POINT GUARDS

PlayerTeam# GamesComment
1) Stephen CurryGSW3The MVP has had no setbacks health-wise and the Warriors' roster is very similar to last season's. 
2) Russell WestbrookOKC3Even with Kevin Durant back, Westbrook has proven that he will still have a ton of control regarding the flow of the offense.
3) Chris PaulLAC3The Clippers have even more scoring options on their team this season, but Paul is still the No. 1 scoring option on that team.
4) Jeff TeagueATL4One of the best weekly starts because of the fourth game. Expect the Hawks offense to be quicker this season and will require more passing from Teague.
5) John WallWSH3The Wizards are healthy and Wall can now focus on point guard duties with Bradley Beal back. Must keep turnovers down.
6) Derrick RoseCHI4Remember, these are WEEKLY rankings. Rose is not hurt YET and with the fourth game this week, Rose returns as the Bulls' No. 1 offensive weapon.
7) Damian LillardPOR3If you didn't think it was possible, Lillard will be required to shoot even more. The Blazers are fully healthy and if he can shoot 45 percent from the floor, he will be dangerous and a major threat from outside.
8) Reggie JacksonDET3With the departure of Greg Monroe, the Pistons' offensive attack now falls on Jackson and the wings (Stanley Johnson, Ersan Ilyasova). Expect Jackson's assist numbers to rise.
9) Kyle LowryTOR3The Raptors made roster changes more from a defensive standpoint. They will be running the floor more which makes Lowry's stop-and-pop jumper from downtown more lethal. Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have full control of the scoring.
10) Victor OladipoORL3Same as last season with Oladipo. He will be required to play the point at times, but will serve as the primary scoring threat for the Magic.
11) Eric BledsoePHX3The Suns will be relying on their backcourt for primarily scoring. Bledsoe has proven how lethal he is from the elbow and is never afraid to take it to the rack.
12) Jarrett JackBKN3With Deron Williams gone, Jack now will have to figure out where the Nets need him most. He has a shooting guard's mentality, but will be put in a major point guard role. We shall see.
13) Mike ConleyMEM3Conley's health really hurt him last season. With a similar looking roster, look for his assist numbers to rise this year, and as long as he watches the turnovers, he will be a major fantasy asset.
14) Isaiah ThomasBOS3Brad Stevens has worked wonders for this team. The growth is exciting and you are seeing Thomas not chuck as many wild shots up but be patient and penetrate to the hoop. He is still a major scoring threat.
15) George HillIND3Injuries held Hill back for a good portion of the season, but now he is fully healthy and has his main weapon back in Paul George.
16) Jrue HolidayNO3Holiday is another player you have to be prepared for to get hurt. Tyreke Evans is a bit banged up and Holiday will be relied on more for scoring.
17) Deron WilliamsDAL3New situation with a team that loves to score. Williams runs the offense and may not get as many shot opportunities, but he will still get his shots and his assist total should be high once again.
18) Kemba WalkerCHA3We have all seen what Walker can do, but he needs to stay on the court. If he can shoot over 43 percent from the floor, he will be a dominant option.
19) Michael Carter-WilliamsMIL3Under the tutelage of Jason Kidd, MCW will need to show that he can be a true point guard and only shoot if he is open. He has more options to work with this year.
20) D'Angelo RussellLAL3Jordan Clarkson is already hurt and you never know with Kobe Bryant's health. Russell looked comfortable in the preseason.

SHOOTING GUARDS

PlayerTeam# GamesComment
1) James HardenHOU3Harden can do it all and will get to have the opportunities to shoot even more when Ty Lawson is fully recovered from his back injury.
2) Jimmy ButlerCHI4Derrick Rose being healthy might be an issue for Butler's scoring, but he will absolutely make up for it with rebounds and steals as he is one of the best guard defenders in the league.
3) Klay ThompsonGSW3Thompson proved last season there is still a piece of scoring pie for him, even with the best shooter in the league playing right next to him.
4) Kobe BryantLAL3He's healthy, commands the ball and controls the offense at the end of the day.
5) Dwyane WadeMIA3(See the above description of Kobe Bryant).
6) DeMar DeRozanTOR3DeRozan's shot from the elbow has improved and he can create with the ball. Will have plenty of room to work with Kyle Lowry.
7) Goran DragicMIA3Dragic can run the floor as good as the rest of the guards, but will he be relegated to more point guard-type duties?
8) Brandon KnightPHX3The Suns are very dangerous with their outside shooting and when Knight gets hot, his decision-making improves and he starts attacking the rim.
9) Kyle KorverATL4Korver will have the ball in his hands more with DeMarre Carroll out of the picture and is one of the most reliable shooters in the league.
10) Monta EllisIND3When Paul George gets double-teamed in the post, here is your second option. Ellis has the ability to not only shoot the lights out, but he can also change the pace of the game.
11) Bradley BealWSH3You need a healthy wrist to be able to shoot, and Beal finally has one. Expect to see a lot of wing production.
12) Trevor ArizaHOU3Ariza's game has improved tremendously that he is not just a dominant perimter defender but also a totally reliable three-point shooter.
13) Gordon HaywardUTAH3Not a huge fan, but it's hard to deny a No. 1 option and that is Hayward's role for now.
14) C.J. McCollumPOR3While Lillard will focus mainly on the scoring front, McCollum will serve as the Blazers' shooter-when-open option and he will drive the lane, drawing the double team in which one of his teammates will be open on the wing.
15) Nicolas BatumCHA3Batum will take the Gerald Henderson role on this team to start. He will get to create from the wing, and use screens to get open from beyond the arc.
16) Joe JohnsonBKN3Deron Williams being gone certainly helps his value and he has prided himself on second-half scoring. Johnson is still lethal from outside.
17) Evan TurnerBOS3Turner carved his own role out in the Celtics offense last season and with a very young unit he is working with, he will be relied on heavily early on to score.
18) Danny GreenSAS3The fact that the Spurs decided to re-sign him convinces me that he will be a major contributor on offense and will get his shot opportunities.
19) J.J. RedickLAC3Redick shot the Clippers back into a ton of games last season and despite other shooting options being added, Redick gets paid to hit three's and will certainly have a major roll.
20) Kevin MartinMIN2There has to be another scoring option outside of Andrew Wiggins and when Martin is healthy, his quick release on his shot makes it hard to defend against.

SMALL FORWARDS

PlayerTeam# GamesComment
1) LeBron JamesCLE3Everybody exhale! His back is FINE!
2) Kevin DurantOKC3How damaged is Durant? This is absolutely a make or break (pun intended) season for him as free agency for him is coming. 
3) Paul GeorgeIND3HE’S BACK! I see him as, once again, a top-10 fantasy option this season. 
4) Kawhi LeonardSAS3Great defensive play translates to more playing time and Leonard will burn teams on both ends of the court. 
5) Carmelo AnthonyNYK3The triangle offense requires a dominant scorer and a fully healthy Anthony is a lethal Anthony. Expect to see major scoring and rebounding stats. 
6) Rudy GaySAC3Gay will finally get to take a little bit of the offensive load off of his plate. Expect 20-plus points per game on the scoring front complete with a ton of three’s. 
7) Tobias HarrisORL3When Harris gets the ball at the free-throw line, he is an excellent creator as he slashes to the hole. Harris has also improved his on-the-ball defense as well. 
8) Chandler ParsonsDAL3It does not matter whether or not he is healthy, if Parsons can’t hit shots, he will lose minutes. The Mavericks have a ton of scoring options. 
9) Khris MiddletonMIL3Middleton will be hanging out on the wing a lot with Greg Monroe creating to drive the lane. When a pass to the outside to get out of traffic occurs, Middleton will often be the open recipient. 
10) Thaddeus YoungBKN3The Nets will need Young on the post and to be able to hit baby jumpers. His perimeter defense is excellent and will keep him in games.
11) Danilo GallinariDEN3“The Rooster” is healthy and we must enjoy his quick scoring before another injury occurs. Gallinari is the type of player that can hit consecutive three’s and then fake you out and drive the lane. 
12) DeMarre CarrollTOR3Excited to see what his role will be, but the Raptors needed a guy like Carroll to stop the scoring from the other end and will be playing 30 minutes per game. 
13) Giannis AntetokounmpoMIL3He’s lanky, a good defender, knows how to run the floor and once he becomes a smart shooter with his shot selection, he will be able to play three positions for the Bucks.
14) Luol DengMIA3Deng, when healthy, is one of the better wing players and can certainly hit the open corner three-pointer. I don’t expect him to drive as much this year. 
15) Andrew WigginsMIN2Would be ranked higher if he played in more games this week, but is still the focal point of the offense and I expect to see him run the point as well.
16) Jeff GreenMEM3I don’t know how many shots he will get, but whatever he does not do on the scoring end, he will make up for it on the other side of the ball with rebounding and steals. 
17) Jae CrowderBOS3Brad Stevens found the perfect roll for Crowder as he often plays the roll of cutter. He has the ability to shoot from the elbow and drive the lane and draw contact. 
18) Ersan IlyasovaDET3The Pistons need all of the scoring help they can get and Ilyasova has a great outside-inside game in which he isolates himself after setting a screen so he can hit the open jumper.  
19) Stanley JohnsonDET3Feel-good rookie pick of the week as the Pistons will need players to step up offensively. Johnson can run the floor and is smart with the ball as he doesn’t force up shots while being double-teamed. 
20) Wesley MatthewsDAL3I like this new situation for Matthews because the Mavericks really focus their offensive attack on jump shooting and Matthews is a good hot-hand player and the coaches will see how good he is at moving around to get himself open. 

POWER FORWARDS

PlayerTeam# GamesComment
1) Anthony DavisNO3The Brow is the best fantasy option that you can have from a scoring, rebounding and blocking standpoint. 
2) Pau GasolCHI4With Joakim Noah likely to come off the bench, Gasol controls the paint and will be utilized in the post where he is most dangerous.
3) LaMarcus AldridgeSAS3Tim Duncan and Aldridge can co-exist on the same floor as Duncan will play low in the post while Aldridge creates from the elbow.
4) Blake GriffinLAC3Same team, same story! Griffin will be required to bring up the ball at times, but he is most successful when he stays in the paint. Putbacks will help his cause as well.
5) Paul MillsapATL4We cannot guarantee that he will be a major offensive force, but will provide a balanced stat sheet that gives you a little bit of everything. 
6) Dirk NowitzkiDAL3Depending on his health, Nowitzki may lose a couple minutes of playing time, but will not lose shot opportunities. 
7) Kevin LoveCLE3The shoulder is better, and while I think the way the Timberwolves utilized Love compared to how the Cavs used him is better, expect him to camp out on the elbow and work his way inside. He will be utilized from the outside as well.
8) Chris BoshMIA3Unlike other players returning from injury, Bosh had a blood clot in his lung but all seems behind him with that at this point. He is one of the most lethal forward-center options in the game. 
9) Serge IbakaOKC3The blocks and rebounding will be there…The turnovers and offensive struggles? With Durant back, less of the offensive attack falls on him. 
10) Tim DuncanSAS3When Duncan plays, he secures double-doubles and is still one of the most dominant rebounders in the game. 
11) Zach RandolphMEM3Randolph is one of the toughest players to play against in the paint and is still one of the best offensive rebounders in the game. 
12) Greg MonroeMIL3Expect to see a lot of what you saw from Monroe in Detroit last year. He will start in the post, get the ball, turn around and try to make a nifty attack move to the hole. When it’s working, he’s gold. When he can’t get that step through the paint, he becomes ghostly on the floor. 
13) Draymond GreenGSW3I thought Green was as good as gone, but the Warriors love his aggressive style of play. He uses his strength to attack the rim and he also has great shooting range. 
14) Kenneth FariedDEN3Faried is one of the best bangers on the boards, but he needs to know when to pass the ball out instead of going back up with the ball and getting stuffed. He is still a bit raw. 
15) Derrick FavorsUTAH3Favors was dominant last year and one of the better post players in the league. Utah will need the help up front and Favors will be on the opposite end of the post of teammate Rudy Gobert. 
16) Terrence JonesHOU3Excellent defender and when teams try to slow the Rockets' scoring efforts down, they will rely on Jones for the pick-and-roll to work the ball inside. 
17) Nikola MiroticCHI4Will be starting, getting more playing time, and if his defense is as strong as last year, could be seeing 35 minutes of action. Mirotic is also a very consistent outside shooter. 
18) Markieff MorrisPHX3He’s unhappy with his current situation in Phoenix, but if he plays well and then demands a trade, his wishes to leave the organization will come true. This should motivate him, not deter him. 
19) Ryan AndersonNO3Anderson plays mainly on the outside and is very deadly from beyond the arc. When Anthony Davis attacks the hoop, Anderson will be ready for the open trey. 
20) David LeeBOS3Lee will not have room to play as he leaves the frontcourt-heavy Warriors and when he gets playing time, he’s a stat-machine and will give you double-doubles consistently. 

CENTERS

PlayerTeam# GamesComment
1) DeMarcus CousinsSAC3He can do it all and with Rajon Rondo running the offense, he will get to work inside even more and you can see him rip off a 20 point/15 rebound outing.
2) Al HorfordATL4Horford will do what he always does and will be ready to create from the outside working in. Would love to see him play the post more. Horford is a primary scoring weapon. 
3) Marc GasolMEM3Gasol moved a bit slow last season, but hopefully will be utilized more in the post and less from the top of the key. He can shoot over 30 percent from downtown. 
4) Nikola VucevicORL3A rebounding machine with a not-as-crowded frontcourt and will control the entire lower block as Tobias Harris will work from the outside.  
5) Andre DrummondDET3One of the toughest players to play against inside, but will his free throw percentage improve?
6) Joakim NoahCHI4Coming off the bench might be better for his health and with the amount of aggressiveness that he plays with, he will do wonders against any team’s second unit. 
7) Hassan WhitesideMIA3A little banged up towards the end of preseason, but if he can stay healthy he is a rebounding fiend. He could grab 20 in a game. 
8) DeAndre JordanLAC3Was staying in LA the right move for Jordan? Expect him to have a similar offensive role and he is another center that must improve his free throw shooting because teams like to foul him intentionally. 
9) Rudy GobertUTAH3Enes Kanter leaving was the best thing that could have happened to Gobert. Expect a ton of rebounds from Gobert as it is hard to box him out inside. Gobert is also not afraid of playing a more perimeter style of a big man at times.
10) Marcin GortatWSH3Will be relied on heavily to play meaningful minutes. Gortat is an excellent enforcer and with the Wizards' front court depth, he will be needed for inside scoring and has an excellent baby hook.
11) Al JeffersonCHA3Here is your 20 and 10 Center in which all he will have to do is set a high screen and not leave the post in order to see success. 
12) Brook LopezBKN3Lopez is an excellent scorer when healthy, but needs to also focus on the rebounding aspect of the game. He should be averaging close to 10 with his size and Brooklyn does not have much to work with inside. 
13) Enes KanterOKC3Solid center inside and out. He is dangerous from three-point range. 
14) Mason PlumleePOR3Big opportunity for Plumlee to show his aggressiveness inside and quick spin moves to the basket in Portland. He will have a ton of playing time at his disposal.
15) Robin LopezNYK3Lopez will be playing the Pau Gasol role in the Triangle and will be looked at often in the post and will give the Knicks a ton of second-chance scoring opportunities. 
16) Jonas ValanciunasTOR3It is hard to tell where he will be from a scoring standpoint, but you can expect him to grab a ton of rebounds and if he can stay out of foul trouble, he will be more productive. 
17) Timofey MozgovCLE3Total volume player. He can produce points and rebounds but may only play in 20-25 minutes per game. 
18) Tiago SplitterATL4Splitter will definitely be used more in the post while Horford sets up outside. He could be a 10 points/8 rebounds per game type of player on this Hawks team and is familiar with their defensive style.
19) Tyson ChandlerPHX3Chandler is your 10 and 10 guy of the year as he will play totally in the post and will help out most creating second-chance scoring opportunities by batting a loose ball back out to the guard waiting at the top of the key.
20) Nerlens NoelPHI2He might only be playing in two games this week, but Noel is the primary option on the 76ers offense and can create from the top of the key. Expect him to come through big-time this season.