Sophomores to target in fantasy beyond Towns and Porzingis

Let's look at some second-year fantasy basketball stars. But first, forget Minnesota Timberwolves PF/C Karl-Anthony Towns and New York Knicks PF/C Kristaps Porzingis for a second. It's too easy to focus on them.

Towns is going to be pursued with fervor and regularity and he'll likely return solid value. Porzingis will be exciting and erratic, but can further ingratiate himself to Knicks faithful and fantasy owners alike.

The 2015 NBA draft class was incredibly deep. Many became starters either by default or because of solid play. This year we get yet another glimpse into their development and many will be under the radar on draft day. The top six, after Towns and Porzingis, are as follows:

PG Emmanuel Mudiay, Denver Nuggets

After a year in Guangdong, China, Mudiay entered the NBA with lofty expectations. He played in a professional league instead of college, and was dropped immediately into a starting PG role for the Nuggets. He was drafted in fantasy leagues and he promptly stumbled. For the season, he averaged 12.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists and only shot 36 percent.

The Nuggets struggled, and Mudiay tried to do everything himself. Injury and Ineffectiveness led to him missing most of December and the beginning of January. Afterward, he showed signs of improving before having his best month in March - minus an atrocious 1-for-11 showing against the Cavaliers.

Expect Mudiay to be undervalued heading into drafts. While he might not enter the elite stratosphere, he can be a decent lottery ticket for the position late in drafts. He should start, so the minutes will be there, and his percentages cannot possibly be as shaky as they were in his rookie season.

PF/C Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia 76ers

Okafor averaged 17.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in his rookie season while playing 30 minutes per game. While the presence of Joel Embiid may complicate matters in the frontcourt, Okafor was the third-best rookie in fantasy last season.

Despite a line reminiscent of his college numbers, there are rumblings that Okafor could be traded, and that could change his value in fantasy. If he went to the Bulls, he would not likely start at center with Robin Lopez hanging out, but depending on what Chicago sends the other way, he could wind up a power forward.

While his best shot at being on a winning team is to be traded, he's more likely to be a top notch fantasy asset if he stays in Philadelphia, barring Embiid's interference.

PG D'Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers

Maybe Russell will be seen as a better option than Mudiay, and with Kobe Bryant shuffled off into retirement he should be given a more prominent role. Like many rookies, he was not consistent enough to warrant universal ownership. He was better after March 1, but he rarely did more than score.

Russell will need to improve his assist numbers to ensure fantasy relevance. With a starting role assured (though he will lose playing time to Jose Calderon if he struggles) he will be drafted across the board. It's assumed that with Bryant gone, Russell will flourish, but that's a lot of hope to hang on the sophomore guard.

SF Justise Winslow, Miami Heat

The defensive specialist could see the biggest jump in value among the second-year stars because of Dwyane Wade's departure. Not seen as a major scoring threat, Winslow will not be taken early in drafts, and may even be on the waiver wire initially.

His upside, eventually, is in Kawhi Leonard's ballpark. His situation isn't as friendly to development as Leonard's was, as the Heat are a flawed team with or without Chris Bosh, so mistakes are to be expected. Still, rebounds should increase and even if his steals don't jump astronomically, a line akin to Leonard's first full season as a starter isn't a wild stretch.

SG Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

Booker was a revelation as soon as he was given the starting SG job following injuries in the Suns' backcourt. While he fizzled late in the season, he showed enough promise to raise his stock heading into year two. Of the names on this list, he provided the best return on investment because he was largely a waiver wire pickup in December.

Booker should get playing time, but he's not a lock to be a starter at the beginning. The fatigue he showed will likely prevent him from being overworked and the backcourt of Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight is intact for the moment. Let someone else reach for him because if the floor time isn't there, he will be an early drop candidate. That's when you pounce.

SF Mario Hezonja, Orlando Magic

Hezonja is a fascinating wild card in his own right. In his first game in the NBA, Hezonja played 25 minutes and scored 11 points while adding a couple assists and rebounds for good measure. Not bad. He wouldn't hit 25 minutes again for two months. In a six-game stretch from Nov. 25 to Dec. 5, he received two DNPs and played fewer than two minutes in three other games.

His playing time and production when actually on the court remained erratic, but with his team out of contention, he played more often, having his most complete game on April 11, the Magic's second-last game of the season. He scored 19 points and added seven assists, three rebounds, and five steals. Prior to that he had never exceeded two steals in a game.

With new coach Frank Vogel, and several offseason roster changes, maybe Hezonja gets more consistent and voluminous playing time. It still looks like he might be in line to be the team's sixth man unless he usurps Aaron Gordon, or something happens in the backcourt to cause a shake up. The talent is there, as is his confidence, but the situation may not be favorable.