Four NBA players are rewriting their fantasy value with new skill sets
Jabari Smith Jr., Yaxel Lendeborg, Kyshawn George, and Matisse Thybulle are showing sustained improvements in shooting, finishing, and defense that suggest permanent upgrades.
By Jonathan Reed ·
Fantasy basketball managers are watching four players who appear to have permanently upgraded their abilities this season.
The NBA regular season began in October 2026. Analysts are already identifying players who have moved beyond their previous statistical profiles. The sample size is still small, but the underlying metrics show distinct changes in how these four athletes operate on the court.
Jabari Smith Jr. of the Houston Rockets is taking the same types of shots as last year, yet his scoring output has increased by nearly 20 percent. This jump is driven by higher shooting success rates. Smith is now effective off the dribble and as a pull-up shooter. He also initiates and finishes drives more frequently. His career block percentage sits at 2.5 percent, a figure that reflects his ability to protect the rim from an atypical position. Smith currently ranks 20th on the Player Rater, placing him just ahead of teammate Alperen Sengun.
Yaxel Lendeborg entered the league as the oldest prospect in his class. His college resume featured dominant rebounding but lacked offensive clarity. Eight games into his professional career with the Golden State Warriors, Lendeborg is finishing 68 percent of his shots from within three feet of the basket. He is taking nearly 25 percent of his field goal attempts from that area. His free throw rate is 46.4 percent, a figure typically associated with primary offensive engines. This combination of efficient paint scoring and foul generation is rare for a rookie.
Kyshawn George of the Washington Wizards is benefiting from a partnership with Trae Young in pick-and-roll actions. George is finishing around the rim at the highest volume and efficiency of his career. He is taking 24.7 percent of his shots from within three feet, compared to 14.7 percent over his first two professional seasons. His accuracy in that zone has improved from 66 percent to 73 percent. George also has a career-best block percentage of 3.7 percent. His nearly 6-foot-11 wingspan allows him to contribute on both ends of the floor.
Matisse Thybulle of the Los Angeles Lakers has expanded his role beyond defense. He is averaging two three-pointers per game using a quick, catch-and-shoot motion. This improvement is aided by the passing of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, who create wide-open looks in rhythm. Thybulle led the league in steal percentage in his third season and has averaged two steals per game over the past three years. He now ranks 69th on the Player Rater. This marks a shift from a deep-league specialist to a top-100 candidate.
The next step for these players is to maintain these metrics as the season progresses. Managers will monitor whether Smith sustains his scoring efficiency, Lendeborg keeps generating fouls, George continues to convert Young's passes, and Thybulle maintains his three-point shooting. The current data suggests these are not temporary spikes but new baselines for their respective teams.
