Power Forwards: Young Guns
Preseason Position Rankings: Point Guard | Shooting Guard | Small Forward | Power Forward | Center
Three of my top five overall fantasy players reside at the power forward position, and that doesn't include Andrei Kirilenko, who is as prolific as anyone in fantasy if he has his health. Injury concern is the rub of an otherwise deep and talented PF class. Several potentially high-impact players are trying to shake the injury tag – Kirilenko, Chris Webber, Zach Randolph, Kenyon Martin, to name a few.
The position also possesses some of the best up-and-coming talent in the league in Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard and Al Jefferson – all 21 years or younger.
Of course, the position would be made even stronger by the likes of Tim Duncan, Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace. But they hold C-eligibility, and therefore they are more valuable to fantasy owners if they are ranked at that lesser-depth position. With that in mind, here's a look at my top 25 fantasy power forwards:
Fantasy Hoops: Top 25 Power Forwards | ||
|---|---|---|
1 | Kevin Garnett, Min, F | KG has averaged above 20 points, 10 boards and five assists for six straight seasons. |
2 | Shawn Marion, Pho, F | Is one of the best across-the-board contributors in fantasy, he's consistent, and he'll be asked for more with Amare out. |
3 | Dirk Nowitzki, Dal, PF | Has an upper-class all-around fantasy game that would be worthy of a No. 1 overall pick consideration if he still had C-eligibility in Y! leagues. |
4 | Andrei Kirilenko, Utah, F | One of the premier defenders in the league. His court sense and long arms contribute to difference-making blocks and steals. |
5 | Elton Brand, LAC, PF | His numbers are remarkably consistent from year-to-year - Huge in points, boards, blocks and shooting percentages. |
6 | Jermaine O'Neal, Ind, PF | Taking it easy in preseason after thigh bruise - he dominates in points, boards and blocks when healthy |
7 | Chris Bosh, Tor, PF | The 21-year-old averaged 18.3 points, 10.0 boards and 1.7 blocks after the All-Star break |
8 | Dwight Howard, Orl, PF | His age (19) and April numbers - 16.7 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 1.8 bpg, 1.5 spg - evoke images of Amare Stoudemire. |
9 | Pau Gasol, Mem, PF | If he can average 35-plus minutes a night, he'll push 20/10/2. |
10 | Lamar Odom, LAL, F | By far the second-best player on the Lakers, and a triple-double threat that can mix in a block per night. |
11 | Zach Randolph, Por, PF | Has that relentless, Elton Brand attitude. And he can board and score like Brand, he just doesn't get the blocked shots. |
12 | Kenyon Martin, Den, PF | Capable of helping in points, blocks, steals, boards, and FG%, but, like last year, his sore left knee is a concern. |
13 | Kurt Thomas, Pho, PF | Averaged a double-double with a block last season, and now he gets to hang in Nash's pad. |
14 | Tyson Chandler, Chi, PF | With an expected 30-plus minutes a night, Chandler is capable of averaging a double-double, two blocks and a .500 FG% |
15 | Carlos Boozer, Utah, PF | A hard-hat wearing 20/10 bruiser if he can stay healthy - foot injury last season, hammy strain this preseason. |
16 | Antawn Jamison, Was, F | Adding a trey per night last season has made his offense-only fantasy game a little more palatable. |
17 | Chris Webber, Phi, PF | Played so poorly in Philly that fantasy owners want nothing to do with him. A quad strain in preseason isn't helping matters. |
18 | Donyell Marshall, Cle, F | He's like a magnet - fantasy numbers just seem to stick to him. Other than assists, he'll help in every fantasy category if given the PT. |
19 | Troy Murphy, GS, PF | A double-double machine who can hit some treys. But 41.4% FG clip last season is unacceptable for a PF |
20 | Drew Gooden, Cle, PF | Coming off a solid '04-'05 campaign, but role will shrink with arrivals of Larry Hughes and, especially, PF Donyell Marshall |
21 | Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Sac, F | He scores, rebounds and shoots well from the field and charity stripe, but he'll give away time to Kenny Thomas |
22 | Antoine Walker, Mia, F | Carved a nice fantasy season out in Dallas playing third fiddle in '03-'04 - Perhaps he can do the same behind Shaq and Wade in Miami. |
23 | Al Jefferson, Bos, PF | His averages per 48 minutes last season - 21.7 pts, 14.3 reb, 2.5 blk - are much more relevant now that he's going to start. |
24 | Udonis Haslem, Mia, PF | An end-of-draft fix for a hole in the rebounding category - 9.1 boards to go with 54 percent shooting in '04-'05 |
25 | Eddie Griffin, Min, F | The rare PF that can block shots and step out and drop the trey - Had 1.7 blocks and 1.0 threes in just 21.3 mpg |
