You want a player that can do it all on the basketball court? Look no further than the Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki, who contributes in every single fantasy category. Nowitzki's stats during the March 21-27 stretch are a perfect example of his abilities and versatility. In four games last week, the forward recorded 100 points, 40 rebounds, 11 assists, 6 steals, 8 blocks, 6 3-pointers, and incredible field goal and free throw percentages. There is no doubting that Dirk is a superstar, and while he probably won't win the award, he will likely finish near the top of this year's NBA MVP voting.
Dirk Nowitzki
(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Fantasy owners usually get discouraged when their top picks begin the season in a major slump, often causing them to try to unload these players before it's too late. Well, some guys just have a tendency to struggle in April before finding their stroke come May or June. ESPN.com's Scott Engel indentifies which players you should be patient with early in the year or should trade for in late April or early May. Knowing which months players tend to shine is a key aspect of winning any fantasy baseball league.
Though Tony Gwynn played 20 years for the San Diego Padres and won eight batting titles along the way, baseball is not the former outfielder's cup of tea when it comes to fantasy sports. Instead, Gwynn is actually addicted to fantasy football and is currently the commissioner of his league at San Diego State University, where he is the head baseball coach. Gwynn began playing gridiron fantasy in 1996 with his Padres' teammates and has been hooked on it ever since, soaking up as much information as possible at all times during the year. To read what else the former great had to say, check out Scott Engel's interview with Gwynn on ESPN.com.
Tony Gwynn
The Giants' Barry Bonds announced Tuesday that knee surgery will force him to miss at least half of the upcoming season and possibly the entire year. In addition to his nagging knee problems, Bonds blamed the media for forcing him away from baseball for the time being, saying that he was physically and mentally "done." Obviously, this news has a huge impact on nearly all fantasy leagues. Yahoo's Mike Harmon explores how fantasy owners should handle the entire Bonds situation, singling out which players should gain and lose value in the slugger's absence.
Barry Bonds
(AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Hands down, the top fantasy player during the March 14-20 stretch was indeed the "Chosen One," Cleveland's LeBron James. In four games last week, James totaled 142 points, 34 rebounds, 21 assists, 7 steals, 12 3-pointers, and great field goal and free throw percentages. Also during that stretch, LeBron became the youngest NBA player to ever score 50 points in a single game, pouring in 56 Sunday at Toronto. Expect James to earn many more accolades before his playing days are over.
LeBron James
(AP Photo/Frank Gunn)
It's tough to find a better fantasy week this season than Allen Iverson's Feb. 28-Mar. 6 stretch. Though we've gotten used to AI putting up ridiculous numbers, it seems he is getting even better as the year wears on. In four games last week, the Philly guard posted 149 points, 11 rebounds, 28 assists, 14 steals, 9 3-pointers, and was almost perfect from the free throw line. This means that he averaged 37.3 points, 7.0 assists, and 3.5 steals for the week - simply amazing. Honorable mention to the Warriors' Jason Richardson, who also had a monster week and finished a close second.
Allen Iverson
REUTERS/Tim Shaffer
When people think of how celebrities spend their free time, they probably don't consider that these entertainers use that time to manage their fantasy teams. Well, no celebrity out there is a bigger fan of fantasy sports than singer Meatloaf. He's a fantasy original, having participated in leagues since 1986. ESPN.com's Scott Engel recently interviewed Meatloaf about his fantasy obsession (and after reading it, you'll know that he really is obsessed). Check back for more celebrities talking fantasy sports in the coming weeks.
Meatloaf
