The center position has made a comeback in recent years. Some of the best players in the NBA happen to be big men right now. However, which centers should fantasy basketball managers trust for the remainder of the 2025-26 NBA season?
Let’s take an in-depth look at five big men from a fantasy basketball standpoint.
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Jokic is obviously the best center in the NBA. The only problem is that he’s hurt at the moment.
There was initially a report that suggested Jokic could return from his knee injury in late January. That does not appear to be the case, however.
Purely from a performance standpoint, Jokic is unquestionably trustworthy. Managers will want to closely monitor his injury situation. The fantasy basketball postseason could feel the impact if Jokic is forced to miss too much time.
For now, it is far too early to give up on Jokic. If he is able to return at least fairly soon, Jokic is the kind of player who can win championships.
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Embiid has played a quality brand of basketball in recent action. His injury history cannot be ignored, though. The 76ers elected not to play their star center on Monday against the Hornets, the first night of a back-to-back, continuing with their load management plan.
Embiid is a difficult player to trust. I don’t recommend giving up on him, as he’s more than capable of having a big game and helping any team. With that being said, fantasy managers will have to deal with Embiid missing games on occasion.
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Wembanyama has continued to take a step forward in the 2025-26 season. He is currently averaging career-best marks of 30.1 points and 13.8 rebounds per outing. Wemby has been limited to 32 games played due to injury, however.
THAT’S UNFAIR, WEMBY!
He just makes it look so easy 😱
Spurs with the early lead… watch here: https://t.co/bkZ4kOrJBG pic.twitter.com/9OkFKzcgfN— NBA (@NBA) January 26, 2026
As long as he stays healthy, Wembanyama is a player fantasy managers should completely trust. Similar to the aforementioned players on this list, consistently monitoring his injury status will be of the utmost importance.
Nevertheless, there is no reason to try to trade Wembanyama. He could win you a championship if healthy for the fantasy basketball postseason.
Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
Towns is suddenly beginning to emerge in trade rumors amid the Knicks’ recent ups and downs. He has had a respectable individual campaign, as he’s currently averaging 20.5 points and 11.4 rebounds.
Some analysts around the league have questioned Towns’ fit with the Knicks. A real-life trade would obviously have fantasy basketball impacts.
Towns has been able to play in 42 games this season. He is not quite as trustworthy as other players mentioned on this list from a performance standpoint, but Towns is still one of the better big men in the league.
Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
Adebayo is averaging 17.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per outing across 39 games played. He is unquestionably one of the most underrated centers in the league.
Adebayo plays hard on a consistent basis and often makes a positive impact. Yet, he is rarely discussed among the other star centers in the NBA.
As a result, fantasy managers could potentially buy low on Adebayo. His ceiling is not as high as Jokic and Wembanyama, but Adebayo is a consistent player who fantasy managers can feel confident about placing in their lineups.
