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Cleveland Cavaliers Have 4 Players In ESPN’s Top 130 Fantasy Basketball Rankings

By Aaron Ferguson

Mar 21, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates with guard J.R. Smith (5) while leaving the game with a triple-double during the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs won 124-91. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 21, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates with guard J.R. Smith (5) while leaving the game with a triple-double during the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs won 124-91. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Cleveland Cavaliers have four players in the top 130 of ESPN’s fantasy basketball rankings. Where do they stack up against other NBA competition?

The defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers have four players ranked in the top 130 of ESPN‘s fantasy basketball rankings by Tom Carpenter.

J.R. Smith cracks the list at 113 for the Cavs. Smith’s fantasy nights are going to be determined by his scoring. He averaged 12.4 points per game during the 2015-16 season while shooting .415/.400/.634.

Players just ahead of Smith include Derrick Rose (108), Bismack Biyombo (109), Brandon Jennings (111) and Michael Carter-Williams (112.)

Kevin Love is the next Cavalier to come in ascending up the rankings list at 53. Love averaged 16.0 points and 9.9 rebounds per game during the 2015-16 season. He is a walking double-double due to his great rebounding skills. He has the ability to go off for big scoring nights, too.

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It is interesting that five players who are triple-double threats are ranked below Love. D’Angelo Russell (55), Reggie Jackson (57), Elfrid Payton (59) and Ricky Rubio (60.)

The other two players surprisingly ranked below Love are New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony (54) and newly-signed Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade (58.)

Kyrie Irving ranks inside the top 25 on the list. Irving averaged 19.6 points, 4.7 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game during the 2015-16 season and is able to impact the game in multiple ways. He also adds 1.1 steals per game. As a player that is able to do it all, his fantasy stock should be high.

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Irving, 24, is the go-to-guy when LeBron James is not in the game. He plays as a ball-dominant guard that has some of the best handling skills in the league. He’s also a capably shooter, able to knock down plenty of wide-open looks he gets off of good ball movement.

He ranks behind rival guards Kyle Lowry (20), Isaiah Thomas (21), Eric Bledsoe (22), C.J. McCollum (23) and Jimmy Butler (24.)  Irving ranks ahead of Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (28) and Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson (32.)

James, who is the best player in basketball today, is ranked eighth on the top 130 list. James, a triple-double threat, averaged 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game during the 2015-16 season.

James is ranked behind rival forwards Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard (6.)

The list places a heavy emphasis on players that are superstars that are ball-dominant on their respective teams. Thus, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook tops the list with Houston Rockets wing James Harden coming in second.

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Fantasy basketball should place high stakes on ball-dominant players, which is why the Cavaliers have both James and Irving in the top 25 of this rankings list. The list isn’t finalized as training camp has yet to happen, but expect the Cavs players to hold around their respective spots.