http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story...=simmons/081024

i don't know guys....i've been sort of enjoying his articles over the years but this article kinda shows why there are fantasy experts separately.

Some highlights:
- He ranks D. Howard at 5th. I'm assuming it's based on a standard 8 cat league. No explanation on his free throws.
- He puts Paul at 4th and argues that 21-12, 3 steals with awesome %'s ONLY puts him as high as 4th.
- Kevin Durant at 21st, Corey Maggette at 22nd??
- Check out rankings of KG, Marion, Yao, Elton Brand, Granger, and Camby

Anyways there were a lot of other flaws, but this statement kinda caught my eyes...

Tyson Chandler: a rich man's Emeka Okafor
Emeka Okafor: a poor man's Tyson Chandler

At this point, you must wonder if he's even looking at stats or ranking the players based on his "feeling"...

Is this for a nine-cat roto or H2H? Because if so, these are absolutely awful.

He thinks Chris Paul is overrated? He would lose his league if he posts 21 ppg, 12 apg, 3 spg, and world-class shooting percentages? No, if he posts those stats, you win your league quite easily, unless the rest of your draft sucks (because you followed Simmons' big board).

That guy needs to stick to writing funny articles about the Celtics, because he sucks at fantasy.

CBS's projections have Howard in a similar position with their fantasy points (which I don't altogether understand). Differing formats really change the rankings. Tyson Chandler will probably play more games than Okafor (esp since LB is playing him at that uncomfortable C position) and therefore over the year would probably get more pts given more games played? I think?

Not sure. I kind of hate Bill Simmons, because i want his life.

Maybe b/c it's his first time writing this kind of article...but those are important points about formats that u must include.

If you caught his article on how to fix fantasy basketball where he comes up with the "revolutionary" idea of having PG,SG,SF,PF,C slots instead of just guard-forward-center, I think you knew that the ranking article was going to be for entertainment purposes only. The company he works for has been doing that for the better part of the last decade. I like Simmons generally, but he's trying to pass himself off as some sort of fantasy expert because he plays in what must be some extremely casual leagues.

I'd trust the average member of this forum on things fantasy a lot more than I'd trust Bill Simmons. Funny guy, unique perspective on sports, but not close to a fantasy expert.

I liked some of the stuff,
The Kobe Bryant part of it was interesting.

But I think you're right,
I think it's more of a list of guys he "likes" this year,
than a real ranking or whatever.

The Durant thing at 21 was odd,
and so was the Howard at 5.
I find it hard to beleive that there's a fantasy player on the planet,
that hasn't at least once heard or been a part of the "Dwight Howard kills fantasy teams" lecture.

I think he knows these things,
I think it was intentional,
It looks more like a list of his fantasy "Man Crushes" than anything else,
which would explain some of the super high projections (32/10/10 for Bron for example)

Plus he makes fun of Tony Allen.
As a Boston fan,
that just makes me happy.

One of the very few Simmons articles that I browsed instead of actually reading.

I have no idea what league settings he uses, or what format (H2H or roto, I assume H2H but who knows).

It seems like percentages are not part of his league, then he goes and mentions percentages for some guys. It's a total mixed bag.

But yeah, he doesn't really know what he's talking about. Strange, considering he's actually pretty keen in football and baseball. I am guessing his basketball league uses some very non-standard scoring.

I think it's a league that awards points based on how much Bill Simmons likes you.

Without TO I could understand pumping up Kobe and James above Paul. I wouldn't but I could understand that case.

Just another real-sports analyst trying to find his way into fantasy sports. Nothing wrong with Simmons or other sports journalists like that, they just haven't spent enough time with fantasy sports to understand how it can differ from what they see as real-world value...like how Dwight Howard is in the upper tier for real-life centers, but he can be a mess in standard scoring roto.

Simmons has actually been playing fantasy for a long time although its true, celebrity leagues don't really count.

Also, I'll give everyone that the Dwight Howard pick is nuts. I'm a huge howard fan even in fantasy, but no way do I think he goes 5 and to put it in there without referencing FT% is crazy. If he wants to make the argument, go for it, but to not reference is lame.

That said, the rest of it isn't bad. His number are a bit off, but I think the guys who he thinks will have a good season probably will and the ones he is not into are probably right as well.

With a couple of exceptions all he has done is re-state most of our concerns in a fun and entertaining way. It's something he is really good at. Possible the best in sports.

If he's averagine 21-12 and 2 steals with good FG %, you're losing the league?

Uh, no. You're winning a few cats just with CP3. That's an expert, ladies and gents.

I like his description of the players in his 4th Tier. (not necessarily the ranking order, and a few of players should be higher)

About West, Jamison, Iguodala, Granger, Lewis, Dunleavy, and Turkoglu, he writes:

it's funny that a few of those players still have potential to get much better. simmons is an idiot.

Hahahahahahaha!

MISSIONARY POSITION PLAYERS:

TIER VI: MISSIONARY POSITION GUYS

31. David West
32. Antawn Jamison
33. Andre Iguodala
34. Danny Granger
35. Rashard Lewis
36. Mike Dunleavy
37. Hedo Turkoglu
My explanation: You know what you're getting with each guy, you're not totally excited about it, you can't go wrong with whomever you take, but you need to bang out a pick because it's something to do. Let's just move on.


Simmons, that was some funny $**t, even if the rankings are crap.