Point Guards
RANK | NAME | Team | # Games | Analysis |
1 | James Harden | HOU | 4 | Full slate of games this week and even with the Rockets at full strength, Harden will always produce. |
2 | Russell Westbrook | OKC | 3 | It's not a matter of whether or not Westbrook can ever be shut down, it's a question of whether or not he can secure a triple-double each night he plays. |
3 | Damian Lillard | POR | 4 | Lillard is known for his scoring volume, but he is also a really good passer, but the Blazers lack options inside and that will make compliling assists even harder. |
4 | John Wall | WSH | 4 | It is hard to trust that Wall's shot will be on or off each night, but he always has the ball and looks to drive first, even in traffic. |
5 | Kemba Walker | CHA | 4 | The Hornets offense runs directly through their backcourt due to the lack of consistency from their frontcourt. |
6 | Kyle Lowry | TOR | 4 | Lowry continues to look for the cutter inside first before creating showing his maturity, but can and will take over games against team who rotate well in the paint. |
7 | Stephen Curry | GSW | 3 | Curry may not have the shot volume each night, but you can expect multi-category production and Curry has an incredible shot selection that won't hurt shooting percentages. |
8 | Goran Dragic | MIA | 4 | As much as I dislike Dragic when he shoots too much, it's pretty much all the Heat have to offer offensively outside the paint and he has a lot of time with the ball. |
9 | Jrue Holiday | NO | 4 | Holiday has been rotating at both guard positions quite well and when Anthony Davis draws the double, Holiday becomes the No. 1 scoring option for multiple plays in a row. |
10 | Isaiah Thomas | BOS | 3 | Thomas has made a huge effort to be more of a distributor as the Celtics have added more outside scoring weapons. He will get a good amount of shots each game. |
11 | Kyrie Irving | CLE | 3 | Irving is a drive first PG that can stop his drive and momentum because he is that good of a ball handler and will wait for the inside cut at the free-throw line. Can rely on him for steals. |
12 | Jeff Teague | IND | 4 | Teague is another excellent ball handler with a controlled drive. Unless he is on transition, he will not be reckless when driving the lane and has an excellent tear drop. |
13 | Eric Bledsoe | PHX | 3 | The Suns have a lot of scoring in their back court, but Bledsoe, even as their main playmaker is the most consistent shooter on the team and sometimes does not even pass. |
14 | Tim Frazier | NO | 4 | Frazier has been a true PG by always looking to pass and rotate the ball around the key. He can hit from distance and always looks to cut off the ball. More scoring opps. |
15 | Rajon Rondo | CHI | 3 | When you pay for Rondo, know that the scoring volume will not be there, but he will make up for it with rebounds, assists and steals. |
16 | Derrick Rose | NYK | 3 | For now Rose is a safe options, but even after 24 games, his body is showing signs of wear and tear and you never know when he will get a night off. Back spasms? Yikes! |
17 | Emmanuel Mudiay | DEN | 3 | Mudiay's shot is still unreliable and that is because he shoots too quickly. You would think he's always trying to beat the buzzer with the amount of shots he takes. Very quick driver. |
18 | Dennis Schroder | ATL | 3 | Schroder also has that quickness, but he still plays like a different kind of guiard each night, and it is hard to figure out (even in good match ups) how involved in the scoring he will be. |
19 | Sean Kilpatrick | BKN | 4 | Kilpatrick has been an excellent driving and scoring force for the Nets, but with Jeremy Lin returning, it will impact time with the ball, shot totals and fantasy owners should enjoy now. |
20 | Jeremy Lin | BKN | 4 | Lin returns to a team that still lacks consistent scorers and before he got hurt, Lin was taking a lot of open long-range shots. His ball handling alone has been missed and will get a ton of PT. |
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Shooting Guards
RANK | NAME | Team | # Games | Analysis |
1 | DeMar DeRozan | TOR | 4 | The case for being a No. 1 option continues as DeRozan has been filling up the stat sheet and helping in every categories. He can even make contested shots from the side of the basket. |
2 | Klay Thompson | GSW | 3 | We are going to try this out and put Klay in the 2nd slot even though he has one less game than others at his position, but the scoring has been there. Remember it's all he does (pure shooter). |
3 | C.J. McCollum | POR | 4 | McCollum has the ability to get more assists, but, because he gets the ball on the 2nd or 3rd pass, the shot clock is running down and it forces him to make a move. |
4 | Nicolas Batum | CHA | 4 | Batum has been getting a ton of rebounds at the free-throw line and that is because, besides a reliable shooter both in the post and outside, he is also good at timing his jumps for rebounds. |
5 | Gordon Hayward | UT | 3 | Hayward's offense is NEEDED right now because George Hill, Rodney Hood and Derrick Favors cannot stay healthy. Expect the shots to keep flowing and he will help rebound a bit. |
6 | Avery Bradley | BOS | 3 | Bradley's excellent season continues and he has been getting more time with the ball and even gets time to do his own isolation offense. This screams confidence from the Coaches. |
7 | Bradley Beal | WSH | 4 | Beal has the skillset to drive against bigger defenders, but he is very tentative and will stand in the same spot even on transition. |
8 | Lou Williams | LAL | 4 | Whether the Lakers are fully healthy or decimated with injuries, Williams will always get a consistent amount of time with the ball as he can drive, shoot, and will even cut off the ball. |
9 | Reggie Jackson | DET | 3 | Jackson will continue to move up the rankings as the rust shakes off. He often tries to pass off and call for the ball right back and score. This will eat into other players shots. |
10 | Dwyane Wade | CHI | 3 | Wade continues to serve a meaningful role on the Bulls. Just when you think he's squared up to shoot, he fakes you out, drives five feet inside, and gets an opening. |
11 | Eric Gordon | HOU | 4 | Gordon continues to remain productive on and off the ball and will help with steals, but he's powerless if his shot is off unless he drives more. He normally hangs by the key. |
12 | Trevor Ariza | HOU | 4 | Ariza's defense will always keep him in the game and can be relied on for steals, three-pointers and he has a good cut to the basket. |
13 | Evan Fournier | ORL | 4 | Fournier does not cut to the basket, but has been an excellent mid-range shooter, on a team that is begging for offense. He will always get a lot of shot opportunities. |
14 | Tyler Johnson | MIA | 4 | Johnson is not ready to step up and be an overall leader, but there is a lot of growing room. He can ball-handle, shoot and drive and the decisionmaking will improve. |
15 | Wesley Matthews | DAL | 4 | Matthews offense is needed because the struggling Mavs cannot fully rely on Harrison Barnes to take over and Deron Williams and Dirk Nowitzki has been hobbled by injuries. |
16 | Jordan Clarkson | LAL | 4 | Clarkson has not only been a scoring help, but his rebounding and assist numbers have started to increase. |
17 | Bojan Bogdanovic | BKN | 4 | While the Nets have lacked consistency on offense, Bogdanovic is finally starting to hit his stride as we have seen more games in double figures. |
18 | Devin Booker | PHX | 3 | Booker has not made the same impact on this team as he did a year ago, and it's hard to figure out why. The Suns are limited offensively up front. Shot selection needs to improve. |
19 | Victor Oladipo | OKC | 3 | Oladipo took a nasty fall the other night and has been getting tested for a concussion and he injured his wrist. He could miss a game or two this week. |
20 | Wilson Chandler | DEN | 3 | Just as Chandler was proving he was Top 50 player form again, his hip that he has had surgery on is starting to bother him and the Nuggets could hold him out. If he plays, use him. |
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Small Forwards
RANK | NAME | Team | # Games | Analysis |
1 | Kevin Durant | GSW | 3 | The Warriors offense continues to run mainly through Durant when on the court and he looks just as at home as he did on the Thunder. |
2 | LeBron James | CLE | 3 | James has seen improved production all-around over the last week and even when he is not shooting a ton. He plays inside like a PF. |
3 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | MIL | 3 | He is making the Bucks a Contender by himself. He plays and rotates to many different positions on the floor and keeps the play alive for second chance scoring. |
4 | Paul George | IND | 4 | If George was a bit more involved offensively, he would have the top spot of the week. He is a multi-category helper, but can play the role of screen-setter and decoy to hit the open man. |
5 | Kawhi Leonard | SAS | 3 | Leonard continues to play well inside and outside. He has not been positing up as much, but rather curling off the screen and getting open mid-range jumpers. |
6 | Jimmy Butler | CHI | 3 | Jimmy Buckets continues to attack the rim from an angle. This gives him a chance to connect with the screen down low so he can have an easier journey to the hoop. |
7 | Otto Porter | WSH | 4 | Porter has been an effective shooter, especially from long-range and an even better perimeter defender. He will never lose playing time and is not afraid to take contact. |
8 | Rudy Gay | SAC | 4 | The slate improves for Gay as he can always be relied on for scoring and rebounding. He has become a sound defender in the post and could be a minor help with blocks. |
9 | Carmelo Anthony | NYK | 3 | Anthony has been clutch and shooting the ball very effectively. It is hard to tell how much of a rebounding help he will be, but the shots will always be there for him. |
10 | Harrison Barnes | DAL | 4 | I don't like Barnes offensive game, but the Mavs don't have much and as Nowitzki stays sidelined, Barnes will need to shoot more and not always look to drive into traffic. |
11 | Wayne Ellington | MIA | 4 | Ellington has stood out over the last few weeks as the Heat continue to get injured. He is getting more and more shots as the season continues and playing time should stay consistent |
12 | Moe Harkless | POR | 4 | I've noticed that Harkless has been driving down the middle, and will back his way into the first defender in the paint to try to draw more contact. Blazers are light up front. Expect shots. |
13 | Jae Crowder | BOS | 3 | Crowder's defense is his best offense, because when he pokes the ball away, he immediately looks to outrun his defender on transition and gets easy layups. He has been rebounding better. |
14 | Tobias Harris | DET | 3 | Harris does a good job of driving inside, shooting and then following up his own shots for a second-chance scoring opp. He plays like he knows he will miss the shot. |
15 | Danilo Gallinari | DEN | 3 | The Nuggets are desperate for scoring at this point, and Gallinari is the de facto No. 1 scoring option. Can he help in other areas? Yes! Can he be a non-factor in games besides shooting? YES! |
16 | Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | CHA | 4 | When you pay for MKG, you are paying for blocks, steals and rebounding. It will will be hard to find games in which he will dominate offensively. |
17 | Terrence Jones | NO | 4 | Jones continues to play a good mid-range post role as he will set the opening screen and immediately call for the ball in the post. He has been a bigger rebounding help lately. |
18 | Nick Young | LAL | 4 | Young is back and healthy and is very shot-happy. Players in points leagues love him, percentage category players…not so much. Expect double digit scoring games often. |
19 | Ersan Ilyasova | PHI | 3 | Ilyasova has been excellent from beyond the arc and has been a help with getting long rebounds. He will play a role in the post for the Sixers as the season continues. |
20 | Will Barton | DEN | 3 | With Wilson Chandler's health in question, Barton's mid-range game will be needed due to the lack of shooting weapons. If Barton starts in the post and rotates outside, he should get open. |
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Power Forwards
RANK | NAME | Team | # Games | Analysis |
1 | Anthony Davis | NO | 4 | Stat machine on a team that is in need of an inside game and Davis often takes the ball inside himself rather than setting up in the post. |
2 | Blake Griffin | LAC | 4 | Griffin continues to impress with his post-play and he has been taking a lot more contact this year. |
3 | Kevin Love | CLE | 3 | Love gets a top spot because his all-around game of inside and outside scoring and rebounding has been clicking. He scores a ton early or when left open for three. |
4 | Julius Randle | LAL | 4 | Randle has earned his spot this year as a top PF due to his ability to play both inside and outside in the post. He doesn't always go for the fake which will help with blocks. |
5 | Paul Millsap | ATL | 3 | Millsap continues to benefit from Al Horford being off the team by calling for the ball in the high post and working his way down low. |
6 | Draymond Green | GSW | 3 | He will kick himself into a suspension soon enough, but when on the floor, he is dangerous when it comes to attacking the rim once the shot is put up. Can't rely on him for major scoring. |
7 | Kristaps Porzingis | NYK | 3 | Porzingis continues to shoot well from the outiside and plays big inside. He is not afraid to put his body in front of powerfull lane drivers. |
8 | LaMarcus Aldridge | SAS | 3 | Aldridge has had to take on the the role of two positions and he feels out defenses before setting up either inside or outside. He will frequently be a reliable scoring option. |
9 | Serge Ibaka | ORL | 4 | Ibaka should be a top 3 PF with his schedule, but his offense is inconsistent and will need to be heavily involved in rebounding and blocks to hit value. |
10 | Trevor Booker | BKN | 4 | Booker is a blue-collar player as he always is going after loose balls, taking a ton of contact, and has turned into the Nets biggest threat on defense. |
11 | Jabari Parker | MIL | 3 | Parker has been a monster on offense this season and it has been impressive seeing him take on guys who are bigger than him and still dominate them in the post. |
12 | JaMychal Green | MEM | 4 | Green gets more playing time than Randolph and rightfully so. He is the future, and has been learning a lot about how to play effectively inside. |
13 | Thaddeus Young | IND | 4 | Young has been very inconsistent to start the season. He looks lost in an offense that totally fits his playing style of attacking and screening in the high post. Looking for improvement. |
14 | Kenneth Faried | DEN | 3 | Faried has had to claw for playing time all year and he has been as effective on the glass as ever and will help with blocks. Hard part will be scoring. |
15 | Taj Gibson | CHI | 3 | Gibson gets the job done and has been a volume producer for the Bulls as they continue to lack a consistent PF back up. He has a couple of nifty plays in the post. |
16 | Zach Randolph | MEM | 4 | Randolph is still producing while playing under 30 minutes per game and the team will need more of his rebounding and enforcer skills moving forward. He will need to shoot with injuries on MEM. |
17 | Nikola Jokic | DEN | 3 | Jokic was hurt, and now that he is back, he will need to impress to get more playing time. Starting him did not work out so well, but was playing really well off the bench against 2nd units. |
18 | Markieff Morris | WSH | 4 | Morris has seen open looks pretty close to the basket when defenses collapse inside on Wall who is always looking to run. Morris does have a bit of range when shooting. |
19 | Marcus Morris | DET | 3 | This Morris is a better offensive player while his Brother right above is more of an enforcer. Morris can drive, cut and back down in the post. He will lose shots with Jackson back in. |
20 | Greg Monroe | MIL | 3 | Hard to tell what kind of overall impact Monroe will make this season, but as of now the scoring and rebounding have been beneficial. Will the playing time? |
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Centers
RANK | NAME | Team | # Games | Analysis |
1 | DeMarcus Cousins | SAC | 4 | With a full slate of games, Cousins moves back into the top spot for Center's and as always, will contend for top fantasy producer for the week. |
2 | Hassan Whiteside | MIA | 4 | Whiteside's offense is needed and has been able to create with one hand in the post. He has clearly been working on post-play and you will see him take more jumpers. |
3 | Marc Gasol | MEM | 4 | With the backcourt and mid-range options banged up, Gasol will continue to take even more shots and will look to draw more contact inside. Expect a lot of long-range shots. |
4 | Andre Drummond | DET | 3 | Drummond will use his body as his biggest offensive weapon. He will get rebounds off misses and draw a ton of contact. You must hold your breath whenever he shoots free-throws. |
5 | Al Horford | BOS | 3 | Horford continues to burn teams from all ends of the floor and even with one less game, his shooting range allows him to get multiple possesions in a row. |
6 | Dwight Howard | ATL | 3 | Howard has definitely played with a chip on his shoulder. He is not hanging around outside as much and is calling for the ball more inside. |
7 | Brook Lopez | BKN | 4 | It's the same story with Lopez. Excellent on offense with great shooting range, but we need the blocks and rebounds from our bigs and we aren't getting them from him. |
8 | Marcin Gortat | WSH | 4 | Gortat continues to show that he has a few one-handed moves in the post and it is resulting in more scoring. He is very good at controlling the paint. |
9 | Clint Capela | HOU | 4 | Capela is starting to stand out due to his post play and even being on a team with a bunch of ball hogs, Capela gets fed on transition and keeps plays alive on the glass. |
10 | Nikola Vucevic | ORL | 4 | We talk about Vucevic's footwork and post play on offense but he is dealing with a minor back injury that could keep him out for a game this week. |
11 | Mason Plumlee | POR | 4 | Plumlee is starting to get fed more inside and that's because of confidence from the coaching staff. The Blazers need an inside game, and Plumlee is providing consistency. |
12 | DeAndre Jordan | LAC | 4 | If the Clippers transition game is off and/or they are playing a team that is staunch defensively, Jordan will not score at all. He can have 20-rebound games with blocks. Scoring is a maybe. |
13 | Jonas Valanciunas | TOR | 4 | Valanciunas has the mid-range game to draw out bigger defenders and can post up, but when Lowry and DeRozan drive, he often backs out of the paint when he should be crashing the boards. |
14 | Rudy Gobert | UT | 3 | Instant defense. No offense. Even with Derrick Favors still out, he does not get involved offensively. |
15 | Myles Turner | IND | 4 | Turner has been playing better inside and keeps plays alive when he is not committing fouls. Once he starts getting in foul trouble, he becomes tentative. |
16 | Karl-Anthony Towns | MIN | 2 | Towns is an all-around great Center and would be higher up, but Minnesota drew the short slate this week and you can't produce if you don't play. |
17 | Joel Embiid | PHI | 3 | Once the minutes start to improve, expect Embiid to be a top Producer at his position. He is currently dealing with an elbow issue that may cause him to miss a game this week. |
18 | Tristan Thompson | CLE | 3 | Thompson doesn't do anything flashy. He cleans up the garbage on the glass for the other flashy players on the team. He has a good cut down the middle, and gets his own rebounds. |
19 | Pau Gasol | SAS | 3 | Gasol has produced, but it has not been anything outstanding. Father time is catching up to him, and when he gets the ball on the elbow, he looks for an open shooter to pass off to. |
20 | Tyson Chandler | PHX | 3 | Chandler will continue to get a lot of rebounds in a limited amount of time and I say it a lot, HE HAS OFFENSE! He can hit baby jumpers, but rarely elects to shoot. |