Brandon and I are both avid fantasy sports players. I have been commissioner of 3 leagues, 1 baseball, 1 football and 1 basketball league for about 7 years. Our favorite one to play is definitely fantasy basketball. We embarked a keeper league for the first time this past year and were allowed to keep 3 players that were taken after the 2nd round for the value of where they were selected last year in the draft. I intend to use this blog to not only discuss sports news but also to inspect how real life games effect the fantasy world and how the rankings most sports writers use are only somewhat effective.
In this inaugural fantasy basketball post I will rank the top 5 players at every position and I will discuss sleepers as well as overrated players.
We will start with the point guards:
- Chris Paul- Many people were concerned drafting Paul as high as he was rated in most leagues (1-3) but if you did take the risk after an injury-plagued season last year, you have been rewarded with an inspired CP3 who has led the Hornets to a 7-0 record and has been solid in every game. He currently is averaging 17.9 ppg 5.4 rpg 9.9 apg 2.4 spg and 1.7 turnovers pg. His point guard ranks are 8th in points, 2nd in rebounds, 5th in assists and 4th in steals.
- Deron Williams- Deron was usually the 2nd PG drafted and sometimes as high as 5th overall. Deron has been fantastic this season and Wednesday night’s comeback win against Orlando proves it all with a 30-5-14 line. Utah is just finding their way with newcomer Al Jefferson and will only get better as he acclimates himself to the offense. Deron is currently averaging 21.5 ppg 5.0 rpg 10.2 apg 0.9 spg and 4 turnovers pg. His lack of steals and his turnovers are all that separates him from number 1. His point guard ranks are 3rd in points, 4th in rebounds, 3rd in assists and 26th in steals.
- Russell Westbrook- Russell has been phenomenal in his 3rd season in the NBA. He has proved to be a valid 2nd fiddle to Kevin Durant and has really transformed the Thunder into one of the premier teams in the West. He is currently averaged 22.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 7.9 apg, 2.1 spg and 4 turnovers pg. Russell’s weaknesses are only his turnovers and his lack of 2 more assists per game until he becomes the top point guard in the league. His point guard ranks are 2nd in points, 1st in rebounds, 9th in assists and 7th in steals.
- John Wall- John Wall can dougie and he can flat out play. The rookie has been great through 6 games and notched a triple-double his last time out against the Houston Rockets. He is currently averaging 19.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 10.2 apg, 3.2 spg and 5 turnovers pg. A little light on scoring/rebounding and turns it over way too much but that is to be expected from a rookie. He is destined to be a star in this league. His point guard ranks are 5th in points, 7th in rebounds, 4th in assists, and 1st in steals.
- Rajon Rondo- You can argue all you want but Rondo is a premier point guard in this league and while he cannot shoot nearly as well as the others his playmaking ability is easily top 3. If he was on a lesser team he would be forced to score more and probably would average close to 18 ppg. He is currently averaging 11.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 14.8 apg, 3.1 spg and 4 turnovers pg. As I said points aren’t needed from him on this Celtics team and the turnovers are certainly acceptable since he is averaging an ungodly number of assists. His point guard ranks are 25th in points, 3rd in rebounds, 1st in assists, and 3rd in steals.
Shooting Guards:
1. Monta Ellis- Ellis is both SG and PG capable in most leagues so this makes him even more valuable. But Monta has been on a tear this season, even with the addition of David Lee in the post, Monta has been lighting up the scoreboard. While Stephen Curry was out with a sprained ankle Ellis put the team on his back and willed them to a few wins. He is currently averaging 6.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.7 apg, 2.67 spg, and 3.11 turnovers pg. Only downfall with Ellis is his inability to shoot the 3 ball… 22% on the season. His shooting guard ranks are 1st in points, 10th in rebounds, 3rd in assists and 1st in steals.
2. Dwayne Wade- Wade also can be used as a PG in many leagues. Wade has really been the only consistent player on the Heat and should only pick up steam as he gets healthier. The only issue here is the fact that LeBron hasn’t really been scoring that much. He is currently averaging 24.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.44 spg and 3.67 turnovers pg. His lack of assists is kind of confusing and should go up once LeBron and Bosh start to pile up the points. On the positive side Wade has shot the 3 at 35.5% on the season, well above his career average. His shooting guard ranks are 4th in points, 2nd in rebounds, 8th in assists, and 8th in steals.
3. Kobe Bryant- Bryant has had a very mediocre year by his standards and still is top 5 in shooting guard ranks. His team is on cruise control and once they really start playing some formidable foes he will explode into what we are used to from him. He is currently averaging 25.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.0 spg and 2.56 turnovers pg. His lack of steals is odd considering he is perennially an all defensive player and the points will come. He is shooting 33% from 3 which is a little low for him. His shooting guard ranks are 2nd in points, 3rd in rebounds, 5th in assists and 18th in steals.
4. Manu Ginobili- Big bounce back year for Manu. A lot of people were saying the Spurs were too old but Manu has really turned the page from his injury plagued season a year ago and is playing at the highest rate of his career. He is currently averaging 21.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.9 apg, 1.9 spg and 3.3 turnovers pg. Manu has been shooting 38.9% from 3 and making 3 of them a game. The turnovers a game are a little high but he has been really active to begin the season and rebounds are something left to desire. His shooting guard ranks are 5th in points, 22nd in rebounds, 2nd in assists and 4th in steals.
5. Kevin Martin- Martin has taken over the offensive load with Brooks out and now Yao going down he will be teamed up with Scola as the top scoring options. He is having a very solid season and as long as he can stay healthy he will finish the year in the top 10. He is currently averaging 24.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.9, apg, 0.4 spg and 2.7 turnovers pg. His main contribution is scoring and 3’s. He is currently shooting 40% from downtown averaging 2 made 3’s a game. His defense varies between bad and atrocious. His shooting guard ranks are 3rd in points, 27th in rebounds, 11th in assists and 41st in steals.
Small Forwards:
1. Kevin Durant- Durant the reigning scoring champion is once again leading the league in scoring and proving to be a better rebounder and defender than we thought. He is also a great free throw shooter shooting 91.4% on the season. He is currently averaging 28.1 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.7 spg and 1.0 bpg with 4.1 turnovers pg. His turnovers are high but that’s because he and Westbrook are the only two trustworthy ball handlers and playmakers on the Thunder right now. His assists are low mainly because Jeff Green has been injured and James Harden has been very disappointing in his 2nd NBA season. His small forward ranks are 1st in points, 4th in rebounds, 16th in assists, 5th in steals, and 3rd in blocks.
2. LeBron James- James’ new team has been looking good at times and downright awful at other times. They already have 3 losses and host the Celtics on Thursday who have already defeated the Heat this season. LeBron’s scoring has been down but he is still a top 10 performer. He is currently averaging 22.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 8.7 apg, 1.78 spg, 0.89 bpg and 4.3 turnovers pg. As I said his scoring leaves a lot to be desired but also his turnovers hurt a lot but are to be expected. His small forward ranks are 4th in points, 10th in rebounds, 1st in assists, 3rd in steals and 8th in blocks.
3. Rudy Gay- Gay has really came into his own last year and has picked up right where he left off leading the Grizzlies in scoring and proving to be a real superstar. While trade rumors flew around this summer it seems they have not affected Gay and even though he may have one of the worst selling jerseys he sure is a top 20 talent. He is currently averaging 25.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.8 spg and 0.7 bpg with 2.0 turnovers pg. While his defense against bigger opponents is mediocre his points and rebounds really outweigh it. His small forward ranks are 2nd in points, 3rd in rebounds, 6th in assists, 3rd in steals and 13th in blocks.
4. Carmelo Anthony- Anthony has been the biggest name in trades most of the summer and throughout the preseason but seems to have put all those rumors to rest. He seems happy in Denver, for now, and can be expected to stay there at least until February. He is currently averaging 25.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.44 spg, and 0.89 bpg with 2.44 turnovers pg. His post defense is not very good but he is a surprisingly good rebounder. His small forward ranks are 3rd in points, 2nd in rebounds, 3rd in assists, 7th in steals and 8th in blocks.
5. Gerald Wallace- Wallace is a monster on the boards and his scoring should improve as the rest of the Bobcats roster realizes his value to them like Felton did last season. He is currently averaging 17.5 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.0 spg, and 1.0 bpg with 3 turnovers pg. As I said his scoring is low but his rebounds are the best amongst small forwards and he is also eligible at power forward in most leagues. His defense is decent but nothing to write home about. His small forward ranks are 9th in points, 1st in rebounds, 10th in assists, 13th in steals and 3rd in blocks.
Power Forwards
1. Pau Gasol- Gasol is the premier PF in the league and is also eligible at C which makes him more valuable in most leagues. He is on the best team in the league and his triple-double the other night cemented his number 1 ranking here. He is currently averaging 22.7 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.44 bpg and 1.67 turnovers pg. His numbers across the board are amazing. No weaknesses in his game, even his ft % is high at 81.6%. His power forward ranks are 4th in points, 2nd in rebounds, 1st in assists, and 6th in blocks.
2. Paul Millsap- In Millsap’s first NBA season as a starter he is tearing the league up. His 46 point explosion with 3 3-pointers in 30 seconds to send the game against the Heat to overtime. The most impressive part of this is that he was 2 for 20 in his career before those 30 seconds. He is currently averaging 23.9 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 3.0 apg, 0.5 bpg and 1.4 turnovers pg. His defense is only so-so. He does get some steals 1.5 per game but can get dominated since he is only 6 feet 8 inches tall. His power forward ranks are 1st in points, 8th in rebounds, 5th in assists, and 28th in blocks.
3. Luis Scola- Scola has been as dominate as anyone this season. He has really flourished even though Yao has returned in a limited role. He is currently averaged 22.7 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 2.3 apg, 0.9 bpg and 1.6 turnovers pg. His defense is only so-so but everything else is dynamite. Also with Yao’s injury he will be seeing more minutes. His power forward rankings are 3rd in points, 4th in rebounds, 7th in assists, and 18th in blocks.
4. Dirk Nowitzki- Nowitzki has been one of the most consistent players in the NBA for the last 10 years. He always is in the top 10 in scoring, and is a great free throw shooter. He is currently averaging 23.7 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.4 apg, 0.9 bpg and 2.7 turnovers pg. Nowitzki is a great shooter, 55.9% on the season and is shooting 86.8 % from the stripe. The biggest concern here is that Dirk is not hitting the 3. He is shooting 16.7% from 3 land. His power forward rankings are 2nd in points, 13th in rebounds, 20th in assists, and 18th in blocks.
5. Kevin Love- Kevin Love would be number 1 or 2 in these rankings if Kurt Rambis would realize if you want to win basketball games you play your best player more than 28 minutes per game. He is currently averaging 16.6 ppg, 12.8 rpg, 1.4 apg, 0.4 bpg and 2.4 turnovers pg. His defense is subpar which may be why he doesn’t see big minutes but his rebounding is top notch. His power forward ranks are 11th in points, 1st in rebounds, 19th in assists, and 32nd in blocks.
Centers:
1. Dwight Howard- Howard has to be number 1 here. His improved offensive game is looking really good and his defense and rebounding is some of the best ever. He is currently averaging 21.9 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 1.9 apg, 2.7 bpg and 3.3 turnovers pg. His free throw shooting is his only real downfall at 52.9% also his assists would be higher if his team would hit the open shots which they have failed to do consistently this season. His center ranks are 1st in points, 3rd in rebounds, 8th in assists and 3rd in blocks.
2. Joakim Noah- Noah has really been solid once again this season. As long as he can stay healthy he will be top 5 in rebounds and blocks this season. He is currently averaging 15.9 ppg, 13.9 rpg, 2.6 apg, 2.14 bpg and 2.0 turnovers pg. His downfall is his lack of points but those rebounds just pop out at you. His center ranks are 6th in scoring, 1st in rebounds, 4th in assists, and 7th in blocks.
3. Al Horford- Horford has been great for the Hawks and is their anchor in the middle. He is very good as an undersized center, he is only 6 feet 10 inches tall, and that might be generous. He is currently averaging 16.8 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 3.1 apg, 0.6 bpg and 1.4 turnovers pg. Since he is undersized his defense suffers, what also does not help is that Josh Smith poaches all the blocks on this team. His center ranks are 3rd in scoring, 9th in rebounds, 2nd in assists, 34th in blocks.
4. Roy Hibbert- Hibbert has been phenomenal this season as he is finally starting for the Pacers. He was viewed as just a big body from Georgetown but at 7 feet 2 inches tall he finally may have figured out how to use his body. He is currently averaging 15.8 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 3.8 apg, 3.3 bpg and 2.7 turnovers pg. He doesn’t really have a weakness and as long as he keeps getting the minutes and stays out of foul trouble he will be a valuable center option. His center ranks are 7th in scoring, 6th in rebounds, 1st in assists, and 1st in blocks.
5. David Lee- Yes Lee is really a PF but he counts as a C in almost all leagues. The pure center crop has been somewhat disappointing. Andrew Bogut averaging 13.4 ppg and 9.8 rpg, Brook Lopez averaging 16.6 ppg and 6.0 rpg should be better than they are. So Lee gets the nod here. He is currently averaging 14.2 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, 0.3 bpg and 2.8 turnovers pg. Defense is Lee’s weakness and being on Golden State will not help his defensive prowess with their run and gun offense. Lee’s points are low but he is just starting to settle into a new system under a new coach in a new city so it will improve. His center ranks are 9th in scoring, 2nd in rebounding, 3rd in assists and 42nd in blocks. (Ouch)
This brings us to our up and coming stars that are considered sleepers. The term sleepers is defined differently person to person but I define it as someone who was considered outside the top 20 in their position to start the season.
1. Dorrell Wright- Wright has been great for Golden State; he is a SG/SF in most leagues and is averaging 15.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and 2.7 apg, shooting 49.1 % from 3 making over 3 per game. A must pick up if he is still available in your league, only owned in about 82% of leagues.
2. Mike Conley- Conley has started to be the player we all thought he could be coming out of the Ohio State University. As the starting PG for the Grizzlies he is averaging 14.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, and 7.7 apg while pilfering 3.1 spg. Conley is owned only in 84% of leagues while being a top 10 point guard.
3. Francisco Garcia- Garcia has been a nice surprise for the Kings. He has been a solid starter when Tyreke Evans was injured and an excellent 6th man the rest of the time. He is currently averaging 13.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.4 apg while shooting 40.6 % from 3 making over 2 a game. Garcia is only owned in 60% of leagues.
4. Elton Brand- Brand has been an amazing surprise for the 76ers this season while averaging 18.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg, and 2.4 apg and shooting 58% from the field. It might be too late to pick Brand up but if he is still available jump on that train while it’s still at the station. Owned in 88% of leagues.
5. Glen Davis- Big Baby has been really solid off the bench for the Celtics and while you may say this is a homer pick for me since I am a Celtics fan, he really has been effective. Davis is averaging 11.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 0.8 apg in 30 minutes a game off the bench while shooting 55.8% from the field. He is owned in only 55% of leagues.
And the final part of this post, the overrated section. This is my favorite part; I will pick 5 players who are certainly underachieving while still getting way too much praise.
1. Baron Davis- This is an easy one and while yes, he has been hurt, even when he was healthy he wasn’t very effective or exciting to watch. Baron has been on a slow decline the last few years but no one would accept that he is no longer a top 10 point guard. Davis is averaging 8.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, and 4.8 apg while shooting 32.4% from the field and 10% from 3.
2. Andre Iguodala- Iguodala is injured at the moment but before he hurt his right Achilles tendon he was underachieving for the amount of money he is making. The 76ers depend on him to be their star and he has been anything but that so far averaging a mediocre 13.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, and 5.8 apg while shooting 28% from 3.
3. Antawn Jamison- Jamison was injured but that may have just been an excuse for stinking it up in the first 3 games of the season. Since returning he has put in two good games but still on this Cleveland team that is dying for a star scoring option in the post and wing. Jamison is averaging 9.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg, and 1.6 apg while shooting a decent 43.2% from the field.
4. Nene Hilario- Yes Nene has also been injured but taking away those games he has been mediocre at best when he has been playing. Nene is averaging 11.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.7 apg and only 1.3 bpg. Rated as a top 15 center he has dropped well down on the rankings.
5. Anthony Randolph- All the big news in the offseason was that Randolph would be the starting center/power forward being a great duo with Amar’e Stoudemire in New York. Unfortunately he hasn’t played very often and when he has been terrible. He is averaging 2.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg, and 0.6 apg while shooting 22.2% from the field.
