Power forwards supply points, rebounds and blocked shots.

October 19, 2008

Power forwards supply points, rebounds and blocked shots. Small forwards score as well, but fantasy hoops owners look for more assists, steals and three-pointers from their 3s than their 4s.

The pool of forwards is deeper than Mark Cubans pockets. There are plenty of guys out there that can pour in 20 points per game, grab 10 rebounds per game or do both.

Just pay attention to your leagues rules before your draft. Some leagues separate small forwards from power forwards in starting lineups. Other leagues just stick all of the forwards together in one big pot and allow you to play whomever you choose.

Here are the top 50 forwards in fantasy basketball entering the 2008-09 campaign:

1. LeBron James, Cavaliers: He should be taken first overall in all fantasy drafts, or at least second behind Kobe Bryant. Ok, maybe third behind Bryant and Chris Paul. But James is numero uno at forward for sure.

2. Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets: Set new career-highs in field-goal percentage, three-point percentage and rebounding while averaging over 25 ppg last season.

3. Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks: Luckily his playoff performances do not count against him in fantasy leagues - unless you own him in fantasy playoff leagues, that is.

4. Kevin Garnett, Celtics: K.G. may have won himself a championship ring in Boston, but his fantasy value was a lot better when he had to be a one-man wrecking crew in Minnesota.

5. Josh Smith, Hawks: If his numbers keep progressing the way they have the past couple years, Smith is primed to average 20 points, 10 rebounds and a league-leading three blocks per game. And his stats could be better than that.

6. Caron Butler, Wizards: Not only does he score and rebound, Butler is one of the best forwards in fantasy hoops when it comes to assists and steals. The Los Angeles Lakers look like idiots for giving him away a couple years ago.

7. Paul Pierce, Celtics: Bostons top playoff performer during its title run just celebrated his birthday. Fantasy owners who draft him will be celebrating all season long.

8. Chris Bosh, Raptors: The Roy Halladay of Torontos basketball team remains an All-Star power forward and a constant source for double-doubles, although he generally misses 10 games with injuries.

9. Elton Brand, 76ers: Here is your top contender for the NBAs Comeback Player of the Year award.

10. Danny Granger, Pacers: Getting better and better with every game, this three-point master will set new personal-bests in all of the major fantasy categories this season.

11. Rudy Gay, Grizzlies: There was no sophomore slump for this kid last season. Gay doubled his scoring average from 10.9 ppg to 20.2.

12. Andre Iguodala, 76ers: Phillys current A.I. helps out a little bit in all of the categories fantasy hoopsters care about.

13. Rashard Lewis, Magic: Lewis fantasy value shot up after going from a cellar-dweller to a playoff team.

14. Shawn Marion, Heat: The long-armed Marion has seen his assist and rebound averages improve each of the past two seasons, but his scoring average has gone down each of the past two seasons, too.

15. Carlos Boozer, Jazz: You like 20 points and 10 rebounds per game? You like drafting a player with booze in his name? You get both with this guy.

16. Pau Gasol, Lakers: A healthy Andrew Bynum could cut into Gasols points and rebounds.

17. David West, Hornets: Not only one of the most underrated players in the NBA, but one of the most underrated players in fantasy basketball as well.

18. Michael Beasley, Heat: Should be battling it out with Derrick Rose for Rookie of the Year honors at seasons end.

19. Richard Jefferson, Bucks: Could get some more touches and score more points now that he has gotten away from that ballhog Vince Carter.

20. Gerald Wallace, Bobcats: His points are great, his rebounds are good, his assists are solid and his steals are always above-average.

21. Lamar Odom, Lakers: One of the best all-around forwards in fantasy basketball, Odoms extra assists and rebounds make up for the low point totals he posts because he does not get many shots in L.A.s Kobe-heavy offense.

22. Luol Deng, Bulls: Avoided getting dealt for the 1,000th time after another offseason of trade rumors.

23. Mike Dunleavy, Pacers: He isnt a bust after all! Dunleavy had the best year of his short career last season thanks to his 19.1 ppg and his scintillating shooting from three-point range (42.4 percent).

24. Hedo Turkoglu, Magic: Fantasy basketballs most improved player last season needs to prove it was not a fluke by repeating those numbers this season.

25. Antwan Jamison, Wizards: Has an ongoing contest to see who can get injured more often with teammate Gilbert Arenas.

26. LaMarcus Aldridge, Blazers: Having a healthy Greg Oden down on the blocks will help Aldridges scoring and rebounding, not hurt it.

27. Josh Howard, Mavericks: Adam Pacman Jones got into less trouble in the offseason than Howard did.

28. Ron Artest, Rockets: He might be as grumpy as John McCain, yet when Artest is injury-free and suspension-free he can do some fantasy damage.

29. Corey Maggette, Warriors: Golden States run-and-gun game should make Maggette a 20-point scorer on more nights than not.

30. Luis Scola, Rockets: Averaged 13.6 points and 8.4 rebounds after the All-Star break last season, helping Houston go on its sick winning streak down the stretch.

31. Stephen Jackson, Warriors: Keep this dude away from guns and strip clubs and he is very serviceable fantasy-wise.

32. Zach Randolph, Knicks: Will this perennial loafer buy into New Yorks new score-at-all-costs style of play? He could average 20 points and 10 rebounds, or he could be a gigantic fiasco.

33. Jermaine O Neal, Raptors: I dont know if it is fair to call him the most injury-prone O Neal in fantasy hoops because Shaquille O Neal is no Calvin Murphy when it comes to durability.

34. Peja Stojakovic, Hornets: This long-range bomber supplies above-average points and rebounds, and league-leading numbers in three-pointers and free-throw percentage.

35. Nick Collison, Thunder: Has finally found his niche as a rebound-crazy center-forward that can put up some 12-point, 10-rebound games.

36. Kevin Love, Grizzlies: The best passing big man I have seen in college basketball in a long while. How that translates fantasy-wise in the NBA is anyones guess.

37. Troy Murphy, Pacers: A pure shooter from outside and the charity stripe, although he is not the solid rebounder he was four or five years ago.

38. David Lee, Knicks: His team is going to take more shots this season, so Lee should score more points and grab more boards.

39. Al Thornton, Clippers: Average at best in most major fantasy categories in his rookie campaign, look for his fantasy worth to step up a level in Year Two.

40. Andrei Kirilenko, Jazz: Can you have a player on your fantasy roster who cried once when he was not getting enough playing time? Maybe only if you need blocks badly, because Kirilenko is adept at that.

41. Joe Alexander, Bucks: The West Virginia product might need a season or two before he becomes a fantasy force.

42. Marvin Williams, Hawks: Josh Childress defecting to Greece opens up some extra scoring chances for this underachieving youngster.

43. Jeff Green, Thunder: Everybody forgets that Durant was not the only lottery pick the Sonics/Thunder drafted in 2007, and Green averaged 15.9 points and 6.3 rebounds during the last month of last season.

44. Drew Gooden, Bulls: Even Joe the Plumber knows Gooden is good for a few double-doubles during the season.

45. Tayshaun Prince, Pistons: Known more for his defense than his offense.

46. Chris Wilcox, Thunder: Has not developed into the above-average power forward Seattle, I mean Oklahoma City, banked on when they signed him to a multi-million dollar deal.

47. Al Harrington, Warriors: Coming off the bench kills his fantasy value since he is no Sixth Man of the Year candidate.

48. Kyle Korver, Jazz: Good for three-pointers and free-throw percentage and not much else.

49. Thaddeus Young, 76ers: So much potential it makes your head ache just thinking about it. Its true.

50. Danilo Gallinari, Knicks: Is he the second-coming of Frederic Weis? You just have to trust Knicks general manager Donnie Walsh on this one.

Next week: The top 50 guards.