Lively still needs to rebuild enough strength and conditioning to run, jump, and tolerate an NBA workload. His history of recurring lower-body/foot issues adds another layer of concern. Consider him a stash for the second half of the season.

**👀 Players to Watch:** Naji Marshall, Marcus Sasser, Zaccharie Risacher