VanVleet's ACL Return Could Reshape Amen Thompson's Fantasy Value
Houston runs it back after a Durant-era flop. VanVleet's comeback at 32 changes the math for Thompson and Sengun owners alike.
VanVleet's return could siphon the assists that fueled his breakout.
- VanVleet missed all of 2025-26 with a torn ACL
- Sengun: 44.1 FPTS/G in 72 games (2025-26)
- Thompson: 39.5 FPTS/G, +6.7 last 5 (2025-26)
- Durant, 37, holds a player option for next season
- Rockets exited round one after Durant trade
The Rockets are betting that one player fixes everything. Fred VanVleet, who sat out the entire 2025-26 season with a torn ACL, expects to be ready for opening night — and Houston is counting on the 32-year-old point guard to be the connective tissue a talented-but-clunky roster lacked all year. He averaged 14.1 points and 5.6 assists across 60 games back in 2024-25, good for 31.4 fantasy points per game, and our model currently pegs him at rank #80 (#40 at his position).
That's the fantasy problem worth sitting with. Without VanVleet, Houston never named a full-time replacement, leaning on 2024 first-rounder Reed Sheppard and 23-year-old Amen Thompson at the point while going oversized with a bully-ball approach. The strategy cratered in the games that mattered, especially after Steven Adams' season-ending ankle injury. Now the ball-handling duties come back — and someone loses touches.
Thompson Is the One to Watch
Thompson quietly became a fantasy asset filling the void. He put up 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists across 79 games last season (2025-26), worth 39.5 fantasy points per game, and he's trending up — plus-6.7 fantasy points over his last five versus his season average. Our rank has him at #37 overall (#18 at his position). The question is whether those assists survive a healthy VanVleet running the offense.
Sengun and Durant Hold Steady
Alperen Sengun remains the safest bet on this roster. He posted 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists over 72 games (2025-26) at 44.1 fantasy points per game — our #14 player overall and #3 at center — though he's cooled slightly, down nine fantasy points across his last five. A real point guard should actually help his efficiency, not hurt it. Durant, meanwhile, logged 26 points and 41.7 fantasy points per game in 78 games last season (2025-26), sitting at #21 overall, and a VanVleet return should ease the crunch-time load off the 37-year-old.
The bigger picture: Houston locked up Sengun and Thompson long-term, added Marcus Smart and rookie Bruce Thornton for backcourt depth, and expects to clear 50 wins again with a deeper playoff run. Durant's player option looms over next summer, so this may be the last real swing at the Durant era in Houston.
For fantasy managers, the moves are clear. Draft Sengun and Durant with confidence at their price — nothing here dents them. The nuance is Thompson: his 2025-26 line was inflated by point-guard-by-necessity duty, and a healthy VanVleet could reclaim those assists. If someone in your league values Thompson off that late-season surge, this is a window to sell high. VanVleet himself is a wait-and-see stash — age 32 and one year removed from a torn ACL is a real risk, not a lock.
