3 under-drafted Pelicans who could push your NBA Fantasy team over the top

Tip-off of the 2024-25 NBA season is right around the corner, as teams are gearing up for training camp at the start of October. It's been a long offseason, but there's been plenty of basketball action between free agency, the draft, Summer League, the Olympics, the WNBA, and preseason soon to keep starving fans appeased.

For those who aren't satisfied with just those appetizers, though, there's another outlet for hoop-heads to stave off their appetite that actually involves them actively participating, too. I'm not talking about NBA 2K25 or recreational basketball leagues. I'm talking about NBA Fantasy, an activity that's been rising and growing parallel to the league's growth all around the world.

Fantasy basketball might always be the little brother to fantasy football, but it's a fun activity that helps players stay plugged into athletes and teams that aren't necessarily their rooting interests. And, drafts can take place anytime ahead of tip-off for the respective season, so it can be a good way to stay locked in during the dog days of the offseason. Many early drafts have already taken place, but they'll really start ramping up soon with just weeks until season tip-off. Next season, there are three members of the New Orleans Pelicans in particular that could wind up as steals and make the difference for a lot of NBA fantasy teams.

Underrated Pelicans in NBA Fantasy Basketball drafts for the 2024-25 season

1. Zion Williamson

Believe it or not, Zion Williamson is a player who's being overlooked in fantasy drafts for the upcoming season. Although the superstar point forward stuffs stat sheets each and every game, his injury history has been suppressing his draft stock. Coming off of the healthiest season of his life and after an intense summer of conditioning, though, it feels like he'll be a good bet to dominate fantasy leagues next year, even if he does miss a few games.

According to Fantasy Pros, Zion currently has an average draft position (ADP) of 43.5 across their counted outlets. That mark puts him at 41st, behind players like Alperen Sengun, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Jalen Williams. He clocked in at 31st in the league in total fantasy points in a standard scoring system last season with 2671.2 points. If he can stay healthy, he'd be an absolute steal at his current range.

2. CJ McCollum

The New Orleans Pelicans will be loaded with high-level scorers next season between Zion, Brandon Ingram, Dejounte Murray, and CJ McCollum. With that many mouths to feed, it stands to reason that some of them — perhaps all of them — will take a step back in terms of statistical output.

So far, it seems like fantasy drafters are expecting CJ to take a big hit, as he's currently being drafted at an ADP of 76.5, good for 79th. While he will likely see some of his usage and counting stats shrink a bit, his all-around game and durability suggest that he'll outperform his draft stock. Last season, he finished as the 58th-highest scorer in fantasy with 2218.7 points, much higher than other players in his draft range like Bradley Beal and Keegan Murray.

3. Trey Murphy III

While many of the Pelicans are set to take on a smaller role next season with DJM in town, Trey Murphy III is one of the few players who could see upticks in his production. New Orleans is lacking in both size and shooting, and TMIII could provide both for a team that might have to resort to small-ball due to their pitiful center rotation.

Still only 24 years old, he's got plenty of room to grow his game and expand his impact next season and beyond. His current ADP of 113.5 seems way too low and is likely an overreaction to his injury-riddled campaign last year. The Pelicans will need internal growth from Murphy next season, and his fantasy owners will stand to profit.