With the NBA season just around the corner it’s time to take a look at the best fantasy players for this season. With most fantasy drafts set to take place this week it’s important to dissect the players and break down the pre-season rankings for each position.
Today we’re going to explore the top fantasy point guards in the NBA. This is obviously an important decision for your fantasy team as your main source of assists and steals will come from this position. However, a strong point guard can also provide you with additional points and rebounds. This makes your point guard one of the most important players on your fantasy team.
Like nearly all positions in fantasy sports, the point guard slot is very top heavy in the NBA. The top ranked point guards are vastly superior to the ones in the middle of the pack and towards the bottom, so securing one of the top point guards is crucial to fantasy success.
15. Jason Kidd: PG, Dallas Mavericks
2011-12 Projections: 8.3 PPG, 8.1 APG, 4.7 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Fresh off his first championship Jason Kidd finds himself still in the running with a group of point guards that are much younger than himself. Still, Kidd has a plethora of talent around him on the Mavericks roster, which should leave him plenty of opportunities for impressive statistics. Kidd has never been a great scorer, but he provides plenty of assists and rebounds while shooting a relatively high percentage. Kidd has also improved his three point shooting over the past few seasons, which is something else that has improved his value.
14. Ty Lawson: PG, Denver Nuggets
2011-12 Projections: 14.2 PPG, 7.0 APG, 3.2 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 0.1 BPG
After trading away Carmelo Anthony last season the Denver Nuggets still managed to surprise almost everyone by reaching the playoffs and giving the Oklahoma City Thunder a tough series. This season will be more difficult for them since they won’t have their superstar, but players like Lawson will look to pick up the slack. With Chauncey Billups and Raymond Felton gone Lawson should get the majority of the minutes at PG for the Nuggets, although he will still split time with veteran Andre Miller.
13. Kyle Lowry: PG, Houston Rockets
2011-12 Projections: 14.0 PPG, 6.9 APG, 4.5 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Lowry’s breakout season in 2010-11 may be hard to replicate this year, but there’s certainly no doubt he will be a strong fantasy PG candidate. Lowry has solid numbers across the board, but still needs some work on his shooting percentage and three point shot. Still, Lowry has managed to squeeze nearly 15 points and seven assists a game out of a lineup that isn’t exactly overflowing with talent. Lowry will be a good point guard pick in one of the later rounds of the draft.
12. Raymond Felton: PG, Portland Trail Blazers
2011-12 Projections: 14.5 PPG, 7.4 APG, 3.6 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG
The Portland Trail Blazers are commonly under the radar considering they play up in the rain-soaked Pacific Northwest. Regardless, they have put together a solid roster full of playoff-caliber talent. Raymond Felton should be a strong fantasy point guard this season when you consider the talent around him. Felton will have players like Wesley Matthews, Gerald Wallace, Jamal Crawford and LaMarcus Aldridge drawing the attention of the defense, leaving him more scoring options. That collection of talent will also prove useful when Felton is looking to find teammates for easy assists.
11. Steve Nash: PG, Phoenix Suns
2011-12 Projections: 14.7 PPG, 10.6 APG, 3.2 RPG, 0.6 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Nash has been one of the top fantasy point guards for nearly a decade. Obviously with age his numbers have begun to go down hill, but he’s still a viable option as a backup guard. The Suns don’t have a ton of talent around him, leaving Nash with the majority of the offensive burden on his shoulders. The signing of Shannon Brown might also offer Nash some easy assists on fastbreak opportunities. While Nash may not be the point guard that he once was, he’s still a solid addition to your fantasy roster.
Next: Fantasy Point guards 10 – 6
10. Jrue Holiday: PG, Philadelphia 76ers
2011-12 Projections: 15.6 PPG, 7.2 APG, 4.3 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG
This is one of those kids that keeps improving. During his sophomore season in 2010-11 he improved in nearly every statistical category. This will be a very encouraging thing for fantasy owners who are looking for a late-round point guard that can produce. While he may not put up the numbers that other guards may be able of producing, Holiday has a chance to be a big time fantasy sleeper in 2011-12. Holiday connected on 82.2 percent of his free throws and 44.6 percent from the field in just his second season in the league, and those numbers should just increase this year.
9. Tyreke Evans: PG, SG Sacramento Kings
2011-12 Projections: 19.9 PPG, 6.0 APG, 5.3 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Coming off an encouraging rookie season Evans took a step backwards last year. He has some more help around him this year, namely Jimmer Fredette, and an extra year of experience is certainly a good thing. Evans also dealt with some injuries last season, so now that he’s fully healthy again he will try and replicate his rookie year. He is a productive guard that can fill your PG or SG opening on the roster. There have been some concerns surrounding Evans’ training regimen, however, so keep an eye on his pre-season performances and how he does early in the season.
8. Rajon Rondo: PG, Boston Celtics
2011-12 Projections: 12.7 PPG, 10.4 APG, 4.6 RPG, 2.3 SPG, 0.1 BPG
After being the subject of much trade speculation during the off-season Rondo is still with the Boston Celtics. Rondo doesn’t give you the most impressive fantasy numbers, but does offer a well-rounded stat line. Rondo is one of the top theft artists in the league, regularly snagging more steals than any other player in the league. Rondo also is one of the top assist guards in the league, and regularly is a triple double threat. While he won’t score a ton of points, Rondo does provide positive additions to your score in nearly every other area of the game.
7. Monta Ellis: PG, SG Golden State Warriors
2011-12 Projections: 23.8 PPG, 5.4 APG, 3.6 RPG, 2.1 SPG, 0.6 BPG
The Golden State Warriors have one of the best backcourts in the NBA, and for good reason. Ellis is half of their dynamic duo, and can fit in the PG or SG slot on your roster. This makes him even more valuable than some of the other guards that only fit into the point guard position. Ellis is a strong scorer while still putting up solid numbers across the rest of the board. While some might think that Curry will take away some of his opportunities, the two have learned to play off one another to perfection. This makes them the perfect fantasy duo.
6. John Wall: PG, Washington Wizards
2011-12 Projections: 18.7 PPG, 9.2 APG, 5.0 RPG, 2.0 SPG, 0.6 BPG
Wall struggled with injuries during his rookie season, but is back and ready to go for his sophomore year. He has shown some great promise during the pre-season and training camp, and is expected to become one of the top point guards in the league this season. If Wall is able to stay healthy he could be a big time fantasy player in 2011-12. He doesn’t have a ton of help on the Wizards, so much of the scoring load will fall on his shoulders. However, he is still a pass-first guard that likes getting his teammates involved, which will benefit your assist numbers throughout the season.
Next: Top 5 Fantasy Point Guards
5. Stephen Curry: PG, SG Golden State Warriors
2011-12 Projections: 18.3 PPG, 5.9 APG, 4.1 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG
After the top four point guards there is a severe drop off to the rest of the pack. While Curry is a strong candidate for a starting point guard, he certainly isn’t the superstar caliber player that guys like Paul, Williams and Westbrook are. Still, Curry will have plenty of scoring opportunities in the fast-paced Golden State offense. While his assist numbers are lower than some of the other guards, Curry still is a viable fantasy point guard option.
4. Deron Williams: PG, New Jersey Nets
2011-12 Projections: 21.8 PPG, 10.9 APG, 4.1 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG
This has the potential to be a big year for Williams. It will be the first full season in New Jersey, and rumor has it the Nets may add Dwight Howard to the mix. This would help free up Williams for additional scoring opportunities, as well as get him more assists. But, until Howard officially lands in New Jersey he will have to make it without him. Still, he has plenty of talent around him to provide for a double-digit assist average. He is also still one of the top scorers on the team, meaning he’ll get plenty of points for your fantasy team as well.
3. Russell Westbrook: PG, Oklahoma City Thunder
2011-12 Projections: 21.4 PPG, 8.4 APG, 5.2 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Westbrook and the Thunder are looking to take the next step this season. After establishing himself as a top fantasy point guard in 2010-11, Westbrook can really climb to elite status this season. He is the perfect point guard for several reasons. He is a big scorer but also has a lot of talent around him, making things like assists much easier. Westbrook also does a good job of crashing the boards, and any additional rebounds you can get from your point guard position should be viewed as stolen goods.
2. Derrick Rose: PG, Chicago Bulls
2011-12 Projections: 26.0 PPG, 8.4 APG, 4.0 RPG, 1.1 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Fresh off his MVP season last year Derrick Rose is looking for an impressive encore. While he won’t be able to sneak up on anybody this season he will still be a very strong fantasy point guard in 2011-12. His value will be scoring more than most other point guards, and his assist numbers are lower than some of the other top tier players at his position. Still, Rose is undoubtedly one of the best players in the league, and with some additional help in Chicago this season. If Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah are able to stay healthy for the entire season, something they couldn’t do last year, Rose’s numbers should continue to improve.
1. Chris Paul: PG, Los Angeles Clippers
2011-12 Projections: 17.4 PPG, 10.1 APG, 4.4 RPG, 2.4 SPG, 0.1 BPG
After being traded from the New Orleans Hornets to the Los Angeles Clippers Paul’s stock has never been higher. Even though he’s had to deal with some injuries in the past, if he’s able to remain healthy this year he should be a fantasy monster for a variety of reasons. In Los Angeles Paul has more talent around him than he ever did in New Orleans. He will be able to rack up assists passing to post with players like DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin, and can also penetrate and dish it out to one of several outside shooters on the roster as well.
Make sure you’re prepared for your fantasy draft with our complete fantasy rankings. Check out the top shooting guards, fantasy small forwards, power forwards and centers as well.