Fantasy basketball faceoff: Damian Lillard vs. John Wall

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Here's a look at whether you would be better off selecting Damian Lillard or John Wall in 2018 fantasy basketball drafts:

2017-18 Stats

The Case for Lillard

Lillard was an absolute superstar last season, pushing the unheralded Portland Trail Blazers to third in the Western Conference. It's become easy to discredit the point guard after a disappointing postseason performance, but that doesn't impact his fantasy outlook in the regular season.

Regardless, Lillard proved to be one of the best high-volume scorers in the NBA, finishing fourth in the Association in points on 19.4 shots per game. It's safe to expect the 6-foot-3 guard to continue getting all the shots he wants without a true third option behind him and C.J. McCollum.

He's averaged 26.3 points, 6.4 dimes, and 4.5 boards while shooting 36.9 percent from behind the arc and 90.2 percent from the free-throw line over the past three seasons. Lillard is in the prime of his career and should have no problem putting up strong fantasy numbers, even if Portland struggles to recreate their success from last season

Best-Case Scenario: Lillard continues making strides on the defensive end, finishing in the top 20 in steals per game. His efficiency increases, while the addition of a few new shooters to the roster helps Lillard bump up his assist numbers to over seven for the first time in his career.

Worst-Case Scenario: With the regression of the Blazers comes a less-efficient Lillard, who desperately attempts to shoot Portland into the playoff picture. The volume of his scoring remains in the mid-to-high 20s, but his field-goal percentage dips. The team chooses to break up the Lillard-McCollum backcourt instead of continuing hope that they'll ever lead them to contention.

The Case for Wall

Wall underwent surgery on his ailing knee in January and missed 41 games for the Washington Wizards last season. Nevertheless, he's one of the best passers in the league and also excels at both blocking and stealing the ball on the defensive end. A healthy year should bring elite fantasy production on both ends of the floor

The perennial All-Star comfortably ranked among the NBA's best point guards after 2016-17, finishing with career highs in points (23.1), assists (10.7), and steals (2.0) per game.

At his best, Wall should be amidst the top fantasy performers despite lacking a reliable 3-point jumper. With Dwight Howard at the five instead of Marcin Gortat, the crafty lead guard should rack up a couple extra assists per game once they develop chemistry.

Best-Case Scenario: Wall is healthy again and getting an above-the-rim center improves his efficiency as a passer. He produces at an All-NBA level and finds his rhythm from beyond the arc, shooting over 37 percent on 3-pointers for just the second time of his career.

Worst-Case Scenario: Injury problems return and the dysfunctional Wizards implode by mid-season. Wall can't seem to get on the same page as budding star Bradley Beal, leaving the Wizards at odds with their future. Wall's scoring and assist totals fall, though his contributions in the defensive categories remain strong for his position.

Verdict

The debate between the two stems down to need, with Lillard being the more obvious scorer, while Wall adds versatility to your roster. If defense is a concern, it's reasonable to expect a healthy Wall to provide more than 2.5 blocks and steals combined per game.

Lillard's negatives are far less threatening than Wall's as the Blazers' three-year streak of being among the league's elite point guards should give him the edge. If you're really desperate for assists and defensive stats, Wall is your answer at the one, but Lillard is the safer bet to give you consistent production in several scoring categories.