Alright, NBA fantasy leagues of all variety are starting to kick into high gear. If you are a fantasy general manager or a prospective GM thinking this might be your year to venture into the world of fantasy hoops; you will need to have your players ranked going into draft day.
EDraft will be providing a comprehensive break-down of each position with player rankings from best to worst. Personally, for me it was always a pain to try and reference top 100 lists. Why would it matter to me if Lebron James is ranked higher than Tim Duncan, if what I really need is a point-guard?
We start our position by position analysis with the men-in-the-middle. Drafting a center early can be a risky move. Most teams do not have that dominant big-man that is going to get you great numbers night in and night out.
Before picking any player, ensure you are familiar with the scoring system for your fantasy league. There might be bonus points for double-double or triple-double games; as well you need to know how points are awarded for block shots versus assists and how turnovers are factored in.
Remember this; statistics tell you one thing and that is how the player did last year. Year to year players change teams; this affects who they are playing with and how they will contribute in their new spots. With that in mind, here are the centers ranked 11- 25.
11- Brook Lopez – Brooklyn Nets
This fourth year player out of Stanford is looking to rebound from an injury plagued season. Lopez only played in five games last season. This season he needs to show early on that his foot injury is no longer an issue. Unlike previous years, there are more scoring options on the Nets now with Joe Johnson, Deron Williams and Gerald Wallace on the team. This will hurt Lopez’s point production, but is not likely to affect the rebounding. Having said that, the knack on Lopez has always been his lack rebounding. For a 7’0” center to only average 7.5 rebounds per game is lower than one would expect. If Lopez can get these numbers up he will become a bona-fide elite fantasy option at the center position.
12- Joakim Noah – Chicago Bulls
In the absence of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah is one of many Bulls players needing to elevate their game. Noah should return to form and average nightly double-doubles. Of course, he needs to be healthy and like so many he is recovering from injury. Good news is that Noah has in fact started every game he has played in for the past two seasons. Noah always brings an unmatched intensity to the court, which can translate into nice rebounding and block shot stats. It can also translate into an easy knee injury and him being lost for the year.
13- Andrea Bargnani – Toronto Raptors
Yet another player looking to rebound from an injury riddled couple of seasons. Bargnani must be desperate to show what he can do when healthy; of course to do so he must stay healthy. In playing only 31 games last season, Bargnani had a down year. Shooting percentages were down, as was his scoring average. Bargnani can give you descent points per game; however, his rebounding is poor and the blocked shots totals are almost nonexistent. I am not a fan of soft playing big-guys like Bargnani who want to bomb jumpers all day.
14- Chris Kaman – Dallas Mavericks
A fresh start in Dallas could rejuvenate Kaman’s career. A very consistent contributor when healthy; however, the injuries have been too frequent. Kaman has never played a full-season and only once in the last five seasons has he been able to play in 70 + games. The move to Dallas could be just what the doctor ordered, as a lessened load offensively could permit to Kaman to stay healthy. I would like to see more production in the rebounding category this season and get those total backs up to where they should be. Expect 12.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg averages.
15- Nene – Washington Wizards
Already slated to miss the majority of training camp and potentially the season opener for the Wizards, this was not the start to the season that Nene was hoping for. Nene played in only 39 games last season due to plantar fasciitis, and it’s the foot that is bothering him again to start this season. Consistent fantasy producer when healthy, is good for 13 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 1.5 blocks per. The interior presence of the Wizards should allow for Nene to get some easy offensive put-backs as teams will be outsized on the glass.
16- Andrew Bogut – Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are hopeful that Bogut will be their solution in the middle of the lineup. I would like to rank Bogut higher here, but his foot injury from last year seems to be lingering and it remains to be seen how effective Bogut will be upon his return. If healthy, Bogut can be counted on for double digit point and rebound averages with decent block shot totals.
17- Tyson Chandler – New York Knicks
The reigning Defensive Player of the Year will likely see a decrease in playing time with the Knicks acquisition of Marcus Camby. The good news for fantasy owners is that Chandler posted nearly the same stats in 2010-11 with 27 minutes per game as he did in 2011-12 with 33 minutes of time per. So even if Camby chews into the minutes, it shouldn’t be a huge drop-off. Still a solid 11 ppg and 9.5 rpg guy.
18- Marcin Gortat – Phoenix Suns
Using a high draft pick on a player coming off a career year is a risky proposition. Gortat is just such a player. He had an unreal season; one that saw him almost double his career averages. Playing alongside Steve Nash tends to get an offensive player some easy hoops and this year the lack of that passing guard will hurt Gortat’s numbers. Still an aggressive and hard-working guy around the basket, Gortat will get descent rebound numbers and will be there to gobble up loose balls for cheap buckets.
19- JaVale McGee – Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are hoping that JaVale McGee grows and matures into a true force in the middle. The attitude and approach to the game has thus far been immature and inconsistent. If McGee can get it together for this Denver squad, then his fantasy value will increase. As it stands now the rebounding averages are too low and the free-throw shooting percentage is Shaq-like. The upside for McGee owners are the blocked shots, which he gets at about two per game.
20- Emeka Okafor – Washington Wizards
This nine year-pro is spending his first season in Washington. I really like Okafor, just not on my fantasy team. His production has declined steadily each season and he is no longer a consistent double-double player. With Nene also on this team, the rebounds will get split even more and offensively Okafor is not a go-to option. Descent big-man, but I do think the production will be in decline again this season.
21- Anderson Varejao – Cleveland Cavaliers
The past two seasons have seen Varejao play in only 56 games due to injury. Last season had 25 games played where he averaged double digit points and rebounds. Big question coming into the season is how healthy is Anderson and can he stay healthy?
22- Marcus Camby – New York Knicks
Hard to believe that this former second overall pick is entering his 16th NBA season. In a reserve role with the New York Knicks, Camby will be called upon to spell off Tyson Chandler in the rotation. Barring injury, Camby should be relegated to a reserve role all season. This would be a purely defensive pick here as Camby’s offensive prowess is now limited to about 5 ppg. Rebounding and shot blocking will be Camby’s speciality. Should an injury occur, he could be a waiver wire pickup.
23- Glen Davis – Orlando Magic
More or less thrust into the center position with the departure of Dwight Howard; Glen Davis will be looking to replicate last season’s late success. With starter-like minutes, Davis showed he can be very productive. Question is will he get the minutes. Orlando is dealing with injuries going into camp as well as rookies in the depth chart at the center spot. This could all equate to ‘Big Baby’ getting a chance.
24- Derrick Favors – Utah Jazz
One of my sleeper picks in the Western Conference; I truly believe that Favors is primed for a breakout season. With Paul Millsap entering the final year of his contract, there could be some room for Favors to slip into the starting rotation. Even in a reserve role, Favors posted 8.8 ppg and 6.5 rpg in only 21 minutes of court time. Favors played very well in the playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs, if he can keep that intensity then minutes should be coming his way.
25- Nikola Pekovic – Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves have made some roster upgrades to this years squad; which will mostly translate into less of an interior game. Pekovic is not the most offensively polished player to start with, however his nose-for-the-ball garners him the easy hoops. Pekovic should still get solid minutes and contribute to your fantasy roster nicely. Just like drafting Marcin Gortat, I don’t like taking guys coming off a career year; it seems like you are setting yourself up for disappointment.
Best of the Rest – Potential waiver wire pickups:
Kendrick Perkins – Oklahoma City Thunder
Andre Drummond – Detroit Pistons
Samuel Dalembert – Milwaukee Bucks
Jonas Valanciunas – Toronto Raptors
DeAndre Jordan – LA Clippers