2012 - 2013 NBA PREVIEW:
Top 10 Fantasy Basketball Rookies
In terms of fantasy basketball, drafting is never easy, but there's nothing tougher than projecting which rookies are going to jump to the next level and immediately make an impact. Below we look at the Top 10 Fantasy Basketball Rookies for the 2012-2013 NBA season, and it's sure to include a few players that you may not be expecting to see.
Use our lists to identify top rookies and win money at daily fantasy sites such as FanDuel.
Damian Lillard (PG - Portland Trailblazers)
Lillard jumps into an excellent position with an offense that can score, and simply opens things up for him. He was the co-MVP of his summer league, and will jump right into the starting role after the Blazers parted ways with Raymond Felton. I think that Lillard is going to be one of the top fantasy rookies in the NBA this season.
Anthony Davis (PF - New Orleans Hornets)
Davis has ridiculously high expectations, and is probably going to be drafted a bit too high, but he just played in the Olympics against some incredible athletes and didn't look out of place. I think he'll have a solid season, and while he's not going to jump into the All-Star game right away, he'll still be one of the top fantasy basketball rookies for 2012-2013.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (SF - Charlotte Bobcats)
The Charlotte Bobcats need a whole lot of help, and they are going to get it from Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Kidd-Gilchrist has been working on perfecting his jump shot, which is one of his weaknesses, and I think that he's going to get 30+ minutes per game. He should stuff the stat sheet for the Bobcats this season.
Dion Waiters (SG - Cleveland Cavaliers)
Waiters was specifically drafted to pair up with Kyrie Irving in the backcourt for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is a great shooter and with Irving getting into the paint, Waiters is going to get a ton of good looks and will score loads of points quickly for the Cavs. He has a shot to win Rookie of the Year in 2012-2013.
Bradley Beal (SG - Washington Wizards)
Beal has a great shot to find himself as the starter next to John Wall in Washington. It'll be a similar situation to what we have currently with Waiters and Irving in Cleveland, and one that everyone will have their eyes on. I don't think that he'll get quite as many minutes as Waiters though, as Beal will be up against Jordan Crawford for playing time, but he should take advantage.
Harrison Barnes (SF - Golden State Warriors)
Barnes has Richard Jefferson between him and the starting job, but I think that Barnes could get the job done when he gets his chances. Barnes can really shoot the ball and has the potential to put it on the floor as well a bit. He'll probably start off as a sixth man, but still has potential to be a good fantasy basketball option as a rookie.
Thomas Robinson (PF - Sacramento Kings)
Robinson was an absolute stud in college, and while he's currently on the depth chart as the back-up behind Jason Thompson, the Kings are going to need Robinson's rebounding skills. This is the key reason why they drafted him, and I think he's going to pull down a large number of boards, and that he'll also put the ball in the hoop a bit as well.
Jonas Valanciunas (C - Toronto Raptors)
Many people may not remember Valanciunas, as he was drafted by the Raptors back in 2011 with the 5th pick. However, he was over in Europe last year getting his game together for the pros, and now he'll be in the NBA. He may actually end up starting and has the potential to have a very big year as a rookie sleeper pick for your fantasy draft or daily fantasy games.
Jeremy Lamb (SG - Houston Rockets)
Not many people are talking about Jeremy Lamb currently, but he's an interesting prospect. He's an excellent shooter. He'll be behind Kevin Martin, who has been a bit inconsistent throughout the last season, which could open the door for Lamb. Look for him to get a lot of playing time if the Rockets fall out of the race early in the West.
Austin Rivers (SG - New Orleans Hornets)
Rivers is an interesting prospect. The key reason for this is because the only point guard that the Hornets have currently is Greivis Vasquez after they traded Jarrett Jack. Rivers is really a shooting guard, but I think he could get some run at the point which will bulk up his minutes a good bit.
