Final Update: 2016 Fantasy Basketball Rankings: Power Forwards
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The NBA preaseason officially starts on October 1. Throughout September and October, theScore will be updating our fantasy rankings, both by position and Top 200 players overall.
These rankings will reflect standard scoring formats, taking into account each player's ability to produce in the following categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, 3-point shots made, field goal percentage, free throw percentage and turnovers.
Position Rankings
PG | SG | SF | PF | C | Top 200
(updated Oct. 24)
RANK | PLAYER | TEAM |
---|---|---|
1 | Kevin Durant | GSW |
2 | DeMarcus Cousins | SAC |
3 | LeBron James | CLE |
4 | Anthony Davis | NOP |
5 | Paul George | IND |
6 | Draymond Green | GSW |
7 | Paul Millsap | ATL |
8 | Al Horford | BOS |
9 | Blake Griffin | LAC |
10 | LaMarcus Aldridge | SAS |
Durant's usage will be hard to pin down with his new team on a game-to-game basis, but the games he reaches his sky-high ceiling will make up for those days when he plays a secondary role to Steph Curry et al. Durant, at worst, will fall to sixth or seventh in most drafts.
Green, on the other hand, sees his ADP fall to the mid-second round as he will likely see a drop in all of his per-game stats. Should he drop into the early third-round consider him a nice value play.
RANK | PLAYER | TEAM |
---|---|---|
11 | Andre Drummond | DET |
12 | Kevin Love | CLE |
13 | Carmelo Anthony | NYK |
14 | Derrick Favors | UTA |
15 | Serge Ibaka | ORL |
16 | Pau Gasol | SAS |
17 | Kristaps Porzingis | NYK |
18 | Nikola Vucevic | ORL |
19 | Tobias Harris | DET |
20 | Greg Monroe | MIL |
Love is a big mover. With James fulfilling his quest to bring a championship to Cleveland and Tyronn Lue getting a full offseason to prepare as head coach, look for the Cavaliers to make their three-time All-Star big man a focal point of the offense after two seasons of being subjected to a supporting role.
On the flip side, Anthony has slid from the top-10 PF-eligible players; the continued growth of Porzingis, plus the additions of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah should lead to decreased shot attempts and rebounding opportunities.
RANK | PLAYER | TEAM |
---|---|---|
21 | Dwight Howard | ATL |
22 | Chandler Parsons | MEM |
23 | Jabari Parker | MIL |
24 | Rudy Gay | SAC |
25 | Thaddeus Young | IND |
26 | Dirk Nowitzki | DAL |
27 | Julius Randle | LAL |
28 | Jae Crowder | BOS |
29 | Ryan Anderson | HOU |
30 | Robert Covington | PHI |
At this point, you have to balance current floors (Howard, Gay, Nowitzki) with future upside (Parker, Randle). It's important to remember that, while the latter group could take a big jump forward this year, each of the blue-chip prospects play on rosters stacked with other young talent, making it tough to project how usage rates will pan out.
RANK | PLAYER | TEAM |
---|---|---|
31 | Gorgui Dieng | MIN |
32 | Kenneth Faried | DEN |
33 | Marvin Williams | CHO |
34 | Myles Turner | IND |
35 | Harrison Barnes | DAL |
36 | Nikola Mirotic | CHI |
37 | Nerlens Noel | PHI |
38 | Luol Deng | LAL |
39 | Zach Randolph | MEM |
40 | Clint Capela | HOU |
Williams' appeal lies in the ability to contribute in a variety of categories, though he doesn't offer the same rebounding totals befitting a starting big man.
Capela could be the steal of the draft; even in a James Harden-dominant offense, the fast pace of Mike D'Antoni's new-look Rockets will create a ton of fast-break scoring opportunities -- and even more misses for Capela to corral.
RANK | PLAYER | TEAM |
---|---|---|
41 | Mason Plumlee | POR |
42 | Aaron Gordon | ORL |
43 | DeMarre Carroll | TOR |
44 | Marcus Morris | DET |
45 | Bismack Biyombo | ORL |
46 | Al-Farouq Aminu | POR |
47 | Michael Beasley | MIL |
48 | Alex Len | PHO |
49 | Justise Winslow | MIA |
50 | Willie Cauley-Stein | SAC |
Plumlee and Len have limited scoring potential but will be a cheap source of sub-double-double production.
Winslow moves into the top 50 power forwards for the first time this preseason. Though he's still only 20 years old, he'll likely have to play 30-plus minutes a night and take a step forward as a scorer if the Heat are to keep pace in an improved Eastern Conference.
Chris Bosh drops off the rankings altogether following the news that he has not passed his latest physical. It's unknown whether there is any scenario that allows him to play NBA basketball again.