Point Guard
RANK | NAME | Team | # Games | Analysis |
1 | Russell Westbrook | OKC | 2 | Westbrook takes the top spot and even though Paul George continues to play better throughout the season, he is still the top option for the Thunder. |
2 | Stephen Curry | GSW | 2 | Curry continues to be the 1A option and minutes will and time w/ the ball will always be on his side and he'll be a huge help w/ points, three's and dimes. |
3 | Kyrie Irving | BOS | 2 | Even though it seemed like Irving's Knees were an issue prior to the break, he should be a full go for his two games this week as the Celtics top option. |
4 | Damian Lillard | POR | 2 | INJ: Lillard is suffering from a sprained Ankle and there's a chance he'll miss his first game of the week. |
5 | Ben Simmons | PHI | 2 | Simmons won't see much of a decline in his production now that Tobias Harris is around. He still will get a lot of time w/ the ball and he's an incredible driver and playmaker. |
6 | Kemba Walker | CHA | 2 | Walker is by far and away the Hornets top scoring option and he'll continue to score a high volume of points in the majority of games while helping w/ assists. |
7 | Kyle Lowry | TOR | 2 | Lowry is fully healthy and he'll continue to be the Raptors second scoring option. Adding Marc Gasol on the outside should help his assist-numbers rise. |
8 | Chris Paul | HOU | 2 | Paul will have more options to feed w/ the return of Clint Capela. He'll be able to force the ball in the paint and we should expect his production to go up over the next week. |
9 | D'Angelo Russell | BKN | 2 | Even w/ Caris LeVert back in the mix, Russell is still the Nets top scorer and will be for the rest of the way and he'll be a big help w/ dimes and steals. |
10 | Mike Conley | MEM | 2 | Conley's usage will be its highest for the rest of the season w/ Gasol traded. Conley will have a ton of time w/ the ball and take a lot of shots. Jaren Jackson Jr. is their second option. |
11 | De'Aaron Fox | SAC | 2 | Fox has another toy to play w/ in Harrison Barnes. He'll be able to feed Barnes on the drive and that will help his assists. Fox has done a good job of keeping the Kings offense moving. |
12 | Eric Bledsoe | MIL | 2 | Even w/ the addition of Nikola Mirotic, Bledsoe should still be able to score in double figures consistently. His defense will keep him in games longer. Expect boards and steals. |
13 | Jamal Murray | DEN | 2 | Murray is a sjoot-first PG, but he'll be needed down the stretch to be the Nuggets second scoring option. He's quick and he frequently finds himself open on and off the ball. |
14 | Trae Young | ATL | 2 | Young will continue to be the Hawks second scoring option and there will never be a shortage of shots for him. He'll help out on the assist-front too, but may hurt your percentages. |
15 | Jeff Teague | MIN | 2 | Teague is fully healthy and he'll be the priority PG moving forward as long as he doesn't suffer from another Leg injury. He'll be used as the third scoring option and will help dish dimes. |
16 | Derrick Rose | MIN | 2 | Rose has earned his spot this season and he'll get plenty of time to score and even fight for boards on the outside to keep plays alive. He's been a good facilitator when needed. |
17 | Tomas Satoransky | WSH | 2 | Satoransky will continue being the Wizards primary ball-handler for the rest of the way and he'll try to push the ball inside and he'll even sacrifice his body doing it. He's a good passer. |
18 | Rajon Rondo | LAL | 2 | Lonzo Ball needs more time to recover and Rondo will see heavy minutes until Ball is ready. Rondo isn't the best shooter, but he'll still get to the rim and help w/ boards and dimes. |
19 | Ricky Rubio | UT | 2 | Rubio is fully healthy and he'll continue to be the fourth shooting option on the Jazz. He'll be helpful w/ assists and steals and he'll keep the Jazz offense moving quickly. |
20 | Kris Dunn | CHI | 2 | INJ: Dunn has been dealing w/ Back issues for the last week and there's a chance he'll have to miss his first game of the week. |
Shooting Guard
RANK | NAME | Team | # Games | Analysis |
1 | James Harden | HOU | 2 | Clint Capela being back in the mix could bring Harden's scoring down a little bit, but he's been on a tear and what he loses in points, he'll make up for in assists. |
2 | Bradley Beal | WSH | 2 | Beal will be the Wizards top scoring option for the rest of the way. Expect to play deep into games and he'll even get time to run the offense. He'll provide help w/ steals too. |
3 | Jrue Holiday | NO | 2 | If Anthony Davis is held out a bit more down the stretch, Holiday will be the prioritized scorer and top option. He's been productive at both guard spots and he'll help dish dimes. |
4 | Devin Booker | PHX | 2 | Booker is fully healthy and w/ the addition of Tyler Johnson, he should be playing more at SG for the rest of the way as the Suns head towards the lottery. Expect a ton of points. |
5 | DeMar DeRozan | SAS | 2 | DeRozan will continue to lead the guards in providing a lot of offense and he's been a multi-category producer just like he was in Toronto. Expect points, boards, dimes and steals. |
6 | Zach LaVine | CHI | 2 | LaVine will share top scoring responsibilities w/ Lauri Markkanen for the rest of the way and Otto Porter Jr. won't be too much of a threat. His usage will go up if Dunn sits. |
7 | Donovan Mitchell | UT | 2 | Mitchell has been more productive since the turn of the year. As soon as he lost all of his guards, he was forces to be multi-dimensional again and do more than just shoot from the arc. |
8 | Klay Thompson | GSW | 2 | Thompson has been a bit more productive over the last few weeks. He's not your typical third scoring option. He gets fed a lot and frequently finds himself open. |
9 | Khris Middleton | MIL | 2 | Middleton should be coming into the week w/ the utmost confidence after his showing at the All-Star game. It's sink or swim time because Nikola Mirotic is getting into the mix. |
10 | Buddy Hield | SAC | 2 | It'll be interesting to see if Hield loses a lot of shots w/ the addition of Harrison Barnes. He'll continue to grab long boards and steals and should be able to still hit double figures. |
11 | C.J. McCollum | POR | 2 | McCollum is still the second option for the Blazers and the addition of Enes Kanter shouldn't impact his shots at all. If Lillard has to sit for a game, his usage will rise. |
12 | Lou Williams | LAC | 2 | Williams will be prioritized even more w/ Harris traded. Williams will be called upon to be a second scoring option and w/ a little less clutter in the back court, expect him to gain PT. |
13 | Caris LeVert | BKN | 2 | LeVert is healthy again, but the Nets may not fully let him loose until he can prove that he can recover after gameplay without any setbacks. His minutes could be restricted for a bit. |
14 | Malcolm Brogdon | MIL | 2 | Brogdon could be looking at a bit of a hit when it comes to his production w/ the addition of Mirotic, but he'll still get plenty of shots w/ the Bucks second unit. |
15 | Andrew Wiggins | MIN | 2 | Wiggins was Sick before the break so he should be a full go this week and he'll continue to be the Timberwolves second scoring option and he'll produce boards and steals. |
16 | Tim Hardaway Jr. | DAL | 2 | THJ is the Mavericks second scoring option for the rest of the way as most of the Mavs offense will come from the guards and he should get plenty of time w/ the ball. |
17 | Jeremy Lamb | CHA | 2 | Lamb will not only see a lot of shots, but he'll crash the boards after he shoots three's and keep plays alive. He's always hustling and fighting to keep plays alive. |
18 | JJ Redick | PHI | 2 | Redick will see a little bit of a hit when it comes to his production because Harris can hit long-range shots. Redick (like Brogdon) will have a ton of opportunities w/ the second unit. |
19 | Jordan Clarkson | CLE | 2 | Clarkson will be relied on at both guard spots for the rest of the way and even w/ Kevin Love returning, Collin Sexton needs to develop a bit more and he's securely in the rotation. |
20 | Dwayne Wade | MIA | 2 | Wade has been able to fill the Heat gaps w/ guards hurt and traded and he'll continue to help score from mid-range. He'll start to run the point a bit less w/ Goran Dragic returning. |
Small Forward
RANK | NAME | Team | # Games | Analysis |
1 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | MIL | 2 | INJ: Even though he is dealing w/ sore Knees, Giannis should be active for both of his games this week. As always, he'll help in all areas except for three-pointers. |
2 | LeBron James | LAL | 2 | James is fully healthy and won't have any type of restrictions for the rest of the way and the Lakers offense will run exclusively through him. |
3 | Paul George | OKC | 2 | George has improved his production as he and Westbrook take on most of the offensive burden in OKC and he'll help a ton w/ boards and steals. |
4 | Kevin Durant | GSW | 2 | Durant continues to be the 1B option as he'll share the priority scorer spot w/ Curry. He's done a great job of balancing his offense between driving and long-range scoring. |
5 | Kawhi Leonard | TOR | 2 | Looking up the Raptors schedule has become a priority because of how they are using Leonard. There aren't any back to back situations to restrict him this week. Expect him active. |
6 | Luka Doncic | DAL | 2 | Doncic remains the top option for the Mavs as their Point Forward. He'll spend a lot of time bringing up the ball and he'll take deep shots, drive and dish a lot of assists. |
7 | Jimmy Butler | PHI | 2 | Butler is going to have to fight for shots w/ Harris, but both can remain productive from a fantasy perspective. Butler's defense will keep him in games down the stretch. |
8 | Danilo Gallinari | LAC | 2 | Gallinari will be the Clippers top shooting option for the rest of the way. Expect his scoring to rise as he'll hit from mid and long-range and he'll continue to help pull down boards. |
9 | Josh Richardson | MIA | 2 | Richardson will be playing a lot of SF moving forward w/ Dragic returning, but he'll still get back up minutes behind Dragic to facilitate the offense. He'll be focusing more on scoring. |
10 | Trevor Ariza | WSH | 2 | Ariza will see heavy minutes moving forward because of his spot-up shooting ability from long-range and he'll help grab steals on the defensive end. |
11 | Rudy Gay | SAS | 2 | Gay is fully healthy and he'll continue to be the Spurs third option for the rest of the way and he'll produce a lot of his scoring from mid-range and he'll grab boards in the paint. |
12 | Otto Porter Jr. | CHI | 2 | Porter will be the Bulls third scoring option and he'll be used often to force the ball inside and he'll help grab boards and steals on the defensive end. |
13 | Bojan Bogdanovic | IND | 2 | Bogdanovic will continue to benefit from Victor Oladipo being out for the rest of the season by getting more shots and playing time. He helps the Pacers spread the floor w/ his size. |
14 | Joe Ingles | UT | 2 | Ingles has been a good sharp-shooter this season and he's proven that he's not just a bailout scorer. He's been helpful w/ boards and steals on the perimeter. |
15 | Bogdan Bogdanovic | SAC | 2 | Bogdanovic is currently fighting for his life when it comes to the Kings offense because the addition of Barnes could impact his scoring numbers negatively. He will keep his spot and PT. |
16 | Joe Harris | BKN | 2 | Until Spencer Dinwiddie comes back, Harris will still be a prioritized scorer in the Nets offense. He'll also benefit from the Nets managing LeVert's minutes as well. |
17 | Brandon Ingram | LAL | 2 | Ingram showed in the few games before the break that he can still be helpful w/ scoring and grabbing boards even w/ LeBron back in the mix. Let's hope he continues to produce. |
18 | Kelly Oubre Jr. | PHX | 2 | Oubre has benefitted the most from T.J. Warren being out by getting more minutes and more shots. Oubre will also help grab long boards and steals. |
19 | Terrence Ross | ORL | 2 | Ross will see more shots w/ Jonathon Simmons off the team and expect him to see playing time in the 20's and 30's for the rest of the way and he'll help w/ points, boards and steals. |
20 | Gordon Hayward | BOS | 2 | INJ: Hayward may have to miss his first game of the week w/ an injured Ankle. He wasn't able to participate in practice on Wednesday. |
Power Forward
RANK | NAME | Team | # Games | Analysis |
1 | Blake Griffin | DET | 2 | Griffin remains the top scoring option for the Pistons and has no competition to take that away from him. Even when Andre Drummond has high-scoring games, Griffin gets his! |
2 | LaMarcus Aldridge | SAS | 2 | Aldridge will produce at both PF and C. He can hit deep mid-range shots and produce in the post. He's a strong rebounder and he'll even help block shots on defense. |
3 | Lauri Markkanen | CHI | 2 | Markkanen won't see his usage drop w/ Porter on the team and he'll help the Bulls stretch the floor because he can hit long-range jumpers. He'll grab boards consistently too. |
4 | John Collins | ATL | 2 | Collins will continue to be the top scoring option for the Hawks down the stretch. He's done a great job of attacking the basket and positioning himself in the paint to keep plays alive. |
5 | Julius Randle | NO | 2 | Randle will see more production moving forward w/ Mirotic off the team and he'll produce from the low block. If Davis sits more, Randle's usage and minutes will rise even more. |
6 | Tobias Harris | PHI | 2 | Harris will still see a good amount of shots in the Sixers offense, but he's not the prioritized scorer anymore. High-scoring games aren't a lock anymore. He'll help w/ boards too. |
7 | Kevin Love | CLE | 2 | INJ: Love recently returned from a Toe injury and his minutes might be restricted for his next game. Just know that if he wakes up w/ a sore Toe after that gmae, he will likely be held out. |
8 | Nikola Mirotic | MIL | 2 | INJ: Mirotic should be good to go for both of the Bucks games this week. Unless his injured Calf acts up after his first game of the week, he should be active for both games this week. |
9 | Aaron Gordon | ORL | 2 | Gordon will remain the second scoring option for the Magic for the rest of the way and he has tremendous leaping ability and will continue helping a ton w/ points and boards. |
10 | Draymond Green | GSW | 2 | Scoring is never easy for Green, but grabbing boards, dishing assists and helping w/ steals comes much easier to him. Plus, he's been able to stay healthy over the last month. |
11 | Pascal Siakam | TOR | 2 | We'll see over the next few weeks whose scoring gets impacted more between Siakam and Ibaka. Siakam has been more explosive and fits better w/ the second unit. |
12 | Serge Ibaka | TOR | 2 | Ibaka has done an excellent job of playing more in the paint this season, but w/ Gasol on the team, one of the Raptors big men are losing out on shots. Ibaka will help w/ blocks too. |
13 | Jayson Tatum | BOS | 2 | Tatum will continues to be the Celtics second scoring option and he can hit from long-range and take it to the basket w/ force. He's also shown he has good ball-handling skills. |
14 | Kyle Kuzma | LAL | 2 | Kuzma will be the second scoring option moving forward, but a distant second behind LeBron. Kuzma needs to drive more and not focus as much on long-range scoring. |
15 | Larry Nance Jr. | CLE | 2 | Nance will continue to see heavy minutes at both PF and C because Tristan Thompson is hurt and Kevin Love will be restricted for the next couple of weeks. His usage stands pat. |
16 | Bobby Portis | WSH | 2 | Portis will be the prioritized scoring big man even if he comes off the bench. He'll provide a ton of inside scoring and rebounding moving forward. He's a very aggressive big man. |
17 | Marcus Morris | BOS | 2 | Morris continues to play the role of the Enforcer for the Celtics on defense, but he serves as the main bailout long-range shooter on offense and he's securely in the rotation. |
18 | Paul Millsap | DEN | 2 | The Nuggets have a lot of mouths to feed, but Millsap is still prioritized as the third scoring option and his health can be relied on more than Gary Harris at the moment. |
19 | Thaddeus Young | IND | 2 | Young will find ways to get to the rim as a strong slasher and he's another PF who puts the ball up and then immediately crashes the boards. Expect points, boards and steals. |
20 | Justise Winslow | MIA | 2 | Winslow can play multiple positions, but w/ Dragic returning, expect Winslow to focus on the PF spot and his rebounding should go up while his assists are likely to drop. |
Center
RANK | NAME | Team | # Games | Analysis |
1 | Anthony Davis | NO | 2 | INJ: After hurting his Shoulder right before the All-Star break, Davis played a few minutes in the ASG on Sunday. He should be good to go for both games, but getting shutdown in still in play. |
2 | Nikola Jokic | DEN | 2 | The Nuggets top scorer will continue to be utilized heavily as the season continues. Jokic not only can hit long-range jumpers, but he'll help bring the ball up and grab a lot of boards. |
3 | Karl-Anthony Towns | MIN | 2 | The Timberwolves top option will be needed to produce more in the post w/ Robert Covington still hurt. Expect Towns to also take shots from beyond the arc. |
4 | Nikola Vucevic | ORL | 2 | Vucevic will continue to be the Magic's top scorer for the rest of the way. He's improved his long-range shooting tremendously and he'll grab a lot of boards in the post. |
5 | Andre Drummond | DET | 2 | Drummond continues to be limited offensively, but he'll still thrive against weaker front courts because of his size. It's very hard to box him out of the paint and he'll grab a lot of boards. |
6 | Rudy Gobert | UT | 2 | Gobert continues to be an inside specific center who will score and block shots in the post. Expect him to grab a high-volume of boards and to draw a lot of contact. |
7 | Marc Gasol | TOR | 2 | Gasol will be in a major timeshare when it comes to the amount of plays that are called for Raptors big men. They are very deep and Gasol is no longer the second scoring option. |
8 | Jusuf Nurkic | POR | 2 | Nurkic will not have some competition at the position w/ the arrival of Enes Kanter. Kanter doesn't need a lot of time to produce, but Nurkic will still play close to 30 minutes per game. |
9 | Deandre Ayton | PHX | 2 | Ayton will continue being the Suns second option and more plays will be called for him at the elbow because T.J. Warren is still hurt and the Suns need him to help spread the floor. |
10 | DeAndre Jordan | NY | 2 | By default, Jordan is the third scoring option for the Knicks and he doesn't need a lot of time to produce. He's limited offensively but will still in double figures and grab a lot of boards. |
11 | Hassan Whiteside | MIA | 2 | It's hard to tell how many minutes Whiteside will get on a given day, but he's proven that he's hard to stop once he begins driving to the basket. Expect a lot of boards. |
12 | Clint Capela | HOU | 2 | INJ: Capela is expected to return to the court as his injured Thumb is all healed up. There's a chance the Rockets may ease him back into the mix for his first game of the week. |
13 | Steven Adams | OKC | 2 | The gritty Adams will continue to be the third scoring option w/ the starters and he'll score off of pick and rolls to the basket. He'll score and grab boards from right under the rim. |
14 | Al Horford | BOS | 2 | Horford hasn't made as much of a scoring impact this season, but it's clear that he's focusing more on being a post-player rather than a bailout scoring big man. Expect boards and blocks. |
15 | DeMarcus Cousins | GSW | 2 | Cousins will start rising in the rankings because his minutes are about to start going up and that will lead to more scoring, rebounding and shot-blocking w/ not competition at C. |
16 | Domantas Sabonis | IND | 2 | Even though Sabonis is in a timeshare w/ Myles Turner, he doesn't need a lot of time to put up points and he has good post moves. He'll also grab boards consistently. |
17 | Willie Cauley-Stein | SAC | 2 | It'll be interesting to see if Cauley-Stein will lose shots w/ Barnes on the team, but he's earned his keep in the Kings rotation and he'll hit a good amount of mid-range shots. |
18 | Myles Turner | IND | 2 | Turner has improved over the last month and he's been making more of an impact on offense because he can hit long-range jumpers and he'll help fill the void Oladipo left behind. |
19 | Montrezl Harrell | LAC | 2 | It doesn't matter if Harrell starts or comes off the bench, he'll continue doing all of the dirty work for the Clippers under the basket and help a ton w/ scoring and rebounding. |
20 | Jarrett Allen | BKN | 2 | Allen has slowly been developing more of an offensive game, but for now, he'll score a lot off of put backs and open lanes. He's been good at grabbing boards and blocking shots. |