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Early Top 100 rankings for 2014/2015 Fantasy Basketball season

Bobby publishes his first Top 100 rankings for the upcoming 2014-2015 NBA season.

KD is ready to defend his crown as best Fantasy Basketball player in the world.
KD is ready to defend his crown as best Fantasy Basketball player in the world.
Ronald Martinez

Hi Electronic Ballers,

While it's obviously still early, here are my initial Top 100 Rankings. Things will change as the season evolves, but for now, it's a good starting point...

Here are a few players I have ranked higher/lower than other major sites (Yahoo, ESPN, etc):

1. Kevin Love. ESPN rank: 5, Yahoo rank: 7. My rank: 20. Perhaps they didn't update their rankings post-trade, but K-Love had a usage rate (USG) of 27.7 for the crappy T-Wolves last year. That was #9 in the NBA. Guess who #8 was? Kyrie Irving at 27.8. (The King was at #5 with a 29.1 rating.) There simply aren't going to be enough touches to go around. Remember how Bosh's Fantasy value crashed after he joined the Big 3? You can count on that happening to K-Love.

2. Chris Bosh. ESPN rank: 39, Yahoo rank: 25. My rank: 17. Let's call this the Reverse K-Love. Bosh was a Fantasy Beast before he joined forces with his 2003 draft class elite. With LeBron taking his talents back to his hometown, Bosh could approach top 10 in USG. Look for the efficiency to go down, but the counting stats to go up. With D-Wade's health always a question mark these days, Bosh is very undervalued.

3. Kobe Bryant. ESPN rank: 30, Yahoo rank: 34. My rank: 22. Do you really want to bet against Kobe Bryant? Health is obviously the X-factor here, but a healthy Kobe could literally lead the league in USG (as he has done in the past). With Pau Gasol off to Chicago, my ranking might even be too low...

4. Brook Lopez. ESPN rank: 44, Yahoo rank: 22. My rank: 33. Brook Lopez is extremely difficult to rank. He is the one of the most efficient big men in the NBA (career 51.1% FG, 78.9% FT), but has also averaged 32/games a year the last 3 seasons. Are you feeling lucky?

5. Nerlens Noel. ESPN rank: 108, Yahoo rank: 47. My rank: 70. Completely enigmatic, nobody knows if he's Anthony Davis 2.0 or Bismack Biyombo? I think he'll be a good source of steals/blocks right out of the gate, but I'm not expecting solid offensive numbers for 2/3 years. Guys are gonna reach for him in 1-year leagues, but I think that's a mistake. Still, if you can get him anywhere after round 6, there's value there...

6. Michael Carter-Williams. ESPN rank: 33, Yahoo rank: 78. My rank: 64. At a 25.3 USG, Michael's usage was conservatively #25 in the league. While 40.5% from the field and 26.4% from 3 are Brandon Jennings territory (not a good thing), who else is gonna score on this team? While his 70.3% FT rate is pretty embarrassing coming from a guard, his counting stats are impressive - and could even increase. There are always opportunities in Fantasy from rebuilding teams...

7. Larry Sanders. ESPN rank: 153, Yahoo rank: 74. My rank: 71. Larry Sanders could lead the NBA in blocks (finished 2nd at 2.8/game 1 year ago), or flame out of the league entirely. Still only 25, there is upside here. While John Henson is the safer play, Sanders is worth keeping an eye on. A trade could really boost his Fantasy value, and if he can stay healthy (both physically and mentally), Larry Sanders could be one of the most underrated players in the Fantasy game.

Bobman

PLAYER

RK

TM

POS

PPG

FG%

FT%

3P

REB

AST

STL

BK

TO

Kevin Durant

1

OKC

SF/PF

32.0

.503

.873

2.4

7.4

5.5

1.3

0.7

3.5

LeBron James

2

CLE

SF/PF

27.1

.567

.750

1.5

6.9

6.4

1.6

0.3

3.5

Anthony Davis

3

NO

PF/C

20.8

.519

.791

0.0

10.0

1.6

1.3

2.8

1.6

Chris Paul

4

LAC

PG

19.1

.467

.855

1.3

4.3

10.7

2.5

0.1

2.3

Steph Curry

5

GS

PG/SG

24.0

.471

.885

3.3

4.3

8.5

1.6

0.2

3.8

James Harden

6

HOU

SG/SF

25.4

.456

.866

2.4

4.7

6.1

1.6

0.4

3.6

Carmelo Anthony

7

NY

SF/PF

27.4

.452

.848

2.2

8.1

3.1

1.2

0.7

2.6

Russell Westbrook

8

OKC

PG

21.8

.437

.826

1.5

5.7

6.9

1.9

0.2

3.8

LaMarcus Aldridge

9

POR

PF/C

23.2

.458

.822

0.0

11.1

2.6

0.9

1.0

1.8

John Wall

10

WAS

PG

19.3

.433

.805

1.3

4.1

8.8

1.8

0.5

3.6

DeMarcus Cousins

11

SAC

PF/C

22.7

.496

.726

0.0

11.7

2.9

1.5

1.3

3.5

Al Jefferson

12

CHA

PF/C

21.8

.509

.690

0.0

10.8

2.1

0.9

1.1

1.7

Serge Ibaka

13

OKC

PF/C

15.1

.536

.784

0.3

8.8

1.0

0.5

2.7

1.5

Kyle Lowry

14

TOR

PG

17.9

.423

.813

2.4

4.7

7.4

1.5

0.2

2.5

Damian Lillard

15

POR

PG

20.7

.424

.871

2.7

3.5

5.6

0.8

0.3

2.4

Dirk Nowitzi

16

DAL

PF/C

21.7

.497

.899

1.6

6.2

2.7

0.9

0.6

1.5

Chris Bosh

17

MIA

PF/C

16.2

.516

.820

0.9

6.6

1.1

1.0

1.0

1.6

Kyrie Irving

18

CLE

PG/SG

20.8

.430

.861

1.7

3.6

6.1

1.5

0.3

2.7

Blake Griffin

19

LAC

PF/C

24.1

.528

.715

0.2

9.5

3.9

1.2

0.6

2.8

Kevin Love

20

CLE

PF/C

26.1

.457

.821

2.5

12.5

4.4

0.8

0.5

2.5

Dwyane Wade

21

MIA

PG/SG

19.0

.545

.733

0.2

4.5

4.7

1.5

0.5

3.0

Kobe Bryant

22

LAL

SG

13.8

.425

.857

0.5

4.3

6.3

1.2

0.2

5.7

Al Horford

23

ATL

PF/C

18.6

.567

.682

0.1

8.4

2.6

0.9

1.5

2.2

Goran Dragic

24

PHX

PG/SG

20.3

.505

.760

1.6

3.2

5.9

1.4

0.3

2.8

Nicolas Batum

25

POR

SG/SF

13.0

.465

.803

1.8

7.5

5.1

0.9

0.7

2.5

Paul Millsap

26

ATL

PF/C

17.9

.461

.731

1.0

8.5

3.1

1.7

1.1

2.5

Derrick Rose

27

CHI

PG

15.9

.354

.844

1.6

3.2

4.3

0.5

0.1

3.4

Kawhi Leonard

28

SA

SG/SF

12.8

.522

.802

1.0

6.2

2.0

1.7

0.8

1.2

Joakim Noah

29

CHI

PF/C

12.6

.475

.737

0.0

11.3

5.4

1.2

1.5

2.4

Dwight Howard

30

HOU

PF/C

18.3

.591

.547

0.0

12.2

1.8

0.8

1.8

3.2

Andre Drummond

31

DET

PF/C

13.5

.623

.418

0.0

13.2

0.4

1.2

1.6

1.4

Rajon Rondo

32

BOS

PG

11.7

.403

.627

0.9

5.5

9.8

1.3

0.1

3.3

Brook Lopez

33

BRK

C

20.7

.563

.817

0.0

6.0

0.9

0.5

1.8

1.6

Ty Lawson

34

DEN

PG

17.6

.431

.798

1.2

3.5

8.8

1.6

0.2

3.2

Mike Conley

35

MEM

PG

17.2

.450

.815

1.4

2.9

6.0

1.5

0.2

2.1

Deron Williams

36

BRK

PG

14.3

.450

.801

1.5

2.6

6.1

1.5

0.2

2.2

Rudy Gay

37

SAC

SF/PF

20.0

.455

.822

0.9

6.0

2.9

1.3

0.8

3.1

Ryan Anderson

38

NO

PF/C

19.8

.438

.952

3.0

6.5

0.8

0.5

0.3

0.9

Marc Gasol

39

MEM

C

14.6

.473

.768

0.0

7.2

3.6

1.0

1.3

1.9

Deandre Jordan

40

LAC

C

10.4

.676

.428

0.0

13.6

0.9

1.0

2.5

1.5

Tim Duncan

41

SA

PF/C

15.1

.490

.731

0.0

9.7

3.0

0.6

1.9

2.1

Klay Thompson

42

GS

SG/SF

18.4

.444

.795

2.8

3.1

2.2

0.9

0.5

1.7

Jrue Holiday

43

NO

PG

14.3

.447

.810

0.9

4.2

7.9

1.6

0.4

3.1

Eric Bledsoe

44

??

PG/SG

17.7

.477

.772

1.2

4.7

5.5

1.6

0.3

3.3

Nikola Vucevic

45

ORL

PF/C

14.2

.507

.766

0.0

11.0

1.8

1.1

0.8

2.0

Monta Ellis

46

DAL

PG/SG

19.0

.451

.788

0.8

3.6

5.7

1.7

0.3

3.2

Kemba Walker

47

CHA

PG

17.7

.393

.837

1.5

4.2

6.1

1.2

0.4

2.3

Bradley Beal

48

WAS

SG

17.1

.419

.788

1.9

3.7

3.3

1.0

0.2

1.8

Ricky Rubio

49

MIN

PG

9.5

.381

.802

0.5

4.2

8.6

2.3

0.1

2.7

Thaddeus Young

50

MIN

SF/PF

17.9

.454

.712

1.1

6.0

2.3

2.1

0.5

2.1

Chandler Parsons

51

DAL

SF/PF

16.6

.472

.742

1.8

5.5

4.0

1.2

9.4

1.9

Jabari Parker

52

MIL

SF

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

Andrew Wiggins

53

MIN

SF

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

Wes Matthews

54

POR

SG/SF

16.4

.441

.837

2.5

3.5

2.4

0.9

0.2

1.3

Victor Oladipo

55

ORL

PG/SG

13.8

.419

.780

0.9

4.1

4.1

1.6

0.5

3.2

Tony Parker

56

SA

PG

16.7

.499

.811

0.4

2.3

5.7

0.5

0.1

2.2

Jeff Teague

57

ATL

PG

16.5

.438

.846

0.9

2.6

6.7

1.1

0.2

2.9

Demar DeRozan

58

TOR

SG/SF

22.7

.429

.824

0.8

4.3

4.0

1.1

0.4

2.2

Pau Gasol

59

CHI

PF/C

17.4

.480

.736

0.1

9.7

3.4

0.5

1.5

2.4

David Lee

60

GS

PF/C

18.2

.523

.780

0.0

9.3

2.1

0.7

0.4

2.2

Gordon Hayward

61

UTA

SG/SF

16.2

.413

.816

1.1

5.1

5.2

1.4

0.5

2.8

Jimmy Butler

62

CHI

SG/SF

13.1

.397

.769

1.0

4.9

2.6

1.9

0.5

1.5

David West

63

IND

PF

14.0

.488

.789

0.1

6.8

2.8

0.8

0.9

1.7

Michael Carter-Williams

64

PHI

PG

16.7

.405

.703

0.8

6.2

6.3

1.9

0.6

3.5

Isaiah Thomas

65

PHX

PG

20.3

.453

.850

1.8

2.9

6.3

1.3

0.1

3.0

Trevor Ariza

66

HOU

SG/SF

14.4

.456

.772

2.3

6.2

2.5

1.6

0.3

1.7

Derrick Favors

67

UTA

PF/C

13.3

.522

.669

0.0

8.7

1.2

1.0

1.5

1.8

Kenneth Faried

68

DEN

PF

13.7

.545

.650

0.0

8.6

1.2

0.9

0.9

1.7

Marcin Gortat

69

WAS

C

13.2

.542

.686

0.0

9.5

1.7

0.5

1.5

1.6

Nerlens Noel

70

PHI

PF/C

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

Larry Sanders

71

MIL

PF/C

7.7

.469

.473

0.0

7.2

0.8

0.8

1.7

1.1

Josh Smith

72

DET

SF/PF

16.4

.419

.532

0.9

6.8

3.3

1.4

1.4

2.6

Kevin Martin

73

MIN

SG/SF

19.1

.430

.891

1.7

3.0

1.8

1.0

0.1

1.6

Luol Deng

74

MIA

SF/PF

16.0

.431

.791

0.9

5.7

2.9

1.0

0.1

1.8

Lance Stephenson

75

CHA

SG/SF

13.8

.491

.711

1.1

7.2

4.6

0.7

0.1

2.7

Zach Randolph

76

MEM

PF/C

17.4

.467

.742

0.0

10.1

2.5

0.7

0.3

2.3

Tyreke Evans

77

NO

SG/SF

14.5

.436

.771

0.3

4.7

5.0

1.2

0.3

2.4

Nikola Pekovic

78

MIN

C

17.4

.540

.747

0.0

8.7

0.9

0.6

0.4

1.6

Kyle Korver

79

ATL

SG/SF

12.0

.475

.926

2.6

4.0

2.9

1.0

0.3

1.4

Robin Lopez

80

POR

C

11.1

.551

.818

0.0

8.5

0.9

0.3

1.7

1.0

Jose Calderon

81

NY

PG

11.4

.456

.825

2.4

2.4

4.7

0.9

0.1

1.3

Brandon Jennings

82

DET

PG

15.5

.373

.751

1.9

3.1

7.6

1.3

0.1

2.7

Paul Pierce

83

WAS

SF/PF

13.5

.451

.826

1.5

4.6

2.4

1.1

0.4

2.0

Joe Johnson

84

BRK

SG/SF

15.8

.454

.815

2.1

3.4

2.7

0.6

0.1

1.5

Jamal Crawford

85

LAC

PG/SG

18.6

.416

.866

2.3

2.3

3.2

0.9

0.2

2.0

Andre Iguodala

86

GS

SG/SF

9.3

.480

.652

1.0

4.7

4.2

1.5

0.3

1.6

Anderson Varejao

87

CLE

PF/C

8.4

.495

.681

0.0

9.7

2.2

1.1

0.6

1.1

Trey Burke

88

UTA

PG

12.8

.380

.903

1.6

3.0

5.7

0.6

0.1

1.9

George Hill

89

IND

PG/SG

10.3

.442

.807

1.3

3.7

3.5

1.0

0.3

1.2

Darren Collison

90

SAC

PG

11.4

.467

.857

0.9

2.4

3.7

1.2

0.2

1.7

Eric Gordon

91

NO

SG

15.4

.436

.785

1.6

2.6

3.3

1.2

0.2

2.1

Manu Ginobili

92

SA

SG/SF

12.3

.469

.851

1.3

3.0

4.3

1.0

0.3

2.0

Greg Monroe

93

DET

PF/C

15.2

.497

.657

0.0

9.3

2.1

1.1

0.6

2.0

Jonas Valanciunas

94

TOR

C

11.3

.531

.762

0.0

8.8

0.7

0.3

0.9

1.7

Patrick Beverley

95

HOU

PG/SG

10.2

.414

.814

1.6

3.5

2.7

1.4

0.4

1.2

Terrence Jones

96

HOU

SF/PF

12.1

.542

.605

0.4

6.9

1.1

0.7

1.3

0.9

John Henson

97

MIL

PF/C

11.1

.538

.514

0.0

7.1

1.6

0.6

1.7

1.6

Roy Hibbert

98

IND

C

10.8

.439

.770

0.0

6.6

1.1

0.4

2.2

1.8

Arron Afflalo

99

DEN

SG/SF

18.2

.459

.815

1.8

3.6

3.4

0.5

0.0

2.0

Channing Frye

100

ORL

PF/C

11.1

.432

.821

2.0

5.1

1.2

0.7

0.8

1.1