With my Top 200 Rankings now complete and listed in one easy-to-use list, it’s time to take a look at where I stand against the experts. Every year, I ignore ADP and other ranking sets when making my top 200 list, so I’m not sullied with crazy opinions – many of which you can read about here! I am unsullied, like Khaleesi’s war general dude! That guy is boss! Except for… Well, ya know…
Stemming from a comment, I was asked more-or-less “who are your guys this year?” And well, without really knowing ADPs or expert consensus, it was tough to answer. So for the first time since I’ve been helming the Razzball ship (helm to 108!), I decided to put an article together, highlighting where I deviate from the septum. Time for a nose job! If Ryan Anderson breaks his nose this year, his new nickname should be Ryno-plasty! Ok, focus JB, I know you’re pumped for basketball, but we have your calls to get to! Here’s where I’m against the grain according to other experts’ ranks on FantasyPros:
Quick notes:
- Not all rankers go to 200
- “Every” expert doesn’t have their picks loaded in yet, so there could be a few guys I note here that I’m not the most polarizing on once other rankers add their lists…
- If I was only higher or lower by 1 or 2 spots by guys in the mid-rounds, I didn’t include each and every one… There’s still only ~10 experts in there, so I’m going to be higher and lower on a lot of guys the further the ranks went down.
Guys I’m Highest On:
Giannis Antetokounmpo (JB: 8 | Consensus: 13 | Worst: 31)
Yeah, I dunno who thinks Giannis is a late 3rd rounder, but sheesh! Well, it’s those silly CBS people who play points leagues… Wait, isn’t Giannis gonna be arguably BETTER in points leagues?! I don’t get it… Anywho, I gave him a 2-spot burst when The Duchess went down, and the next highest rankers (four of them) have him #10. I think we’ll see a few edits getting the other perts with me on a single-digits rank.
Brook Lopez (JB: 22 | Consensus: 30 | Worst: 36)
Wowwwww, what in the wide world of f**k is going on here?! I’m the highest on Brolo?! ME?! I call this guy clownfoot! But he was healthy last year, the procedure is supposed to have a very high, long-term success rate, and really my only concern is if he’s traded at the deadline or shut down at the end again. He was 23rd in per-game last year, and I see no reason for him to finish any different…
Gorgui Dieng (JB: 32 | Consensus: 64 | Worst: 86)
Dude, I don’t care what format you’re in, Gorgui at 86 is a travesty! Choo Choo! Come get on the Dieng Train with us! Although, not so close to the engine, Leszek Bialecki! Trying to steal my thunder! He’s got Gorgui 34, while all other experts are absentmindedly outside the top 50. I’ll be happy if they don’t fix this injustice! Welcome to as many of my teams as possible, Dieng Train!
Chandler Parsons (JB: 38 | Consensus: 56 | Worst: 86)
I foresaw this one! The more I looked at his stats as he got healthier and healthier last year, and the more I picture his situation on Memphis – tailor-made for Parsons – the more I kept boosting him up! Yes, yes, I know he hurt a knee yet again, but I don’t think the Grizz would have invested if they didn’t see immediate impact. Love his upside this year.
Jae Crowder (JB: 40 | Consensus: 63 | Worst: 181)
Yahoo – stop letting Dalton Del Don have a dictatorship over your pre-ranks! Now we know why Yahoo HATES Crowder, and it is making him a value for people drafting their leagues if they have competitors who don’t scroll down on the draft sheet… Crowder finished 32nd in per-game last year! Metric-whoreish?! Sure! But he’s still young, last year was his first season as a starter, and his stats took a little hit when he had minutes limits with a late kankle. I DON’T UNDERSTAND THE HATE!
Goran Dragic (JB: 46 | Consensus: 61 | Worst: 95)
Wowwwwwwwwww. After all the grief I got not having him top-50, a few little tweaks got him to 46 for me and suddenly Razzball is the Dragic front-runners! Crazy how perception of ranks can change when you compare them to the masses…
Elfrid Payton (JB: 55 | Consensus: 84 | Worst: 125)
Damn, what a range on Elfrid on the Shelfrid! I’m not too surprised here, as I’ve gotten a few comments on my love for Senor Payton. New regime in town with Vogel embracing him (could be lip service, but whatever), no more Dipo challenging for facilitating, and a chance at 34 MPG with great steals numbers given this defense… I like it.
Jusuf Nurkic (JB: 64 | Consensus: 113 | Worst: 166)
If at first you don’t succeed, try try to make your ranks worse again?! So last year was a dud, but his knee thing took wayyyyy longer to heal than was reported! Not my fault! I’m not a doctor, I’m a pool man! Jamba Jus is going to look really saucy once people see how little Faried is playing, and the crazy stats Nurk is putting up! I think his FG% bounces back and the stroke on his FT will improve as well.
Jeremy Lin (JB: 74 | Consensus: 105 | Worst: 120)
Wasn’t expecting this one! The hate for Lin is Linsanity! He’s a starting PG on a team absolutely bereft of playmaking ability, or of perimeter prowess. He’s going to shoot 3s, get dimes, and honestly I don’t know if he’s *that* much worse than Reggie Jackson! I have him ranked 20 lower, but I could easily see them have similar lines, except maybe in the scoring.
Aaron Gordon (JB: 76 | Consensus: 102 | Worst: 116)
I’m technically tied on this one; what is this Leszek Bialecki guy doing?! Anyone read him on FB-Ninja?! His rankings have some striking commonalities to mine with this Gorgui and Gordon similarity! Well, we’re the only smart ones in the room at least, seeing big things for Gordon in the Paul George role.
Luol Deng (JB: 85 | Consensus: 112 | Worst: 115)
Look at that range! 9 of the 11 rankers have Deng between 105-115. Only me and, you guessed it, Leszek have him top-90. The Lakers need his scoring and a HUGE need at SF! Played extremely well down the stretch and I think flourishes in an up-tempo system.
Joakim Noah (JB: 95 | Consensus: 131 | Worst: 140)
I guess I’m the only ranker to see Noah bounce back… I know I argue against the injury-prone guys below so I’m a bit wishy-washy, but I like the AST upside from Noah and the %s taking this kind of nosedive is weird – I think they could bounce back up. Remember he was a bench player last year! Locked in as your starter now, on a team that can get him to rack up garbage assists on just kickouts to the other guys.
Marcus Morris (JB: 104 | Consensus: 146 | Worst: 146)
Something glitchy is going on with his player page; his consensus is a little higher than this. But I am certainly the highest, I’m not sure why other perts hate him…. Solid scoring and doesn’t hurt you anywhere, chipping in a little as he goes across the board.
Justise Winslow (JB: 98 | Consensus: 134 | Worst: 154)
I imagine the tough news regarding Chris Bosh will have some rankers boost Winslow towards my range, but I always foresaw a big sophomore breakout from the monster athlete. FT% will need a little more help given I could see added volume, and he doesn’t hit a ton of threes, but D stat upside with a bigger offensive role I think is worth a gamble right at 100.
Jerryd Bayless (JB: 118 | Consensus: 156 | Worst: 196)
Why is no one buying into JB?! It’s not just the most baller initials, but such an opportunity! Sixers need a PG who isn’t a USG whore and can hit 3s, and ya know what, JB to the rescue! It’s not like I’m seeing 6 or 7 dimes a game, but like 4-4.5 with 2+ treys?! That’ll work!
Kris Dunn (JB: 119 | Consensus: 157 | Worst: 213)
Huh, interesting… Figured SOMEONE would have some rookie nookie here, especially since I still heart my Latin Love Rubio! I’m just hoping he can find a combo guard role and rack up some stats vs. second units.
Guys I’m Lowest On:
Jimmy Butler (JB: 27 | Consensus: 17 | Highest: 9)
Apparently experts only play in leagues where you get a season-average across the whole season – games played doesn’t matter! And then add Wade and Rondo’s USG in the mix, and somehow his ranking doesn’t change from last year? Don’t get me wrong, I love some Buckets in real life, but no way I’m passing up the guys in my first two rounds for his risk.
Kyrie Irving (JB: 29 | Consensus: 21 | Highest: 17)
Huh, weird… I thought I kinda LIKED Kyrie going into this year! He was 11th in per-game in 14-15, but I don’t love his low-AST or the drop in STL last year – yes he was hurt, but he doesn’t offer the big treys that Kemba and Lillard offer either…
Klay Thompson (JB: 42 | Consensus: 28 | Highest: 15)
Yeah, I’m not too surprised at this one. SOMEONE has to have stats fall off, and I think it’s Klay, who moves back into ultimate ThrAGNOF territory. I don’t get the infatuation anyway – D stats fell off last year and he had some annoying stretches – very metrics-whorey with the low TO and good % on 3s. CBS again with the polar opposite outlier… Is Butler at 9 and Klay at 15 their ranks from LAST year (it’s not, they have KAT 5…)?!
Greg Monroe (JB: 97 | Consensus: 71 | Highest: 58)
I don’t have much to add here – the Bucks hate him, they want to trade him as bad as the Kings wanna deal Gay, and I don’t like his outlook on another team in a late-preseason or mid-season trade. Bleh.
Jabari Parker (JB: 100 | Consensus: 74 | Highest: 66)
Gasp! Is it a bird?! A plane?! An aneurysm?! I just moved Parker up too! What are the experts buying here?! He was 114th in per-game last year, and yes he was better down the stretch, but he doesn’t shoot 3s, doesn’t get enough D stats, and is nothing but a pretty blah scorer! Pass.
Otto Porter (JB: 101 | Consensus: 77 | Highest: 35)
Well, now I see what Yahoo was doing with their jacked up ranks – just letting Dalton Del Don put whatever he wanted in there! Porter pre-ranked at 36 on Yahoo and his 35th rank from Del Don as a big outlier here makes sense… I don’t get the hype, he was only a stalwart when Beal was hurt! Pass times two.
Dwight Howard (JB: 109 | Consensus: 81 | Highest: 59)
No shock here, I’m the lowest on Howard every season. Sure, I was wrong last year, but I wasn’t the year before! Older, more tread on the tires, new team, you have to punt… Pass times three.
Steven Adams (JB: 133 | Consensus: 88 | Highest: 51)
Whaaaaaaa?! What are experts expecting here, 20/10 with 2 blocks a game?! Sheesh! This is Steven MF Adams, not Big Country Bryant Reeves! Awwww, boooo, Big Country didn’t block enough… Anywho, I think his real-life impact and playoff performance are clouding this rank. Again, Dalton Del Don is nuts with a 51 ranking… Andre Drummond 150 spots WORSE than Adams…? More below!
Andrew Bogut (JB: 151 | Consensus: 114 | Highest: 68)
Huh?! Why do I have to be the one that doesn’t like Andrew Bogut?! If someone is gonna rank Bogut at 68 when you can’t conceivably expect him to even PLAY 68 games… I just don’t get it.
Eric Gordon (JB: 185 | Consensus: 120 | Highest: 83)
I see the potential as he can backup both the Rockets guards in a D’Antoni system, but jfc, has none of these experts ever OWNED Eric Gordon?! Get ready to be disappointed for 1/3 of the season due to injuries…
Other Ranks to Note:
Andre Drummond (JB: 21 | Consensus: 44 | Lowest: 199)
Haha, someone is just being silly… I get not ranking him high in Roto-terms, but he’s still draftable! Ha!
Amir Johnson (JB: 119 | Consensus: 186 | Highest: 118)
Dude. This Leszek dude it TOTALLY cramping my style. I swear a day or two ago I was highest on Amir, then suddenly I’m not… Hmmm… Although I am suffering from massive sunburn after going to the Panthers game yesterday, my brain is a little boiled! I could be remembering that one wrong… Either way, we’re the highest two, and a solid role should be there.
Kelly Olynyk (JB: n/a | Consensus: 145 | Highest: 107)
My boy Leszek goes completely his opposite way here! I just don’t know when he’ll play! Amir is going to be solid at PF, then they said they might play Jaylen Brown a little there… And no way he’s gonna do much at C with Big Al manning it down… Not touching Olynyk of Nazareth.
Wilson Chandler (JB: n/a | Consensus: 163 | Highest: 122)
Really, Dalton Del Don, #122 for a scrub who isn’t gonna play much?! I used to love Chandler, but the Nuggets are obviously going in a completely different direction… As did Chandler’s hip last year…
Anyone else I missed if you checked out FantasyPros? I didn’t have a great system to see my highests/lowests, other than just clicking on all the player pages… And what do you think of the guys I’m on the bookends of? Shoot your comments below, and happy Monday, Razzball Nation!
