2026-27 Pacers Fantasy Preview
The Pacers are mostly healthy again and are gearing up to compete in a more competitive Eastern Conference. With Tyrese Haliburton quarterbacking the offense, Ivica Zubac manning the paint, and solid rotation depth, Indiana will be a team to watch. The question is, “which players will deliver the fantasy goods?”
Tyrese Haliburton, PG/SG
📊 Trend: ⬇️
🗝️ Key Stats: PTS, AST, STL, 3PM, FG%, FT%, TO
⚠️ Risk: 🟠 Medium
🔓 Value Unlock: Has a steady ramp-up throughout the season with no setbacks
💡 Quick Hits: Haliburton missed the entire 2025-26 season due to a torn Achilles. He’s been cleared for full basketball activities and has been actively participating in full-bore 5-on-5 practices. An Achilles tear is one of the toughest injuries to return from, and even if Haliburton eventually regains his old form, fantasy managers should expect reduced availability and production early in the season.
❓ Big Question(s): While an Achilles injury is devastating, can Haliburton bounce back and come close to 90% of his pre-injury self?
🎯 Draft Range: 9-12
⭐️ Fantasy Take: Haliburton’s body of work before his injury precedes him, and the market is not only cheering for a bounce-back campaign; they’re almost expecting it.
Ivica Zubac, C
📊 Trend: ⬇️
🗝️ Key Stats: REB, FG%, TO
⚠️ Risk: 🟠 Medium
🔓 Value Unlock: Stay healthy, develop pick-and-roll rapport with Tyrese Haliburton
💡 Quick Hits: Zubac’s last days as a Clipper were cloudy as a decline in his production dragged down his fantasy value. Now with the Pacers, a new dynamic with Tyrese Haliburton could spur a renaissance in his production and fantasy contributions.
❓ Big Question(s): Zubac played just five games with the Pacers post-trade, and that was without a still-injured Haliburton. How will the big man fit with his new team and system?
🎯 Draft Range: 75-85
⭐️ Fantasy Take: 2024-25, Zubac’s best season, was the only one where he pinged inside the fantasy top 50. Was it a one-off? Time will tell. That being the case, it’s best to target him somewhere between his established top-100 floor and his top-50 ceiling.
Pascal Siakam, PF/C
📊 Trend: ⬇️
🗝️ Key Stats: PTS, AST, STL, FG%
⚠️ Risk: 🟠 Medium
🔓 Value Unlock: Improve AST, FT%
💡 Quick Hits: Pascal Siakam was the top-scorer for a Pacers team that knew it was not going to be competitive in 2025-26. Siakam posted a career-high in scoring, but the extra volume didn't translate into better fantasy value. His shooting efficiency slipped, leaving him outside the impact tier fantasy managers had hoped for.
❓ Big Question(s): Is it likely that we’ve seen Siakam’s best days in fantasy and it’s all downhill from here?
🎯 Draft Range: 90-100
⭐️ Fantasy Take: While it’s easy to pin the blame on his team tanking, it probably should be time to account for a decline in Siakam’s game. He doesn’t project to be a hot target in drafts, so a fade should be in order.
Andrew Nembhard, PG/SG
📊 Trend: ⬆️
🗝️ Key Stats: PTS, AST, 3PM
⚠️ Risk: 🟢 Low
🔓 Value Unlock: Stable usage, successful pivot to off-ball role
💡 Quick Hits: Nembhard filled in valiantly in the absence of Tyrese Haliburton last season, but the guard met expectations only halfway, as an increase in turnovers and a decrease in FG% limited his fantasy ceiling. The return of a healthy Haliburton should mean a drop in Nembhard’s usage overall.
❓ Big Question(s): Can Nembhard find a place alongside Haliburton in the backcourt? If so, will he do enough to retain fantasy relevance?
🎯 Draft Range: 120-135
⭐️ Fantasy Take: Nembhard was a stop-gap play, and while he saw some growth as a playmaker, there’s little choice but to expect some regression as Haliburton retakes the reins.
Kelly Oubre Jr., SF/PF
📊 Trend: ↔️
🗝️ Key Stats: PTS, STL, FG%
⚠️ Risk: 🟢 Low
🔓 Value Unlock: Earn sixth-man minutes with the Pacers
💡 Quick Hits: Oubre left the Sixers in the offseason to add wing depth for the Pacers. His role will be different with his new team, and he will need to let his defense shine if he’s to earn his minutes on the floor.
❓ Big Question(s): The Pacers are a deep team. How will Oubre separate himself from the rest of the reserves and post usable fantasy production?
🎯 Draft Range: 125-135
⭐️ Fantasy Take: In most cases, Oubre will fall and end up being a pickup off the wire. While he’s going to be a last-pick flier for some, it’d be better to swing for upside and go with a potential breakout instead.
Jay Huff, C
📊 Trend: ⬆️
🗝️ Key Stats: BLK, 3PM, FG%, TO
⚠️ Risk: 🟢 Low
🔓 Value Unlock: See at least 20-22 MPG as a stretch five
💡 Quick Hits: Huff had a career-best season with the Pacers in 2025-26, making waves as a solid source of blocks and 3s off the wire. But that was the result of the absence of a reliable star center. Now, the Pacers have a healthy Ivica Zubac to lean on, meaning Huff will see some headwinds for playing time.
❓ Big Question(s): Can Huff’s floor spacing and shot blocking be enough to earn him playing time to be more than just a streamer for blocks?
🎯 Draft Range: 135-150
⭐️ Fantasy Take: There’s no doubt that Zubac will eat into Huff’s fantasy appeal and upside. That said, Huff should be on everyone’s watchlists, or be a handcuff pick for Zubac share owners, because he can be sneaky-good and should pop if/when Zubac goes down with an injury.
👀 Players to Watch: Aaron Nesmith, Obi Toppin, Jarace Walker
