We continue the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit today with another team preview. We’re going to try to shoot out all these team previews and then start releasing the kit’s other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). Stay tuned.

What Went Right

As a team, the 2008 Miami Dolphins were the feel-good story of the NFL. Coming off a one-win season in 2007, the 2008 squad had little expectation to succeed in the tough AFC East. However, with the introduction of the Wildcat offense and the signing of Chad Pennington, the Dolphins had a remarkable turnaround season and won the AFC East with an 11-5 record.

What Went Wrong

Fantasy-wise, the Miami Dolphins did not have a great 2008 and I wouldn’t look for any major fantasy stars from Miami in 2009 either. Pennington had a solid season with 3,653 yards and 19 touchdowns but you cannot expect much more from him. The inclusion of the Wildcat offense in the Dolphin playbook lead to many plays with both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams on the field together. Although both runners were highly effective, the splitting of carries hampered their Fantasy production. Dolphins’ receivers weren’t exactly Fantasy studly either. Ted Ginn, Jr. showed some signs of life, while Greg Camarillo did his best Wes Welker impersonation until he went down with a season-ending injury. Devone Bess filled in admirably, but again, was not a huge Fantasy contributor.

Off-season Outlook

There were rumours in the offseason that the Dolphins would attempt to trade for Anquan Boldin but that died quickly. The remainder of the Dolphin offseason was very quiet until the past few weeks. The team did bring back Jason Taylor for a significant discount, but Miami only made headlines in the past few weeks jabbing with its two division rivals. First, Joey Porter and Channing Crowder were quoted as not buying into the Patriot hype and made the statement that the AFC East goes through Miami. Then, Crowder and new Jet head coach Rex Ryan traded jabs in the media.

Draft Outlook

The Dolphins had a somewhat predictable 2009 draft with one major exception. Going into the draft, many thought they would focus on their most obvious deficiencies: cornerback and receiver. Well, Miami took Illinois CB Vontae Davis with its first pick but caught many off guard with the selection of West Virginia QB Pat White in the second round. It will be interesting to see how quickly White is incorporated into the Wildcat offense. The Dolphins did take two receivers, Patrick Turner from USC in the third round, and Brian Hartline from Ohio State in the fourth round.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

Pennington will be the starter for the Dolphins in 2009 with Chad Henne backing him up. As I discussed above, Pennington had a very consistent and solid 2008 season. He threw for 19 touchdowns and only seven interceptions and was the second highest rated quarterback in the league behind only Philip Rivers. However, that being said, Pennington will not blow you away with Fantasy statistics and he remains a middle of the pack quarterback in most standard leagues.

Running Backs

Brown and Williams are both excellent running backs and both have had seasons as monster Fantasy contributors. However, as long as both are healthy and splitting carries, neither will excel like in seasons past. In 2008, Brown finished with 916 yards and 10 touchdowns. On the surface that is a pretty solid season, but if you remove his four-touchdown game against New England and factor in that he only rushed for 100 yards or more three times all season, you can see that his numbers were not that spectacular. Williams finished 2008 with five touchdowns and 659 yards. Last year was Brown’s first season back from an ACL injury so I would expect some improvement but he is not an upper echelon back anymore as long as Williams is healthy.

Receivers

As I mentioned, the Dolphin receivers are not Fantasy studs by any stretch of the imagination, although Ginn did show significant improvement from his rookie season and finished 2008 with four touchdowns and 790 receiving yards. He’s entering that magical third year for wide receivers, so I look for continued improvement from him as he continues to mature. Camarillo was having a career season until he tore his ACL in Week 12. At that point in the season, he had 55 catches for 613 yards and two touchdowns and was quickly becoming the possession receiver the Dolphins needed to compliment Pennington’s short passing game. It appears Camarillo will be ready for the 2009 season, but look for Bess, who replaced him last season, to get a lot of looks with the first squad. In addition, rookie receivers Turner and Hartline will be thrown into the competition as the Dolphins look for wideouts to step up. Camarillo could be a late-value draft pick if he can return to his 2008 first half form, but look for Bess, Turner and Hartline to infringe on his value.

Tight Ends

Perhaps the biggest fantasy asset and breakthrough for the Dolphins in 2008 was Anthony Fasano. He finished with 34 catches for 454 yards and seven touchdowns, which led the team. Fasano shared time with David Martin but Fasano was a much better pass catcher and Pennington continually found Fasano in the endzone. I would target Fasano as a number one tight end given Pennington’s propensity to look for tight ends in the red zone.

Defense/Special Teams

The Dolphin special teams did not score a touchdown last year which is surprising given that both Ginn and Bess were involved with returning punts and kickoffs. The defense had a solid season, but did not finish in the top half of Fantasy defenses in most leagues. Porter was among the league leaders with 18 sacks and Crowder had over 100 tackles. The Dolphins took Davis in the first round and he should get a chance to start at corner. I would consider Miami a low-end number one defensive unit.

Welcome to the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be bringing you team-by-team previews, cheat sheets, sleepers, busts, rookies, and all sorts of goodies to help you prepare for Draft Day 2009. We’ll kick it off with a preview of the Buffalo Bills.

What Went Right

The 2008 season began with such excitement and promise as the Bills stormed out of the gates, winning five of their first six games. Much was expected of Marshawn Lynch in his second year in the league and he put together a solid 2008 campaign, gaining 1,047 yards and scoring eight touchdowns. Lynch’s backup, Fred Jackson, emerged as a legitimate option for the Bills and finished with 888 total yards and three touchdowns. Jackson showed his ability with 27 carries for 136 yards in the season finale against New England.

What Went Wrong

The Bills collapsed after their 5-1 start and underachieved the rest of the season, thereby disappointing their loyal fans by finishing 7-9 and becoming only one of three teams in NFL history to begin the season 5-1 and then go on to have a losing record. Trent Edwards didn’t have a great season and when he got hurt, J.P. Losman showed yet again that the Bills wasted a first round pick on a quarterback. The receiving corps of Lee Evans, Josh Reed and Roscoe Parrish just didn’t cut it, necessitating an off-season pick-up you may have heard something about.

Off-season Outlook

When the Dallas Cowboys cut Terrell Owens on March 6, no one could have predicted that the Bills would sign him two days later. With the blessing of Edwards, Buffalo signed T.O. to a one-year deal looking to fill the void at receiver and compliment Evans, the Bills’ only other threat at receiver. The impact of signing T.O was felt immediately in Buffalo as flocks of reporters showed up for his press conference and subsequent practices. The move thrust the Bills into the national spotlight and with this comes expectations and pressures to succeed.

Draft Outlook

The Bills made only one selection of an offensive “skill” player in the draft and that was fourth round pick Shawn Nelson from Southern Miss. Nelson was one of the finer athletes available at any position in this draft class, and he’s also got an incredibly soft pair of hands. He’s an immediate upgrade at the tight end position and may be a legitimate threat right out of the gate.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

This is a huge year for Edwards as he enters his third season in the NFL. He has legitimate weapons with Evans, T.O., Lynch and Jackson and he will be facing significant pressure to win in a tough division. Owens will certainly help Edwards just by his mere presence on the field, but we all know it’s just a matter of time before T.O. tests his leadership qualities.

Running Backs

With Lynch suspended for the first three games of the season, Jackson will be the featured back for the Bills and as a result, is a great value early in the season. While he may lose some touches to veteran Dominic Rhodes, look for Jackson to get 15-to-20 carries a game until Lynch gets back. Lynch’s situation will leave Fantasy owners with a difficult decision on draft day. With only 13 games maximum and a potential time-share with Jackson, Lynch may not be the top 12 running back option he was going into last season.

Receivers

The addition of Owens should benefit Evans more than anyone. Evans has been a break-out candidate for a few years, but the threat of Owens should allow Evans to see less schemes focusing on him. The Bills’ offense isn’t a flashy unit despite reports that they have consulted Jim Kelly to incorporate a no-huddle offense into their playbook. Evans is a great mid- to upper-level receiver to target, but I don’t foresee a double-digit touchdown season for T.O.

Tight Ends

As I discussed, the rookie Nelson may be inserted as the Game One starter for the Bills. His athleticism and pass blocking gives him the edge over Robert Royal, who caught 33 balls last year for 351 yards. Should Nelson be given the starting job, he would be a decent late-round flier.

Defense/Special Teams

The Bills’ defense and special teams finished the 2008 Fantasy season right in the middle of the pack. They are expecting most of their top defense players back in 2009 and the addition in the draft of DE Aaron Maybin at No. 11 overall and DB Jairus Byrd at No. 42 overall bodes well for the defense. The unit is a decent low-end number one option.

Playing in a division that includes the Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls, the Indiana Pacers can get lost in the shuffle at times in the Central. However, a busy offseason of change has brought a sense of optimism and hope to a team that struggled to a 36-46 season last year.

The Pacers were looking to change the culture of their team and were successful by trading the huge contract of Jermaine O’Neal to the Toronto Raptors, giving away Shawne Williams to the Dallas Mavericks and basically dumping Jamaal Tinsley. The trade of O’Neal brought T.J. Ford and Rasho Nesterovic to the Pacers from Toronto and the Pacers also brought in Jarrett Jack to help run the point. In addition, the Pacers got rid of Kareem Rush, Flip Murray and Ike Diogu.

Ford, Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger lead the “new” Pacers. With the breakouts of Granger and Dunleavy last year, the Pacers are poised to make an impact in a potentially loaded Central Division.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG: T.J. Ford
SG: Mike Dunleavy
SF: Danny Granger
PF: Troy Murphy
C: Rasho Nesterovic

Key Bench Players: Jarrett Jack, Travis Diener, Marquis Daniels, Jeff Foster, Brandon Rush, Roy Hibbert.

Position Battles

The new-look Pacers have had a very peaceful training camp with little distraction off the court — a novely considering the events of recent years. The only real position battle at this point is at the power forward/centre positions where the Pacers will utilize a three-man rotation of Murphy, Nesterovic and Foster.

Stud: Only four players in the NBA averaged 18 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block per game in 2007-08 – LeBron James, Rudy Gay, Kevin Garnett and the Pacers’ Granger. In his third year in the league, Granger broke out and became a fantasy stud. Look for him to continue to mature and to post great multi-category lines as the ball will go through him even more this year.

Dud: The Pacers cleaned house and dealt away most of their duds. I would be leary of Ford only because he has had trouble staying healthy. When healthy, he can easily average 8+ assists, but he doesn’t shoot many threes and his field goal percentage has steadily declined.

Sleeper: The absence of O’Neal should free up minutes and opportunities for Murphy. He will start at power forward and even play minutes at centre. Murphy is a solid double-double guy every night and his centre eligibility makes him a strong sleeper for the 2008-09 season.

Rookies to Watch: The Pacers drafted Roy Hibbert and acquired the draft rights of Kansas swingman Brandon Rush, the 13th pick in the draft, in a package deal that sent Arizona guard Jerryd Bayless to Portland. Rush should make an immediate impact for the Pacers as he will likely see consistent minutes at the shooting guard spot.

Fantasy Stories to Watch

Can Ford stay healthy and put behind him the neck injury that cost him over 30 games last season?

Can Granger ascend to the next level as a fantasy stud?

Dunleavy’s injured knee is causing some concern, but all indications are that he should be ready for the start of the regular season.

The Cavs ended last year on a sour note after losing to the Boston Celtics in seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals. While everyone knows that LeBron James is one of the best players in the league (if not the best), the Cavs needed to solidify their backcourt in order to make a serious push to a title. Cleveland started by trading for Delonte West at the deadline last season, but it really made a splash this offseason by trading Joe Smith and Damon Jones to Milwaukee as part of a three-team, six-player deal that brought point guard Mo Williams to Cleveland. The Cavaliers are hopeful that Williams, who averaged 17.2 PPG and 6.3 APG last season, will not only be the best playmaker that they have had at the point guard spot since Andre Miller, but that he will also be a second scoring option behind James who can create his own shot.

In addition, the Cavs were able to lock up restricted free agents West and Daniel Gibson before the start of the preseason. With the addition of Williams and the re-signing of West and Gibson, expectations are sky high for this team heading into the 2008-09 season.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG: Mo Williams
SG: Sasha Pavlovic
SF: LeBron James
PF: Ben Wallace
C: Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Key Bench Players: Gibson, West, Wally Szczerbiak, Anderson Varejao, Lorenzen Wright.

Position Battles

The Cavs have a major battle at the shooting guard spot. With West missing two weeks of training camp due to a “mood disorder,” Pavlovic had a prime opportunity to snatch the job. However, West is back and Pavlovic has been inconsistent – on Saturday night he hit just 1-of-8 shots for six points while committing five fouls. Wally World also has a shot at the starting SG spot.

Stud: Wow, real tough choice here, but I guess I’ll have to go with Bron-Bron. James is coming off a ridiculous season in which he won the scoring title by averaging 30 points per game and added 7.9 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.1 blocks, 1.8 steals and 1.5 three-pointers for good measure. James is the top player in fantasy leagues — especially those that don’t track turnovers — and is only 23 years old. It is scary to think that he may not even have hit his prime yet.

Dud: In 22 games with the Cavs last season, Wallace averaged 4.2 points and 7.4 rebounds. Crippled by injuries all season, Big Ben averaged fewer than 10 boards per game for the first time in seven years. He definitely seems to be on the decline and I would expect Varejao to steal a ton of time from him and eventually unseat him as the starting power forward.

Sleeper: I don’t see a true sleeper on the roster of the Cavs, but I would target Varejao in late rounds. Last year, he averaged a career-high 8.3 rebounds per game in 48 appearances. He also saw more PT last season, averaging 27.4 minutes, and even cracked the starting lineup 13 times after the trade of Drew Gooden to the Bulls. If Varejao can unseat Wallace as a starter, I like him as a solid double-double guy.

Rookies to Watch: The Cavs drafted J.J. Hickson, a freshman power forward from N.C. State and traded for the rights to Kansas senior Darnell Jackson. Jackson is out at least a month with a fractured wrist. At this moment, it isn’t certain if Hickson will have a spot in the rotation with the addition of Wright and with Wallace and Varejao also ahead of him.

Fantasy Stories to Watch

Can Williams be the productive second scorer the Cavs have been searching for? Can LeBron be even more dominant this season? Who will step up in the Cavs frontcourt? These are all questions we’ll be tracking early this season.

Coming off an incredibly disappointing 33-49 season, the Chicago Bulls entered the offseason with a ton of questions. First, they needed a coach. Scott Skiles had been fired the previous Christmas Eve and his replacement, Jim Boylan, was unable to motivate his players and ultimately lost control of his team. The Bulls hunt for a new coach captured national headlines as both Mike D’Antoni and Doug Collins pulled out of consideration after reported deals had been made.

Finally, the Bulls settled for Vinny Del Negro, a former NBA veteran who had been in the Phoenix front office. Del Negro has never coached at any level and his success will be gauged on whether he leads the Bulls back to the playoffs or not.

Since the end of the Michael Jordan era, the Bulls have been a regular in the NBA draft lottery. In 1999, they won the first pick and selected Elton Brand. From 1999-2004, the Bulls drafted first, fourth, fourth, second, seventh and third respectively and also had the second pick in the 2006 draft. As a result, the team’s roster has been filled with young players who finally began to show promise by taking the Bulls to the playoffs in the past several years.

However, after the horrendous 2007-08 season, the Bulls found themselves back in the lottery and had a 1.7 per cent chance of getting the first pick. Well, apparently miracles do happen – and the Bulls won the first pick and took University of Memphis point guard Derrick Rose with top choice in the draft.

Chicago’s tumultuous offseason didn’t end there. The Bulls needed to address the restricted free agency of both Luol Deng and Ben Gordon. They locked up Deng with a six-year deal and Gordon eventually signed a one-year qualifying offer. Otherwise, the team did not make any major roster additions.

Projected Starting Lineup

Basically, your guess is as good as mine. The Bulls have so much depth that even Del Negro doesn’t know who he is going to start. During the preseason, the team has tried out several different starting lineups. Here is my projection for opening day:

PG: Kirk Hinrich
SG: Larry Hughes
SF: Luol Deng
PF: Drew Gooden
C: Joakim Noah

Key Bench Players: Rose, Gordon, Andres Nocioni, Tyrus Thomas, Thabo Sefolosha

Position Battles

At which spot isn’t there a battle? At point guard, the struggles of Hinrich and the drafting of Rose has led to a competition. At the shooting guard spot, Hughes thinks he should be the starter, while Gordon wants big-time money and big-time minutes. At the power forward spot, Gooden will get the nod over Thomas.

Stud: With the Bulls’ depth and a rotation that goes 10 deep, there is not a true fantasy stud on this roster. All the Bulls will have on and off nights and it’s very difficult to count on any single guy. Deng would be the most notable guy, but he is coming off a very disappointing season. Gooden has been solid since his trade from the Cavs last season and he should see a ton of minutes this season.

Dud: Is it possible for one team to have so many studs and duds? Almost every player on this team can fall into either category on any given night. Moral of the story – the Bulls have so much depth and will play so many guys, that fantasy owners should expect inconsistent results from all their major assets.

Sleeper: Noah is the potential breakout player that fantasy owners should monitor. With his rookie season struggles and frustrations behind him, he will see steady minutes this year and should flourish.

Rookies to Watch: Rose, of course, is the man here. He is a dynamic game-changing point guard – the complete opposite of Hinrich. It remains to be seen how many minutes Rose will see this year, but his potential as a scorer and someone who can rack up steals and assists makes him one of the top fantasy rookies to go after.

Fantasy Stories to Watch

Who is going to step up this year for the Bulls? Will Hinrich, Deng and Gordon return to their level of success from two seasons ago? Can Thomas, Gooden and Noah anchor the Bulls’ frontcourt? So many question marks…but the Bulls have plenty of fantasy assets.

As the NBA regular season winds down next week, it is time to look back on one of the best regular seasons in quite some time. With the resurgence of the Celtics, the absolute insanity surrounding the trade deadline, and the remarkable battle in the West between the top nine teams, the regular season has been full of compelling story lines. As most fantasy basketball leagues are wrapping up, this week’s Wire Troll will reflect on the 2007-08 fantasy basketball season by selecting our winners for several awards.

Fantasy MVP

LeBron James: In a typical fantasy draft, you expect great numbers from the top player drafted. You expect to be rewarded for getting the number one pick. King James was the consensus number one player entering the 2007-08 season and if any owner went another direction with the first pick they should probably stop reading now. Clearly, they are beyond our help. James has had a monster regular season and has increased his production from last year in almost all categories. How is this for a ridiculous stat line? LBJ is averaging 30.3 points, 7.9 boards, 7.2 assists, 1.85 steals, and 1.07 blocks per game while shooting 48.4 per cent from the floor. It is scary that he is only 23 years old and his game continues to improve. I am just waiting to see how many more fans will challenge James in the fourth quarter of a tight game. Memo to fans attending games against the Cleveland Cavaliers: do not egg him on – he will make you pay.

Runner-up: Chris Paul — CP3 has led the New Orleans Hornets to the best record in the loaded Western Conference and has rewarded owners who drafted him this season. Paul’s average draft position this season was early second round, but his production certainly merits him to be taken in the first round next season. In just his third season, he has averaged 21.1 points, 11.6 dimes and 2.7 steals while shooting 48.7 per cent from the floor and 85.1 per cent from the charity stripe. Paul continues to impress as the floor leader for the Hornets and I am excited to see how his team will respond in the playoffs.

Breakthrough Player of the Year

Rudy Gay: In only his second season in the league, Gay has established himself as a serious scoring threat for the Memphis Grizzlies. Averaging 20.3 points per game, almost double his average of 10.9 from last year, Gay has stepped up his game after the Grizzlies traded Pau Gasol to the Lakers. Besides points, Gay contributes threes, steals, rebounds and blocks and could easily be a second round pick looking ahead to fantasy drafts next year.

Runner-up: Mike Dunleavy — The change of scenery certainly did wonders for Dunleavy. In his four-plus seasons in Golden State, he never averaged more than 14 points a game and only played between 27-32 minutes per game. As a member of the Indiana Pacers, Dunleavy has seen steady starter minutes – 36 minutes per game – and has responded. He is averaging 18.7 points, 5.2 boards and 3.4 assists while hitting 154 threes (in contrast to the 70 he made last year). Dunleavy has been incredibly consistent for owners who gambled on him and he should produce similar numbers next year.

The Wire Troll Pick-up of the Year

Hedo Turkoglu: Everyone expected the Orlando Magic to improve this season with the addition of Rashard Lewis and with the continued maturity of Superman, a.k.a Dwight Howard. However, no one could envision that the success of the Magic could be linked to Turkoglu. The Turkish Delight has put together a ridiculous season and is averaging 19.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 0.9 steals while shooting 82.6 per cent from the foul line. Those numbers make Turkoglu as a top 25 fantasy contributor, which is just astonishing considering he went undrafted in most leagues.

Runner-up: Jose Calderon — Another player who went undrafted in most leagues was Calderon. The injury to T.J. Ford opened the door for Calderon to see increased minutes and he responded incredibly. The Spanish Fly has averaged 11.5 points, 8.3 assists, and one steal while shooting 52.5 per cent from the floor, 43.3 per cent from three-point land and 90.8 per cent from the free throw line. This sharpshooter will be a fantasy superstar if he can find a team where he can be the starter.

The FU Award

The Chicago Bulls: Pick a Chicago Bulls player and odds are they underperformed this season. If you drafted any of the Bulls, i.e., Ben Gordon, Loul Deng, Kirk Hinrich, Andres Nocioni or Ben Wallace (now a Cavalier), then I’m sure you agree with my assessment as them providing the ultimate Fuck You of the Year. Last season, the Bulls were a young and dangerous team who knocked out the defending champions Heat in the playoffs. Turn the page to this season and the Bulls have fallen apart. The struggles began early as Deng and Gordon both turned down lucrative contract extensions and the rumours of a Kobe Bryant trade weighed heavily on the team’s young core of players. Next came the firing of coach Scott Skiles and the massive trade with the Cavs that sent Wallace packing. The Bulls have been the biggest disappointment in the league and in the fantasy basketball world as well.

With the regular season ending next week, stay tuned for some amazing basketball as the playoffs begin. Every series in the West will feature exciting matchups and hopefully some thrilling games. I am very excited and will be reporting periodically throughout the playoffs. Good luck to those who are finishing up the last week of their fantasy season.

Josh Powell, Los Angeles Clippers: Despite being only 6′9″, Powell has emerged as the starting centre for the Clippers as Chris Kaman deals with his ongoing back issues. Amid reports and projections that Powell’s playing time was linked to the injury to Tim Thomas (who recently returned to the lineup only to miss Friday night’s game with a stomach virus), Powell has been inserted as the Clippers’ centre. Since Powell’s addition into the starting lineup, he is averaging 12 points and 7.4 boards per game. In addition, Friday night’s injury to Corey Maggette opened up more touches and Powell responded with a 21-point effort. Moreover, according to cbssportsline.com, Powell is one game away from earning centre eligibility. He should be picked up in all leagues.

Mickael Pietrus, Golden State Warriors: Even though I discussed Pietrus in last week’s column, his production in the Warriors last three games merits another mention this week. On Wednesday night, Pietrus played 36 minutes and put up 15 points and 12 boards. On Friday night, he played 37 minutes and scored 16 points and added 13 rebounds. However, on Tuesday night, Pietrus played just 16 minutes and finished with six points and two boards. As expected, his production is linked to his minutes and with a head coach like Don Nelson, who is infamous for changing his lineups on a nightly basis, Pietrus’ minutes must be monitored. If he is still on your league’s waiver wire, he is worth picking up but should be scutinized very closely on a game-by-game basis.

Flip Murray, Indiana Pacers: After being buried on the Detroit Pistons’ bench all year, Murray was released by Detroit and then picked up by the Indiana Pacers at the beginning of the month. He has always been a solid scorer and a decent point guard and it only took him five games to take over the starting point guard position from underwhelming Travis Diener. With Diener’s demotion and the injury to Jamaal Tinsley, Murray should see good minutes as the starter. In his last five games, all starts, he is averaging 15.8 points, 3.0 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 47.6 per cent from the floor. Murray is worth consideration in all leagues.

Ronny Turiaf, Los Angeles Lakers: The latest news out of L.A. is that Lakers’ head coach Phil Jackson doesn’t anticipate Pau Gasol returning until at least March 26. Turiaf, the benefactor of Gasol’s absence, has two more games as a starter if Gasol does in fact return when scheduled. As a starter, Turiaf has proven to be a versatile fantasy contributor. In Turiaf’s five games as a starter, he has averaged 9.6 points, 5.8 boards, 4.2 assists and 1.4 blocks. These numbers should continue as long as Gasol remains out of action and Turiaf should be picked up in all leagues until the Spainard returns.

Carl Landry, Houston Rockets: Landry had been one of the main reasons the Rockets continued their success after Yao Ming’s injury until the rookie was himself sidelined with a knee injury. After missing seven games, Landry returned to the Rockets lineup on Friday night and, in only 19 minutes, scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds. If he remains healthy, he is a very strong waiver pick up who can be a good source of rebounds while scoring with a high field goal percentage.

Anthony Johnson, Sacramento Kings: When Mike Bibby was traded to the Atlanta Hawks, Johnson was thrown in to give the Kings a veteran back-up point guard, as the Kings were ready to hand the point reins to Beno Udrih. Udrih has missed the last two games with a lower back strain and is listed as day-to-day. In Johnson’s first game as a starter for the Kings on Tuesday night, he led the Kings to a win over the Golden State Warriors with a fine line of 13 points, 13 assists, six rebounds and one block. Johnson came down to earth in his second start on Friday night contributing 12 points, two assists and three rebounds. He is worth monitoring in deeper leagues and will have value if Udrih is going to miss any more time.

With the fantasy playoffs looming on the horizon, it is very difficult to find multi-category studs on the wire. Unless a big name player goes down with an injury (as discussed last week) or a team throws in the towel and starts to give younger players more minutes, it is very difficult to find gems at this late stage in the season. At this point, my strategy is to target guys who fulfill specific needs for my team. This week’s Wire Troll breaks down the wire candidates based on the categories to which each player contributes.

Need: Multi-category production
Pick up: Jamario Moon, SF, Toronto Raptors

The injury to Chris Bosh has provided additional minutes for Moon, a rookie who delivers multiple category production. Moon will not blow you away with his scoring or passing, but his strengths lie in his rebounding and his ability to get steals and blocks. In his last five games, he has averaged 8.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 2.2 blocks. If Moon is available in your league, he is a great option who can help your team in the sometimes-overlooked steals and blocks categories.

Need: Three-point shooting
Pick up: Matt Carroll, SG, Charlotte Bobcats

Carroll is another player who has benefited immensely from an injury. The concussion suffered by Gerald Wallace allowed Carroll to be inserted into the Bobcats’ starting lineup and he has excelled with the increase in minutes. Since Wallace’s injury, Carroll has been on fire from beyond the arc, which includes a three-game stretch where he hit 14 threes before struggling Friday night against the Rockets. Wallace is now back, and slowly increasing his minutes as he comes off the bench. Until Crash returns to the starting lineup, Carroll is worth monitoring in deep leagues and should be picked up if Wallace experiences any set backs.

Need: Rebounds, blocks
Pick up: Joel Przybilla, C, Portland Trailblazers

Przybilla has been a monster on the glass in the last month for Portland, grabbing ten or more rebounds in nine of his last 13 games. In his last five games, he has averaged 10.2 boards and 1.8 blocks per game. Przybilla is a decent number two centre in all leagues and should be picked up if he is available.

Need: Rebounds, blocks
Pick up: Kendrick Perkins, C, Boston Celtics

Perkins has been a bit inconsistent this year with the Celtics, but the wealth of talent surrounding him has had a great effect on his game and his growth in maturity and confidence has been remarkable. In Perkins’ last five games, he is averaging 10.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.2 blocks. He is an absolute pick up if he is available in your league.

Need: Assists
Pick up: Steve Blake, PG, Portland Trailblazers

While it is unlikely that Blake is available in your league, his recent numbers are worth discussing. His production had been slipping, even to the point where Jarrett Jack took over the starting PG position. However, Blake has rebounded and regained his starting role, averaging 6.8 assists in his last five games. He is a decent source of assists and should be considered if your team is in need of some dime-dropping ability.

Need: Scoring
Pick up: Daequan Cook, SG, Miami Heat

The injuries to Dwyane Wade, Dorell Wright and Marcus Banks have left a huge void for the Miami Heat. Insert Cook, who was recently recalled from the D-League. Since being inserted into the starting lineup, Cook is playing 37 minutes per game and is averaging 11.5 PPG. He has been struggling with his shot, but Cook is a very intriguing pick up due to the heavy minutes he will be seeing for the depleted Heat.

Need: Scoring, rebounds, steals
Pick up: Mickael Pietrus, SF, Golden State Warriors

Pietrus has been inserted into the starting lineup for the Warriors and has been playing heavy minutes. Normally, that is a great thing. However, this is the Warriors, and coach Don Nelson is infamous for changing his starting lineup on a whim, so realize that almost anyone’s value can change quickly on this team. In his last five games, Pietrus has scored 11.4 PPG, while averaging 8.2 boards and 1.6 steals. Pietrus is a solid pick up when he is playing steady minutes.

Need: Three-point shooting
Pick up: Sasha Pavlovic, SG, Cleveland Cavaliers

Pavlovic returned from a 23-game absence due to a sprained left foot, and had an immediate impact on the Cavs. In his second game back (he only played ten minutes in his first game), Pavlovic scored 24 points, hitting five treys and shooting 50 per cent from the floor. Pavlovic is definitely worth monitoring as his minutes begin to increase.

As the exhilarating race in the Western Conference continues with only about six weeks of games left in the regular season, recent injuries to big-name players have opened up minutes for guys who may not have been on your radar. This week’s edition of The Wire Troll features players who have risen to fantasy relevance due to such injuries.

Injured: Dorell Wright, Dwyane Wade
Winners: Marcus Banks, Ricky Davis

The downtrodden Miami Heat has been a fantasy wasteland for the majority of this season. The season-ending injury to Wright and the constant speculation that the Heat is going to shut down Wade for the season has led to a steady rise in minutes for both Banks and Davis.

Banks, a throw-in from the Phoenix Suns in the Shaquille O’Neal trade, scored 20 points and chipped in four assists, three rebounds and one block in 41 minutes Friday night. Banks’ value correlates directly with the status of Wade. Wade, who sat out Friday’s game, revealed that his knee has gotten worse in the last week. If the Heat shuts down Wade, Banks should be picked up in all leagues.

Similarly, Davis is seeing increased minutes with the injury to Wright, and put up a nice line Friday night without Wade in the lineup – 10 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks while playing 47 minutes. In Davis’ last five games, four of which were played with Wade, he has averaged 13.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.6 APG and 1.2 SPG. Davis is worth consideration in all leagues at this point and is a definite pick-up if Wade is shut down.

Injured: Jamaal Tinsley
Winner: Travis Diener

Coach Jim O’Brien has said he doesn’t know if Tinsley will be back this season. If you haven’t checked out Diener and your team is in need of a point guard, now is the time to grab him. He has been starting for the Pacers since mid-January and his production has been fairly consistent. In Diener’s last five games, he has averaged 13.8 PPG and 6.4 assists. If your team is in need of assists, he is worth picking up in deeper leagues.

Injured: Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Winner: Anderson Varejao

The injury to Ilgauskas has opened minutes on the Cavs’ front line for Varejao and Ben Wallace. Ilgauskas is going to be out another seven-to-10 days and if your team is desperate for rebounds, then Varejao is worth monitoring (he is averaging 7.2 rebounds in his last five). Otherwise, leave him on the wire.

Injured: Chris Bosh
Winner: Rasho Nesterovic

With the injury to Bosh, Nesterovic has entered the Raptors’ starting five. In the four games since CB4 went down, Nesterovic is averaging 10.3 PPG and 8.5 RPG. Reports out of Toronto are that Bosh is certainly out for Sunday’s game against Seattle and the possibility exists that he could miss the Raptors’ subsequent five-game road trip. If Bosh is out for an extended period of time, Nesterovic is worth consideration in deeper leagues.

Injured: David West
Winner: Julian Wright

West has missed two straight games with a sore left ankle and could miss his third game on Saturday night. While Ryan Bowen has been starting in place of West, it has been the rookie Wright gaining the most by the injury to West. In the two games without West, Wright has averaged 16.5 points, 7.5 boards and one steal while shooting 70 per cent from the floor. With such a small sample size, it is hard to gauge Wright’s fantasy value, however, if West should miss an extended period of time, Wright is definitely worth monitoring.

Injured: Ron Artest
Winner: John Salmons

On Friday, Artest missed his second straight game because of a foot injury. Salmons, one of my favourite fantasy players, shined when Artest was out with an injury from December to mid-January. However, since Artest returned, Salmons’ role was dramatically reduced and his numbers severely suffered. In the past two games, in the absence of Artest, Salmons has catapulted his game again by averaging 14 points, 6.5 boards, 2.0 assists and 2.5 steals. If Artest’s injury keeps him out, Salmons is an absolute pick up in all leagues.

‘Sup, everyone? My name is Jordan Frank and I am the new addition to Team RotoRob. As the new caretaker of The Wire Troll column, I will provide insight and analysis that will help you win your fantasy basketball leagues. If you are interested in such success, read below and continue to follow my weekly column every Saturday until the end of the regular season. And without further ado…

As the calendar turns to March, fantasy basketball leagues begin the crucial home stretch where free agent acquisitions can make or break a championship run. Whether you participate in a head-to-head or a Rotisserie league, the next month is critical to your team’s success. As the smoke clears from one of the most active trade deadlines in league history, the waiver wire is ripe with fresh pickings as coaches are becoming more comfortable with the new faces which have arrived. In the wake of such furious changes, this week’s Wire Troll will focus on the events in the league which have infused the waiver wire with new feastings.

The Three-Team Trade

Joakim Noah, C/Tyrus Thomas , PF, Chicago: The mystery that is the Chicago Bulls did not become any clearer with the last minute three-team trade between the Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and the Seattle Sonics that sent Ben Wallace and Joe Smith to the Cavs and Adrian Griffin to the Sonics. In return, the Bulls received Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes, Shannon Brown and Cedric Simmons.

While it was evident that the struggles of Ben Gordon, Chris Duhon and Kirk Hinrich would lead to Hughes seeing immediate minutes, it was unclear as to how Gooden would fit into the Bulls’ system. The departure of Wallace and Smith opened up a lot of minutes in the Bulls’ frontcourt and new head coach Jim Boylan immediately inserted Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas into the starting lineup.

Noah’s numbers have fluctuated greatly in his four starts with the Bulls. His first night as a starter produced a 14-point, 10-rebound, two-block game, while the next game saw him contribute just two points and two rebounds. While Noah will see increased minutes with the loss of Wallace and Smith, Noah is just too inconsistent to rely upon at this point in his career. In last night’s game, Noah’s fifth start, Gooden entered the game just 41 seconds after tip-off when the rookie turned his ankle. Noah returned to the game and finished with five points, four rebounds and two blocks. My advice is to leave Noah on the waiver wire.

Like Noah, Thomas has been wildly inconsistent all season. The departure of Wallace and Smith opened up a spot for Thomas in the starting lineup, however, rumours out of Chicago insist that Thomas’ run in the starting five may have already come to an end with the insertion of Gooden. Thomas is a much better alternative to Noah, having averaged 12.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in the previous four games until Friday night. In last night’s loss to the struggling Washington Wizards, in which the Bulls blew an 18-point halftime lead at home, Thomas played only nine minutes and finished with two points and four rebounds. At this point, Thomas is worth monitoring, but until his minutes become more consistent, you should leave him on the wire.

Delonte West, PG/SG, Cleveland: The three-team trade between the Bulls, Sonics and Cavs discussed above brought four players to Cleveland – Delonte West, Wallace, Smith and Wally Szczerbiak. From a fantasy perspective, West was the major benefactor of this deal as he immediately took over the starting PG position for the Cavs. In his four games with the Cavs, he has averaged 11 points, 5.0 assists, 4.3 boards, 1.0 steal, and 1.3 threes. Despite West’s poor shooting, his numbers have been solid since joining the new-look Cavs. Most importantly, he is averaging 34.5 MPG. West should be picked up in all formats.

Wally Szczerbiak, SF, Cleveland: Wally World has been able to pick up some solid minutes in his three games with the Cavs and has scored in double figures in every one. Szczerbiak has averaged 34 MPG and is putting up 11.7 PPG. He has not been contributing significantly to any other fantasy category yet, but deserves to be monitored considering his minutes and the injury to Daniel Gibson.

Johan Petro, C, Seattle: In the three-team trade with the Cavs and Bulls, the Sonics received Ira Newble, Donyell Marshall and Griffin. In addition, the Sonics traded Kurt Thomas to San Antonio. In the four games since Seattle dealt Thomas, Petro started all four at centre. In the first three of those games, he averaged 9.0 points and 8.7 rebounds while playing 26 minutes a night.

However, last night, Petro only took three shots in 17 minutes and finished with zero points and five rebounds. Seattle has a log jam at the power forward position with Nick Collison, Chris Wilcox and Marshall. As the only viable centre option for Seattle, Petro will continue to get his chance to play and is worth consideration in deeper leagues, especially if your team needs rebounds.

Mickael Gelabale, SF, Seattle: With the departure of Szczerbiak, Gelabale has seized his opportunity to get some minutes. In the first four games without Wally World, the Frenchman scored 15.3 points per game, while grabbing 5.5 rebounds and shooting 59.7 per cent from the floor. Gelabale struggled in last night’s game against the Heat and shot 1-for-8 from the floor, but he is still worth a flier in deeper leagues.

The Sam Cassell Buy-Out

After a long week of speculation regarding Cassell’s future, the Los Angeles Clippers bought out his contract on Thursday. Once Cassell clears waivers, he will sign with the Boston Celtics as a back-up point guard to Rajon Rondo. Cassell finally got his wish and will be reunited with Kevin Garnett . Cassell has missed four straight games with a sprained wrist and missed 12 games in December, but averaged 12.8 points, 4.7 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 25.7 minutes in 38 games with the Clippers. Cassell will cut into Rondo’s minutes in Boston, but I don’t envision the veteran’s numbers increasing significantly. He may be a cheap source of assists if you are desperate in a deep league. Otherwise, monitor Cassell from afar.

The Clippers’ PG situation

In the somebody-has-to-play-point-guard category, one of Brevin Knight, Dan Dickau and Flip Murray will assume Cassell’s role as the point guard for the Clippers. Knight, the front-runner in this race, had a four-game audition while Cassell was sitting with an injured wrist. During that span, Knight averaged 5.8 PPG, 4.4 APG, and 1.4 SPG, however, he hurt his hand in Wednesday’s game and did not return. Dickau, of Gonzaga fame, didn’t do much in his 25 minutes after Knight got injured, missing all five of his shots and finishing with one point, four boards and five assists. The Clippers are expected to sign Murray to shore up the point guard spot.

In last night’s game, Knight showed no signs of being hampered by the injury and played 35 minutes, enjoying a solid game with nine points, 12 assists, three rebounds and three steals. It appears that Knight is the clear-cut winner in the replace Cassell contest and should be picked up in all leagues. If Knight misses any time due to injury, Dickau would be the man to watch.

Yao’s Yearly Demise

Dikembe Mutombo, C, Houston: The unfortunate season-ending injury to Yao Ming has left a huge void in the middle on a Houston Rockets’ team that has won 14 straight games. In Houston’s first game without Yao, the ageless wonder, Mutombo, started at centre and finished with four points, six rebounds and four finger-wagging blocks. In Mutombo’s second start Friday night, he had a nice line of four points, 13 rebounds and four blocks. If your team is desparate for a centre and needs rebounds and blocks, then Mutombo is worth picking up in deep leagues. Keep an eye on his minutes though, as the 41-year-old may not be able to play more than 25 minutes a game.

Luis Scola, PF/C, Houston: If Luis Scola is still on your league’s waiver wire, stop reading this article at go pick him up. He is averaging 8.8 PPG and 5.4 RPG in his rookie season and the injury to Yao will significantly increase Scola’s minutes and touches. Scola is a versatile player who can shift between the four and five positions depending on Coach Rick Adelman’s lineup. Scola should be picked up in all leagues.

Carl Landry, PF/C, Houston: Despite being listed at 6′9”, Landry, not Scola, backed up Mutombo at centre in Houston’s first game since the Yao injury. Landry, a rookie from Purdue, has been a hot waiver wire pick up the last few weeks as his minutes have slowly been increasing. In the last five games, he is averaging 11.8 points and 6.4 boards while shooting a ridiculous 75.9 per cent from the field. In addition, Landry may be able to pick up centre eligibility with his new role. He should be picked up in most leagues as his minutes and numbers will increase with the loss of Yao.

The Lakers’ Domination

Jordan Farmar, PG, LA Lakers: The Pau Gasol trade has catapulted the Lakers into the frontrunner position in a loaded Western Conference as the team has gone 11-2 since the Spaniard arrived. Gasol, Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom have been solid as usual, but the team’s success can be equally linked to the emergence of the Lakers’ supporting cast. Everyone knows about Derek Fisher, but Jordan Farmar has been outplaying Fisher recently. On Thursday night, Farmar scored a career-high 24 points, going 9-of-14 from the field with four 3-pointers, four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Farmar has scored double-figures in five of the last seven games, and has been seeing consistent minutes off the bench. Of course, the injury to Vladimir Radmanovic has increased Farmar’s minutes, but the youngster has taken advantage of his increased role. Farmar should be monitored closely in all leagues and is definitely worth picking up in deeper leagues.

Sasha Vujacic, SG, LA Lakers: Vujacic has been another key contributor to the Lakers’ recent success. He has been averaging 11.7 PPG in 13 games in February and is shooting 51 per cent from beyond the arc. Vujacic has hit 18 threes in his last six games, prompting Lakers’ coach Phil Jackson to state “now we see that he’s got a definite role.” With his increased minutes, Vujacic is worth picking up in deep leagues, especially if your team is in need of threes.

Others to Monitor on the Wire

Point Guards: Beno Udrih, Marcus Banks, Travis Diener.

Shooting Guards: Rashad McCants, J.R. Smith, Willie Green.

Small Forwards: Jamario Moon, Jeff Green, Andray Blatche.

Power Forwards: Josh Boone, Charlie Villanueva.

Centres: Erick Dampier, Joel Przybilla.

BY JORDAN FRANK

I. The All-Star Weekend

Part I of my NBA first-half report concentrated on the big picture for the NBA as David Stern and the league try to repair and recreate the league’s image. By all accounts, this weekend’s All-Star festivities in New Orleans were a success and off-the-court incident free (although who knows what types of stories we may hear in the next few days?). Despite the Jason Kidd trade saga dominating the weekend headlines (a deal finally consummated earlier this week), the real story of the weekend was the dunk contest.

As a kid, I remember the true excitement which came along with the dunk contest. Superstars like Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins were regulars in the contest and the All-Star Saturday night (which, back in the day, only included the three-point contest) was always the highlight of the weekend. Fast forward 10 years and the dunk contest has become a microcosm of the league’s lack of popularity with fans. Most fans have lost interest in the dunk contest as the contestants have not been major figures in the game and the dunks being performed have lacked creativity and excitement.

This year’s crop of contestants for the dunk contest was promising, as it included Dwight Howard, one of the league’s brightest young superstars, Gerald Green, last year’s champion who brings the creativity that the contest has been lacking in recent years, Rudy Gay, an emerging star who can jump out of the gym, and Jamario Moon, a feel-good story who has impressed so many with his play in his rookie season. Wow – did these guys ever put on a show! Howard and Green dueled through a series of dunks that had the crowd of fans and NBA players in awe. If you haven’t seen the Superman, Happy Birthday or the behind-the-backboard dunk, check out You Tube as soon as possible. The phenomenal performances in the dunk contest this weekend are promising for the future of the NBA as its popularity is starting to finally rise again. Hopefully, the NBA can build on the momentum of the first-half and the All-Star weekend and continue to raise the ante to bring fans back to the sport.

II. First-Half Individual Performances

The remainder of Part II of our NBA first-half report focuses on the individual players who have made headlines for their stellar performances. My list of fantasy studs is not your typical list of standouts. Everyone knows that LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony are having phenomenal seasons. Instead, my list will focus on players who have taken the NBA by storm with their play in the first half of the 2007-08 season.

Josh Smith

In Josh Smith’s four seasons in the NBA, he has improved every year in points, blocks, assists and steals. He is the new AK-47 of the league (without the crying, that is), as every night he consistently puts up a solid line in all major fantasy scoring categories. Smith is averaging 17.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.9 SPG and 3.1 BPG this season. The Hawks’ trade of Shelden Williams, Tyronn Lue, Anthony Johnson and Lorenzen Wright for Mike Bibby shouldn’t affect Smith’s numbers too much. Bibby is a solid point guard, but the knock on him has always been that he would rather create his own shot than create shots for his teammates. Look for Smith to continue to put up monster lines as the Hawks are fighting to make the playoffs in the East for the first time since 1999.

Chris Kaman

Kaman, dealing with injuries much of last season, took a step backwards from his stats in 2005-06. He went from 11.9 PPG and 9.6 RPG to 10.1 PPG and 7.8 RPG last year. Many predicted an improvement for Kaman this season because of the expected extra touches in the wake of Elton Brand’s injury and a lack of depth in the Clippers’ frontcourt, however, no one could have envisioned the kind of numbers Kaman produced in the first half. He is putting up a ridiculous 16.4 PPG, 2.96 BPG and 13.6 RPG, all of which obliterate Kaman’s previous career highs. Brand has begun limited work in an effort to return this year and if he come back, Kaman’s numbers will certainly decline, but the big man should remain a solid double-double guy even with Brand in the frontcourt.

Tyson Chandler

In Chandler’s first five seasons in the NBA teamed with Eddy Curry on the Chicago Bulls, he never averaged 10 PPG or 10 RPG. Chandler showed flashes of excellence with the Bulls, mainly because of his intensity and work ethic, however, constant back injuries led Bulls’ owner Jerry Reinsdorf to run the big man out of town, replacing him with an aging Ben Wallace. Since leaving Chicago, Chandler has excelled in his year and a half with the New Orleans Hornets. The Hornets lead the Western Conference at the All-Star break in part because of Chandler’s comfort in playing with Chris Paul. This season, Chandler is averaging 12.1 PPG and 12.5 RPG (both career highs) and is shooting the second highest field goal percentage (60.6 per cent) in the league. The playoff push will certainly put its toll on the young Hornets’ team, but do not expect Chandler’s numbers to significantly decrease in the second half.

Al Jefferson

Despite the pressures of being the centrepiece heading to Minnesota in the mega-trade which brought five young Celtics to the Timberwolves for Kevin Garnett, Al Jefferson has had a spectacular first half. Even with teams focusing their defensive efforts on Jefferson because of the lack of production from other T-Wolves, Jefferson has already exceeded all expectations. He is averaging 21.2 PPG, 12.1 RPG and 1.4 BPG for a young team that is years away from competing in the West. To his credit, Big Al has not allowed the team’s struggles to interfere with his development as one of the top power forwards in the league and there is no reason to believe his production will decrease in the second half.

Andrew Bynum

Once the face of the Lakers’ rebuilding plan and the focus of Kobe’s ire with the team, Andrew Bynum has quickly become one of the most promising young big men in the league. Before his injury, Bynum was enjoying his breakout campaign this season, as he and Kobe were leading the resurgent Lakers to one of the top records in the Western Conference. Under the tutelage of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bynum was averaging 13.1 PPG, 10.2 RPG and 2.1 BPG in just his third year in the league, and was also leading the league in field goal percentage at 63.6 per cent. Of course, the trade for Pau Gasol will affect Bynum’s numbers significantly, assuming the youngster returns to the Lakers during the regular season. If you have Bynum in a keeper league, be patient and you will reap the benefits for many years to come.

Here a few other fantasy studs from the first half of the 2007-08 NBA season worth noting:

Rudy Gay — In only his second year in the league, Rudy Gay has elevated his game and is providing the scoring the Memphis Grizzlies need with the departure of Gasol. Gay is averaging 20 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.8 APG and 0.8 BPG. Look for these numbers to increase with the loss of Gasol as Gay and Mike Miller will attempt to fill the void.

Brandon Roy: Roy is another second-year player who has had a phenomenal first half. As the floor leader for the Portland Trailblazers, he has put up fantastic fantasy statistics. Roy is averaging 19.7 PPG, 5.8 APG, 4.7 RPG and 1.0 SPG. Look for his success to continue in the second half even with the added pressure of trying to compete in the West with such a young, inexperienced team.

Monta Ellis: Despite Don Nelson’s change-the-lineup every game philosophy, Monta Ellis, in only his third year in the league, has secured the starting two-guard spot next to Baron Davis for the Warriors. Ellis’ fantastic shooting (53.2 per cent) and his consistent scoring (18.7 PPG) has delighted fantasy owners this first half. With the Warriors scoring the most points in the league, look for Ellis’ numbers to continue to impress.

Hedo Turkoglu: With the addition of Rashard Lewis, and the development of Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson, the Magic looked poised to compete in the East this season. However, no one could have possibly imagined that Hedo Turkoglu would arguably be the team’s first half MVP with his consistent stellar performances. Smart owners who picked Turkoglu up off the waiver wire early in the season have reaped the rewards of thanks to his 19.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.0 SPG and 82.7 per cent shooting from the foul line (all career highs).

David West: The other All-Star from the New Orleans Hornets (see Part I for discussion of CP3’s fantastic first half) is also enjoying career highs in almost all fantasy categories. West is scoring 19.8 PPG, while averaging 9.2 RPG, 2.3 APG and 1.4 BPG while shooting 84.4 per cent from the line. Look for the good times to continue to roll in the Crescent City with the consistent play of West, Chandler and CP3.

Click here for the first part of this article.