NBA Fantasy Basketball: The Top Ten Power Forwards to Draft

Over the years the power forward position has evolved greatly. No longer are NBA power forwards one dimensional players whose main contribution is to rebound while leaving others to score the bulk of the points. Today's power forwards are a vital component of any Fantasy Basketball Team. Here then are the top 10 power forwards to go after in this year's Fantasy Basketball Draft.

Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks)
After 839 games in the league, Nowitzki remains the steadiest power forward in Fantasy Basketball. Dirk can shoot from long range, hit foul shots, rebound, pass and block shots. In short, he can contribute in every Fantasy Basketball category. Last season, Nowitzki averaged 25.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, and ranked high in the league in both free throw shooting and three-point shooting percentage. Come Draft time, there will be sexier picks than Nowitzki, but few will give you the same statistical output. He is well worth your first round pick.

Tim Duncan (Spurs)
Few power forwards are in Duncan's company in NBA history, though his value in Fantasy Basketball is diminished a little bit by his poor free throw shooting, and limited shooting range. Still, Duncan puts up numbers in all other categories and he will help in scoring, rebounding, block shots and assists. Last season Duncan average 19.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.7 block shots per game. This year his numbers should be close to the same, though after being in the league since 1997, he may be starting to slip a bit.

Chris Bosh (Heats)
We will need to wait and see how the move to Miami will affect Bosh's Fantasy Basketball statistics. With both James and Wade to share the ball with, you can expect to see his scoring take a downward turn. No longer will Bosh average between 22 to 24 points a game as he has the past few years. On the other hand, you can probably count on his rebounding and field goal percentages to improve slightly. Overall, the move should be one that favors Bosh.

Pau Gasol (Lakers)
Gasol was a major reason the Lakers won an NBA title last season. Though not quite in Nowitzki's company, Gasol can still contribute across the board for any Fantasy Basketball team. Steady as they come over the past five seasons, Gasol is always good for 18-19 points, 8-9 rebounds, and 3-4 assists per game. On defense, he gets his fair share of blocks, and always makes a high percentage of shots. In most Fantasy Basketball Draft, this 7 foot Spaniard will be gone by the 3^rd round.

Carlos Boozer (Bulls)
In Chicago Boozer should get rebounding help from Noah and scoring help from Rose and Deng. Overall his Fantasy Basketball numbers should not be greatly affected by the off season move, and you can safely look for Carlos to average 20 points and 10 rebounds per contest this season. Look for Boozer to contribute to your assist totals, steals, and field goal percentage as well. In short, he should be among the top five fantasy power forwards in the league.

David West (Hornets)
Over the past three seasons few power forwards have put up numbers to rival David West. Last season West averaged 39 minutes, 21.0 points, and 8.5 rebounds per game, and there is no reason to believe that his numbers will suffer any this season. As an added bonus, David will also help you from the foul line while picking up a block or two along the way.

David Lee (Warriors)
A move to Golden State should favor Lee, as the bulky power forward will have Biedrius to help him on the boards, and Curry and Ellis to take the spotlight off of him on offensive. Still, don't look for Lee to duplicate the fabulous year he had in 2009-10, when he average 20.2 points and 11.7 rebounds a game. Those numbers will probably settle down into the 18-10 range this season, though he should also help out your team by dishing out a few assists a game.

Kevin Garnett (Celtics)
Injuries and age have started to slow down one of the NBA's greatest players. Last season Garnett was limited to 57 games and his playing time was down to 31 minutes a game, which directly affected his numbers. No longer good for 20 points and 10 rebounds a night, Garnett should be able to bounce back this season and average 17-18 points and 9 rebounds a game. Along with that, he should get you a block and a few assists a game as well. No longer a first round pick, Garnett should nevertheless be a good contributor to any Fantasy Basketball team.

LaMarcus Aldridge (Blazers)
Based on his performance the last two seasons, Aldridge should have been the first pick overall of the 2006 NBA Draft. Last season the former Texas player averaged 18.2 points and 7.5 points per game, and those numbers should begin to inch their way up the next few seasons. Aldridge will also aid your team with the occasional block shot and assist.

Josh Smith (Hawks)
After missing most of November last season to injury, Smith's numbers dipped considerably despite averaging the same amount of playing time as he has in the past. Which Smith turns up this year remains to be seen, though on the low side, Smith will still get you 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks a game. If he is able to get back to his 2006-2007 form, his numbers will go a bit higher. On a side note, Smith can also help you from beyond the arc, but will hurt you at the foul line.

The Best of the Rest:

Troy Murphy (Nets)
Murphy enjoyed a career year in 2008-09, averaging 14.3 points and 11.8 rebounds a game, while shooting 45% from beyond the arc. Murphy will help you in all shooting categories while throwing in a lot of rebounds, and as such should be consider as one of the best power forward options in Fantasy Basketball. This year there is no reason to believe that Murphy won't be a 14-10 man again, and as such he makes for a solid pick in rounds 3-5.

Anthony Randolph (Knicks)
If you are looking for a potential sleeper pick, then Randolph is your man. A rookie last year who averaged only 17 minutes per game for the season, Randolph started receiving substantial playing time in April, and in 9 games over the season's last month, Randolph collected 4 double-doubles. This year look for Randolph's numbers to take a giant leap forward, and for the sophomore to average 14-15 points and 8-9 rebounds over the course of the 2009-2010 season.

Al Harrington (Nuggets)
It took a while for this former high school first round draft pick to develop his game, but last season Harrington delivered with a career year. Averaging 35 minutes a game, and hitting on 36% of his three pointer, Harrington ended the season averaging a career high 20.7 points per game. Having said that, Harrington will only get you 6 rebounds a game, and he will only block the occasional shot. Overall Harrington is a middle round pick at best.

Statistical Sources:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/stats