Fantasy Basketball 2022: Ranking Sleepers for NBA Week 2

The 2022-23 NBA season is off and running, and if fantasy basketball managers aren't paying close attention to the proceedings, they can easily get lost amid all the twists and turns.

While the Association sometimes gets tagged with the "it's too predictable" wrap, let's just say this: The rebuilding Utah Jazz are undefeated, and the championship-focused Philadelphia 76ers are winless. So much for predictable, right?

Granted, it's early, but some early trends can sustain. Of course, for fantasy purposes, you don't even necessarily need them to, as you might just be looking to temporarily plug a hole or take advantage of a hot streak.

Either way, if you're in the market for sleepers, we have found and ranked our top three for Week 2.

While the numbers aren't enormous yet, it seems McDaniels may be taking a leap toward his towering ceiling.

The third-year forward is a full-time starter for the first time, and he's trouncing his previous career high with 34.0 minutes per game. His 13.3 points per game are easily another personal best, as is his 53.8 field-goal percentage.

The fact there are other mouths to feed in Minnesota's offense first could keep his numbers relatively in check at that end, but the real draw here is his disruptive defense. He already has seven steals and four blocks in three games. That puts him in the top 20 of both categories, a distinction he shares with only three other players.

If his scoring ever perks up, he could be a multicategory asset. Now is as good of a time as any to make that happen, as the Timberwolves' four-game week includes three tussles with the San Antonio Spurs and one with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Pistons surprised plenty of people by placing the winning bid in the Bogdanović sweepstakes, as the rebuilding team isn't exactly operating on the same timeline as the 33-year-old. Still, the price was more than reasonable—Kelly Olynyk, Saben Lee and cash—and the reward is possibly twofold, as he can take pressure off their young players now and perhaps return an asset or two at the trade deadline.

Regardless what the future holds for Bogdanović and the franchise, the club clearly has no qualms about letting him handle a huge chunk of the offense. He is pacing the team in points (19.3) and firing up the second-most shots (13.7).

Involvement was the only question here, and if this sustains, then that goes out the window. Suddenly, you're looking at a near-elite scoring source who shoots high percentages from everywhere (48.8/50.0/87.5) and adds modest value with his rebounds (4.0) and assists (2.7).

With four games on the docket and three against opponents who like to run—the Atlanta Hawks (twice) and Golden State Warriors—Bogdanović could boast big numbers in his best categories.

Three games into his NBA career, Mathurin already looks like a star on the rise. If your leaguemates haven't figured that out yet—he's rostered in 80 percent of Yahoo leagues but only 38 percent on ESPN, per FantasyPros—pause this article and go pounce on a waiver claim. It's that urgent.

Mathurin is already the Circle City's most important resident not named Tyrese Haliburton. The two guards are front-and-center for this rebuilding project, and each clearly has enough chances to shine alongside the other.

Haliburton's huge start (25.7 points, 9.7 assists) was expected. Mathurin's likely caught some folks off guard. Sure, he was this summer's No. 6 pick, but that hardly guarantees production like this: 24.0 points per game on 52.1/52.4/73.3 shooting, plus 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Oh, he's also logging just 28.7 minutes per night, so his stats could really get silly once his training wheels are removed.

The Pacers have a four-game slate this week, and it's all against teams ranked in the bottom half of defensive efficiency, per NBA.com. Look for Mathurin's week to be loud enough that the fantasy community fully wakes up to him over the coming days.