Your Fantasy Basketball Guide: 2010-2011(Sleepers)

With the Free Agent frenzy coming to a close and all of the big names settling into their new (or old) surroundings, its time to take a look at the potential sleepers, busts and rebound players of the 2010-2011 fantasy basketball season.  This is a three part article, with the rebound players (guys who should bounce back from a poor season), coming in part one, the busts coming in part two, and the sleepers coming in part three.

The usual criteria for a “sleeper” is age, potential and a new-found opportunity to receive playtime though a trade.

5. Hakim Warrick- Per 36 minutes Hakim Warrick is a career 17 point 7 rebound player with a career .496 clip from the field.  He doesn’t help in much else, but he doesn’t hurt you either.  With Warrick replacing Amare Stoudemire in Phoenix, and at only 28 years old, look for Warrick to finally get a chance to showcase himself.  This of course is all dependent on if he gets the time.  With Frye, Turkoglu, and Robin Lopez in the mix, Warrick may have to win his minutes.

Outlook: 16PTS 6REB .485FG (A nice late round pick if you are in need of some PTS, REB, FG%)

4. Raymond Felton- Raymond Felton is an interesting player.  He has been playing in Larry Browns slow system even though he is better suited to freewheel.  In his career he has averaged 13 points and 6 assists along with 1 three and 1.4 steals.  At only 25 years old, and in Mike D’Antonis offense, he looks to really break out and be a top point guard.  Felton will be running the same position that Nash ran, with the same featured player in Amare.  If Felton can keep his discipline from Larry Brown and freewheel in D’Antonis offense, he should figure to please fantasy owners.

Outlook: 16PTS 8AST 1.7STL .440FG 1.5 3PM (Should be a top 10 fantasy PG)

3. Robin Lopez- Per 36 minutes last season, Robin averaged .588 from the field, 15.7 points and 9.1 rebounds to go along with 1.9 blocks and only 1.5 turnovers.  Last season Joakim Noah, a great fantasy surprise put up very similar numbers.  The main difference between the two is Noah rebounds more and shoots 4% better from the line while Lopez shoots a whopping 8.4% better from the field and scores a bit more.  They both average the same amount of blocks, while Robin gets almost a full turnover less per game.  Look for Robin to play a lot more than the 19 minutes he averaged this past season.  In the 8 games Lopez played at least 30 minutes in, he posted very impressive numbers.  He averaged 17.8 points 7.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.  Look for him to play around 30-32 minutes per game this season.

Outlook: 14PTS 9REB .560FG .710FT 1.7BLK 2.1TO.  (With Amare gone, look for Lopez to really step up his game.  Let the suckers in your league take Noah rounds earlier, while you snag Robin late and reap the benefits)

2. Anthony Randolph- Randolph is a very talented young player.  At only 21 years old his game will only elevate.  The sky is the limit for this kid.  Lets talk about what Randolph did last season, not what he is capable of, because that is all just speculation. Last season Randolph averaged 11.6 points and 6.5 rebounds to go along with 0.8 steals and 1.5 blocks.  All of this was in just under 23 minutes.  In the 7 games that Randolph played in at least 30 minutes in, he averaged 17.0 points 9.6 rebounds 2.0 steals and 2.6 blocks.  He had single season highs of 28 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 8 blocks.  This was all through 33 games at only 22.7 minutes per.  With an opportunity to play big minutes, look for a healthy Randolph to have a huge season.

Outlook:  17PTS 9REB 1.8STL 2.1BLK (With high block and steal numbers, Randolph is extremely valuable.  Don’t be surprised if Randolph exceeds my excpectations)

1. Andray Blatche- For the season Blatche put up only 14.1 points and 6.3 rebounds.  What makes Blatche such a sleeper?  Through the first few months of the season he was coming off the bench because Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison and Brendan Haywood were all starters and played either forward or center.  Blatche is very young (23) and has always had potential.  All he needed was a chance to showcase himself.  He got that chance After the Wizards decided it was time to rebuild, they traded away their core of older players and gave Blatche an opportunity.  The numbers that he put up, especially immediately following the trade were ridiculous.  After he became a starter he finished off the months final 7 games averaging a whopping 26.7 points 11.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists to go along with 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks.  In March he averaged 20.5 points 6.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals in just over 36 minutes per game.  He kept his numbers up all the way until the end of the season and he even added assists to his repertoire.  In April, Blatche averaged 21.5 points 8.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists to go along with 1.4 steals in 37 minutes.  He had single season highs this past year of: 36 points 18 rebounds 13 assists 5 steals and 3 blocks.  With absolutely no competition for minutes, look for Blatche to have an unbelievable year.  The only issue right now is recent surgery to a broken foot, but he should be ready by training camp.

Outlook: 21PTS 9REB 3AST 1.4STL 1.2BLK .475FG .740FT 2.7TO (Blatche will be an excellent number one center for your fantasy team.  His potential is through the roof, and with a point guard like John Wall, Blatche could exceed my expectations.  Let everyone else grab Pau Gasol, Brook Lopez and Chris Bosh while you get the same value rounds later)