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Be on the look for some good players who might have dropped out of the earlier rounds due to injury concerns or a bad season because the lineup will get quite thin as we enter the middle rounds. The FOURTH ROUND is where you can add some All-Stars or high-end starters to your team who may not be available in the future rounds.
#1 DeMar DeRozan/SG/Toronto Raptors:
The 3-time NBA all-star comes into this season after recording a career high in points (27.3 per game) and rebounds (5.2 per game) while assisting at 3.9 per game.
He was a top 5 player in both scoring and usage and his usage rate may have maxed out but you can still expect 20+ points, 4+ rebounds and 3+ assists every game from one of the leading shooting guards in the league.
#2 Blake Griffin/F/Los Angeles Clippers:
5-time NBA all-star and 2011 Rookie of the year comes into this season without his running mate Chris Paul.
To make matters worse, he is yet to recover from his injury will not be a part of the season opener. It isn't clear how this offense will function with Paul now in Houston, but there is a universe in which "Point-Blake" happens, and the fantasy result would be off the charts.
Where Griffin separates himself from other power forwards is his ability to run an offense, a skill that should be on display more often in the wake of Paul's departure. His production of 21.6 PPG, 8.1 RPG and 4.9 APG might see a bump if he stays HEALTHY.
#3 Eric Bledsoe/PG/Phoenix Suns:
One of the most athletic and versatile guards in the NBA, Eric Bledsoe is a vital cog in this rebuilding Suns side. His athleticism jumps off the TV screen, and his versatility gives him upside that few point guards have outside of the elite options.
But he has only played 97 games in the past two seasons combined causing us a huge selection dilemma however when fit he averaged a career-high 21.1 PPG & 6.3 APG while rebounding at 4.8 RPG.
Draft Bledsoe with a repeat performance in mind, understanding that the range of potential outcomes is greater than most options.
#4 Joel Embiid/C/Philadelphia 76ers:
2017 NBA rookie of the year runner-up and NBA all-rookie team selection, Joel Embiid surprised one and all with his game after being sidelined for two seasons due to injury.
But again his season was cut short by injury and could only play 31 games where he averaged a mind-blowing 20.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.1 APG & 2.5 BPG. If we could pencil him in for more than 70 games, he'd be in the first-round conversation.
He proved more than capable of scoring from anywhere on the floor, and his defensive stats are nothing short of elite. The games/minutes ceiling might not be as high as for other early-round picks, but as this Philadelphia roster improves, Embiid's star is going to grow.
Invest with confidence here, as we are betting against this being the least efficient offense again this season.
#5 Jeff Teague/PG/Minnesota Timberwolves:
The 2015 NBA all-star joined the Timberwolves this offseason and now is at the controls of one of the more promising offensive teams in the NBA.He was the Pacers second highest scorer last season as he averaged 15.3 PPG with a career-high 7.8 APG & 4 RPG.
Now, he figures to set a new career mark in assists, given the level of talent around him.It's possible that he is the fourth option on the Wolves this season, and that could well make him a nightly double-double threat.
#6 Klay Thompson/SG/Golden State Warriors:
2-time NBA champion and 3-time NBA all-star Klay Thompson is the other half of the famed 'Splash Brothers' duo.
There were concerns that the addition of Kevin Durant would leave Thompson out of the fun, but that was hardly the case in 2016-17. His usage rate barely flinched, and Thompson's 2016-17 was essentially identical to 2015-16, so it is safe to say that his fantasy value moving forward can be treated as stable.
As he averaged a career-high 22.3 PPG while rebounding at 3.7 RPG & assisting at 2.1 APG. The fact that he has averaged 5.6 rebounds-plus-assists per game for his career is a bit troubling in this era of do-it-all players, but Thompson is an efficient scorer, and that has great value on the right roster.
#7 Mike Conley/PG/Memphis Grizzlies:
Conley celebrated a decade of playing in the NBA by averaging a career high in points (20.5 PPG) and rebounds(3.5 RPG) while assisting at 6.3 APG.
Conley is often an afterthought due to the bevy of elite point guards in the league. But with him coming off a career year, he should be on every Fantasy owner's radar. Only a few fantasy owners have ever regretted drafting Conley, and there is no reason to think that changes this season.
With his usage on the rise, there is only one real regression to worry about: Conley converted 56.9 percent of his shots inside of 8 feet in 2016-17, up 5.5 percentage points from his career rate. Even if the scoring is closer to his career average than it is to his 2016-17 figure, Conley is still a low-risk point guard who will help you in all of the expected categories.
#8 Khris Middleton/F-G/Milwaukee Bucks:
Middleton missed the first two-thirds of the season but didn't miss a beat when he returned in mid-February. An ideal two-way complement to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Middleton isn't a go-to scorer, but he's a steady secondary playmaker (3.4 assists per game) who rebounds at his position and knocks down threes at around 40 percent.
Your buying window on this professional bucket-getter has cracked open because a torn hamstring last season resulted in 53 missed games and some reduced fantasy numbers when he did finally return to action in February, So, pounce!.
Milwaukee is a team on the rise, and Middleton is going to be a major part of its growth. Take advantage this season, as the odds are good that it will be a while before you can get Middleton at this price again.
#9 Jusuf Nurkic/C/Portland Trail Blazers:
After being sent to Portland in the middle of February, Nurkic exploded by averaging 15.2 PPG and 10.4 RPG in 29.2 minutes of action and if it wasn't for a non-displaced right leg fibular fracture, the hype around him entering this fantasy season would likely be even higher.
While he was and will continue to be, the third offensive option behind Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, Nurkic is nonetheless an impact offensive player. His free throw shooting may be an issue, as he shot just 66.0% after the trade. That said, considering everything else he does on the floor, problems at the charity stripe shouldn't prevent Nurkic from having top-10 center potential.
The end of last season was the beginning of things to come more so than a flash in the pan. Take advantage and invest.
#10 Goran Dragic/PG/Miami Heat:
Goran Dragic tied a career high in points per game (20.3) in 2016-17, and when you consider that his conversion rate from in close was his lowest in six seasons, there is a reason to think that there is room for even more growth.
He is unlikely to be a top-15 option in terms of assists per game, so make sure to build your roster accordingly, but the efficient scoring isn't going anywhere for Miami's primary perimeter option.
Guess the Lakers players!
