2015 Fantasy Basketball Draft Prep: Sleepers 1.0

Defining a Fantasy sleeper is tricky business. Your sleeper may be my 10th round pick, while my sleeper may not even be on your draft board. Is a sleeper all that different than a breakout candidate?

It's an amorphous term, with a different definition for everyone. Here's the distinction I draw: A breakout candidate is someone who is definitely going to get drafted, but who might not be viewed as the star he could turn into a year from now; a sleeper might not even get drafted in many leagues.

When I look for sleepers, I'm going deep. Of the 10 players mentioned here, you'll probably see most of them go undrafted in your typical 10-team league, but that doesn't mean you should ignore them. Whether you target them with a late-round pick or just keep them on your radar for the waiver wire, these players could come out of relative obscurity to prove helpful for your team.

1. Pierre Jackson/Isaiah Canaan/Tony Wroten, G, 76ers

Whether you think Sam Hinkie is a genius or a fool, you can't deny the impact he's made on the Fantasy world over the last two seasons. Talent obviously matters for Fantasy success, but it doesn't really mean anything without opportunity, and what Hinkie has provided over the last two seasons is a lot of opportunity.

There isn't much opportunity available in the frontcourt this season, with Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor locking things down, but the point guard spot especially is wide open. Michael Carter-Williams is gone and the team has so far opted not to bring back Ish Smith, despite the fact that the journeyman averaged 13.0 points and 6.5 assists per game as a starter last season. That means Canaan, Wroten or Jackson -- or possibly some combination of all three -- has a huge opportunity ahead.

We've already seen Wroten at work in this offense, and the results were very promising for Fantasy; he averaged 18.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 15 games as a starter last season. Canaan was less impressive, though his shooting ability could make him stand out because he is a career 36.2 percent shooter from 3-point range and this team pretty desperately needs floor-spacing.

I might be most excited about the potential Jackson brings to the floor, however. He can shoot like Canaan, but probably brings a bit more creativity and playmaking with the ball in his hands, ala Wroten. If you're playing in a 12-team league, it might not be worth drafting any of these three until you know who is starting, but this will be one of the key battles to watch in the preseason.

2. Aaron Gordon, F, Magic

The next three players were all on the Magic roster last season, which helps explain why I hated that team for Fantasy over the last few seasons. They've had a ton of talent, but more bodies than rotation spots with which to unleash them. That should be less of a concern this season, though I'm still curious about where Gordon is going to play this season.

Gordon is the definition of a tweener, with the athleticism and size to play either power or small forward, but without the refined skills you want for either spot; his jump shot remains a real work in progress, and he wasn't a great rebounder last season. However, he has the tools to develop at either position, and he showed them all off in the Summer League this year, averaging 21.7 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.0 combined blocks and steals, while shooting 6 for 12 over the course of three games.

Summer League stats don't mean much, obviously, but Gordon looked like the best player every time he stepped on the floor, and that's what you want. The question now will be whether he can translate that into the regular season. Gordon's best-case scenario is a player who can stuff the stat sheet like peak Josh Smith, and that upside is worth gambling a late pick on tonight.

3. Kyle O'Quinn, F, Knicks

The challenge for O'Quinn will be translating his impressive per-minute production from his three seasons in Orlando to a potentially larger role in New York this season. O'Quinn has filled up the box score ably in his career, average 13.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 3.3 combined steals and blocks per-36 minutes, so he could blossom in a larger role.

Whether he gets that larger role is the question. The Knicks seem to prefer Carmelo Anthony playing small forward, which leaves O'Quinn to battle with the likes of Kevin Seraphin, Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick Williams for playing time at the four. However, he could also spend time as the backup for Robin Lopez at center, leaving a path to 25 minutes per game somewhat clear. If O'Quinn gets that, he could be a starting-caliber Roto option.

4. Maurice Harkless, F, Trail Blazers

Maurice Harkless' first two seasons gave plenty of reason to be hopeful, especially given his extreme youth -- he won't be 23 until the end of this, his fourth season in the league. He shot above 46.0 percent from the field in both seasons, and even developed into a solid 3-pointer in Year 2, connecting on 59 3-pointers at a 38.3 percent success rate. He added solid rebounding totals and defensive production from a wing, and looked like a potential breakout candidate coming into Year 3.

And then he lost his role entirely. His jumper abandoned him and Harkless ended up playing just 674 minutes all season long. The Blazers swooped in to acquire him this summer, and he should see plenty of time on a team that doesn't have much going for them on the wings. He might start the season backing up Gerald Henderson, but should have a significant role from day one. Harkless is a perfect example of a post-hype sleeper.

5. Meyers Leonard, C, Trail Blazers

Another Blazer! That's what happens when you lose four of five starters. Leonard has an even more limited track record of success than anyone on this list, but he is coming off a very intriguing season, albeit one in which he played just 847 minutes. Still, the seven-footer took a 3-pointer once 7.6 minutes of court-time, and shot 42.0 percent; he is one of just five players 7-feet or taller to ever make at least 40 percent of their 3-pointers at 100 or more attempts.

Leonard did start seven games last season, largely toward the end, and put up fine numbers, averaging 12.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 3-pointers in those games. If he managed that for a whole season, he would return great value on a late-round investment, and there is room to think he can grow into something more than that, if he can prove to be a better option than the likes of Vonleh or Ed Davis.

Honorable mentions

Kent Bazemore, F, Hawks
The Hawks have to find a way to replace DeMarre Carroll, and Bazemore is probably the highest-upside option. He won't get the first crack at it -- veteran Thabo Sefolosha figures to enter the season as the starter -- but Bazemore has a chance to steal significant minutes. He doesn't have Sefolosha's height, but his 6-11 wingspan helps him make up for whatever size he may give up. He also provides the best balance between the offense-only game of Tim Hardaway and the defense-only appeal Sefolosha provides. Bazemore has long been an intriguing prospect, and he may fit in nicely in Atlanta.
Jerami Grant, F, 76ers
Last season, K.J. McDaniels got all of the buzz as a potential sleeper for the 76ers, and though he had his moments, he was ultimately outshined by his fellow second-rounder Grant. Grant wasn't great -- 35.2 percent from the field, 10.7 points per-36 minutes -- but he showed some really intriguing skills that could make him a big-time Fantasy contributor. He shot 38.7 percent from 3-point range before the All-Star break before a second-half slump brought him back down to Earth. Combine that 3-point shooting with Grant's 2.8 combined steals and blocks per-36 minutes, and you can see a future Roto stud here. One thing we know is he'll get plenty of opportunity; he's not the last Sixer you'll see on this list.
Shane Larkin, G, Nets
Despite one of the most impressive performances by a point guard in recent years at the combine, Larkin has really struggled to make an impact in the NBA so far. As a rookie, he rarely played, and then last season he found his considerable athletic gifts restrained in the Knicks' slowed-down offense. The Nets won't be confused for the Seven-Seconds-or-Less Suns, but they should run more than last year's Knicks did, which means Larkin could have a better chance to succeed. With Jarrett Jack the only other viable option on the roster at point guard, this might be Larkin's last best chance to carve out an NBA career.
Mirza Teletovic, F, Suns
If Markieff Morris is to be believed, the Suns are going to have a shortage of options at power forward this season. The other Morris brother capable of playing power forward -- Marcus -- was already traded this offseason, and Markieff told the Philadelphia Inquirer "I am not going to be there" earlier this offseason. That leaves Teletovic, Jon Leuer and Earl Barron as power forward options, which probably only leaves Teletovic as a real option. Teletovic is a solid stretch-four who averages 14.8 points, 7.32 rebounds and 3.0 3-pointers per-36 minutes for his NBA career, and the Suns will definitely need shooting next to Tyson Chandler or Alex Len in the frontcourt.
Noah Vonleh, F, Trail Blazers
Vonleh won't be the last Trail Blazers player featured here, but he might have the most upside of them all. He was considered a potential top-4 pick in last year's draft and, though he fell to No. 9 overall, there's still a lot of upside left here. He just turned 20 in late August, and never really had a chance to contribute last season after undergoing offseason surgery. With a full offseason under his belt and a Blazers' roster that lost four of five starters, this is an excellent opportunity for him to blow up. If Vonleh lives up to his potential, there's a ton of sleeper appeal here. He could be the kind of player who explodes in the second half of the season.