2017-18 Fantasy Basketball Player Rankings: Week 18

Published: Feb 13, 2018

Point Guards

RANK	NAME	Team	# of Games	Analysis
1	Stephen Curry	GSW	2	Curry gets the top spot this week and he'll get enough three-pointers and assists to start your week 18/19 match up. Hopefull both weeks are combined on your fantasy website.
2	Chris Paul	HOU	2	Paul continues to help consistently with scoring and assists and the Rockets offense looks like it's hard to stop and they'll be a contender down the stretch.
3	Russell Westbrook	OKC	2	Dealing with an Ankle injury and he's missed his last two games. He could still be active for both of his games this week.
4	Kyle Lowry	TOR	2	It looked like Lowry was in pain at points in yesterday's Raptors game holding his stomach. Watch for news regarding his Ribs, but he should be fine for the full slate.
5	Damian Lillard	POR	1	Lillard moves down with only the one game this week, but don't put it past him to score 50 in a game.
6	Dennis Schroder	ATL	2	Schroder is the top priority scorer and playmaker on one of the weakest teams in the league, but he'll always get his big chunk of shots and his assists will continue to help owners.
7	Eric Bledsoe	MIL	2	Bledsoe remains a priority player in the Bucks offense and even with Jabari Parker back in the mix, it should help his assist numbers and he shouldn't lose too many shots in the process.
8	Spencer Dinwiddie	BKN	2	Dinwiddie continues to see a lot of minutes and due to a number of injuries the Nets are facing, he should continue being a top scoring option. D'Angelo Russell hasn't caught up to him yet.
9	Goran Dragic	MIA	2	The All-Star Dragic is being asked to do a lot more because Whiteside for some reason can't play a full workload and he'll get more chances to score as the Heat's second scoring weapon.
10	Elfrid Payton	PHX	2	Payton looked like he fit perfectly in the Suns offense in his debut and with Devin Booker hurt, Payton will see more shots and time with the ball.
11	Jeff Teague	MIN	2	Teague is healthy and he'll continue using his drive effectively and his tear drop is hard to defend because of how high it arcs. Owners can trust his assist numbers.
12	Kyrie Irving	BOS	1	Irving moves down with just the one game, and he looks 100 percent healthy and expect him to post a high scoring game and contribute just enough assists to not be scoring dependant.
13	Kemba Walker	CHA	1	Walker also drew the short slate, but after remaining a member of the Hornets, expect him to continue to be the priority scoring weapon and he'll help with dimes and steals.
14	Jamal Murray	DEN	2	Murray will secure even more playing time with Emmanuel Mudiay off the team and he'll continue to be a priority scorer and he can rotate to both guard spots if needed.
15	Rajon Rondo	NO	2	Scoring is always a bonus, but Rondo is reliable for boards, assists and steals and with Mirotic aboard, he has more weapons to work with both inside and outside.
16	Isaiah Thomas	LAL	2	Will Thomas be on a minutes restriction? Will the Lakers rest him? He looked good coming off the bench in his debut and owners can expect him to at least come through with scoring for now.
17	Austin Rivers	LAC	2	Rivers is back and looks healthy and ready to go and with Milos Teodosic hurting, expect the leash to be a bit longer and he'll help with scoring and dimes.
18	Ricky Rubio	UT	2	He was held out of Sunday's game because of a Hip injury and he may need to miss Monday's game if he can't practice.
19	D.J. Augustin	ORL	2	Augustin fully benefits from Payton being traded, and because Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic are still out, expect him to get a lot of shots for at least the next few games. He's good for dimes.
20	Kris Dunn	CHI	2	Dunn is out of the league's Concussion protocol, and he should be active for the Bulls two games this week. Don't be surprised if the Bulls ease Dunn back in and give him a minutes restriction.

Shooting Guards

RANK	NAME	Team	# of Games	Analysis
1	James Harden	HOU	2	Harden keeps the top spot with the full slate and helps consistently in just about every category and will need to do more scoring from the arc with Trevor Ariza out.
2	DeMar DeRozan	TOR	2	DeRozan takes the second spot and he's really started to distance himself from Lowry as the team's top scoring option. He's best from mid-range and has a good high post game.
3	Lou Williams	LAC	2	Williams is staying in Los Angeles for the next few years and he'll get a lot of playing time at both guard spots and owners can expect tons of scoring and he'll help a bit with dimes and boards.
4	Khris Middleton	MIL	2	Middleton will continue not only helping with scoring from the top of the key, but he's become really good at hitting the cutter and he's compiling a good amount of assists.
5	Jrue Holiday	NO	2	Holiday will continue to be the Pelicans second scoring option behind Anthony Davis. He'll get a lot of time with the ball to create and he'll need to utilize his drive to draw contact.
6	Klay Thompson	GSW	2	Thompson will help out on the defensive side by getting steals and he'll even grab long rebounds. He's mainly a scorer and will continue to hit a lot of three's.
7	Donovan Mitchell	UT	2	Mitchell has really stood out and will be in the running for Rookie of the Year and his shooting keeps getting better. Hid driving ability is excellent and it's hard to stop him in the lane.
8	Victor Oladipo	IND	1	Oladipo moves down because he has the short slate, but owners can still expect him to have a high-scoring game, especially with Darren Collison still sidelined.
9	Gary Harris	DEN	2	Harris continues to be an excellent second scoring option to Nikola Jokic and he's been deadley from beyond the arc and owners can expect some rebounding help.
10	Zach LaVine	CHI	2	LaVine is integrating himself more and more and his production will continue to increase. Always know that the Bulls can rest him at any point to keep him fresh.
11	Tim Hardaway Jr.	NY	2	Hardaway Jr. will now have to be the Knicks top shooting option with Kristaps Porzinigs out for the season and he'll get set up a lot more and will draw more top coverage.
12	JJ Redick	PHI	2	Redick is healthy and he's back to not only helping out by hitting long-range jumpers, but also dishing assists to the cutter and his assist numbers have improved this season.
13	Kent Bazemore	ATL	2	Bazemore will continue being the Hawks second scoring option and he's been consistent from long-range and will look to shoot from the elbow as well.
14	Andrew Wiggins	MIN	2	Wiggins will continue picking up shots while seeing less defensive pressure than Jimmy Butler and Karl-Athony Towns. Expect Wiggins to be open a lot from the arc and elbow.
15	Bradley Beal	WSH	1	Beal is the Wizards top scoring option with John Wall out and even with the short slate, expect Beal to have a high-scoring game and he'll help with boards and steals.
16	Eric Gordon	HOU	2	Even though Houston's guards are healthy, Gordon will be able to squeeze a bit more playing time in the rotation with Trevor Ariza still out because Gerald Green will have to shift to SF.
17	Kentavious Caldwell-Pope	LAL	2	KCP will see a lot of open jumpers because Isaiah Thomas will look to drive and he'll be there on the arc as the bailout option and we can expect KCP to grab long boards as well.
18	Tyreke Evans	MEM	1	Evans is still a member of the Grizzlies and with Mike Conley out for the rest of the season, he'll be the second scoring option behind Marc Gasol and owners can expect help in boards, dimes and steals.
19	CJ McCollum	POR	1	McCollum moves down because of the one game this week, but he's still the Blazers second scoring option and he'll also push the ball inside and that'll help his assist numbers.
20	Devin Booker	PHX	2	Unsure about Booker's status for the week. He's missed his last three games with a Hip injury and he hasn't been able to practice in full. He could potentially sit until after the All-Star Break.

Small Forwards

RANK	NAME	Team	# of Games	Analysis
1	Kevin Durant	GSW	2	Durant takes the top spot with the full slate and he helps with every category and gets a lot of mid-range blocks. He uses his length nicely on both sides of the ball.
2	LeBron James	CLE	1	Even with the solo game, James is still one of the top fantasy producers in the league and the Cavs are completely rebuilt and will rely on James for familiarity.
3	Jimmy Butler	MIN	2	Butler continues to be a match up nightmare on defense and owners can continue to expect boards and steals. The scoring has been a lot better because he's been commanding the ball more.
4	Paul George	OKC	2	With Westbrook and Anthony hurting, it's possible that George will be the only active player this week between the Thunder's "Big 3". Expect a ton more usage even if the others play.
5	Will Barton	DEN	2	Barton has been able to grab a ton of minutes because he can play multiple positions. He's an excellent ball-handler and he'll drive without passing. He's always good for points, boards and dimes.
6	Robert Covington	PHI	2	Covington continues to be a strong outside threat on both sides of the ball. He stands at the elbow on defense to grab long rebounds and he'll cut to the basket and score from the low block.
7	TJ Warren	PHX	2	Warren will be needed as the Suns top scoring option if Booker can't play. Continue to expect high usage and he'll have games in which he rebounds, but view him as mainly a scoring and steals weapon.
8	Brandon Ingram	LAL	2	Ingram will continue to have a lot of time with the ball as the Lakers want him bringing up the ball. He'll grab boards and dish dimes from the key. His scoring continues to improve from the elbow.
9	Evan Fournier	ORL	2	Fournier will continue being the top scoring option until Aaron Gordon comes back. The problem with Fournier is that he doesn't drive enough and relies to heavily on long-range shooting.
10	DeMarre Carroll	BKN	2	With Rondae Hollis-Jefferson still out, Carroll's usage will continue to remain high and owners can expect consistent scoring and rebounding moving forward.
11	Danilo Gallinari	LAC	2	Gallinari is healthy and he's been running better on the court and he'll be a top shooting option and as always we can expect a lot of three's. He will drive to the top of the paint.
12	Justin Holiday	CHI	2	With Mirotic off the team, Holiday's playing time is safe and he'll continue to be the Bulls bailout shooting option and he needs to keep attacking the paint to grab boards and keep plays alive.
13	Joe Ingles	UT	2	Ingles continues to be a strong bailout option and with no Rodney Hood or Joe Johnson, his usage should go up and he'll pick up more shots and playing time.
14	Josh Richardson	MIA	2	Richardson's minutes are safe and secure even with Dwayne Wade on the team. He can play multiple positions and can bring the ball up if needed. He'll still hit double figures in scoring.
15	Denzel Valentine	CHI	2	Valentine should see at least 20 minutes per game for the rest of the way and he's a solid long-range shooter and he'll grab steals and even long rebounds on the defensive end.
16	Courtney Lee	NY	2	Lee's usage will go up with Porzingis out and he'll be used as the Knicks main bailout option. He's a good defender and rotates through screens nicely. Expect scoring and steals with a hint of boards.
17	Taurean Prince	ATL	2	Prince continues to attack the basket and draw contact and he'll even position himself in the paint to keep plays alive and he'll help with steals on the perimeter.
18	Kyle Anderson	SAS	2	Anderson will be asked to shoot more with LaMarcus Aldridge hurt. Expect him to grab more boards this week and he'll certainly be taking more long-range shots.
19	Allen Crabbe	BKN	2	Crabbe has taken full advantage of Caris LeVert being out and he can also play multiple positions and he can bring up the ball. Crabbe is mainly a scorer, but will help a bit with boards and dimes.
20	Otto Porter Jr.	WSH	1	With Wall out, Porter continues to be the second scoring option and he'll help with steals consistently. He needs to attack the rim more. He sits at the arc way too much.

Power Forwards

RANK	NAME	Team	# of Games	Analysis
1	Giannis Antetokounmpo	MIL	2	The Greek Freak is healthy and owners should expect full minutes and usage and even with Jabari Parker back in the mix, it won't threaten Giannis production.
2	Blake Griffin	DET	2	Griffin fits very well with the Pistons because he compliments Andre Drummond very well. Expect Griffin to contribute a ton of points and help with boards and blocks.
3	Ben Simmons	PHI	2	Simmons continues seeing time at just about every position and he's always good for scoring off of driving, boards, assists and steals. He has tremendous speed from coast to coast.
4	Nikola Mirotic	NO	2	Mirotic looks like he's adjusting well to the Pelicans offense and with no DeMarcus Cousins, expect him to continue picking up shots and grabbing boards.
5	Lauri Markkanen	CHI	2	A cancelled flight won't keep Markkanen from playing full minutes and getting full usage. With no more Mirotic, expect him to take even more long-range shots and help with boards and blocks.
6	Tobias Harris	LAC	2	Harris takes on the Griffin role and he'll have to score more from attacking the rim rather than stepping back and hitting three's because the Clippers have a ton of long-range shooters.
7	Dario Saric	PHI	2	Saric has shown his versatility on the court and he even has decent ball-handling ability and can hit long-range jumpers. Lets not forget about his strong post game and ability to play multiple positions.
8	Draymond Green	GSW	2	Green is dealing with a sprained Finger and will likely have to sit for Monday's game. Unsure if he'll be able to play either game this week.
9	Kyle Kuzma	LAL	2	With Larry Nance Jr. gone, Kuzma should pick up more shots and it's obvious that he's a lot more comfortable shooting from long-range rather than taking the ball inside.
10	Julius Randle	LAL	2	A big reason why Nance was traded is because of the emergence of Randle, especially from a production standpoint. Expect a lot of low post scoring and rebounding.
11	Zach Randolph	SAC	2	Randolph could be benched at any moment because the Kings like resting their veterans, but when on the court, expect double-digit scoring and six to eight boards per game.
12	Taj Gibson	MIN	2	Gibson continues to be an awesome compliment to Karl-Anthony Towns and he's very gritty. He's physical and controls the paint nicely and when he has the ball, he draws a lot of contact in the post.
13	Derrick Favors	UT	2	Favors continues to produce from the elbow and the top of the paint. Teams forget about his mid-range shooting ability and he follows up his shots by attacking the glass.
14	Serge Ibaka	TOR	2	Ibaka has been trying to score from the paint rather than the arc FINALLY. He's seeing a lot more success on the offensive end and owners can expect boards consistently.
15	Bobby Portis	CHI	2	"Free Bobby Portis!" The movement worked and with Mirotic traded, Portis will see playing time at multiple positions and he's a good attacker and his minutes should be secure moving forward.
16	John Collins	ATL	2	Collins will be given a longer leash moving forward. He'll get more plays called for him and he'll grab more minutes. The Hawks want to see what they have in Collins. Expect an increase in points and boards.
17	James Johnson	MIA	2	Johnson benefits from Whiteside not being able to handle full minutes and he gets time to bring up the ball. He plays strong interior defense and owners can expect points and boards.
18	Trey Lyles	DEN	2	Lyles has been an excellent fill-in for Paul Millsap and with Millsap out for another month, expect more usage. Mason Plumlee being out also helps Lyles cause and he'll continue to produce points and boards.
19	Carmelo Anthony	OKC	2	He's missed his last two games because of an Ankle injury and his status for the week is up in the air.
20	LaMarcus Aldridge	SAS	2	He's going to miss Monday's game with soreness in his Knee and we're unsure at this point if he'll play his final game of the week.

Centers

RANK	NAME	Team	# Games	Analysis
1	Anthony Davis	NO	2	Davis takes the top spot with the full slate and he's been able to remain healthy since Cousins got hurt and he's far and away the Pelicans top scoring weapon.
2	Andre Drummond	DET	2	Even with Griffin sharing the frontcourt with him, Drummond's usage will stay high and he'll score from right under the basket and grab a ton of boards. Don't expect a decline.
3	Karl-Anthony Towns	MIN	2	Towns continues to be the Timberwolves top scoring weapon and he produces points from all over the court including the top of the key. His scoring has been up and down, but helps in most other areas.
4	Joel Embiid	PHI	2	Embiid is playing in back to backs and even though he's playing through Ankle pain, his numbers remain high and he's another big man who can shoot from long-range.
5	Nikola Jokic	DEN	2	Jokic continues to be the top option on the Nuggets and he shoots from all over the floor and owners can expect boards and blocks on the defensive end.
6	DeAndre Jordan	LAC	2	Jordan's usage will stay the same with Griffin off the team as he's still offensively inept, except, when he goes up for Dunks. He's a fierce rebounder on the other end.
7	Clint Capela	HOU	2	Capela continues to be the Rockets main inside weapon and and he'll get his chunk of plays in the paint and produce points and boards from the low block.
8	Hassan Whiteside	MIA	2	Even though Whiteside's minutes will likely stay in the 20's for the majority of his games down the stretch, he's still one of the most aggressive players in the league and he'll grab a ton of boards.
9	Rudy Gobert	UT	2	Gobert looks healthy and just like in previous seasons, he'll continue to be a low-block specific scorer and he'll use his strong leaping ability to grab boards and block shots.
10	Enes Kanter	NY	2	Kanter will share top scoring responsibilities with Tim Hardaway Jr for the rest of the season and owners can expect his usage to go up and he does have a long-range game that he barely uses.
11	Steven Adams	OKC	2	Adams will be needed to score more if Westbrook and Anthony miss more time. Expect more plays and screens to be set in the high post so Adams can roll to the basket.
12	Pau Gasol	SAS	2	More will be asked of Gasol because Aldridge is already missing one game this week and Gasol has been very successful creating from the post and he'll use his long arms to grab boards consistently.
13	Marc Gasol	MEM	1	Gasol would be higher in these rankings, but he has just the one game this week. Gasol will be the Grizzlies top scoring option for the rest of the way as they look like they're heading for the lottery.
14	Jonas Valanciunas	TOR	2	Valanciunas has been making more of an impact and owners can expect consistent double-digit scoring. He'll grab boards from right under the rim. Playing time is always the question surrounding Jonas.
15	Willie Cauley-Stein	SAC	2	Cauley-Stein continues to show off his improved offensive game as he's having an easier time getting to the rim. He'll grab six to eight boards per game and expect him to play more down the stretch.
16	Dwight Howard	CHA	1	Howard has just the one game, but it'll still most likely be a double-double because Howard can still use his massive strength inside to control the paint and block shots.
17	Al Horford	BOS	1	Horford is an excellent long-range shooter and he's been doing a better job of attacking the rim this season. Expect him to grab boards consistently and he'll continue being the Celtics 2nd scoring weapon.
18	Dewayne Dedmon	ATL	2	Dedmon doesn't need a lot of minutes to produce and he'll score off of putbacks and three-pointers. Teams leave him open on the perimeter and he takes advantage. Dedmon will produce boards as well.
19	Brook Lopez	LAL	2	Larry Nance Jr. being off the team gives Lopez breathing room and he's had stronger rebounding games lately and he's been scoring in double-digits consistently while playing steadily in the 20's.
20	Robin Lopez	CHI	2	Lopez is still getting a secure amount of minutes and owners can expect him to score from right inside by using his one-handed post moves. Lopez will help with boards and play in the mid-20's consistently.

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