2013-2014 Fantasy Basketball Cheat Sheet

The key to winning any H2H (head-to-head) fantasy basketball league is to draft a team of players that complement each other’s strengths and weakness. A perfect example of players that complement each other is Joakim Noah and Josh Smith. They both have the same strengths (FG%, REB, AST, STL, BLK) and weaknesses (3PT, FT%). The goal is to have a team that is dominant in five or six categories and weak in three or four categories. This strategy will ensure a 5-4 or 6-3 victory each week and lead directly to having the league championship belt placed around your waist.

I used a similar strategy to become reigning two-time champion in my fantasy basketball league. The categories I decided to concentrate on this year are FG%, REB, AST, STL and BLK. The following is my list of players to target in a 12-man head to head league. If your league settings use fantasy points as opposed to categories, I highly suggest you switch to categories immediately! Players are carefully selected to ensure they complement one another and also follow my fantasy basketball draft strategy of dominating the five previously mentioned categories.

Cheat Sheet – Players to target

Round 1

• LeBron James (SF/PF) – Perfect fit for this strategy, great; FG%, REB, AST, STL and BLK
• Chris Paul (PG) – The premier PG has Great FG% (48%), AST (9.7), and STL (2.4)
• Stephen Curry (PG) – Very good FG (45%) and STL (1.6), good AST (6.9) and REB (4.0) Bonus 3PTM
• Paul George (SG/SF) – Top five in STL (1.8), Great REB (7.6) and AST (4.1) for his position

Round 2

• Dwight Howard (C) – Defensive player of the year will avg. 12 REB, 2.2 BLK and shoot over 55% in Houston
• Serge Ibaka (PF/C) – League leader in BLK, Great FG% (57%), good REB and STL
• John Wall (PG) – Looked great to end last season, expect 8.0 AST, 4.0 REB, 1.6 STL, 0.8 BLK, on 44% FG
• Ricky Rubio (PG) – Great defender (2.4) STL and passer (7.3) AST, good REB (4.0) still getting better

Round 3

• Joakim Noah (PF/C) – Another Great fit with 48% FG, 4.0 AST, 11.1 REB, 1.2 STL, and 2.1 BLK
• Josh Smith (SF/PF) – Great defender: 1.2 STL, 1.8 BLK, good playmaker 4.2 AST and 8.4 REB
• Larry Sanders (PF/C) – The breakout big man put up career numbers last year: 2.8 BLK, 9.5 REB and 50% FG

Round 4

• Monta Ellis(PG/SG) – Great STL (2.1) good REB (3.9) and AST (6.0), will shine in Dallas
• Jrue Holiday (PG) – The do it all guard, 8.0 AST, 1.6 STL, 4.2 REB
• Jeff Teague (PG) – 1.5 STL, 7.2 AST, and 45% FG = A good point guard

Round 5

• Andre Iguodala (SG/SF) – A.K.A. mini-LeBron, is perfect for this strategy, plenty of REB, AST, STL, BLK
• Jeff Green (SF/PF) – Might spend time at shooting guard, expect career numbers from Green in green
• Derrick Favors (PF/C) – With Jefferson/ Millsap gone, Favors will be the man in Utah, Great Defender

Round 6

• Kyle Lowry (PG) – The energetic guard will post 6.4 AST, 4.7 REB, and 1.4 STL
• Goran Dragic (PG) – The Suns will rev-up their tempo so expect his AST (7.4) and STL (1.6) to increase
• Jeremy Lin (PG) – Linsanity is over, but the guard should thrive with D. Howard, (6.1) AST (1.6) STL

Round 7

• Andre Drummond (PF/C) – The athletic big is poised for a breakout season, 10.0 REB, 2.0 BLK. 55% FG
• Jonas Valanciunas (C) – 2.0 BLK, 9.0 REB 50% FG are expected his sophomore year
• Kenneth Faried (PF) – High FG% (55%) 9.2 REB 1.0 STL/ BLK with Rodman type hustle from the Manimal

Round 8

• Greivis Vasquez (PG) – 9.0 AST, 4.0 REB and a STL are expected from him in Sacramento
• Paul Pierce (SF) – The truth will be nothing but, with averages of 5 REB, 5 AST and a STL, while shooting 45%
• Jimmy Butler (SG/SF) – With his expanding role in Chi-town 1.5 STl, 4.0 AST, and 4.0 REB are within reach

Round 9

• Evan Turner (SG/SF) – The point forward can do it all with 6.3 REB, 4.3 AST, and a STL per game
• Anderson Varejao (PF/C) – The big Brazilian will rack up the boards (11), STL (1.5) and AST (3.4) when healthy
• Harrison Barnes (SF) – The Playoff star will shoot over 45%, grab 6 REB, and get over a STL

Round 10

• Victor Oladipo (SG) – The rookie guard has the potential to avg. 5 REB, 5 AST, and 1.5 STL
• Michael Carter-Williams (PG) – Expected to run the show in Phily, 6.0 AST, 3.0 REB, and a STL are in reach
• Trey Burke (PG) – Even though he’ll be out a few weeks, the smart rookie will make things happen in Utah, 6.0 AST, 3.0 REB 1.0 STL, on 42%

Round 11

• Samuel Dalembert (C) – Brought in to start, Dalembert should be around 9 PTS, 9 REB, 1.7 BLK
• Kelly Olynyk (C) – The rookie will get plenty of min. in Boston, look for 8 REB, 1 block, on 45% FG
• Cody Zeller (PF/C) – Will get plenty of chance to show his skills in CHA, 7.0 REB, 1.5 BLK, 44% FG
• Robin Lopez (C) – Side show Bob will get the starting job in Portland, 7.0 REB 1.0 BLK 50% FG. Lopez adds tons of value this late on our fantasy basketball cheat sheet.

Round 12

• Reggie Jackson (PG) – With Westbrook sidelined until Dec, look for Jackson to avg. 7 AST, 1.5 STL and 3 REB
• Jarrett Jack (PG/SG) – Will get good min. as 6th man in CLE, 5.0 AST, 3.0 REB on 46% shooting
• Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (SF) – An athletic defender, 1.4 STL, 0.8 BLK and 7.0 REB would be nice

Round 13

• Jermaine O’Neil (C) – When Bogut goes down expect J.O to take over as the Warriors starting center
• Greg Oden (C) – The number one pick will be a nice surprise in Mia, 2.0 BLK, 8.0 REB
• Chauncey Billups (PG/SG) – Back on Det, look for 5.0 AST, 3.0 REB, 1.0 STL and 44% FG

Round 14

• Tim Hardaway Jr. (SG/SF) – With an NBA pedigree like this, the sky’s the limit for him in N.Y
• Anthony Bennett (SF/PF) – The first pick will have to fight for min in Cle, but looks up to the challenge
• Otto Porter (SF) – Will be turning heads by the All-star break

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