Keepsakes: Paul, James lead way

It's finally time for fantasy hoops for the 2008-09 season! First things being first means that those of you in keeper leagues have some decisions to make. Use the following positional lists as something of a rough guide – they are based on a fairly even mix of short- and long-term potential from a combined roto and h2h perspective, with the standard nine categories assumed. Of course, your preferred settings and style of team building will determine who should be bumped a bit up or down – I've tried to make note of the players whose values differ the most based on h2h or roto, and the players' current ages are listed so that you can adjust for "win now" or "build for the future" mode.

TOP 25 KEEPERS: POINT GUARD
PG	PLAYER	AGE	COMMENT
1	Chris Paul	23	Can and should be argued as the No.1 keeper overall; top-ranked 9-category player last season by a wide margin
2	Dwyane Wade	26	He'd likely have been a top-15 keeper anyway, but strong Olympic performance also bodes well for 08-09
3	Deron Williams	24	Incrimental improvements continued across the board, but top 10 impact will only come with more 3PTM and STL
4	Jose Calderon	27	Top-25 player as a starter in 07-08 thanks to hyper-efficiency; I'm on the bandwagon now that he's the man at PG
5	Baron Davis	29	Career-best numbers (and 82 GP) came in contract year; durability concerns remain and no longer in GSW system
6	Chauncey Billups	31	Elite re-draft option remains among the best roto PG; consider higher if you are in win-now mode
7	Allen Iverson	33	Coming off of one of his finest seasons, and Camby trade means the team will need more offense than ever
8	Steve Nash	34	The numbers keep coming, although Shaq effect did drop him a rung; talk of reduced minutes continues
9	Joe Johnson	27	Stat-stuffer on the cusp of elite status, which could come in 08-09; improved dramatically alongside Bibby
10	Brandon Roy	24	Fantasy impact still catching up to real-life heroics; multiple knee procedures should cause at least some concern
11	Gilbert Arenas	26	This may seem harsh, but it's difficult to envision him at a true 100 percent moving forward (not just 08-09)
12	Mo Williams	25	Offense that was redundant in MIL now complete necessity in CLE; hard to imagine him not thriving with LBJ
13	Devin Harris	25	Consensus breakout candidate as full-time starter; 3PTM and STL will determine whether he's good or great
14	Monta Ellis	22	Grisly ankle injury casts clouds over short- and long-term prospects; upside is dependant on explosive athleticism
15	Andre Miller	32	Very consistent and glue guy on much improved team; has at least a few very good seasons left in him
16	Jason Kidd	35	Even if he's better than many are forecasting, the downside is clear; better h2h option than roto (ast, reb, stl)
17	Randy Foye	24	Fully healthy, team situation looks much brighter, and career per-48's very comparable to B-Roy's to this point
18	Mike Bibby	30	Thumb injuries have caused offensive slide, but he's not completely devoid of upside if he can stay healthy
19	Kirk Hinrich	27	Was a sizeable part of the Bulls' collapse in 07-08 and the depth chart remains muddled; season rank of 20 in 06-07
20	Leandro Barbosa	25	Relative disappointment after dream roto season in 06-07; perpetual role as sixth man is a downer
21	Jason Terry	30	Uncertain role alongside Kidd is the concern; his typical efficiency makes larger impact in roto than h2h
22	T.J. Ford	25	A great fit for the Pacers, but can't escape his potential for injury; near-complete lack of 3PTM also limits impact
23	Tony Parker	26	Some discrepancy between fantasy and real impact; 3-cat contributor (pts, fg%, ast) makes more sense in h2h
24	Rajon Rondo	22	Overall line is still a work in progress for this h2h helper (stl, ast), but team environment couldn't be better
25	Raymond Felton	23	One of nine players to average 7+ ast in 07-08; threat to starting PG job could bring out his best (or not)

TOP 25 KEEPERS: SHOOTING GUARD
SG	PLAYER	AGE	COMMENT
1	Kobe Bryant	30	Specifics of his line always differ, but the one consistent thing is its massive impact (top 3 finish in three straight)
2	Dwyane Wade	26	He'd likely have been a top-15 keeper anyway, but strong Olympic performance also bodes well for 08-09
3	Danny Granger	25	Phenomenal in 07-08, but true breakout will be this season; only player in the league with 2+ 3PT, 1+ STL, 1+ BLK
4	Josh Smith	22	Still has yet to take the next step, but freakish upside remains; his lack of efficiency plays better in h2h
5	Andre Iguodala	24	Should shine on much-improved roster; added 3PTM will push his fantasy impact into the stratosphere
6	Kevin Martin	25	Finally a clear-cut first option; 9-cat roto juggernaut thanks to elite combination of volume offense and efficiency
7	Allen Iverson	33	Coming off of one of his finest seasons, and Camby trade means the team will need more offense than ever
8	Jason Richardson	27	Silenced skeptics with career-best season in 07-08; typically a stronger play in h2h than roto due to %'s and TO
9	Joe Johnson	27	Stat-stuffer improved dramatically alongside Bibby; on the cusp of elite status, which could come in 08-09
10	Kevin Durant	19	He's already there in terms of offense, but 9-cat line will be a work in progress (rank of 84 in 07-08)
11	Paul Pierce	30	Volume numbers replaced with efficient output on new-look Celtics; solid and steady as they come
12	Manu Ginobili	31	Consistently underrated contributor gets dowgrade because of ankle injury; always seems to be nicked up
13	Brandon Roy	24	Fantasy impact still catching up to real-life heroics; multiple knee procedures should cause at least some concern
14	Michael Redd	29	Pass-first PG should help return offense to elite roto-friendly levels, but was never known for much else
15	Vince Carter	31	Elite production when he's healthy and motivated, but that's the rub; NJ roster underwent near-complete overhaul
16	Hedo Turkoglu	29	Multi-faceted game on display as full-time starter; only drawbacks are lots of TO and few STL
17	Luol Deng	23	Meltdown burned plenty of owners after breakout 06-07 season, but he'll be a big part of the team turnaround
18	Mike Dunleavy	28	His game has clearly found a home; solid-but-unspectacular line more a roto boost than h2h help
19	Mike Miller	28	Designated sniper for much-improved Wolves will challenge for 3PTM crown, contribute REB and AST
20	Randy Foye	24	Fully healthy, team situation looks much brighter, and career per-48's very comparable to B-Roy's to this point
21	Monta Ellis	22	Grisly ankle injury casts clouds over short- and long-term prospects; upside is dependant on explosive athleticism
22	Josh Howard	28	Bandwagon losing steam after regression in 07-08 and challenges to Artest for top headcase label
23	Corey Maggette	28	Offensive numbers are guaranteed in GS, but overall fantasy impact can be and often is overestimated
24	Stephen Jackson	30	No Baron or Ellis means high-volume offense, but will come with epic drag on FG%; better h2h play
25	Ray Allen	33	Role is diminished and health usually in question, so we're dealing with nothing but downside at this point

TOP 25 KEEPERS: SMALL FORWARD
SF	PLAYER	AGE	COMMENT
1	LeBron James	23	On the short list that can be argued as top keeper overall (LBJ, Paul, and that's it); FT% only affects roto planning
2	Shawn Marion	30	True fantasy impact evident in rank of 14th in 07-08 despite 63 GP and relatively horrific stint with depleted Heat
3	Danny Granger	25	Phenomenal in 07-08, but true breakout yet to come; only player in the league with 2+ 3PT, 1+ STL, 1+ BLK
4	Caron Butler	28	Per-game numbers are in rare territory, but gets knocked down a peg for penchant for inactive stretches
5	Josh Smith	22	Still has yet to take the next step, but freakish upside remains; his lack of efficiency plays better in h2h
6	Andre Iguodala	24	Should shine on much-improved roster; added 3PTM will push his fantasy impact into the stratosphere
7	Rudy Gay	22	Took massive step forward in 07-08, but the next tier (the true fantasy elite) is harder to reach
8	Rashard Lewis	29	Money in the bank but trademark efficiency helps more in roto than h2h; consider higher in roto win-now mode
9	Carmelo Anthony	24	AST:TO keeps him out of roto elite, but offensive beast will need to fill it up even more with no more Camby
10	Jason Richardson	27	Silenced skeptics with career-best season in 07-08; typically a stronger play in h2h than roto due to %'s and TO
11	Kevin Durant	19	He's already there in terms of offense, but 9-cat line will be a work in progress (rank of 84 in 07-08)
12	Paul Pierce	30	Volume numbers replaced with efficient output on new-look Celtics; solid and steady as they come
13	Michael Redd	29	Pass-first PG should help return offense to elite roto-friendly levels, but was never known for much else
14	Vince Carter	31	Elite production when he's healthy and motivated, but that's the rub; NJ roster underwent near-complete overhaul
15	Ron Artest	28	Per-game impact never in doubt even if other things can be; motivation should spike alongside T-Mac, Yao
16	Antawn Jamison	32	Consistent and consistently underrated; he and Marion only double-double with 1+ 3PTM over past four seasons
17	Luol Deng	23	Meltdown burned plenty of owners after breakout 06-07 season, but he'll be a big part of the team turnaround
18	Hedo Turkoglu	29	Multi-faceted game on display as full-time starter; only drawbacks are lots of TO and few STL
19	Mike Dunleavy	28	His game has clearly found a home; solid-but-unspectacular line more a roto boost than h2h help
20	Mike Miller	28	Designated sniper for much-improved Wolves will challenge for 3PTM crown, contribute REB and AST
21	Lamar Odom	28	Role and potential fantasy output in question on fully healthy squad, but versatile F should find a way to get it done
22	Gerald Wallace	26	Per-game stud one (more) bad fall away from likely forced retirement; true fantasy x-factor set for key season
23	Josh Howard	28	Bandwagon losing steam after regression in 07-08 and challenges to Artest for top headcase label
24	Andrei Kirilenko	27	One-time first round fantasy pick now marginalized in Utah and mid-round option with definite limitations
25	Corey Maggette	28	Offensive numbers are guaranteed in GS, but overall fantasy impact can be and often is overestimated

TOP 25 KEEPERS: POWER FORWARD
PF	PLAYER	AGE	COMMENT
1	Amare Stoudemire	25	Consensus top big and top-4 keeper overall; no real weakness in his line, but can't deny direct link to Nash's health
2	Dirk Nowitzki	30	Can't help but miss the defensive stats, but rare level of offensive contributions makes it a bit easier to deal with
3	Shawn Marion	30	True fantasy impact evident in rank of 14th in 07-08, despite only 63 GP and horrific stint with depleted Heat
4	Kevin Garnett	32	07-08 rank of 9 despite ab injury and across-the-board dropoff; still has a few very good years in him
5	Elton Brand	29	Have faith in 100 percent health and ideal team situation; rank of 6 in last full season (06-07)
6	Chris Bosh	24	Regression in BLK and steady inactive totals take a bit of the shine off of otherwise stellar resume
7	Pau Gasol	28	Perfect fit alongside Kobe in triangle offense, but needs to acclimate to Bynum and tends to miss some games
8	Carlos Boozer	26	Three-category monster (fg%, reb, pts) a very nice consolation prize if you miss out on first-tier group
9	Al Jefferson	23	Young stud suddenly has a lot more help; with 20/10 an annual event, uptick in BLK would put him in rair air
10	Rudy Gay	22	Took massive step forward in 07-08, but the next tier (the true fantasy elite) is harder to reach
11	Rashard Lewis	29	Money in the bank but trademark efficiency helps more in roto than h2h; consider higher in roto win-now mode
12	David West	28	Underrated roto force has luxury of playing with league's best PG; post-break monster in 07-08 (season rank of 28)
13	Tim Duncan	32	Proved the doubters wrong last season but still aged another year; career 68% FT easier to build around in h2h
14	Antawn Jamison	32	Consistent and consistently underrated; he and Marion only double-double with 1+ 3PTM over past four seasons
15	LaMarcus Aldridge	23	Gifted offensive player getting big-time help in Oden, but also serious competition for REB and BLK
16	Lamar Odom	28	Role and potential fantasy output in question on fully healthy squad, but versatile F should find a way to get it done
17	Rasheed Wallace	34	Team's youth movement starting to impact minutes; unique stat-line typically plays better in roto
18	Mehmet Okur	29	Rare levels of 3PTM from a big, but FG% and defensive stats suffer; second-half stud in 07-08
19	Emeka Okafor	25	Consistent per-game production comes with clear plusses and minuses; h2h weapon if you are punting FT%
20	Jermaine O'Neal	29	Sacrificed 07-08 season with 08-09 and beyond on his mind, and very motived to get back to previous form
21	Gerald Wallace	26	Per-game stud one (more) bad fall away from likely forced retirement; true fantasy x-factor set for key season
22	David Lee	25	Fantasy cult hero could finally break out under D'Antoni; even if he's traded, he'll just need minutes to produce
23	Al Horford	22	Has the look of a perennial double-double threat, but questions still remain in terms of true fantasy upside
24	Andrei Kirilenko	27	One-time first round fantasy pick now marginalized in Utah and mid-round option with definite limitations
25	Troy Murphy	28	Pacers' offense suits his skills and he's looking at a spike in minutes with O'Neal no longer in the picture

TOP 25 KEEPERS: CENTER
C	PLAYER	AGE	COMMENT
1	Amare Stoudemire	25	Consensus top big and top-4 keeper overall; no real weakness in his line, but can't deny direct link to Nash's health
2	Elton Brand	29	Have faith in 100 percent health and ideal team situation; rank of 6 in last full season (06-07)
3	Chris Bosh	24	Regression in BLK and steady inactive totals take a bit of the shine off of otherwise stellar resume
4	Pau Gasol	27	Perfect fit alongside Kobe in triangle offense, but tends to miss some games and Bynum will hoard D stats
5	Carlos Boozer	26	Three-category monster (fg%, reb, pts) a very nice consolation prize if you miss out on first-tier group
6	Al Jefferson	23	Young stud suddenly has a lot more help; with 20/10 an annual event, uptick in BLK would put him in rair air
7	Andrew Bynum	20	Ridiculous numbers before knee injury and reportedly 100 percent; seems ideal complement to Gasol's finesse
8	Dwight Howard	22	Splitting the difference: near the top in h2h with selective punting (FT%, TO) but serious issues in 9-cat roto
9	Yao Ming	28	First-round numbers on a per-game basis, but it's hard to envision him playing a full season (soon, or ever)
10	Tim Duncan	32	Proved the doubters wrong last season but still aged another year; career 68% FT easier to build around in h2h
11	Marcus Camby	34	Fantasy impact takes a hit away from friendly Denver system; averaged 69 GP over the past five seasons
12	LaMarcus Aldridge	23	Gifted offensive player getting big-time help in Oden, but also serious competition for REB and BLK
13	Greg Oden	20	Should be brilliant on D from the outset, but offense may take a bit longer; phenomenal team situation
14	Chris Kaman	26	Camby will poach some numbers, but still looks like annual double-double, two-block threat when fully healthy
15	Rasheed Wallace	34	Team's youth movement starting to impact minutes; unique stat-line typically plays better in roto
16	Andris Biedrins	22	You know what you'll get from one of the game's biggest hustlers; starters' minutes would mean even more of it
17	Andrew Bogut	23	Continued maturation and pass-first PG bodes well for coming season(s); ankle injury not expected to be an issue
18	Mehmet Okur	29	Rare levels of 3PTM from a big, but FG% and defensive stats suffer; second-half stud in 07-08
19	Emeka Okafor	25	Consistent per-game production comes with clear plusses and minuses; h2h weapon if you are punting FT%
20	Jermaine O'Neal	29	Sacrificed 07-08 season with 08-09 and beyond on his mind, and very motived to get back to previous form
21	Samuel Dalembert	27	It's fairly clear what his limits are, and Brand's arrival shouldn't bring major changes to fantasy impact
22	Brad Miller	32	Swan song rewarded drafters in 07-08, but youth movement will cut into minutes; more sense as re-draft option
23	Al Horford	22	Has the look of a perennial double-double threat, but questions still remain in terms of true fantasy upside
24	Tyson Chandler	25	As Paul goes, so does Chandler; regression in BLK a concern, but a perpetual plus-source of FG%, REB
25	Troy Murphy	28	Pacers' offense suits his skills and he's looking at a spike in minutes with O'Neal no longer in the picture

Matt Buser is a Yahoo! Sports fantasy expert. Send Matt a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.

Updated on Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 4:34 pm, EDT

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