2011-2012 NBA Fantasy Basketball Sleepers - Point Guards

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By ttocs

Jeff Teague (PG, Atlanta Hawks)

Teague had a very solid playoff run last year against Derrick Rose, and will likely start over an aged Kirk Hinrich. Jamal Crawford, who stole many of his minutes last year, has been traded to the Blazers, and Kirk is looking to be injured entering the season. Who could ask for a better fantasy situation for the young point guard to be in? Also, without Crawford, the Hawks’ scoring load will be passed upon to Teague, who was a solid scorer in college. His minutes may surge from 13.8 last year to over 25-30 this year, which in and of itself warrants the “sleeper” tag.

Toney Douglas (PG, New York Knicks)

With the Knicks waiving Chauncey Billups with the amnesty clause, the starting point guard job is passed on to Tony Douglas. When he started last year, he averaged 14PPG, almost 6APG, and 2.4 3 pointers a game. His weak point was his .416 field goal percentage, but now that he’s playing with the starting line-up, look for him to be getting more assists and flinging up less bad shots. Already pick-n-rolling with Amar’e Stoudemire, Toney Douglas will have a new weapon in the paint to throw to, Tyson Chandler. Assists galore on a very capable shooter, on a starting lineup where most of the attention will be deviated to Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e… Toney is looking to have a very, very productive season.

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Brandon Jennings (PG, Milwaukee Bucks)

This one is a bit odd – sleepers usually arise from teams who have just unloaded star players, as opposed to what the Bucks have done. In the end of the 2010-11 Season, Stephen Jackson was traded to the Bucks from the Bobcats. The problem with Brandon Jennings in his two year career has been his tendency to just heave up bad shots – not uncommon among younger players. With a new offensive weapon in Jackson, Jennings will mature his shot selection while getting more assists. He already raised his FG% from .371 in his rookie year to .390 last year (albeit, it’s still very low), so with Stephen Jackson and a newer look Milwaukee Bucks offense, Jennings can only get better.

Darren Collison (PG, Indiana Pacers)

Collison had a down year last season after having an insanely productive second half of his rookie year. As a rookie, Collison was thrust into the Hornets’ starting lineup when Chris Paul went down with a knee injury. Last year, on the Pacers, he didn’t look nearly as comfortable, and was definitely not worth the 4th round draft pick most people chose him in. The difference this year – the Pacers have gained many solid shooters in the form of George Hill and possibly O.J. Mayo. This is insignificant information though, in relation to the new big man acquisition of the team – David West. David West was the source of most of Collison’s assists on the Hornets a year and a half ago, so they’re very comfortable together. Also, it gives the Pacers a big man for Collison to pick and roll with, which they didn’t really have last year.

Kemba Walker (PG, Charlotte Bobcats)

Look for Kemba Walker to beat out D.J. Augustin for the Bobcats’ starting point guard position pretty early on in the season. With a well-rounded game, Walker has more than enough potential to take over the team’s offense, and be one of the more productive players in the 2011 rookie class. As he goes through what most rookies go through in finding his shot, he will learn to be a more efficient scorer along with a better distributor. The Bobcats don't have many other offensive weapons, and Kemba has shown the poise and ability to just take over games, in winning the NCAA championship last year.

Stephen Curry (PG, Golden State Warriors)

Steph Curry should definitely not be called a sleeper, because he isn’t. He’s been scoring and assisting on a torrid pace for the past two years, and has developed into a solid fantasy first/second rounder. The big variable going into this season to determine if he will stay at his current production or jump into a lock for the first round is two words: Monta Ellis. If Monta gets traded, which is probable, Curry will be able to take absolute control over the ball and the point guard position. With a more mature all-around game and an emptier backcourt, Curry has the talent to be a top 3 fantasy point guard. Proof for this can be found in his rookie season, after the All-Star Break. Monta Ellis was injured for a majority of this period, and Curry averaged an insane 22.1 PPG, 7.7 APG, 5.5 RPG, and 1.97 SPG. His shot selection was proven as he shot 46.8% from the field, and along with a .906 FT%, he was robbed of the Rookie of the Year award. When given the chance, Stephen Curry’s game barely has any gaps, so if Monta gets traded, don’t let Curry slip past you if you have the opportunity to pick him up.

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