By Jeff Andriesse
Rotowhine.com Editor
Oct. 22, 2008

For my money, the deepest fantasy position and thus the key to your drafting quality in the middle rounds. If you target point guards, centers and power forwards first, you can return to the small forward list for some nice bargains.

Rules: Rotisserie scoring, eight categories (see projections). Injury risk calculated into each ranking. Certain hybrids not ranked here; consult your league’s positional rules before making your final cheat sheets.

1. LeBron James, CLE
It is not recommended passing up LeBron James with the No. 1 pick unless Chris Paul is more of your fancy. In any points-based or head-to-head formats, James is king.
2008-09 Projections: 30.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 7.1 APG, 1.4 3PG, 1.8 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 48.0 FG%, 72.3 FT%

2. Caron Butler, WAS
Folks are split on Butler this preseason between those who think he is a borderline first-round pick who will dominate for as long as Gilbert Arenas is out if not longer, and those who are stupid.
2008-09 Projections: 21.5 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.0 3PG, 2.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 46.1 FG%, 90.7 FT%

3. Shawn Marion, MIA
Marion could make or break you this year. I say he’s a bargain in the second round, a reach in the first. Wade returning will help him but this isn’t Phoenix.
2008-09 Projections: 14.4 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.0 3PG, 2.0 SPG, 1.5 BPG, 49.1 FG%, 76.6 FT%

4. Danny Granger, IND
If you don’t know by now, Granger is going to go off like an atom bomb this season. People are already snagging him in the early second round, and who am I to quibble with this?
2008-09 Projections: 21.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, 2.5 3PG, 1.3 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 45.2 FG%, 86.0 FT%

5. Carmelo Anthony, DEN
When I own Carmelo Anthony, it seems like he is horrible. But he’s pretty great, especially with his high-volume shots from the field and the line at good percentages. He’ll rebound the ball more this year as well and could be motivated by finishing second to Allen Iverson in scoring on Denver last year (ridiculous isn’t it? Gotta love stat hounds.)
2008-09 Projections: 27.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, 0.7 3PG, 1.3 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 48.8 FG%, 77.9 FT%

6. Rudy Gay, MEM
Only the regular blowouts Memphis will endure keep Gay from moving up even higher on this list.
2008-09 Projections: 21.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.8 3PG, 1.3 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 44.2 FG%, 80.0 FT%

7. Andre Iguodala, PHI
Iggy had his confidence shaken in the playoffs last year and now Elton Brand is around to hoard shots. I think he’ll keep up his excellence in his usual categories but take a hit in points.
2008-09 Projections: 18.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 5.2 APG, 1.2 3PG, 2.2 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 46.9 FG%, 73.0 FT%

8. Paul Pierce, BOS
Pierce remains an elite player and is the youngest of the Large Trio. His lingering knee issues could limit his minutes this season, but with James Posey gone Pierce will still play 35 minutes a night at least.
2008-09 Projections: 19.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.7 3PG, 1.2 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 45.7 FG%, 83.7 FT%

9. Rashard Lewis, ORL
Lewis is a solid fantasy player thanks to his free throw shooting and three-point marksmanship. It would be nice if he boarded more, but Dwight Howard only lets so many slip through his grasp. I like Lewis to score a little more this year.
2008-09 Projections: 19.3 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 2.9 3PG, 1.2 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 45.0 FG%, 82.8 FT%

10. Kevin Durant, OKC
At the expense of his outside shooting, Durant should continue to bring his field goal percentage up. It’s a tradeoff, but an efficient Durant is automatically a better fantasy player. If those blocks and boards rise, he will have arrived.
2008-09 Projections: 22.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.7 3PG, 1.0 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 44.5 FG%, 86.7 FT%

11. Hedo Turkoglu, ORL
I routinely have nightmares involving many of Turkoglu’s stat lines from last year. How good was this guy? I don’t think it was a fluke, although he’ll drop a little bit as teams wise up to his newfound excellence.
2008-09 Projections: 18.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 5.1 APG, 2.0 3PG, 0.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 44.7 FG%, 81.1 FT%

12. Ron Artest, HOU
I’m not sure Artest is a great fit in Houston. They already have a defensive specialist in Shane Battier and a chucker in Tracy McGrady. That said, Artest offers fantasy production like few others when you consider his ability to score and steal the ball. His stats will suffer, but a potential injury to Tracy McGrady - always as predictable as the sun coming up - makes his value explode.
2008-09 Projections: 17.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.1 3FG, 2.2 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 44.0 FG%, 71.0 FT%

13. Corey Maggette, GSW
Count me as a Maggette believer this year. With Monta Ellis hurt, it is up to Maggette and Stephen Jackson to handle the brunt of the scoring. Maggette, who loves to get to the line to pad his stats like few others, will be more than happy to oblige.
2008-09 Projections: 22.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.2 3PG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG, 44.2 FG%, 82.0 FT%

14. Luol Deng, CHI
I have the Deng fever this year. Last season he was quarantined in my eyes, but I like him to bounce back and take over the Bulls offensively.
2008-09 Projections: 19.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.6 APG, 0.1 3PG, 1.4 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 48.5 FG%, 79.3 FT%

15. Josh Howard, DAL
Coming off a season in which he underachieved in steals and threes, Howard isn’t as sexy a pick anymore. He’s a good late-round fill in if you need a 20 ppg scorer or someone to give an intelligent, honest assessment of race relations in America.
2008-09 Projections: 20.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.9 3PG, 0.9 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 45.6 FG%, 80.0 FT%

16. Gerald Wallace, CHA
You know the drill with Wallace. He’ll put up sick numbers for weeks and then, without warning, he’s on the bench in street clothes for even more time. Draft him for some great games but be ready for the inevitable injury.
2008-09 Projections: 18.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.0 3PG, 2.0 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 45.8 FG%, 74.0 FT%

17. Richard Jefferson, MIL
Jefferson had a tremendous season in 2007-08, but don’t expect him to duplicate those numbers in Milwaukee. He’ll defer to Michael Redd, Charlie Villanueva and Andrew Bogut enough to knock him back down to Earth just a bit.
2008-09 Projections: 18.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.0 APG, 0.9 3PG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 47.0 FG%, 80.1 FT%

18. John Salmons, SAC
Salmons proved himself capable of handling big minutes last year and was a clear fantasy starter when Ron Artest and Kevin Martin were out. Artest is in Houston, so Salmons should move into the starting small forward spot. He has a chance to shine.
2008-09 Projections: 15.6 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.1 APG, 0.5 3FG, 1.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 46.9 FG%, 81.6 FT%

19. Peja Stojakovic, NOH
The addition of James Posey gives us pause, as does Julian Wright’s inevitable larger role. Peja was surprisingly healthy last year. The threes and near-perfect free throw shooting still make him draftable.
2008-09 Projections: 15.1 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.3 APG, 2.4 3PG, 0.7 SPG, 0.1 BPG, 43.6 FG%, 91.5 FT%

20. Francisco Garcia, SAC
There’s no reason Garcia shouldn’t get 30-35 minutes off the bench in Sacramento this year backing up Kevin Martin and John Salmons. He’s a dynamic fantasy performer, as well as an injury away from roto stardom.
2008-09 Projections: 14.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.4 3PG, 1.7 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 45.4 FG%, 78.5 FT%

The Next 10
21. Al Thornton, LAC
22. Andrei Kirilenko, UTA
23. Jamario Moon, TOR
24. Jeff Green, OKC
25. Thaddeus Young, PHI
26. Travis Outlaw, POR
27. Rashad McCants, MIN
28. Linas Kleiza, DEN
29. Ricky Davis, LAC
30. Shane Battier, HOU