With the NBA Finals wrapping up the fantasy focus is already shifting to the 2017-18 season and what we can expect to see. The best fantasy managers are those that understand how to stay ahead of the curve. That means identifying the players have the potential to improve and which players are most likely to regress. We took a closer look at the power forward position to determine a couple of players that belong in each of those two categories. Here is a look at the biggest NBA fantasy risers and fallers at the power forward position.
Risers
Julius Randle, Los Angeles Lakers
Randle’s growth in his second full season was incredibly promising and it was enough for us to include him on this list of the top fantasy risers at his position. Randle averaged 13.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting nearly 49-percent from the field. The 2014 seventh-overall pick has worked his way back after missing his entire rookie season due to injury. Randle could be primed for a breakout season in 2017-18.
Marquese Chriss, Phoenix Suns
Perception can certainly change quickly and after his rookie season there are many wondering why Chriss wasn’t selected higher. The eighth-overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft was outstanding in his debut season. Chriss averaged 9.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.7 combined blocks and steals while shooting 45-percent form the field. However, the real insight in to his growth can be found in the numbers he produced after the All-Star break when he averaged 12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.3 combined blocks and steals in just 26.9 minutes per game. Chriss has the potential to take another leap in his second full NBA season and he is definitely worth keeping an eye on as a riser at the power forward position.
Elfrid Payton, Orlando Magic
Few people were happier to see their head coach fired in the 2016-17 season than Elfrid Payton. The Orlando Magic point guard really struggled under Scott Skiles and eventually started to lose minutes as a result. That hurt his NBA fantasy value and it hurt his growth as an NBA player. Under Frank Vogel, though, Payton was a different player. The light bulb went off for him in the second half of the season. Since the All-Star Break, Payton averaged 13.5 points, 8.4 assists, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks. More impressively is the fact that he shot 50.8% from the field. His averages improved year over year for the third straight time.
He’s still in the sleeper ranks but he’s someone on the rise. Invest in him at next year’s NBA fantasy drafts.
Fallers
Ryan Anderson, Houston Rockets
Anderson has been considered a quality fantasy asset at the power forward position for some time now and a lot of that has to do with his ability to stretch the floor with his shooting. Anderson was decent in 2016-17 as he averaged 13.6 points and 2.8 three-point shots per game. However, his inconsistency was a major issue and it limited his overall point production numbers. Anderson is 29-years-old so he should still have something left in the tank. However, after an inconsistent season expectations should be tempered a little bit for the veteran forward.
Derrick Favors, Utah Jazz
Favors’ star potential was talked about for years but he never reached that highest level and his most recent season was completely derailed by a knee injury. Favors averaged just 9.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 23.7 minutes per game for Utah this past season. Favors is entering a contract season so there will be talk about his desire to perform at a high level in order to earn a lucrative contract. However, injuries have played a major role in capping his overall potential and that will likely continue through the 2017-18 season.
D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers
Russell did take a step forward last season but it wasn’t close to what the hype was for him. He still averaged 15.6 points, 4.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 2.1 threes and 1.4 steals. His averages actually went up even more after the All-Star Break where he scored 18.5 and had 5.0 assists. However, the addition of Lonzo Ball is probably going to throw things for a loop for him. He’s a point guard and not a shooting guard. The Lakers are saying that they’ll just move him over but that’s not likely to work out well. He probably doesn’t want to do it and he may not be capable of making that change. Downgrade him in NBA fantasy drafts for now.
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