Good luck picking the NBA's Rookie of the Year for the 2026-27 season. There are no shortage of candidates to consider in this week's rankings.
Yaxel Lendeborg, the oldest player picked in the 2026 NBA Draft, has emerged as the new favorite
and he'll now become the No. 1 option for the Golden State Warriors with Stephen Curry sidelined. Meanwhile, Darius Acuff Jr. is piling up points at a rate not seen since Michael Jordan, but the Sacramento Kings have just one win to show for it.Top picks like AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson have mixed flashes of All-Star potential with the growing pains often associated with an NBA rookie season. Cameron Boozer has kept the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference playoff race and the field
extends beyond just them. There are a dozen first-year players averaging at least 20 minutes per game as of Nov. 12.
Here's how the top NBA rookies stack up more than three weeks into the 2026-27 regular season.
NBA Rookie Rankings, 2nd edition
Stats as of games played on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Rookie of the year odds as of 11 a.m. ET on Nov. 12, courtesy of BetMGM.
5. AJ Dybantsa, Washington Wizards
- Stats: 16.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists
- Last week: 5
- Rookie of the Year odds: +1200
Dybantsa mixed tantalizing offensive exploits with inconsistent outside shooting during a winless week for the Wizards. The No. 1 overall pick officially had his minutes restriction removed following a preseason ankle injury, and he's averaging the second-most minutes per game among rookies thus far. Dybantsa continues to get to the rim effectively, despite going just 6 of 26 from 3-point range as of Nov. 12, and he has been more active than expected on the defensive end. Dybantsa recorded multiple stocks (steals+blocks) in three games over the past week.
These buckets are so elite 😂
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 10, 2026
AJ Dybantsa moving like a vet 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OSY70zYLzi
4. Darryn Peterson, Utah Jazz
- Stats: 16.3 points, 4 rebounds, 3.9 assists
- Last week: Not ranked
- Rookie of the Year odds: +1800
Peterson jumped into the rankings after a slow start to the season because he's elevated his play with the Jazz ravaged by injuries. Though the team continues to struggle, Peterson has scored at least 21 points over the past four games while shooting better than 45% from 3-point range. Utah's lengthy injury report has created more opportunities for Peterson and could accelerate his development.
BACK-TO-BACK 25+ POINT GAMES FOR #2 PICK DARRYN PETERSON!
— NBA Future Starts Now (@nbafuturenow) November 11, 2026
Sunday vs. MIN: 26 PTS, 4 3PM
Tonight vs. MIA: 25 PTS, 4 3PM
He's the third rookie this season to accomplish the feat, joining Darius Acuff Jr. and Yaxel Lendeborg 👏 pic.twitter.com/IqpK8ByK90
3. Cameron Boozer, Memphis Grizzlies
- Stats: 15.9 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists
- Last week: 2
- Rookie of the Year odds: +300
The Grizzlies have cooled off after their fast start, and Boozer's shooting struggles have contributed to some of their recent issues. But the rookie continues to impact games in a variety of ways, leading all rookies in rebounding while ranking second in assists. Boozer also owns the second-best NET rating among rookies through the first three weeks of the season. The fact that he's been this effective while shooting just 36.6% from the floor speaks to his ability to fill up the stat sheet and influence winning beyond scoring.
2. Darius Acuff Jr., Sacramento Kings
- Stats: 26.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists
- Last week: 3
- Rookie of the Year odds: +350
Acuff continues to put up huge numbers that have yet to translate to much winning for the Kings, and the No. 7 overall pick acknowledged earlier this week the setbacks are beginning to wear on him. Acuff's 288 points through 11 games are the most by an NBA rookie since Michael Jordan in 1984, and his 32-point, 10-assist performance against the Miami Heat on Nov. 8 may have been his best game of the season. Acuff currently leads all rookies in scoring, assists and minutes played. He's also among the league's least efficient first-year players, with the worst plus/minus among rookies as of Nov. 12. The production is undeniable. The next step is team success.
ACUFF JR. JOINS LEBRON 👏
— NBA (@NBA) November 9, 2026
In tonight's action, Darius Acuff Jr. (32 PTS, 10 AST) joined LeBron James (3x) as the only teenagers in NBA history to record 30+ points and 10+ assists in multiple games! pic.twitter.com/VmWshWmQZn
1. Yaxel Lendeborg, Golden State Warriors
- Stats: 21.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists
- Last week: 1
- Rookie of the Year odds: +125
Kevin Durant was the latest NBA star to lavish praise on Lendeborg, whose rise to the top of these rankings looks like no early-season fluke. The 24-year-old has become a vital offensive option for the Warriors, particularly when Stephen Curry isn't on the court. He leads all rookies in player efficiency rating while shooting 42.6% from 3-point range as of Nov. 12. His all-around impact has helped vault Golden State back into the conversation among the Western Conference's contenders and made him the early favorite for NBA Rookie of the Year.
"He's a problem... Being that tall, that skilled."
— NBA (@NBA) November 12, 2026
KD (20 PTS, 5 AST) on Yaxel (25 PTS, 10 REB) after their first matchup 🤝
Durant and the Rockets picked up the win at home in last night's action! pic.twitter.com/UQak4EyfNs
Also under consideration: Caleb Wilson, Chicago Bulls; Aday Mara, Oklahoma City Thunder; Kingston Flemings, Atlanta Hawks; Meleek Thomas, Cleveland Cavaliers; Keaton Wagler, Los Angeles Clippers
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA Rookie of the Year race is wide open. See who leads new rankings.
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