Injuries always play a role in fantasy football, and often gems can be found that can be a major turning point for many a fantasy teams. With a few key injuries in recent weeks (Bush, Grant, Moreno, Faulk), new players have been putting their hands up, resulting in fantasy owners frantically hitting up the waiver wire. There are also a few more current players dealing with niggling injuries, which could play a role down the stretch. A lot of NFL teams are now leaning towards a running back committee, which of course makes it hard to predict who will perform each week, but for those primary ball carriers, or work horses, ‘handcuffing’ is a must. As a result, I believe it’s important to have their back-ups, especially those with any injury concerns. You invested your high picks in them, so why not have insurance (there would be nothing worse than seeing your rivals benefit from your misfortunes). Such players on the insurance list include:

C. Portis – R. Torain (note, this is a MUST ADD for week 5)

S. Jackson – K. Darby

R. Matthews – M. Tolbert

C. Jackson – J. Ringer

P. Thomas – L. Betts

D. McFadden – M. Bush

A. Foster – S. Slaton

L. McCoy – M. Bell

M. Turner – J. Snelling

F. Gore – B. Westbrook

You may not have any of the players listed above in your teams, but if you have the luxury to play around with some roster space, then it may be worth taking a flier on one of the above.

Don't just concentrate on sexy stats: Everyone loves a big man who rebounds, but if that player doesn't also block shots (Zach Randolph, Carlos Boozer), or is inefficient from the floor compared with his peers (Kevin Love, Antawn Jamison), you will have to go hunting for players who can provide this in later rounds.

Multiple position eligibility: For flexibility purposes, it's always advantageous to have players that are eligible in more than one position. Boozer and Al Horford will likely go close to eachother in most drafts, but Horford gets you that added C status.

Injury concerns: We all love the way Brandon Roy stuffs the stats sheet, but how comfortable are you taking him in the top rounds of the draft over proven warriors such as Brook Lopez and Andre Iguodala? B-Roy has missed an average of 13.5 games per season over his career.

Mid-season trade: Beware players in line to get traded during the season due to expiring contracts, sour player-coach relationships, etc. Jamison owners got burnt last season with his trade to Cleveland.

Fresh environment: On the other hand, some players are invigorated on new teams, and with the flurry in off-season moves, there will be plenty of new faces looking to impress their new coaches. Look for potential bounce back years for players like Hedo Turkoglu and Jefferson, who will most likely enjoy the new systems they find themselves in.

One foot in the grave: Ageing players rarely turn back the clock, especially those coming off major injuries. Last year, high round drafters of Kevin Garnett did not get what they hoped for, and there's no reason to think he will revert back to the old Big Ticket. Players like Jason Kidd, Steve Nash and Marcus Camby never seem to age, but when is the year they start to decline? Don't get caught wasting a high draft pick on a player whose career is starting to fade.

With an NBA off-season unlike any other we've ever experienced, we've never before seen so many high profile players in new teams and situations. Below I analyse how these players' fantasy outputs will be affected as a result of this, and I also look at how players in existing teams will be impacted (10 player leagues assumed for draft round purposes).

LeBron James, Mia, SF: The King will share his talents in South Beach with Bosh and Wade this year, and with the latter two both needing their touches, expect LeBron's scoring (29.7 p/g ‘09/10) to dip a few points this season. However, I don't see his assists and rebounds (7.3p/g ‘09/10) to suffer too much - great players inevitably find ways to stuff the stats sheet. Expected to be picked after Kevin Durant and Chris Paul in most league drafts, you'd be foolish to let him slide any further. Draft: 1st round 3rd pick.

David Lee GS, PF/C: for fantasy purposes, perhaps the best team Lee could have gone to was Golden State, a team built around the run'n'gun. With Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry around, Lee will no longer be his team's primary offensive weapon, so expect points and assists to dip slightly; however Lee will once again be a dominant fantasy performer this season. Draft: late 2nd to 3rd round.

Amare Stoudamire NY, PF/C: Lee's replacement in NY likewise finds himself going into an ideal situation under former coach D'Antoni, who he excelled under in Phoenix. STAT will find the ball in his hands on most possessions, as he is asked to carry the majority of his team's scoring load. I don't expect his stats (no pun intended) to change too much. Draft: 2nd round.

Chris Bosh Mia, PF/C: Miami's other main summer acquisition, Bosh is the one big man whose stats may alter significantly this season. With Wade and LBJ around, his points and rebounds will almost certainly drop. Draft: 3rd round.

Al Jefferson Utah, PF/C: I expect a big season from Big Al, as the move from the poisoned atmosphere in the Twin Cities to a winning environment in Salt Lake City will most likely rejuvenate the big man. Jefferson will take on Boozer's role as the team's primary frontcourt scorer and rebounder, and Okur's absence for a couple of months due to injury certainly won't hurt. Expect Al's performance to revert to ‘08/09's (23.1 pts, 11 rebs, 1.7 bl p/g) rather than ‘09/10's (17.1 pts, 9.3 rebs, 1.3 bl) It never hurts your fantasy stats to have an elite point guard in Deron Williams dishing to you either. Draft: 3rd to 4th round.

Carlos Boozer Chi, PF: Boozer's broken hand (out for 2 months) and chequered injury history will certainly put off some drafters, however, when healthy, there are few more consistent big men in the game. With other primary scorers (Rose) and rebounders (Noah) in town, one may argue that Boozer's points and rebounds will dip slightly, however I don't expect too much to change from prior seasons. The big question is when he gets back is, can he stay healthy? Draft: 3rd to 4th round.

Troy Murphy NJ, PF/C: Murphy finds himself in an ideal situation in NJ just as he did in Indy - a starting PF on a team low in frontcourt depth. With that in mind, don't expect his stats to change much from last season. The C status is an added bonus. Draft: 4th to 5th round.

Darren Collison Ind, PG: one point guard who will see plenty of attention in the lower rounds of the draft this year compared to last year, is the 2nd year man out of UCLA. If, like me, you were lucky enough to pick Collison off the FA list last year when CP3 went down, you will be no stranger to how damaging he can be in assists (5.7 ass p/g ‘09/10, 9.1 ass p/g as a starter), points and steals. Expect Collison to see starter's minutes this year as the answer to Indy's historical PG woes. I don't see him falling much further than the 5th round. Draft: 5th to 6th round.

Mo Williams Cle, PG: as much as I'm sure he would love to have a certain you-know-who around, one player whose statistics will definitely see an improved spike this year is Williams. He will be asked to carry a large extent of Cleveland's scoring and assists in the absence of LBJ - expect his performance in these categories to revert back to prior years as a result (17.8 pts p/g ‘09/10, 6.4 ass p/g ‘08/09). Draft: 5th to 6th round.

Jason Richardson Pho, SG. With Stoudamire skipping out of town, J-Rich will be the team's primary scoring option. Expect a small spike in points and 3's. Draft: 5th to 6th round.

Antawn Jamison Cle, PF: like Mo Williams, Jamison will be asked to carry a greater percentage of Cleveland's scoring and rebounding. Draft: 5th to 6th round.

Raymond Felton NY, PG: while some will see Felton's successful season last year as a one-off, there's no doubt that Felton has found himself in an ideal situation under Mike D'Antoni. If D'Antoni could make Chris Duhon into a serviceable fantasy PG, imagine what he can do with Felton! Don't expect his ‘09/10's FG% (.459) to continue, as he is a career .410 shooter, and he will likely be taking more pressured shots in NY. However, one can expect more assists (5.6 ass p/g ‘09/10) and points this season, and he could be a real late-round steal. Draft round: 6th to 7th round.

Gilbert Arenas Was, PG/SG: after last year's NBA imposed suspension, and no longer the face of the franchise with the introduction of rookie John Wall, who knows what to expect from Agent Zero this year? Coming off multiple knee surgeries, Arenas surprised some last year with his excellence in play (22.6 pts, 7.2 ass p/g ‘09/10). With Caron Butler and Jamison no longer around, and a youthful frontcourt, I expect Arenas' scoring will stay similar to last season. However, his assists will definitely see a dip, as he moves off the ball. Still, if Gil's starts the season fully focused, he may prove to be a real late-round steal. Draft round: 6th to 7th round.

Paul Millsap Utah, PF: with Boozer fleeing to the Windy City, and Okur injured to start the season, Milsap drafters will see the benefit of starter minutes this year finally. Even when Okur returns, Milsap may be firmly entrenched at the PF position, with Jefferson at C. His points and rebounds will almost certainly rise as a result - Millsap averaged 15.4 pts p/g, 8.4 rebs and 1.6 bl as a starter in ‘09/10 (all significantly higher than when he was coming off the bench), and you can reasonably expect similar performances this season. Draft: 6th to 7th round.

Kevin Love Min, PF: like Millsap, K-Love will enjoy starter minutes this season with Big Al shipped off, and his points (14 pg ‘09/10, 15.3 p/g as a starter) and rebounds (11 rebs p/g ‘09/10, 13.3 p/g as a starter) will increase in turn. Draft: 5th to 6th round.

Anthony Randolph NY, PF/C: I'm not as high on Randolph as some are, but there's no question that Randolph could be a breakout player in a new environment now that he's out of Nellie's shackles. However, bear in mind that we have yet to see how Randolph performs when playing major minutes in a season, so take this into account on draft night. On the positive side, if Randolph can secure starter-like minutes, expect a spike in blocks (an impressive 2.1 p/g as a starter in ‘09/10) and rebounds from prior season averages. Draft: 6th to 7th round.

Hedo Turkoglu Pho, SF: Toronto proved to be an ill-advised move for Hedo last year, and his output suffered as a result. I expect a bit of a bounce-back year in a favourable system in Phoenix, as Hedo is asked to replicate some of Stoudamire's scoring and rebounding. Performances close to Hedo's last year in Orlando is not out of the question. Draft: 7th to 8th round.

Luol Deng Chi, SF: consistent but not flashy, Deng's rebounds and scoring will most likely suffer with a certain new PF in town. Draft: 8th to 9th round.

Marcus Thornton NO, SG: if you were lucky enough to add the other of NO's backcourt rookies last year (me again!), you will know the damage he can do when he gets on the court. A starting position this year for his to lose, Thornton will be NO's primary outside shooter, despite the presence of Trevor Ariza on the wing. Thornton made an impressive 1.6 3's p/g last season as a starter. Draft: 8th to 9th round.

Leandro Barbosa Tor, SG: moving the other direction in the Turkoglu trade, the Brazilian Blur may enjoy extra minutes on his new team, especially with the lack of backcourt options north of the border. His points, 3's and steals may improve as a result. Draft: 9th to 10th round.

The Fantasy Dudes went 2/3 in their Tebow Talent Time predictions this week. Forte struggled against a hungry Giants D (wow, 9 sacks in the first half), and whilst Tolbert rushed for more yardage, Matthews still managed 55 yards on 9 carries and 1 TD, his first of his career. The star (and indeed start) of the week was LT, who continues to repay the Jets for throwing him a lifeline after an up and down couple of seasons with the Chargers… he and Greene totally dismantled the Bills defence, as Tomlinson piled up 155 yards from scrimmage, and accounted for 2 TD’s.

In light of the recent injuries, here are a few players to target off the waiver wire this week:

Kevin Kolb: Remember, he was given the starting nod ahead of Vick to begin the season. 200 yards, 1 TD after replacing Vick in the game. Keep an eye on Vick’s status, especially if you need help at QB.

Mike Tolbert: Should there be a reoccurrence of Matthews’ injury, then you know you have an adequate replacement. At the very least he should be a handcuff for all those owners of Matthews. 100 yards rushing ,1 td.

Ryan Torain: Strong performance this weekend with 70 yards rushing, 1 TD on 18 carries. Surely the writing is on the wall for Portis (reported a groin injury). Shanahan loves his RB’s!

Danny Amendola: Whilst his stats aren’t a standout, he is quietly getting the job done with 21 receptions for 208 yards. As Bradford grows in confidence, so should Danny’s stats.

Landell Betts: With the injuries to Bush, and most recently Thomas, Betts was throw right into the deep end, and he responded, posting 70 all purpose yards (however no endzone success). It is also worth keeping a tab on Chris Ivory.

San Diego Chargers: Posted nine sacks themselves, as well as forcing three turnovers. They were the top scoring defence heading into MNF. I know it was against Arizona, but if available, is worth picking up.

John Carney: He’s back!!! The 46 year old kicked the winning FG to get the Saints back on track. With the Saints high powered offence, expect his scoring opportunities to continue.

Monday Night Football features the team who has been one of the benchmarks of the league in recent times against an up and coming Dolphins with a point to prove. Here are a few key players to watch is this division battle:

Aaron Hernandez – Has come out of nowhere, and leads the team (incl Moss) in receiving yards.

The Law Firm – BGE has been thrust into the starting line-up. Expect him to deliver.

Wes Welker – 18 receptions thus far (leads team). Is Tom’s go to guy as he looks to move the chains through the air.

Dolphins Defence – Stingy defence over the first three games. Tough test, but boy would it be a statement.

Ronnie Brown – 200 yards rushing through first three games. Enjoys MNF.

Brandon Marshall – Has been in red-hot form after coming across from the Broncos (22 receptions).

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As the 2010-11 NBA season approaches, The Fantasy Dudes have gotten together around Gatorade cocktails and dissected the fantasy rankings to help you in your upcoming draft. Over the coming days we will drop the rankings on you, position by position. Today we start off with what is traditionally the toughest position to fill successfully, the center position - the top 24.

Our rankings are based on a combination of player performances last season, current injury status, team changes and predicted play in the coming season. We have used our numerous years of experience in fantasy sports and closely analyzing hoops to provide you with our recommended draft order. Remember, these players are ranked by their predominant position played. There will be other players that can fill this position, depending on what flexibility your particular league provides.

 Whilst there are players out there that are fantastic in the real life game, it doesn’t necessarily translate into the fantasy game.

So, it’s your pick in the draft and Dwight Howard is the next best ranked player on the board… do I or don’t I? Whilst on the one hand he is a monster on the boards, shoots a great FG %, and an amazing shot blocker, however on the other he is a terrible, terrible free throw shooter… did I mention he can’t shoot free throws? Draft him, and you can pretty much kiss your FT category goodbye at 59% shooting. Dwight will probably be the highest ranked centre, but to me, it’s not worth the risk, especially for those playing in a head-to-head league. Of course, if you do select him, then you need to pair him with some pretty good ft’s shooters to offset his 10+ attempts a game. Other players to select ahead of him include the likes of Nash, Curry and Deron. Substitutes at centre are guys like Pau Gasol, Brook Lopez and David Lee.

Here are a few more category killers to consider (or re-consider) when drafting your teams:

• Josh Smith – FT %
• Brandon Jennings – FG %
• Baron Davis – FG % and TO’s
• Rajon Rondo – FT’s (relative to others in his position)
• Emeka Okafor – FT %
• Monta Ellis – TO’s
• Gilbert Arenas – FG % and TO’s
• Ben Wallace – FT %
• Injury prone players – to be covered in another article, but includes likes of Greg Oden, Yao Ming and Kenyon Martin.

Don’t get me wrong, there are some great players listed above, and I’m sure there would be varied opinions on this article, including some of the listed players actually being category ‘Kings’ (Dwight: Rbs, Blks, FG %; Rondo: Stls, Assts; Smith Blks), but in order to give your team the best chance of winning, you need players who are consistent across the board. 

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Frustrated with never getting your fantasy questions answered by the analysts? Looking for advice on trades, who to start/bench, waiver wire pickups, or just a healthy debate on all things fantasy football and basketball? Well look no further, because ‘the fantasy dudes’ are here. We may have just gotten started, but we’re certainly no rookies, with over 24 years fantasy experience across the three ‘fantasy dudes’. Simply write in our forum or drop us an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and we’ll be more than happy to help.

In the first instalment of ‘Tebow Talent Time’, we take a look at not only the progress of Mr Tebow, but also of the fantasy start of the week.

It’s rumoured he can walk on water, cure blindness, and make one small fish feed a whole town, but Tim fell to number three on the Denver Broncos quarterback depth chart in the game against the Colts over the weekend, meaning he would only get on the field in the event of an injury. Unfortunately, for all those who drafted Tebow in their fantasy leagues, it appears, for at least the time being, that he is not going to be a viable option this season (1 game thus far as yielded just 2 yards from 2 runs). Make no mistake though, the Broncos drafted him for a reason, and he is sure to be the face (if he’s not already) of the team in the near future.

Tebow’s Talent Time takes us this week to New York New York, in a game featuring Da Bears against the Giants. The Giants have been dreadful, reporting two negative fantasy games in a row against the Colts and the Titans, in the process giving up the third most points against in the league (85). With Cutler at the helm, the Bears have shown some fight, dispatching of the Packers on Monday Night Football. Matt Forte stands out to me as one of the leading running backs in week 4. Whilst he has been impressive in the air (14 catches, 200+ yards), he has failed to rush for over 50 yards in a game, but this is the week he breaks out and finds some room to run down hill.

Prediction: Matt Forte, 80 yards rushing (1 td), 5 catches for 70 yards receiving (1 td).

Other standout players for this week include Ryan Matthews and LT.

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Three weeks into the fantasy NFL season and we find the top point scorers are in fact quarterbacks, despite the majority of running backs being taken with the early selections in round one of fantasy drafts. Of the top ten scorers, six of them are quarterbacks, including some unexpected rankings including Michael Vick and Kyle Orton. Now is the time to make a move for some of these players.

Peyton Manning leads the way as the top scoring leader. In his first three games (two away from home) he has thrown for over 1,000 yards at a 69% completion rate, including 9 touchdowns. More importantly, despite an injury depleted offensive line, Peyton has yet to give up an intercept in all 126 passing attempts. His run over the next few games includes the Jags, Chiefs and Redskins, so expect his hot streak to continue.

Following Peyton in the rankings is Michael Vick. We all know the story behind Mr Vick, but who would have expected such a quick turnaround? Kolb goes down injured, in comes Michael, and he has thus far passed for 750 yards, and rushed for another 170 yards, including 7 touchdowns, and amazingly, no interceptions. Andy Reid sure got it right in keeping him at the helm. Expect another strong outing against McNabb and the Redskins at home in week four.

The next two are safe plays every week in Philip Rivers and Aaron Rodgers. Sure, Philip Rivers and his Chargers played from behind most of last weeks game in the absence of Ryan Matthews, but he himself has thrown for the most yards (1,087) amongst all players in his position so far, so don’t expect this to let up. The same can be said of Aaron Rodgers of the Packers. His stats against the Bears would have looked a whole lot better had it not been for penalties and dropped passes in the endzone. With Jackson at running back, more pressure will be on him to throw, and he will certainly be up to the challenge, especially against the Lions this week. Expect him to finish in the top three ranked players by season’s end.

Most of the players mentioned of course would take a lot to trade for, but here are a couple of lower priced players who may be worth making a move for should you be looking for a change at quarterback: Orton (1,078 yds, 4 td’s), Cutler (870 yds, 6 td’s), Ryan (705 yards, 5 td’s) and Schaub (845 yds, 5 td’s).

With running backs continuing to put their body on the line, and the risk of injury going up (see Grant, Ryan), the current batch of quality quarterbacks and their incredible pocket presence and agility could see them staying at the top of the rankings.

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