The 2023-2024 NBA season tips off on October 24 with a doubleheader featuring the Nuggets vs. Lakers and Suns vs. Warriors.
The power forward position is loaded with talent this season, especially counting hybrid players like Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant and others who primarily play other positions but moonlight as power forwards with power forward eligibility at times for their teams.
At age 35, Durant remains the most talented power forward in the NBA as questions persist about minor health related issues heading into the final days of the preseason. Anthony Davis is motivated to bring home another championship for the Los Angeles Lakers and was given incredible praise by the man widely considered to hold that title currently, LeBron James.
With so much talent at the power forward position, fantasy basketball fans can expect to see big numbers this season both for the usual suspects and the power forward sleepers who have drawn attention early on in the preseason.
Top 5 Power Forward Sleepers for 2023-2024
So, which guys should you look to for above-average production in the mid-to-late rounds of your draft? And which power forward sleepers may be closer to the top of the heap but aren't getting respect where respect is due?
Without further ado, here is the list of the top fantasy basketball power forwards among sleepers for the 2023-2024 NBA season.
5. Victor Wembanyama-
The San Antonio Spurs big man has power forward eligibility according to preseason rankings and has the talent to rack up incredible statistical nights in a variety of categories.
The number one overall pick this past summer, the Spurs rookie stuffed the stat sheet in a preseason battle with Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren recently.
In a preseason vote, Wembanyama dominated the prognostication mentions from NBA executives and it wasn't even close.
If you're looking for a power forward who can rack up blocks, rebounds, and points in a hurry while knocking down a few threes, Wembanyama is your guy. The question is whether or not he can stay healthy for a whole season and whether or not he will hit a rookie wall, which seems inevitable according to history.
Wembanyama, as most know, is far from your usual power forward/center prospect.
4. Franz Wagner-
Fresh off of a gold medal this offseason for Team Germany at the FIBA World Cup, Wagner is still coming into his own with the Orlando Magic.
His basketball IQ and all-around skills make him unusual for a power forward. His ability to set up teammates and score off of putbacks allows him to consistently put up surprising numbers in different ways when opposing teams and players least expect it.
While most of the attention is focused on Paolo Banchero, Wagner is the ideal small forward/power forward fantasy basketball sleeper because of his versatility, maturity and leadership.
3. Zion Williamson-
Is the former big man destined to make more headlines off the court now that his star has been diminished due to injuries and weight problems? Or is he finally turning the corner, getting back into shape while maintaining his confidence in the process?
Those and a boatload of other questions will finally be answered this season with Williamson ranked in the top 50-60 range among all fantasy basketball prospects as the leaves continue to change color.
If healthy, Williamson could set the city of New Orleans, and its flagship NBA team, on fire with his tenacious play on both ends of the court, defense, and thunder jams.
Williamson has a world of potential and has been ranked in the top 20 among all NBA players heading into the season. The talent is there, now he just needs to stay healthy. Snag him early if you can, because all it takes is one opposing fantasy team owner to spoil the party by selecting Williamson early.
2. Khris Middleton-
The Bucks' forgotten man at the small forward and power forward positions, Middleton is one of those players with all of the talent in the world who seems to thrive when the spotlight is on someone else.
With Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo forming the best 1-2 punch in the entire NBA, Middleton can relax and pick his spots better than in previous seasons.
He won't need to shoulder the offensive scoring load as much which will become a huge plus for his longevity and all-around statistical game.
Plus, he won't be coveted the way other top prospects will be this coming season. Keep Middleton's name on the tip of your tongue and wait until the coast is clear.
Snagging him in the ‘middle' rounds could be your number one key to fantasy basketball success in 2023-2024 at the power forward position.
1. Keegan Murray-
A second-year NBA star out of Iowa, Murray has the smooth all-around game necessary to dramatically increase his production this season for a Kings team that is hungry for more offensive, and playoff, success.
Coach Mike Brown has consistently praised the SF/PF hybrid since his earliest days with the team, and 2023-2024 could be the year we witness him turning into the fantasy basketball sleeper of the ages.
Murray carried his entire team at Iowa and did an excellent job at it. Surrounded by studs like Malik Monk and De'Aaron Fox in California, the Sacramento Kings' prized super soph could easily become a 20-point scorer this season in preparation for a playoff season in which he will be asked to make more plays against elite teams like Denver and the Lakers.
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