Team: Indiana Pacers · SG/SF · Age 25 · Base role: matchup reserve
Projection card
| GP | MPG | 3PM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG% | FT% | TO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 58 | 10.0 | 0.8 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.1 | .430 | .800 | 0.3 |
Nine-category: 240+; low-turnover threes do not compensate for weak volume. Points: injury streamer only. Dynasty: top 250-350 in deep leagues.
Why the line looks like this
Sheppard made 20 starts and averaged 7.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 65 games, with a career-best 36.8% three-point mark. A calf strain and later ankle/hip problems cost games. Haliburton and Oubre now return/add minutes, while Furphy eventually re-enters the same positional band. Pacers player review · Pacers injury ledger
Hashtag's July crowd ranked him 319th, consistent with a real-life role that does not translate to standard fantasy volume. Hashtag crowd
Redraft, dynasty, and scenarios
- Redraft: waiver-only; stream threes when two perimeter players sit.
- Dynasty: hold only in very deep leagues while Indiana decides on his next contract.
- Floor: near-DNP role once Furphy is healthy.
- Ceiling: 22 minutes after injuries, roughly 7/3/2 with 1.5 threes; still a specialist.
Confidence
| Roster | Minutes | Rates | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | Low | Medium-high | Medium |
Career record
Pre-NBA: Belmont, four seasons (2019-23, 124 games): grew from 2.9 PPG as a freshman to 16.2 PPG (First-Team All-OVC) as a junior and 18.8 PPG on .475/.415 shooting as a senior (First-Team All-MVC). Draft: 2023, Round 1, Pick 26, Indiana Pacers.
| Season | Age | Team | GP | MPG | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PM | FG% | FT% | TO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 22 | IND | 57 | 14.3 | 4.4 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.9 | .393 | .885 | 0.3 |
| 2024-25 | 23 | IND | 63 | 19.5 | 5.3 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.1 | .418 | .889 | 0.3 |
| 2025-26 | 24 | IND | 65 | 21.4 | 7.1 | 3.0 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 1.3 | .434 | .765 | 0.6 |
| Career | — | — | 185 | 18.6 | 5.6 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 1.1 | .419 | .827 | 0.4 |
Durability: 57 / 63 / 65 games across three seasons — the 2023-24 number includes rookie G League assignments and DNPs, while 2025-26 absences came from a calf strain and later ankle/hip problems. No structural injuries on record. Trajectory: Three seasons of small, steady gains: minutes, scoring, assists, FG%, and three-point percentage (31.4 to 34.2 to 36.2) have all climbed every year, and his 20 starts in 2025-26 show Indiana trusts the defense. But at 5.6 career PPG he remains a specialist, and in 2026-27 he competes for the matchup-reserve wing role behind the returning Haliburton plus Nesmith, Mathurin, and Oubre. He becomes fantasy-relevant only if two Indiana perimeter players are out simultaneously, which would push him toward 22+ minutes as a low-turnover threes-and-steals streamer. Career sources: ESPN career stats, StatMuse career stats, Wikipedia.
Open questions
- Does Sheppard receive an extension before the season?
- Is his defense enough to keep him ahead of Walker or Oubre in specific matchups?