2026-27 Pelicans Fantasy Preview

The Pelicans were one of the more quiet teams during the offseason and are looking like they’re stuck in a mediocre holding pattern. They’re at a crossroads and will need to decide how to move forward — hopefully, sooner than later.

Trey Murphy, SG/SF/PF

📊 Trend:  ⬆️

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

⚠️ Risk:  🟠 Medium

🔓 Value Unlock: Improve playmaking while taking care of the ball

💡 Quick Hits: Murphy was solid in fantasy last season thanks to his high-scoring, well-rounded, efficient production. His 66 games were his most played in the last three seasons, but at least it’s a step in the right direction. 

❓ Big Question(s): With the Pelicans looking unlikely to be competitive this season, could Murphy be a trade or sit risk?

🎯 Draft Range: 15-25

⭐ Fantasy Take: Murphy is a proven commodity at this point and is hands down the best player on the Pelicans by a mile. He’s at the cusp of being one of fantasy’s elite, so make sure he doesn’t slip through your fingers.

Dejounte Murray, PG/SG

📊 Trend: ⬆️

🗝️ Key Stats: PTS, AST, STL

⚠️ Risk: 🟠 Medium

🔓 Value Unlock: Get back to being a 20-point scorer, while staying away from the injury bug

💡 Quick Hits: Murray returned last season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon. He looked rusty in his 14 games, but there were flashes of his former self.

❓ Big Question(s):  Can Murray get back to being a dangerous two-way combo guard this season?

🎯 Draft Range: 50-60

⭐ Fantasy Take: Murray is a bounce-back candidate, but there’s no need to overpay. There should be enough of a discount to go around come draft day.

Zion Williamson, SF/PF/C

📊 Trend: ⬇️

🗝️ Key Stats: PTS, AST, FG%

⚠️ Risk: 🟠 ➡️ 🔴 Medium to High

🔓 Value Unlock: Considering Zion’s strength and speed, he should be able to provide more rebounds and defensive stats

💡 Quick Hits: Zion can be an unstoppable force when he gets a full head of steam, but being a blunt instrument can get you only so far. 

❓ Big Question(s): Can Zion still find another gear, or are we going to get just more of what we’ve been seeing over the last few seasons?

🎯 Draft Range: 85-95

⭐ Fantasy Take: Zion is more of a points league special than anything else. His stat set is too narrow and limited for him to muster much appeal in category scoring leagues. Draft accordingly. 

Derik Queen, PF/C

📊 Trend: ⬆️

🗝️ Key Stats: REB, AST, STL

⚠️ Risk: 🟢 ➡️ 🟠 Low to Medium

🔓 Value Unlock: Earn steady playing time, whether as a starter or a sixth man

💡 Quick Hits: Queen was a strong finisher last season and displayed a diverse stat set. While he has shown he can be an offensive hub, but his defensive contributions still need to catch up.

❓ Big Question(s):  Are the Pelicans poised to develop their young players? If so, what kind of ceiling can we expect from Queen?

🎯 Draft Range: 70-80

⭐ Fantasy Take: Queen is definitely a promising player, but his path to steady minutes and usage is still a question mark. We do know that the Pelicans like him, so he’s got that going for him. He may require patience as he might end up being more of a second-half-of-the-season guy once again. 

Saddiq Bey, SF/PF

📊 Trend:  ⬆️

🗝️ Key Stats:  PTS, STL, 3PM, FT%, TO

⚠️ Risk: 🟢 Low

🔓 Value Unlock: Find a way to improve his FG% while retaining his newfound shooting volume

💡 Quick Hits: Bey returned from ACL surgery last season and ended up playing 72 games and recording fresh career-highs in multiple categories. 

❓ Big Question(s): What kind of role will Bey have this season with the Pelicans? 

🎯 Draft Range: 130-140

⭐ Fantasy Take: Bey had a great comeback season in 2025-26, but he needs to show that it’s not just a one-off. He could end up as more of a streamer than a late-round flier given the wealth of players with potential.

Bennedict Mathurin, SG/SF

📊 Trend: ⬆️

🗝️ Key Stats: PTS, FT%

⚠️ Risk: 🟢 Low

🔓 Value Unlock: Develop an outside shot, do something, anything, on defense

💡 Quick Hits: Mathurin gets a new lease this season with a fresh start with the Pelicans who needed another go-to scorer. Mathurin's offense-first approach addresses that need.

❓ Big Question(s): Can Mathurin shed the one-dimensionality of his game and produce a more robust fantasy line?

🎯 Draft Range: 145-155

⭐️ Fantasy Take: Mathurin's game isn't very attractive in category scoring formats, unfortunately. But his scoring tends to be a siren song for managers and they succumb to drafting him much earlier than necessary. He can be a trap. Watch out.

👀 Players to Watch: Herbert Jones, Jeremiah Fears, Yves Missi