It’s inevitable—every NBA Fantasy season, at least one player ends up being a massive disappointment. Expectations were sky-high; you spent an early draft pick thinking he’d be a fantasy stud, and instead, he completely crashed and burned.
Still, fantasy managers tend to hold onto these guys, hoping they’ll bounce back to form. But sometimes, they never do—and when draft season rolls around, you’re hesitant to take another chance.
That said, a few NBA Fantasy bounce-back candidates for the 2025-26 season are worth keeping on your radar. They didn’t rebound last year, but they could be valuable fantasy draft sleepers this time around.
My Top 3 NBA Fantasy Bounce Back Candidates
I’m not going to waste your time talking about chronically injured vets like Joel Embiid, Kawhi Leonard, Zion Williamson, Paul George, or Kristaps Porzingis. I’ve also seen numerous articles labeling players as “bounce-back candidates” despite their recent career years.
That makes me wonder if some people even know what “bounce back” means. For me, it’s about guys who actually dipped in production and have a real chance to improve (based on Yahoo! NBA Fantasy points).
CJ McCollum, Washington Wizards
McCollum has averaged 20+ points per game in each of the last 12 seasons since becoming a full-time starter with Portland in 2015-16. His production wasn’t bad last year with the Pelicans (21.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists per game), but his fantasy output dipped for the fourth straight season, finishing at 33.6 fantasy points per game.
This year, he joins a Washington Wizards team that just lost its top two scorers. That puts the spotlight on McCollum to provide both veteran leadership and a steady scoring presence — roles he’s more than capable of filling.
Anfernee Simmons, Boston Celtics
On the surface, Simons didn’t have a bad season last year, but it was his lowest fantasy average of his three seasons as a full-time starter (2022-23: 32.9 FPPG; 2023-24: 37.1; 2024-25: 32.3). His production dipped, but he’s now in a position to have his best year yet, potentially.
Why? Because he’s on a much better team—the Boston Celtics. With Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis moving on and Jayson Tatum sidelined as he recovers from a torn Achilles, the Celtics will need someone to step up alongside Jaylen Brown.
Simons could very well be that guy.
Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets
It may seem surprising to see Kevin Durant on a list like this since he didn’t exactly have a bad season last year. However, he posted his lowest fantasy points per game average at 43.2. The last time he dipped that low was back in 2014-15 with the Thunder, when he averaged 42.1 FPPG.
Durant’s availability has long been a concern—he hasn’t played 80+ games since the 2012-13 season. Still, if he can stay healthy, he’ll be the focal point of an offense designed for him to thrive. I wouldn’t be surprised if he pushes past 50 FPPG again, just as he did in his final year in Brooklyn.
