Dennis Schroder will be a high volume fantasy scorer this season.
The NBA season tips off tonight with two games on the schedule. Kyrie Irving returns to Cleveland while Chris Paul and the new look Rockets head west to battle K.D and the defending champion Warriors.
As always, there is plenty of intrigue as the superpowers of the NBA jockey for position. There is also plenty of intriguing heading into the fantasy basketball season. Here are some thoughts as the NBA season tips off.
1.Lebron James is still an elite fantasy player worthy of top five consideration in drafts. James has been going in the 6-10 range in most drafts which is insane when you think about his ability to fill up the stat sheet offensively. Sure, he will miss games due to rest, but James is still a top five fantasy player.
2. Russell Westbrook’s numbers will take a dip this season. He will not repeat last season’s production thanks to the arrival of Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. That being said, there is no doubt he can still be a 28-10-5 player across the board.
3. Nets guard D’Angelo Russell has a chance to blossom as the main attraction in Brooklyn. He will be a one man show. Don’t be surprised if he averages over 22 points per game and dishes out 5 to 7 assists a game. For those of you who gambled on him in rounds 3-5, you will be rewarded.
4. If Joel Embiid could ever play a full season, he would be a top five pick in drafts. We have seen glimpses of his tantalizing potential this pre-season. The Sixers are ready to make a playoff run. Their success and that of fantasy owners will hinge on Embiid’s health.
5. Kyrie Irving’s usage will go up now that he doesn’t have to play with Lebron. Gordon Heyward will not demand as many looks which means Irving’s numbers across the board should experience an uptick.
6. I am not as bullish on Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Their numbers took a hit last season and I expect that trend to continue this season. Playing with a ball dominate point forward like K.D hurt their value last season.
7. If you are looking for two guards to hitch your wagons to, there might not be a better tandem than the Wizards John Wall and Bradley Beal. Both have the potential to average 20 plus points per game and 5 plus assists per game.
8. Do not write off guys Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki just yet. I still think they have a quarter of a tank left and they can be productive point producers on your fantasy roster. I drafted both of them.
9. The Atlanta Hawks will struggle to win 25 games and should be the worst offensive team in the NBA. The lone bright spot will be point guard Dennis Schroder. Schroder averaged 17.9 points per game last season but that number should go up three to five points per game based on the fact that he is their best player. The Hawks offense will run through him.
10. The 2017 rookie class has some volume scorers in it. I especially like Hornets rookie Malik Monk. Monk is a pure scorer who can score in a myriad of ways. He can take the ball to the rim and he can hit the three ball. Monk will be inconsistent but he can also score points in bunches. The 6-3 shooting guard should get some quality minutes early so grab him if he is available and put him on your bench.