After nearly a third of a shortened season of basketball done, fantasy owners are surely beginning to realize the true unpredictability of the NBA.  Sure picks have turned to busts and sleepers have become the savior of savvy free agent poachers.  The defunct disappointments are too depressing to harp on, so let’s look at those players who saved your team if you’ve picked them, or made you forever regret mid and late round draft picks if you didn’t.  Fantasy is all about value, and these guys certainly exceeded almost everybody’s expectations.

3. James Harden – The beard should’ve been a warning sign that this beast was bound to go off.  The third wheel of the Thunder is slowly becoming as important to the team as their two superstars.  He averages almost 17 points this season, improving his mediocre 11-point career average.  Harden’s doing it all, also averaging four rebounds and three assists this season.  ESPN ranked him 73^rd preseason, and I’m sure they regret putting players like Dorell Wright, (whose only averaging ten points, one assist, and five rebounds) more than 30 spots ahead of Harden.  Even more impressive is that he’s doing all of this as a bench player.

2. Jeff Teague – Teague isn’t a complete surprise considering his playoff performance against the Bulls last year.  He averaged nearly 15 points, 2 assists, and 1 steal per game against the overwhelming favorite Chicago.  Still, the Atlanta point guard only averaged five points through his career, and his preseason ranking was 104^th.  But this appears to be Teague’s breakout year.  He’s averaging 13 points, five assists, two rebounds, and two steals.  ESPN ranked Raymond Felton, whose stats almost even out with Teague, 60 spots ahead of Teague.  There is a direct and noticeable correlation between Teague’s rapid improvement and the ascension of the Atlanta Hawks as a team.

1. Ryan Anderson – Oh how we all wish we had that last pick back.  The one that got away.  The inaccurate, risky last player that we “just knew” was going to blow up.  If you used one of your instinct selections on Ryan Anderson, I believe in clairvoyance.  The shooting big man has been a shining bright spot in a grim season for the Orlando Magic.  He’s averaging 16 points, improving from his career average of nine.  He’s also improved his rebounding, now hitting the boards enough to get almost 7 per game.  Sure, shooters are streaky and he could end the season on a slump that will have me eating my words, but for now his surprising play is a treat for lucky owners all over.  ESPN had Anderson ranked 145^th preseason.  They had Amare Stoudemire ranked 10th.  Amare is averaging less than two points and two rebounds more than Anderson.

Value, my friends, value.  If you found a way to draft any of these players, you’ve maximized yours.

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