The point guard is the team leader. He calls the plays, dictates the tempo of the game, sets up his teamates and, when needed, drills the open shot. And in fantasy ball they're no different. Owning a guy like Steve Nash virtually ensures you own the assists category every week, and the position is usually a valuable source of steals. One or two top flight point guards could mean the difference between a first place finish and a third. So pay attention. UPDATE! presents its Top 20 point guards of 2007:


Phoenix Suns
Comment: Forget about Gilbert Arenas for now. Steve Nash is the undisputed No. 1 point guard in the NBA. He may not score 30 points a game, but what other point guard will shoot over 50 percent from the field and net you over 10 assists a game? And in league's that don't consider turnovers, you can even bump him up a few spots on your draft cheat sheet.

Washington Wizards
Comment: Arenas might be one of the best pure scorers in the NBA. Nobody can get to the hoop and finish a play just like him. That being said, he only averaged six assists last season and shot a paltry 41.8 percent from the field — numbers that won't likely see much increase.

New Jersey Nets
Comment: At 33, Jason Kidd had the best season of his career in 2007. While he'll never come close to Oscar Robertson workman-like tripe-double routine, in the modern era of basketball there's no one better at filling a box score than Kidd. His low shooting percentage and slowly dropping point totals are the only thing keeping him from the top spot on this list.

Utah Jazz
Comment: Williams emerged as a legitimate playmaker last season alongside Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur. While some will argue Chris Paul is a better value, Williams has a better supporting cast, passes with more efficiency and shoots for a higher percentage than Paul, even if he doesn't give you as many rebounds or points. More importantly however, Williams has no ceiling. He made a gigantic leap forward in just his second year; there's no telling how good he'll be in his third.

New Orleans Hornets
Comment: Paul's breakout rookie campaign earned him comparisons to Jason Kidd. And a quick look at his numbers would confirm this accurate comparison. But unlike Kidd, Paul has nobody else to help him carry the load — Peja Stojakovic has been an injured shadow of his former sharp shooting self and Tyson Chandler is hardly a scoring machine. Defenses will clamp down on Paul and try to stymie his production; fortunately, he's too good for it too make much difference.

Golden State Warriors
Comment: Injuries have derailed Davis' past five seasons in the NBA. But when he's healthy, he's hard to beat. Finally injury free, Davis will exploit coach Don Nelson's offense and could have a career year. The Warriors are a young and exciting team, and the addition of Al Harrington only makes them better. Look for good things from Davis this season.

Detroit Pistons
Comment: Billups has been the model of consistency with the Pistons. Why expect anything different from his this season? Under Flip Saunders the Pistons have been more offensively proficient, and Billups has benefited the most in the form of points and assists. While he won't wow you in any particular category, he's the type of box score stud every owner wants on his team.

Philadelphia 76ers
Comment: Miller often goes as the unsung man as far as fantasy point guards go. But he quietly produces across the board (with the exception of three's) and is one of just a handful of point guards that could average over eight assists per game. On a team like the woeful 76ers, there has to be at least some concern. But the pros out weigh the cons when it comes to Miller. He's a steal.

Toronto Raptors
Comment: At just 24, Ford has a pretty high ceiling for improvement. And playing in the Phoenix Suns-lite offense of the East, he's in as good a spot as any. He's got plenty of talent surrounding him in Andrea Bargnani and Chris Bosh, and the Raptors look to be a sleeper team in the East. The only concern is that the surprising play of Jose Calderon could cut into his minutes.
Chicago Bulls
Comment: Hinrich averaged nearly 45 percent from the field and 42 from behind the arc last season (both career highs). There is an amazing amount of potential here, but it might not come fully realized in Chicago. With the emergence Andres Nocioni and Luol Deng along with Ben Gordon, there might not be enough balls to go around. Still, Hinrich is a safe choice at the point guard position.

Milwaukee Bucks
Comment: Williams emerged as a true sharp shooter last season in Milwaukee. The Bucks just aren't good enough to compete in a strengthening Eastern Conference however. Plus, he's been injury prone over his short career. Look for similar numbers from Williams this season.

Charlotte Bobcats
Comment: In his second season on the court Felton developed into a legitimate scoring threat. Now with a healthy Emeka Okafor and Jason Richardson in the mix, Felton should raise his shooting percentages. Losing Sean May hurts, but not enough to deter you from taking this stud point guard.

San Antonio Spurs
Comment: As good as Parker is on the court, he doesn't make the best fantasy point guard. He doesn't shoot three pointers, can't rebound and doesn't rack up the assists. What gets him on this list are his high field goal percentages (52%), nearly 19 points a game and the steal he averages.

New York Knicks
Comment: Forget his last two seasons in New York. Playing on a reloaded roster, he'll be looking to prove he's a top tier point guard in the NBA. He's still one of the strongest point guards in the game and has the opportunity to pile up the assists tossing the ball to Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry.

Sacramento Kings
Comment: Mike Bibby has always been one of the premier scoring point guards in the League. But on a Kings team loaded with big passers (think Brad Miller or Vlade Divac) he has never put together a passing game reminiscent of, say, John Stockton. The Kings have done little to rectify their sluggish play during the off-season, so expect Bibby to carry the load offensively while remaining a bit of a sore in other categories.

Minnesota Timberwolves
Comment: Foye showed a lot of promise last season as a rookie. He'll get plenty of court time now that Kevin Garnett's gone. This team is slated to finish at the bottom of the West, but at least Foye will get the minutes and touches to make him a viable fantasy option. The only thing that hurts is his percentages, which will likely stay below the 40 percent mark.

Boston Celtics
Comment: Rondo showed some real promise in his rookie season. And while he certainly won't be an offensive mainstay playing along side Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, his game should improve sufficiently to make him a fantasy option with considerable upside. The Celtics lack true depth, and Rondo might be their only true point guard. If he plays well, he could be a huge source of assists.

Orlando Magic
Comment: Orlando landed an instant offense score when it snatched up Rashard Lewis during the off-season. Nelson could be the one to quietly benefit the most from his inclusion in a young and front-loaded roster. His numbers were down last season, but with a new offensive toy to play with he should see an obvious increase in assists and percentages.

Dallas Mavericks
Comment: Harris has the immediate advantage of playing for one of the most balanced offensive teams in the NBA. The flipside is that he'll be fighting for minutes. Coach Avery Johnson has already said that he will downscale guard Jason Terry's role this season, and if Harris steps up he could find himself on the court come crunch time.

Indiana Pacers
Comment: While he has shown flashes of talent, Tinsley has spent far too much time on the disabled list to have a powerful impact on the Pacers. Last season he played 72 games, his most since the 2002-2003 season. But the Pacers just aren't that good, and Tinsley will have a hard time finding the playmakers to drive up his assist totals. And his 38.9 field goal percentage from last season is an unappealing eyesore.

Anthony Lamberti is UPDATE! Editor in Chief.

Portland Trailblazers
Comment: Losing Greg Oden hurts big time. But will it hurt Jarret Jack's game? He made huge strides in his second season and will be Portland's point guard of the future. The Trailblazers have loads of frontcourt talent — even without Oden — and Brandon Roy is a good enough shooter to spread the floor. Jack will have plenty of places to put the ball, and a breakout season could very well be in order.

Toronto Raptors
Comment: Calderon shot over 50 percent from the floor and averaged five assists a game in just 21 minutes last season. He will be hard pressed to find minutes with T.J. Ford playing in front of him, but Calderon might the best point guard the Raptors have. Should injury befall Ford, Calderon's numbers will skyrocket.

Chicago Bulls
Comment: Duhon saw some reduction in minutes last season. But at just 25, Duhon has yet to enter the prime of his career. Expect him to regain those minutes this season and post decent numbers across the board as backup point guard. He has shown himself to be a great playmaker in limited minutes on the court. This season he could take the next step forward.

Denver Nuggets
Comment: You know what you're getting with this journeyman point guard. Now with the Nuggets, who lack depth at the position, Atkins will find himself with a good amount of minutes, especially given his reputation as a lock-down defender. Over five assists a game would not be unlikely from Atkins this season.

Seattle Supersonics
Comment: West will be the point guard of the future for the Sonics. Earl Watson is too small and Luke Ridnour will be wearing a facemask the first month of the season with a broken nose. Look for career highs across the board from as he teams up with Kevin Durant in the North West.




Los Angeles Clippers
Comment: Livingston is forever being touted as a future Hall of Famer, with uncanny playmaking ability and the height and speed to dominate other defenders. But we'll never find out because he is perennially injured. Still recovering from a gruesome knee surgery, he will open the season on the injured list. Don't expect him to eat up court time upon his return.

Los Angeles Clippers
Comment: Although this roving point guard was once a solid fantasy option for owners in need of assists and steals, his value has dropped tremendously playing with the Clippers. He will be stuck behind Sam Cassell on the depth chart and could have trouble producing in limited minutes. And Elton Brand's season ending injury limits the Clippers offensive production from the get-go.

Houston Rockets
Comment: After averaging 20 points and nearly six assists for the Raptors in 2005, James was gigantic disappointment with Houston last season. His numbers dropped across the board and there's nothing to indicate that they'll rebound. There's an influx of new point guards on their way, including Steve Francis, and it's hard to envision James greatly eclipsing last season's numbers.

Minnesota Timberwolves
Comment: Telfair wasn't any good in Portland or Boston, and he certainly won't be much better in Minnesota’s lackluster lineup. Telfair has been a universal bust; his lack of size and inability to develop a consistent jumper have turned him into a poor man's version of Stephon Marbury.

Seattle Supersonics
Comment: Forget about breaking his nose in preseason. Ridnour faces too much competition for owners to depend on steady minutes. Earl Watson and standout Delonte West will take away too many minutes for Ridnour to be depended on. Don't expect much out of him this season — even on a severely undermanned Seattle team.