Top 10 Fantasy Point Guards in 2010-11
Chris Paul
During the next week or so, we’ll be going through the projected top 10 fantasy players at each position for the 2010-11 NBA season. We’ll start off with point guards. While this position is typically viewed as one of the thinner ones in fantasy leagues, this rundown shows that there’s plenty of depth at this position this season. There is much room for debate here, of course, so let us know what you agree or disagree with. (These rankings are based on a nine-category scoring system.)
1. Chris Paul: He’s got his health back, his talented backup is out of town and he has a versatile new wingman in his arsenal of weapons to pass to this season. CP3 is projected to be a top three pick this season, and getting this caliber of a point guard that early on in a draft is gold.
2. Deron Williams: The new-look Jazz’s starting lineup will feature a prominent low-post player in Al Jefferson, an energetic power forward in Paul Millsap, a versatile threat in Andrei Kirilenko and a long-range sniper in Raja Bell. D-Will has a talented new crew to guide, but that won’t stop him from being a guaranteed double-double each night.
3. Stephen Curry: The kid roared out of the gates of his NBA career last season and finished with top 12 value. The Warriors have shed many of its offensive weapons during the offseason, all but ensuring that Curry will continue to have the keys to his team’s offense. He does it all, and if a sophomore surge takes place, watch out – Curry could finish 2010-11 as one of the five best fantasy players in the land.
4. Steve Nash: The bad news is that he’s another year older, his team has another skilled ballhandler in Hedo Turkoglu and Nash’s minutes have declined in each of the past four seasons. The good news is that he’ll still shoot sick percentages and will run a team that will play plenty of small ball, which should lead to plenty of stats to go around.
5. Jason Kidd: The man just won’t act his age. True, Kidd doesn’t shoot very well from the field, but he nailed a career-best 2.2 threes per game last season and managed to improve his scoring and assists. Somehow, someway, Kidd will surprise us all again.
6. Chauncey Billups: Though he also struggles from the field, Billups has an otherwise efficient all-around game. It’ll be interesting to see if he continues to score more and dish less, as his points have increased and his assists have decreased since 2007-08.
7. Rajon Rondo: He boosted his points, assists and steals last season. The glaring weaknesses are his lack of threes and dreadful free-throw shooting. But as the young floor general of a creaky team, Rondo should have plenty of room for continued improvement across the board this season in Boston. Oh, and don’t think he’ll kindly forget about being left off of Team USA’s final roster this past summer.
8. Mo Williams: Coach Byron Scott said that every starting position is up for grabs in Cleveland, but do you really think Ramon Sessions will start over Williams? Williams will likely be the biggest winner of the forgettable summer for the Cavs organization. While his field-goal percentage could take a dip without LeBron James around, Williams will benefit from more shots and a more important role as a ball distributor.
9. Raymond Felton: He’s always been a mildly appealing point guard for fantasy purposes, but Felton could really blossom in coach Mike D’Antoni’s offensive schemes. With a finisher like Amar’e Stoudemire, three-point gunners like Danilo Gallinari and Roger Mason, and a promising talent in Anthony Randolph, Felton should have an easy time boosting his assists, and could hit 1+ threes per game for the first time since 2006-07.
10. Darren Collison: The dude feasted on opponents as a fill-in for an injured CP3 last season in New Orleans, and now that he’s got a starting gig in Indiana, the sky’s the limit for Collison. Many will jump on him earlier than this, but given the new system and players he has to learn about, it might be wise to tamp down expectations a bit. What puts him above the names not in the top 10 here are his combination of strong shooting percentages, threes, assists and steals.
On the cusp: Baron Davis, Aaron Brooks, Devin Harris, Russell Westbrook, Derrick Rose, John Wall
Throughout the season, be sure to leave your questions, comments, concerns, trade offers, roster problems and more in the comments below.
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September 15th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
@LakersNation says:
Rumor has it that LeBron is going to be playing PG to average a Triple Double this year . . . wonder if that changes the list a lil
September 15th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
UpperBowlJazzFan says:
To have Felton ahead of Westbrook is laughable.
September 15th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
Michorizo says:
I will draft Collison before i draft Felton , Williams and possibly Rondo…Collison is special, he has the ability to be really really good.
September 15th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@UpperBowlJazzFan: I love Westbrook, but until he can shoot the ball better, hit more threes and lower his turnovers, he won’t be an elite fantasy point guard.
September 15th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
C Money says:
BRANDON JENNINGS! (if he can stop tweeting about chicks and gettin married) with his no ass gettin self! And get some real off season work in!
twitter.com/Chris_Barrio
September 15th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Michorizo says:
@ Upper…holy crap…i missed out on Westbrook and how about Rose
September 15th, 2010 at 3:28 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@Michorizo: Agreed about the ability. The other dudes are just more proven. Collison’s in a new system under a coach that isn’t always fantasy-friendly.
September 15th, 2010 at 3:32 pm
JA says:
Brooks hit a crazy amount of 3′s last year, and I think his stats actually improved a little when Kmart came to town. With Yao back (even if limited mins), his %’s and 3′s might even go up this year.
September 15th, 2010 at 3:38 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@JA: I like Brooks this season, too. But Yao will slow things down and take more shots, even if he only plays 25 minutes a game. Also, Kevin Martin is saying that he’s ready to rumble this season, which probably means he’ll look to take more shots.
September 15th, 2010 at 3:41 pm
bron says:
love my boy mo but seriously..drose on the cusp while cleveland crapaliers pg is top 10?? really??
September 15th, 2010 at 3:55 pm
nowwhatyo says:
i don’t think this list will resemble many of the other PG rankings that will be published on other sources… in other words, i won’t be using your list to help draft.
September 15th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@bron: Until Rose can hit more than get more than one three and one steal per game, it’s too hard to make him part of the discussion for the top 10. He’ll get closer this season, but his team is also more stacked with Booze on board, which could limit his scoring.
September 15th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
UpperBowlJazzFan says:
Westrbook and Rondo have nearly the same skills and issues. Neither hit the 3 well, Westbrook has better FT%, slightly higher TO rate, and rebounds better. How does that make Rondo #7 and Westbrook and honorable mention?
Mo Williams is the biggest ? on the list. He might be better but he and the Cavs could be terrible. Plus he has no upside, he’s beginning the downslide of his career. He won’t post as good of numbers without LBJ. #s similar to his last year or two in MIL seem more likely:
points: 17
Ast: 6
Reb: 3
TO: 3
3P: 1-2
FG 48%
3P %: 38%
FT: 85%
Does that say top 10 Fantasy PG to anyone else? Or, better than Westbrook or Rose?
September 15th, 2010 at 4:10 pm
SJ says:
Doc – Where do you think Wall will come in this season?
September 15th, 2010 at 4:11 pm
Alex "robocop" Murphy says:
No love for Tyreke Evans? 20/5/5?
George Hill (may possibly be the starting pg, hits 3′s and TP maybe shipped off)? Andre Miller(did you forget his 50pt game last year)? or Jameer Nelson. All solid in percentages.
Maybe include some fantasy sleepers at PG
Jrue Holiday, Steve Blake, and Jordan Farmer (after Avery Johnson once again demotes Devin Harris’s ass like in Dallas because he knows he can’t play).
September 15th, 2010 at 4:13 pm
ay yo.. says:
I see either a lot of people here don’t play 9cats, or just influenced by real life. I think these rankings are H2H & Roto combined.
Mo Williams is top 10, because of 3′s, low TO’s & good %’s. Westbrook’s lack of 3′s, TO’s & FG % are damaging to a team. Same thing with Rose besides FG%, but you can throw in lack of steals.
I think the list is pretty good (I could see steph curry being #2 tho).
September 15th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
JA says:
@Upper – the MAJOR difference between Rondo and Westbrook is that Rondo has elite steal #’s (lead the league in steals last year)
September 15th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
ay yo.. says:
^ and fg%, that was huge. Rondo can win you ast & stls.
I think Mo Williams will have a huge year, mainly because I can see him getting to the line a whole lot more.. and he’ll rack up more apg.
September 15th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
jryu says:
@ JA
exactly. i won steals every week bc of rondo last year.
September 15th, 2010 at 4:17 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@nowwhatyo: Sorry to lose you, but I have to speak my mind. This is my take for nine-cat leagues. I’m kind of glad you’re not taking my list as absolute truth — it’s just meant to be another perspective to help build your own.
September 15th, 2010 at 4:18 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@SJ: I think it’s safe to draft him around 60-65. Anything earlier than that is pretty bold.
September 15th, 2010 at 4:29 pm
nowwhatyo says:
how about arenas? he may play SG this year, but i have no doubt he’ll have PG eligibility (same goes for Brandon Roy, Joe Johnson, Tyreke Evans)
September 15th, 2010 at 4:29 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@Alex “robocop” Murphy: Evans will be in the SG list, based on the assumption that Beno Udrih will start again at PG. I dig Hill this year, but the other dudes aren’t in the discussion for top 10 PGs this season.
September 15th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@nowwhatyo: Yep, all those guys will be in the SG list.
September 15th, 2010 at 4:43 pm
whitecollar says:
LeBron James
September 15th, 2010 at 7:04 pm
Willis says:
umm… Tyreke Evans? Gotta make it over Collison at least.
September 15th, 2010 at 7:26 pm
Willis says:
Also, Fantasy Doctor, Beno starts at SG. The coach has said repeatedly that Tyreke is the starter at the point guard position. This is if Beno starts at all, which I doubt with Francisco Garcia in the fold.
I watched every single Kings game last year, and Tyreke was the primary ball-handler in every game he played.
September 15th, 2010 at 7:32 pm
superfreak says:
@UpperBowlJazzFan
If Mo is putting up the numbers like you said:
points: 17
Ast: 6
Reb: 3
TO: 3
3P: 1-2
FG 48%
3P %: 38%
FT: 85%
he’ll def be a better pickup than Westbrook or D-Rose. I see all 3 of their points to be similar (D-Rose might be over 20), but all other cats will be pretty similar other than percentages. Mo shoots better percentages across the board and that’s pretty important for your guard who takes a lot of shots. Just my 2 cents.
September 15th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@Willis: Evans and Udrih are interchangeable as PG/SG, and being the primary ball-handler doesn’t always mean you’re the PG (see: LeBron James). ESPN and Yahoo have Udrih listed as PG, by the way. We’ll see what happens though.
September 15th, 2010 at 10:10 pm
Slick Ric says:
@superfreak,child please!
September 16th, 2010 at 1:35 am
NYC Hoops says:
@ Upper bowl Jazz Fan
Rondo also shoots a significant higher percentage than Westbrook (51%), averages two more assist a game and is the NBA steals leader.
It’s not their games that add up in Fantasy (indirectly though). It’s their actual stats.
Rondo (at this stage) just fills the box score more than Westbrook for fantasy.
September 16th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
bada bing says:
u takin d rose over curry?! wackjob!
September 16th, 2010 at 7:58 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@bada bing: If you mean Curry over Rose, I’m the wackest job there is.
September 18th, 2010 at 5:32 pm
Prenti$ says:
Tyreke Evans is and will be the kings starting PG, why are you goin off yahoo?? Check NBA.com