Point Guard
| RANK | NAME | Team | Analysis |
| 1 | Chris Paul | HOU | Remember, it's all about survival and Chris Paul's chances of survival in the playoffs are a lot higher than others. Expect a ton of scoring, dimes and steals. |
| 2 | Kyle Lowry | TOR | Lowry starts off with an ideal match up against John Wall and the Raptors are at the top of the East for a reason. Lowry is their top assist man and second scorer. |
| 3 | Russell Westbrook | OKC | We all know how dominant of a producer Westbrook is with points, boards, dimes and steals, but he moves down after drawing a tough match up vs the Jazz. |
| 4 | Damian Lillard | POR | Lillard is the Blazers top scoring option and assist-man, but containing Anthony Davis won't be easy and he could be looking at an early exit in the playoffs. |
| 5 | John Wall | WSH | Wall is fully healthy and will provide a ton of scoring as the Wizards top option, assists and steals. As the 8th seed, it will be hard for him to advance. |
| 6 | Eric Bledsoe | MIL | Bledsoe is still being featured as a priority scorer and even with Malcolm Brogdon healthy, his defense will keep him in games longer and the Bucks could win a round. |
| 7 | Ricky Rubio | UT | This is a longevity pick because the Jazz can take out the Thunder and Rubio should have an easier time scoring with Donovan Mitchell drawing top defenders. |
| 8 | Quinn Cook | GSW | Cook has been an excellent fill-in option, but it's hard to tell what to expect from him later in the playoffs when Curry returns. He's been a multi-category producer. |
| 9 | Terry Rozier | BOS | Rozier doesn't have much competition at the position and it's possible the Celtics bow out in the first round. He'll score, grab boards and help with assists. |
| 10 | Jordan Clarkson | CLE | The hardest part about Clarkson is predicting his usage because he's in a minutes competition with the less-dynamic George Hill and LeBron runs the point on his own. |
| 11 | Darren Collison | IND | Collison will be heavily involved in the scoring as the Pacers have had more success on the perimeter. He'll help with assists and steals as well and push the ball inside. |
| 12 | Goran Dragic | MIA | Dragic will be the priority player as Hassan Whiteside has proven he can't play full minutes. Dragic will be the top scoring option and he'll help a ton with dimes. |
| 13 | Jeff Teague | MIN | Teague is a big reason why the Timberwolves survived Denver and he still gets a good amount of shots and you can count on him for consistent assists. |
| 14 | Rajon Rondo | NO | Rondo will absolutely help with boards, assists and steals, but scoring against the Blazers perimeter will be even tougher for him. |
| 15 | T.J. McConnell | PHI | McConnell gets consistent enough minutes and gets enough shots to have double-digit scoring potential in each game, but Ben Simmons switches to the point often. |
| 16 | Dejounte Murray | SAS | Murray should run the point for the majority of minutes and help with scoring and dimes, but remember, the Spurs will give Tony Parker more time b/c of experience. |
| 17 | Delon Wright | TOR | Wright has been an excellent back up guard and especially in an up-tempo series versus the Wizards, the Raptors will need his speed and driving ability to keep up. |
| 18 | Malcolm Brogdon | MIL | Brogdon is healthy and he will eat into Eric Bledsoe's minutes, but he will also spend time on the floor with Bledsoe and should dominate the Celtics second unit. |
| 19 | George Hill | CLE | Hill should play 20 minutes per game, but he'll mainly help with scoring. He'll come through with assists in one of the games, but expect mainly spot-up shooting. |
| 20 | Stephen Curry | GSW | We're awaiting an update on Curry's health, but the reports say that he'll miss at least the first round. As soon as he gets the green light, expect full minutes. |
Shooting Guard
| RANK | NAME | Team | Analysis |
| 1 | James Harden | HOU | Harden keeps the top spot as the Rockets sit at the top of the Western Conference. Harden will see a lot of Jimmy Butler, but he'll still be a multi-category producer. |
| 2 | DeMar DeRozan | TOR | DeRozan has been the established top scoring option for the Raptors all season and he'll help out by grabbing boards, steals and even blocks. |
| 3 | Klay Thompson | GSW | With Curry out, Thompson will continue to pick up more shots and play a lot of minutes because of his strong defense. He'll be the second scoring option. |
| 4 | Jrue Holiday | NO | Holiday has improved his production since DeMarcus Cousins got hurt and as the Pelicans second scoring option, expect him to thrive. He'll help with dimes too. |
| 5 | Donovan Mitchell | UT | Mitchell has become the Jazz No. 1 scoring option and he'll be featured the most in the Jazz offense. He'll draw Paul George for a good amount of games. |
| 6 | C.J. McCollum | POR | McCollum will continue to be the Blazers second scoring option. He rotates on the perimeter really well and his defense will give him even more playing time. |
| 7 | Victor Oladipo | IND | Oladipo had a fantastic season, but the Pacers don't have a great match up in the first round. He'll help a ton with scoring and steals, but could be out early. |
| 8 | J.J. Redick | PHI | Redick is absolutely prioritized in the Sixers offense and even if Joel Embiid returns, it won't impact Redick's shots and he'll dish assists in the lane too. |
| 9 | Bradley Beal | WSH | Beal is the Wizards second scoring option and he'll score a good amount of points from cutting to the basket. He could be looking at an early exit.m |
| 10 | Khris Middleton | MIL | Middleton will serve as the primary bailout option for the Bucks and he'll still score in double figures and dish about five to seven assists per game in this series. |
| 11 | Jaylen Brown | BOS | Brown will need to serve as the Celtics second scoring option with no Kyrie Irving. His long-range game has improved throughout the season and he'll grab steals. |
| 12 | Rodney Hood | CLE | Hood will mainly score from the perimeter but when defenders back up, he'll take a few steps inside the arc. He's a strong perimeter defender and he'll get steals. |
| 13 | Andrew Wiggins | MIN | Wiggins scoring takes a hit with Butler at full strength and he'll be sitting at the arc waiting to be fed, unless he drives the lane early. |
| 14 | Eric Gordon | HOU | Gordon has been fighting an Ankle injury over the last couple of weeks, but he should be ready to go for game 1 and will rotate to both guard spots. |
| 15 | Tyler Johnson | MIA | Johnson is a dangerous driver and he prefers driving to jump-shooting and he'll have to force himself inside to draw contact. He'll grab a few boards and will dish too. |
| 16 | Dwyane Wade | MIA | The Heat have kept Wade in check when it comes to minutes and usage, but team's rely on experienced players for the playoffs. Expect more minutes and shots. |
| 17 | C.J. Miles | TOR | Miles is very scoring dependant and he'll rotate between the SG and SF spot. He's a bailout scoring option from downtown. Expect him to get open jumpers. |
| 18 | E'Twaun Moore | NO | Moore can rotate to multiple positions on the court and he quietly gets a lot of minutes. He'll help with outside shooting, steals and he'll grab a couple of boards. |
| 19 | Danny Green | SAS | Green will earn his minutes more for his defense than his offense. He hasn't been getting a lot of shots. Expect more help with boards, steals and even blocks. |
| 20 | Corey Brewer | OKC | Brewer is dealing with a minor Ankle injury and his status for game one is currently up in the air. Early reports say he should be good to go. He'll help with three's and steals. |
Small Forward
| RANK | NAME | Team | Analysis |
| 1 | LeBron James | CLE | If you think the Cavs as the fourth seed are any less threatening, than you haven't been paying attention. The Cavs drew a good match up to start vs the Pacers they could go far. |
| 2 | Kevin Durant | GSW | Durant will be the top scoring option until Stephen Curry (in which he shares that title) returns to action. Expect a lot of boards and steals. |
| 3 | Paul George | OKC | George will help with boards, steals and serve as the Thunder's second scoring option. George will log a ton of minutes because his shutdown defense will be needed. |
| 4 | Jimmy Butler | MIN | Butler is healthy and his speed on the court has definitely picked up. Be careful with him because he could be looking at an early exit from the playoffs. |
| 5 | Robert Covington | PHI | Covington will be needed to crash the boards more until Embiid returns. Even if Embiid plays, expect more boards. He can score in the post and at the arc. |
| 6 | Otto Porter Jr. | WSH | Porter will see more playing time in order to slow down the Celtics pace, but his scoring could be limited if he hangs at the arc the whole time. Expect boards and steals. |
| 7 | Jayson Tatum | BOS | Tatum will be a priority scorer with no Irving and he's been excellent at following up his shots and taking advantage of sleepy defenders. Expect three's too! |
| 8 | Trevor Ariza | HOU | Ariza moves up because of the longevity factor and his defense will absolutely be needed on the perimeter to push around Jimmy Butler. Expect spot-up shooting and steals. |
| 9 | Joe Ingles | UT | Ingles is the Jazz main bailout option, but takes advantage when the defense back up in the paint and he'll take higher-percentage shots. He'll also grab steals. |
| 10 | Josh Richardson | MIA | Richardson can rotate to multiple positions and he'll serve as the Heat's third scoring option heading into the playoffs and he'll provide some help with boards, dimes and steals. |
| 11 | Jae Crowder | UT | Crowder's perimeter defense will give him more playing time in the playoffs and his scoring has been more consistent down the stretch and he'll help with boards and steals. |
| 12 | Ersan Ilyasova | PHI | Ilyasova has become a good mid-range threat for the Sixers and his mid-range defense has made him a committed rotation member and he'll help with boards and steals. |
| 13 | P.J. Tucker | HOU | With the injuries Houston is facing, if your Playoff contest rosters are deep give Tucker a look. He'll rotate to multiple positions, hit long-range shots and do dirty work in the paint. |
| 14 | Kyle Anderson | SAS | We STILL don't know the status of Kawhi Leonard and that will have a direct impact on Anderson's minutes and usage. Assuming he doesn't play, Anderson is good for points & boards. |
| 15 | Lance Stephenson | IND | Stephenson is a change of pace option for the Pacers and we've seen him attempt to get in LeBron's ear (literally) and he'll help with scoring, boards and even assists and steals. |
| 16 | Kelly Oubre Jr. | WSH | Even with the Wizards full healthy, Oubre has still been able to score in double figures. He's improved his three-point shooting and defense and will be the top option in the second unit. |
| 17 | Rudy Gay | SAS | Unlike Anderson, Gay can rotate to the PF spot and his minutes shouldn't be impacted as much if Leonard plays. Gay will help with boards and steals along with mid-range scoring. |
| 18 | Bojan Bogdanovic | IND | Bogdanovic serves as the Pacers primary bailout shooting option, but if his shot is off, he disappears and doesn't produce. He'll also provide some help with boards and steals. |
| 19 | Justise Winslow | MIA | Winslow has picked up a ton of playing time and the Sixers will leave him open a good amount. He'll help out a good amount with long rebounds and steals. Expect 30 minutes per game. |
| 20 | Kawhi Leonard | SAS | Who knows?! It's been the tease that continues to haunt fantasy basketball players. Don't put it past the Spurs to all of a sudden play him 30-plus minutes. |
Power Forward
| RANK | NAME | Team | Analysis |
| 1 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | MIL | Teams haven't been able to stop Giannis all season and the Celtics will have a very tough time containing him. Expect him to be constantly doubled at the elbow. |
| 2 | Ben Simmons | PHI | Even if Embiid plays in game one, Simmons will put up a ton of points by driving. He'll grab a lot of boards, run the point effectively and he'll grab steals. |
| 3 | Draymond Green | GSW | Green will continue to be the Warriors main inside player and he'll grab a lot of boards and help with steals and blocks. Scoring doesn't come as easy for him, but he'll get chances. |
| 4 | Dario Saric | PHI | Saric will rotate to multiple positions and be a defensive nightmare. He'll lineup at the perimeter one play and then set up in the post the next. Expect points and boards. |
| 5 | LaMarcus Aldridge | SAS | Aldridge is the Spurs top option and he'll help a ton with scoring and rebounding, but the Spurs could be looking at an early exit from the playoffs. |
| 6 | Serge Ibaka | TOR | Ibaka moves up because of longevity and if there's any Raptors big man that has a shot at getting 30-plus minutes consistently it's him. He's been more helpful with boards and blocks. |
| 7 | Nikola Mirotic | NO | Mirotic continues to be the third scoring option and he'll see a good amount of open jumpers from the perimeter. Expect him to grab six to eight boards per game. |
| 8 | Derrick Favors | UT | Favors will get a good amount of open mid-range jumpers because he'll draw a lot of Carmelo Anthony. He'll crash the boards and help with steals in the lane. |
| 9 | Carmelo Anthony | OKC | Anthony will take a lot of shots from the arc and elbow. He'll provide some rebounding help, but the Jazz do a good job of cleaning up the glass. |
| 10 | Al-Farouq Aminu | POR | Aminu's slashing will be needed to take Anthony Davis out of the game. He's good at drawing contact. Expect consistent double-digit scoring and he'll grab consistent boards as well. |
| 11 | Jabari Parker | MIL | Parker's minutes will go up and he should see a lot of the Celtics second unit. With the Celtics lacking depth due to injuries, Parker will score a ton of points and help with boards and steals. |
| 12 | Marcus Morris | BOS | Morris has been banged up all season, but he's been able to be an effective scorer from the post. He'll help with steals and boards as well. He'll be needed to log heavy minutes. |
| 13 | Larry Nance Jr. | CLE | Nance is a big box of chocolates and it's hard to tell whether or not he'll even play 20 minutes. He'll provide more consistency with steals and blocks than scoring. He'll help w/ boards. |
| 14 | Thad Young | IND | Young and Sabonis move down because of the bad match up. Young will slash and draw contact and he'll grab boards and steals consistently on the other end. |
| 15 | Domantas Sabonis | IND | Sabonis has the rebounding edge over Young. Young has the scoring edge. Don't put it past the Pacers to have Sabonis use his shooting range more to draw out bigger Cavs defenders. |
| 16 | Ryan Anderson | HOU | Anderson has been plagued with injuries all season. He has an injured Ankle, but reports say he should be fine for game one. He'll provide mainly outside scoring and some rebounding help. |
| 17 | Taj Gibson | MIN | Gibson doesn't need a ton of minutes to produce points and boards. He'll even help a bit with steals and blocks. Expect him to play at least 25 minutes b/c of the experience factor. |
| 18 | Markieff Morris | WSH | Morris mid-range game will be utilized to draw out bigger defenders. He'll grab boards in the lane and even steals on the ball. He's an aggressive defender and will need to watch the fouls. |
| 19 | James Johnson | MIA | Scoring has been harder to come by for Johnson over the last few weeks, but he'll have time to run the point, grab long boards and does have range. Expect him to grab steals too. |
| 20 | Jeff Green | CLE | If the Cavs need to speed things up, expect Green to fly down the court with the ball. He can keep up with LeBron on the court and he'll help with scoring, rebounding and steals. |
Center
| RANK | NAME | Team | Analysis |
| 1 | Anthony Davis | NO | As dominant as Davis is and as dominant as he should be in this match up, the Blazers defense will keep them in this series and Davis could be out after the first round. |
| 2 | Joel Embiid | PHI | Reports say that Embiid could be ready to go for game 1,but even if he misses the game, he should still play most of the series and be a multi-category producer. |
| 3 | Kevin Love | CLE | Love is healthy and should be able to take advantage of Myles Turner on the perimeter. He'll grab a lot of boards and blocks on the defensive end. |
| 4 | Karl-Anthony Towns | MIN | We all know how great Towns is, but with the Timberwolves facing the Western Conference leaders, Towns may only be great for one round. It's a risky pick. |
| 5 | Clint Capela | HOU | Capela will produce versus Towns. He'll provide a ton of inside scoring and rebounding and with other big men hurt on the Rockets, expect his usage to be even higher. |
| 6 | Rudy Gobert | UT | Gobert will provide inside scoring and rebounding. Steven Adams won't be the easiest match up, but he should still be able to block other players shots in the lane. |
| 7 | Jonas Valanciunas | TOR | Valanciunas doesn't need a ton of minutes to produce and he's improved his shooting throughout the season and can hit deep mid-range jumpers and he'll grab consistent boards. |
| 8 | Al Horford | BOS | Horford will be the Celtics main scoring option and he'll score from the arc and set up in the post. He'll fight for boards and block shots in the lane. A lot will be asked of him versus Giannis. |
| 9 | Hassan Whiteside | MIA | Will we see Whiteside play full minutes? Will Joel Embiid's health impact Whiteside's minutes? Whiteside doesn't even need full minutes to provide a lot of points and boards. |
| 10 | Jusuf Nurkic | POR | Nurkic will continue to be the Blazers third scoring option and even though he'll draw a lot of Anthony Davis, he has good footwork in the post and will find his way inside to score and grab boards. |
| 11 | Steven Adams | OKC | Adams will be the the Thunder's main inside player and he'll score all of points from the low block and he'll help with rebounding and grabbing steals inside. |
| 12 | Myles Turner | IND | Turner has been a bit of a let-down in the second half of the season. He should still play sufficient minutes, but it's easier to rely on him for blocks over points lately. He'll grab some boards. |
| 13 | John Henson | MIL | It's not a lock that Henson will score in double figures. He'll mainly score off of layups and second chance scoring opportunities. Expect him to grab seven-eight boards per game and help w/ blocks. |
| 14 | Pau Gasol | SAS | Gasol's production, especially on the scoring front has dropped lately. The good news is he is matched up against the Warriors and with Green on Aldridge, expect more scoring and rebounding. |
| 15 | Marcin Gortat | WSH | It's hard to tell which Gortat will show up. Expect him to play at least 25 minutes per game, but scoring won't come easy. He'll provide some rebounding and help with blocks. Very inconsistent. |
| 16 | Jakob Poeltl | TOR | Poeltl has been scoring in double figures frequently lately and he should be able to play a 20-plus minutes per game and also help with grabbing boards. He's improved his aggresiveness inside. |
| 17 | Kelly Olynyk | MIA | Olynyk has done a good job producing with Whiteside on limited minutes. It's hard to tell whether Whiteside will see a huge uptick in minutes. Expect Olynyk to help with points and boards. |
| 18 | Ed Davis | POR | Davis is sneaky, especially if you think Portland can win a round. He does all of the dirty work from the low block and he'll quietly score and grab boards consistently right under the basket. |
| 19 | Richaun Holmes | PHI | Holmes is the Embiid handcuff and we're awaiting confirmation on whether or not Embiid will play in game one. Even if Embiid plays fewer minutes to start, Holmes will benefit and will score and grab boards. |
| 20 | Zaza Pachulia | GSW | The Warriors don't give sufficent minutes to any of the Center's as Draymond Green controls the paint himself. Expect Pachulia to play 15-17 minutes per game and provide some scoring and rebounding. |