Thursday, August 20, 2020

Frascella's Best Fantasy Football Accounts to Follow (2020)

Photo Credit: YouTube


On Twitter, I've always been active in the fantasy football community @LegendSports7; but, when I got really active during the COVID-19 lockdown, I was looking for a one-stop way to find the best accounts to follow.

Needless to say, I didn't have a lot of luck (otherwise I wouldn't be writing this piece). 

So my goal here is to assist the newbies or up-and-comers in our industry; hopefully, in the future, they will Google "best fantasy football accounts to follow" and this article will be the very first result. 

Also... I always like to shoutout great people and great accounts! So, let's get this damn thing poppin'...

TIER 1: "THE GODFATHERS"

So... go ahead and Google "best fantasy football accounts to follow"... one of the top results is this piece right here - and it's from July of 2015! Despite being dated, it retains some useful information. Some of the aforementioned "Godfathers" are mentioned. So, in each tier, what I'm going to do is list the handles first, then fire off my comments below:

(** Editor's note: All follower numbers are accurate as of the morning of Thursday, August 8, 2020.)

Matthew Berry @MatthewBerryTMR (1 million followers)
Brad Evans @NoisyHuevos (131,500 followers) 
Evan Silva @evansilva (211,900 followers)
Adam Levitan @adamlevitan (130,500 followers)

These are the guys who have been around; especially Berry, who is like the OG of the game. I don't think his content is anything special at this point, but he gets by on name value and 1 million followers. 

Evans is easily my favorite of this group - he is very interactive with other members of the fantasy football community. Shout to Brad, a good dude!

TIER 2: VERIFIED ALL-STARS

These are verified accounts with name value and a strong amount of followers:

Peter Jennings @CSURAM88 (65,400 followers)
Matt Harmon @MHarmon_BYB (99,000 followers)
JJ Zachariason @LateRoundQB (88,700 followers)
Chris Raybon @ChrisRaybon (43,400 followers) 
Sam Monson @PFF_Sam (74,200 followers)

JJ is probably the most interactive of this group - he's a cool guy who is great for the community. Peter and Sam are very sharp fellows, all-around. 

TIER 3: "LEADING LADIES"

The only reason I am putting these amazing women together in one tier is because the numbers clearly indicate that women are severely outnumbered in our fantasy football community. We hope to see more strong, talented women on the come-up!

Cynthia Frelund @cfrelund (108,800 followers)
Liz Loza @LizLoza_FF (35,300 followers)
Michelle Magdziuk @BallBlastEm (13,000 followers)
Rachel aka "Fantasy Football Chick" @liveocgirl (9,032 followers)

A fearsome foursome you should be following! Knowledgeable, innovative and entertaining. 

TIER 4: THE REST OF THE BEST

Some more fantastic accounts!

Ian Hartitz @ihartitz (35,100 followers, should be a verified account)
Jonathan Bales @BalesFootball (46,700 followers)
Matt Kelley aka "the podfather" @Fantasy_Mansion (29,900 followers)
Scott Barrett @ScottBarrettDFB (65,100 followers)
Mike Tagliere @MikeTagliereNFL (77,700 followers)
Nathan Jahnke @PFF_NateJahnke (50,000 followers)
Steve Palazzolo @PFF_Steve (67,100 followers)


Ian is very popular within the community, and I'm truly surprised Twitter hasn't yet verified his account. Bales & "Tags" are names we hear all the time in this industry. All good follows, for sure. 

TIER 5: PLAYER UPDATES, NEWS & GENERAL ACCOUNTS

Want to keep up on news in a fast-moving industry? These are most certainly the accounts to follow...

Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter (7.8 MILLION followers)
Ian Rapoport @RapSheet (2.2 million followers)
PFF Fantasy Football @PFF_Fantasy (206,600 followers)
Rotoworld Football @Rotoworld_FB (318,100 followers)
Fantasy Football Today @FFToday (253,100 followers)

If Matt Berry is The Godfather of fantasy football...then Adam Schefter is the Don Vito Corleone of NFL player and team news. He always seems to get the scoops early. Rapoport is a machine, as well. You should be following/reading headlines and injury updates at Rotoworld.com too.

TIER 6: VOTED IN BY THE FANS!

Well-deserved additions to the list, thanks to great content and popular demand:

Marvin Elequin @FF_MarvinE
Jacob Vines @JSnake_DFF
John Bauer @TheBauerClub

Bring on more awesome, write-in votes! 

PERSONAL TIER 1: MY COLLABORATORS

These are kind and knowledgeable people I have worked with, or actively continue to work with on podcasts, articles and/or all things football:

Aaron Torres @Aaron_Torres (25,100 followers)
Aaron Torres Sports Podcast @AaronTorresPod
Wes Easley @loafinit
JB Barry @FantasyCoachJB
Jeff Culhane @JeffCulhane
Andy Rieckhoff @AndyOnTheAm
Fantasy Impact Today @FIToday_
Abe aka "Ace DFS Docket" @TheDFSDetective
Sideline Squib @sidelinesquib 
The DFS Docket @DFS_Docket
Josh Faber @jfaber43
JJ Talks @jjtalkspod 
Pierre Wilson @pwee31
Bobby Smith @FosterFantasy
Austin Montgomery @amontgomerylive

Don't forget to check out my continuing podcasts with Wes at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fantasy-impact-today-sports/id1458799157

BIG, BIG shows coming with Aaron Torres aka "A.T." in the VERY near future... 

Potential Collaborators

RiseorFall @TeamRiseorFall
Mitch Carl @DFSnDonuts

Stadium Rant @StadiumRantHQ
Tyler Lamb @Lamb4752

Razzball @Razzball
Rudy Gamble @rudygamble
DonkeyTeeth @DonkeyTeeth87

NFLTradeRumors.co @nfltrade_rumors

MLB Trade Rumors @mlbtraderumors
Steve Adams @Adams_Steve
wTC Zencka+ @tczencka
Talk Nats @TalkNats

PERSONAL TIER 2: MY BEST FANTASY FOOTBALL FRIENDS

I think the tier title speaks for itself. These people are kind, funny, welcoming, knowledgeable and always awesome: 

Jerel Bawayan @jerelffdynasty1
Jon McNabb @JonMcNabb
Nick DeJong @NickDynastyFF
Elvin Ryan @ElvinRyan_FF
Commissioner Breeze @mcbreeze11
J Boyce @JRay_Boyce
Jay Arsht @JArshtFF
Chris Robin @DetroitBeastie
Rob Norton @norton0723
Travis Kent @LaptopLombardi
Angry Sports Couple @Him_HerSports
Scott Simpson @NimbleWNumbers
LaQuan Jones @RealDealFantasy
Beezy B @dabeezyBFF

Bill Carroll @elevenbravo138
Jose @Jalvarez817
Joe Florina @joeflo23
Matt Friesen @kobefriesen
McMeow116 @McMeowDynastyff
Mark Bryan @FF_mbryan4445
Michael Reedy @MikeReedyFF
FF Josh @josh_ff
Tucker Saley @SaleyFootball 
Dave Crews @crewser128 
Fantasy Ftball Commish @AskTheFFC
Mister Patrick @MisterPatrick1
Just Football @JusttheFoosball
Dynasty Sportz Fanatic @Dynasty_Sportz
Freakzilla @Freakzilla316
sum_dude44 @sum_dude44
Jake Headley @JakeHeadleyFFB
FF Mike @FFMike_
Petey @PeteyHarrison
Garrett @Gar_rett_

Todd Riley @RunTheWaggle
The Fantasy Football Experience @Danny_FFX
Kevin Tompkins @kompkinsii
Fantasy Mike @FantasyMikeBBF
In the Zone @inthezonefb
Phillip Caldwell @DumpsterDiveFF
Reality FFP @RealityFFP
Shane Barrett @ffShaneB
Mike Grimes @Dr_FootBalls

Tom Bombadil @BombadilFantasy #TomBomb lol
JMickey @JMickey701
David J. Gautieri @GuruFantasyWrld
Sam Wallace @SWallace_FF - no @
Josh Mitchell @Dynasty_Josh
Timothy M. Lafferty @King_Laff
JayDee @sportstlk365
Fantasy Fan Chaz @FantasyfanC
Dynasty Addicts @Dynasty_Addicts
Brad Ward @WardonSports
Burt @ FF_Burt 
Nises @Sesinm_24
bbdam23 @bbdam2323 
Fanta Claus @FFantaClaus
Meng @FFA_Meng - no @ 
Michael Stoyanov @MikeStoyanov

- A very special thanks to Jerel, Nick, Jon and Elvin for truly being the most supportive. 

-Breeze and Rob are putting out some fire content lately. 

-A special mention to David, LaQuan and Sam who grabbed my attention when I started getting really active in the fantasy football community. 

PERSONAL TIER 3: NOTABLE ACCOUNTS THAT (OR WHO?) FOLLOW ME

Certainly some big names, here... and I want to personally thank them for the support! 

Aaron Jones @Showtyme_33 - one of the best running backs in the NFL!!! 

Darius Butler @DariusJButler - my former basketball teammate, and a former standout corner for the Colts and Patriots!

Thor Nystrom @thorku - Rotoworld/NBC sports lead CFB writer. 

Matt Zylbert @MattZylbert - one of the best-known in the MLB betting world. 

PERSONAL TIER 4: MY "IRL" BEST FRIENDS

Means what it says! You should follow these sports fanatics...

Steve @vanhorn_44
Frank @hammerscoming 
Mike @mljja
DJ @mrmaritime
Adam @ofishal21 
Kyle @kbaxte2
Mark @markyoso
Rudy @rudymadethis
Jamie @garlander25
Matt @mdesantis02
Matty DeSantis @LegendSportsVP
Bill Bradley @illbill1000
Ill Bill @iLLegendSports1
Billy Valeriano @Yanknuts1981
Dan @DogyDogDan 
Pete P @Loco37
Ernest @enice10 
Jax @Sxajorp
Peter Lu @bostoneagle5 - follow him for genius DFS plays!! 
Matt @mattgallo501
Steven @StevenMurray10
Tim @BigTimmyTweets
Vinny Tricarico @TricaricoVinny
Clown @MattZylbert_
Charles "Paul" Kellam @charles_kellam 
David Rothman @DaveR_Fro_Zone 
NYC Neanderthal @NYC_Neanderthal 
Nick Caputi @capootz12
Matt @mattgitter
Jimmy H @jimjay1530
Nik Jackson @karizmajackson04
Mike R @HomeRunPace
Sean H @shammer422
Chris D @chriswho22

CONCLUSION

This list is always available to be updated! Shoot me your favorites and suggestions on Twitter @LegendSports7. If your friends made the list... be sure to retweet and let them know!

Let's make this THE article, next time someone Googles "best fantasy football accounts to follow". 

Thank you all... as always... for reading and listening! 

Best always,
John Frascella @LegendSports7

Less Active on Twitter 

David Rothman @DaveR_Fro_Zone 
NYC Neanderthal @NYC_Neanderthal 
Michael A @MaddDogs
Lauren P. @laurenpeteroy
Gia Lyn @gia8786
Nick Kale @nekale
Lindsay Rizzo @LBRizzo
Evan Hernstat @EHernstat
Peter Kirby @NYPeterKirby
Gem Jamandre @gematoy
MelissC10 @MCurra
Danelle @DanelleFK
BennyG @BennyG247
Jen @jenwolo
Tommy Herold @TheRealTHerold
Patti Rizzo @PattiRizzo
Andrew Cortazzo @AndrewCortazzo
Ben Trachtenberg @Ben_T_Fro_Zone
Benjamin Maidenbaum @bmaidenbaum
Donny Dinero @DonnyDinero7
Bonny_Binero @BBinero
Tommy_Tinero @TineroTommy
Brett Apter @brettapt7472
Chris @Chris18872218
Kenrick Thomas @Kenrickthomas

For Basketball Articles & Posts

Rachel @liveocgirl
Wes @loafinit
Fantasy Impact Today @FIToday_
Tim @runfromdolan
Pierre @pwee31
Bobby @FosterFantasy 

Breezy @mcbreeze11
J Boyce @JRay_Boyce
Beastie @DetroitBeastie
Rob @norton0723
Angry Couple @Him_HerSports
Scott @NimbleWNumbers

Troy @TKingMode
Bill @elevenbravo138
Jose @Jalvarez817
Joe @joeflo23
Matt @kobefriesen 
Mark @FF_mbryan4445
Mike @MikeReedyFF
Dave @crewser128
Just Football @JusttheFoosball
Todd @RunTheWaggle
Mike @Dr_FootBalls

Josh @Dynasty_Josh
Mike @MikeStoyanov
Brad @WardonSports

Matt @MattZylbert
Steve @vanhorn_44
Frank @hammerscoming
DJ @mrmaritime
Mark @markyoso
Rudy @rudymadethis
Jamie @garlander25
Matt @mdesantis02
Matt @LegendSportsVP
Bill @illbill1000
Bill @illegendsports1
Billy @Yanknuts1981
Dan @dogydogdan
Pete @Loco37
Ernest @enice10
Peter @bostoneagle5
Matt @mattgallo501
Steve @StevenMurray10
Tim @BigTimmyTweets
Vinny @TricaricoVinny
Paul @charles_kellam

Nick @capootz12
Matt @mattgitter
Jimmy @jimjay1530
Tommy @ThomasH35520011
Sean @shammer422
Chris @chriswho22
Peter @PeterEKirby
Ross @rschneid3
Spoon @SpoonJon
Matt @mattygicz
Rajiv @RajivLeventhal
Rich @rich_migel
Dat @Dat_m_Le
Mike @MikeKirby28
Sam @SamuelYtuarte
Mike @MikeHindin

Benny @BenJustJamin13
Nick @Dynasty_Nick
LeChubb @MobleyOnTop
Adam @adam_christ_boy
Depressed Packers @YFF_Mel
Bill Keyes @KeyesBill
Aaron @AJ97Wildcat
Nicholas @youngstudFF
Nick @NickElenis
Lakeshow @Lakeshow231
Andre @AndreSportsFan
Jake @JakesFFootball
Gage @GageBoone23
Kadidy @LordKadidy
Chauncey @bigchaunc64
Chili @RobertJMolnar

Tom Johnson @TomJohnson314
Doom DPT @mrdrsize
Derf @DerfandDylan
sum @sum_dude44
Ron @DIFS412
Dr. Fox @mkfox52
DMIC @dmicmedia 
Jacob @JacobBak12
Jr @JrBloom5
gray @Gray__Thomas
Tittiesrfun @2tittiesrfun
AJ @juice33nyc

Coach Ram @coachRAM71
Caz @BillsMafia32
Alex @DynastyGuruNFL
El prez @elprez365
gary @garygold23

CeSquared @CeSquaredd
Brian @boltup1990
Phil Ossie @Phil_Ossie

Nets Tragic @abercadabera
Big Daddy Duck @FarmerRichieNFT
Dynasty Sportz Fanatic @Dynasty_Sportz
Fantasy Goodness @egGoodSports
Matt Kazlowski @FarRunnerMatt
Shirley Pavlak @metsfanheatherb
Ron Burgandy @DIFS412
Adel @DigitalAdel
Mister Patrick @MisterPatrick1
Grey - Nuggets Stan Account @GreysonAdams907
Frank White @FrankWhite718BK
Jarred @InsiiderJayy
Coach Mahz @tribecallednola
Brian @brian_newsome5

Skip @RealSkipBayless
Shannon @ShannonSharpe
Colin @ColinCowherd
Stephen @stephenasmith
Max @Maxkellerman
Dave @stoolpresidente
Scott @notthefakeSVP
Bill @BillSimmons
Mad Dog @MadDogUnleashed
Mike @MikeFrancesa
Evan @EvanRobertsWFAN
Boomer @7BoomerEsiason
Craig @craigcartonlive
Chris @Chris_Broussard
Undisputed @undisputed
Jim @jimrome
Bomani @bomani_jones
Michael Kay @RealMichaelKay
Kay Show @TMKSESPN

Shaq @Shaq
Kenny @TheJetOnTNT
Kendrick @KendrickPerkins
Jalen @JalenRose
JJ @jj_redick
Rex @RexChapman
Adrian @wojespn
Shams @ShamsCharania
Zach @ZachLowe_NBA
Marc @MarcJSpears
Stan @realStanVG
Ryan @RyanRuocco
Richard @RJeff24
Wally @wallyball
Chris @ChrisCarrino
Vince @mrvincecarter15
Greg @GregAnthony50
Isiah @IsiahThomas
John @johnhollinger
Doris @heydb
Carlos @MisterCBooz
Michael @Grady
Reggie @ReggieMillerTNT
Clyde @WaltFrazier
David @davidaldridgedc
Steve @steve21smith
Dwyane @DwyaneWade
Mike @MikeFratello
Ryan @TheRyanHollins
Sarah @sarahkustok

Ben @BenGolliver
Brian @WindhorstESPN
Rob @RobMahoney
Chris @SIChrisMannix
Logan @loganmmurdock

WFAN @WFAN660
Fantasy Labs @FantasyLabs
Fantasy Pros @FantasyPros
The Sporting News @sportingnews
Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
Fox Sports 1 @FS1
Sports Illustrated @SInow
The Ringer @ringer
The Athletic @TheAthletic
Barstool @barstoolsports
ESPN @espn
SportsCenter @SportsCenter
CBS @CBSSports
NBC @NBCSports
RotoBaller @RotoBaller
USA Today @usatodaysports

Ringer NBA @ringernba
NBA on TNT @NBAonTNT
NBA on ESPN @ESPNNBA
CBS Sports NBA @CBSSportsNBA
Ball Don't Lie @Balldontlie
Talkin' Nets @TalkinNets
BR NBA @BR_NBA
NBA TV @NBATV
Nets Daily @NetsDaily
Underdog NBA @Underdog__NBA
Brooklyn Netcast @BrooklynNetcast
Nets Videos @SNYNets
Basketball News @basketballnews
NBA Reddit @NBA_Reddit

NBA Central @TheNBACentral
ESPN Stats & Info @ESPNStatsInfo
BasketNews @BasketNews_com
Hoop Central @TheHoopCentral
Legion Hoops @LegionHoops 
Hater Central @TheHateCentral
ClutchPoints @ClutchPointsApp


For Mets Articles & Posts

Mike @michaelgbaron (49,000 Followers)
Danny Abriano @DannyAbriano (4,700 Followers)
Ben Yoel @Ben_Yoel
MetCast @MetCastPod
Dan Bartels @DanBartels2
Anthony @AnthonyDiComo (162,000 Followers)
Mets Batflip @metsbatflip1
MetsMuse @MetsMuse 
Rich MacLeod @richmacleod
SleeperMets @SleeperMets
John Harper @NYNJHarper
"Frank the Tank" Fleming @NjTank99
Mark C. Healey @MarkCHealey
Andy @martinonyc (80,000 Followers)
Steve @StevenACohen2

Mets @Mets (1,200,000 Followers)
SNY Mets @SNY_Mets (120,000 Followers)
SNY @SNYtv (203,000 Followers)
Mike Puma @NYPost_Mets (102,000 Followers)
Jon @JonHeyman
Steve @SteveGelbs (113,000 Followers)
Sal Licata @sal_licata
Mets Avenue @MetsAvenue (10,700 Followers)
Just Mets @just_mets
Jake Brown @JakeBrownLive
Howie @HowieRose
Tim @TimBritton (35,000 Followers)
Joel @JoelSherman1 (275,000 Followers)
The 7 Line @The7Line (116,000 Followers)
Mathew Brownstein @MBrownstein89 (9,815 Followers)
KFC @KFCBarstool
Mike Mayer @mikemayer22
Diamond @RSAdiamondtales


Jeremy @Jeremy_Hefner53
Mets Booth @MetsBooth
Keith @KeithHernandez
Wayne @WayneRandazzo
GENY Mets @genymets (62,000 Followers)
Amazin' Avenue @AmazinAvenue (22,000 Followers)
Amazin' Army @WE_ARE_MET_FANS (15,000 Followers)
Grant Purpura (GENY) @grant_purpura 
Clueless Mickey @CluelessMickeyC
Subway To Shea Podcast @SubwayToShea
Metsmerized Online @Metsmerized
This Day in Mets History @NYMhistory
Ramsey @jwr082002
Mets Rewind @metsrewind

Carlos Beltran @carlosbeltran15
Al Leiter @AlLeiter22
Howard Johnson @20Hojo
Bobby Valentine @BobbyValentine
Kevin Burkhardt @kevinburkhardt
Brodie @RocBVW
Matthew Cerrone @matthewcerrone

Steve @vanhorn_44
Adam @ofishal21
Mark @markyoso
Jamie @garlander25
Pete @Loco37
Chris @chriswho22
Steven @StevenMurray10
Jeremy @jeremyallen1995
Spoon @SpoonJon
JB @FantasyCoachJB
Nick @capootz12
Sean @shammer422

The Genius @thesportsgenius
Anthony @Celtiic_mF
Anthony Monroig @anthony_monroig
Shirley Pavlak @metsfanheatherb
Coach Gav @footballcoachal
Elana Lubin @ElanaLubin
ItsStillWilpon @ItsStillWilpon
Jared G Metz @JaredGMetz1
Nick Elenis @NickElenis
Jarred @InsiiderJayy
Gladys Louise Tyler @gladysLtyler
gary goldberg @garygold23
Ron @DIFS412
Dr. Fox @mkfox52

Wes @loafinit
Fantasy Impact Today @FIToday_
Tim @runfromdolan
Bobby @FosterFantasy
J Boyce @JRay_Boyce
Rob @norton0723
Travis @LaptopLombardi
Angry Couple @Him_HerSports
Scott @NimbleWNumbers
Joe @joeflo23
Mark @FF_mbryan4445
Mike @MikeReedyFF
Dave @crewser128
Mike @Dr_FootBalls
Josh @Dynasty_Josh
Mike @MikeStoyanov
Brad @WardonSports

Matt @MattZylbert
Frank @hammerscoming
Mike @mljja
DJ @mrmaritime
Rudy @rudymadethis
Matt @mdesantis02
Matt @LegendSportsVP
Bill @illbill1000
Bill @illegendsports1
Billy @Yanknuts1981
Dan @DogyDogDan
Ernest @enice10
Peter @BostonEagle5
Matt @MattGallo501
Tim @BigTimmyTweets
Vinny @TricaricoVinny
Paul @charles_kellam

Jimmy @jimjay1530
Tommy @ThomasH35520011
Mike @HomeRunPace
Craig @CraigJDixon
Peter @PeterEKirby
Ross @rschneid3
Matt @mattygicz
Rajiv @RajivLeventhal
Rich @rich_migel
Mike @MikeKirby28
Sam @SamuelYtuarte
Mike @MikeHindin

Benny @BenJustJamin13
Adam @adam_christ_boy
Bill Keyes @KeyesBill
Nick @youngstudFF
Andre @AndreSportsFan
Kadidy @LordKadidy
Gage Boone @GageBoone23
Chili Dog @RobertJMolnar
Tom Johnson @TomJohnson314
Doom DPT @mrdrsize
Derf @DerfandDylan
sum @sum_dude44
DMIC @DMICMedia
Jacob @JacobBak12
Jr @JrBloom5
AJ @juice33nyc 

Colin @ColinCowherd
Dave @stoolpresidente
Scott @notthefakesvp
Mad Dog @MadDogUnleashed
Mike @MikeFrancesa
Evan @EvanRobertsWFAN
Boomer @7BoomerEsiason
Craig @craigcartonlive
Frank @TheFrankIsola
Mike @MikeLupica
WFAN @WFAN660
Joe Buck @Buck
Bart Scott @BartScott57
Michael Strahan @michaelstrahan
Michael Kay @RealMichaelKay
Kay Show @TMKSESPN
Ted Robinson @tedjrobinson

Ben Verlander @BenVerlander
Jared Carrabis @Jared_Carrabis
Aubrey Huff @aubrey_huff
Codify @CodifyBaseball
Rob @PitchingNinja
Anthony @Anthony_Recker
Jeff @JeffPassan
Ken @Ken_Rosenthal
Buster @Buster_ESPN
Tim @Kurkjian_ESPN
Jayson @jaysonst
MLB Network @MLBNetwork
Brian Anderson @BAndersonPxP
Dallas Braden @DallasBraden209
Jon @jonmorosi
Pedro Martinez @45PedroMartinez
Dontrelle Willis @DTrainMLB
Chris Carlin @ChrisCarlin
David Cone @dcone36
Eduardo Perez @PerezEd
Karl Ravech @karlravechespn
Jim Bowden @JimBowdenGM
Sean Casey @TheMayorsOffice
Mark DeRosa @markdero7
Cliff Floyd @CliffFloyd30
Peter Gammons @pgammo
Kevin Millar @KMillar15
Dan Plesac @Plesac19

Underdog MLB @Underdog__MLB

The Sporting News @sportingnews
Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
Fox Sports 1 @FS1
Sports Illustrated @SInow
Yardbarker @yardbarker
The Ringer @ringer
The Athletic @TheAthletic
Barstool @barstoolsports
ESPN @ESPN
The Athletic New York @TheAthleticNYC
CBS Sports @CBSSports
NBC Sports @NBCSports
Razzball @Razzball
USA Today @USAToday
USA Today @usatodaysports
New York Post @nypost
New York Post Sports @nypostsports
New York Daily News @NYDailyNews
NY Daily News Sports @NYDNSports
Newsday @Newsday
Newsday Sports @NewsdaySports

World Baseball Classic @WBCBaseball
MLB Trade Rumors @mlbtraderumors
Fantasy Labs MLB @FantasyLabsMLB
MLB TV @MLBTV
CBS Sports MLB @CBSSportsMLB
Yahoo Sports MLB @MLByahoosports
Fantasy Pros MLB @FantasyProsMLB
The Athletic MLB @TheAthleticMLB
Baseball Prospectus @baseballpro
FanGraphs @fangraphs
MLB Metrics @MLBMetrics
MLB Nerds @MLBNerds
Talkin' Baseball @TalkinBaseball_
Talkin' Yanks @TalkinYanks
Barstool Baseball @StoolBaseball
MLB Pipeline @MLBPipeline
MLB Stats @MLBStats
Fox Sports @MLBONFOX
Baseball Reference @baseball_ref

Sports Illustrated @SINow
SI MLB @si_mlb
Cut4 @Cut4

For Brooklyn Nets Articles & Posts

Brooklyn Nets @BrooklynNets
Brooklyn Netcast @BrooklynNetcast
Billy Reinhardt @BillyReinhardt
Doug Norrie @DougNorrie
NetsFrequent @NetsFrequent
NetsDaily @NetsDaily
Talkin' Nets @TalkinNets
Erik Slater @erikslater_
NetsKingdom @NetsKingdomAJ
Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Joe Tsai @joetsai1999
Ian Begley @IanBegley
Jeri Tsai @JeriTsaiNets 

For New York Jets Articles & Posts

New York Jets @nyjets
Woody Johnson @woodyjohnson4
Rich Cimini @RichCimini
Harrison Glaser @NYJetsTFMedia
Jake Asman @JakeAsman
Connor Rogers @ConnorJRogers
Zoo Krueger @Zookrueger
Brian Costello @BrianCoz
Zack Rosenblatt @ZackBlatt
Joe Caporoso @JCaporoso
Tony Vegas @tonypayments
Paul Andrew Esden Jr. @BoyGreen25
Paul Fiore @PaulFiore
Alex Liebmann @liebmann_alex
Justin 48 @Justin4ocho

The 33rd Team @The33rdTeamFB
Mike Tannenbaum @RealTannenbaum
Joe Banner @JoeBanner13
Rick Spielman @spielman_rick
Jeff Diamond @jeffdiamondNFL
Bart Scott @BartScott57
Willie Colon @willcolon66
Connor Rogers @ConnorJRogers
Steve Gelbs @SteveGelbs

Connor Hughes @Connor_J_Hughes (Blocked me)
Dianna Russini @DMRussini (Blocked me)
NYJ Matt @NYJ_Matt (I blocked him)


Top Fantasy Football Experts (as of February 27, 2025):

Joe Orrico @JoeOrricoFF
David J. Gautieri @GuruFantasyWrld
Eric Moody @EricNMoody
Fantasy Receipts @FantasyReceipts
FantasyFootballChick @liveocgirl
Brett Hoffman @BrettHoffmanjr
Josh Larky @jlarkytweets
Wyatt @WyattB_FF
Joe Bryant @Football_Guys
Scott Simpson @NimblewNumbers
Jeff Bell @4WhomJBellTolls
Dave Kluge @DaveKluge
Joey Wright @thejoeywright
Troy King @TKingMode
Hutchinson Brown @hutchinsonb_ff

 *** TOP-TIER SUPPORTERS ***

JB Barry @FantasyCoachJB
Rachel aka "Fantasy Football Chick" @liveocgirl
Wes Easley @loafinit
Fantasy Impact Today @FIToday_
Tim FitzGerald @runfromdolan
Andy Rieckhoff @AndyOnTheAm
Pierre Wilson @pwee31
Bobby Smith @FosterFantasy

Jerel Bawayan @jerelffdynasty1
Jon McNabb @JonMcNabb
Nick DeJong @NickDynastyFF
Elvin Ryan @ElvinRyan_FF
Commissioner Breeze @mcbreeze11
J Boyce @JRay_Boyce
Jay Arsht @Jayarsht
Chris Robin @DetroitBeastie
Rob Norton @norton0723
Travis Kent @LaptopLombardi
Angry Sports Couple @Him_HerSports
Scott Simpson @NimbleWNumbers
Beezy B @dabeezyBFF

Troy King @TKingMode
Bill Carroll @elevenbravo138
Jose @Jalvarez817
Joe Florina @joeflo23
Matt Friesen @kobefriesen
Mark Bryan @FF_mbryan4445
Michael Reedy @MikeReedyFF
Dave Crews @crewser128 
Fantasy Ftball Commish @AskTheFFC
Todd Riley @RunTheWaggle
Mike Grimes @Dr_FootBalls

The Fantasy Football Experience @Danny_FFX
Fantasy Mike @FantasyMikeMA
David J. Gautieri @GuruFantasyWrld
Josh Mitchell @Dynasty_Josh
Michael Stoyanov @MikeStoyanov
Burt @ FF_Burt 
Brad Ward @WardonSports

Matt Zylbert @MattZylbert
Steve @vanhorn_44
Frank @hammerscoming 
Mike @mljja
DJ @mrmaritime
Adam @ofishal21 
Kyle @kbaxte2
Mark @markyoso
Rudy @rudymadethis
Jamie @garlander25
Matt @mdesantis02
Matty DeSantis @LegendSportsVP
Bill Bradley @illbill1000
Ill Bill @iLLegendSports1
Billy Valeriano @Yanknuts1981
Dan @DogyDogDan 
Pete P @Loco37
Ernest @enice10 
Matt @mattgallo501
Steven @StevenMurray10
Tim @BigTimmyTweets
Vinny Tricarico @TricaricoVinny
Clown @MattZylbert_
Clown 2 @MattZylbert__
Charles "Paul" Kellam @charles_kellam 

Nick Caputi @capootz12
Matt @mattgitter
Jimmy H @jimjay1530
Thomas Herold @ThomasH35520011
Nik Jackson @karizmajackson4
Mike R @HomeRunPace
Sean H @shammer422
Chris D @chriswho22
Craig Dixon @CraigJDixon
Ferdinand Chan @ferdchan
Alexander Tucciarone @TucciTellsIt
SpoonJon @SpoonJon
Jeremy Allen @jeremyallen1995
Matthew Gicz @mattygicz
Rajiv Leventhal @RajivLeventhal
Rich Migel @rich_migel
Dat M. Le @Dat_m_Le
LINY2019 @SamuelYtuarte
Mike Hindin @MikeHindin
Melissa Frascella-Chipman @MFrascella91
Phil Bausk @ItsMe____Phil
Bobby LaMarco @BobbyLamarco 
Rudy Gamble @rudygamble 
Mitch Staniger @stiles08
JKJ @jkj0787
B_Dondante @RazzBDon

Benny Eastside @BenJustJamin13
Nick Lapel @Dynasty_Nick
LeChubb @MobleyOnTop
Sports @adam_christ_boy
Depressed Packers fan @YFF_Mel
Bill Keyes @KeyesBill
A-a-ron @AJ97Wildcat
Nicholas Young @youngstudFF
Nick Elenis @NickElenis
AndreSportsFan @AndreSportsFan
Jake's Fantasy Football @JakesFFootball
Gage Boone @GageBoone23
Kadidy @LordKadidy
alexandre rochon @Rochon15
Dirty Bird Angie @FFAngieCMS
chauncey telese @bigchaunc64
Chilli Dog @RobertJMolnar

Tom Johnson @TomJohnson314
Doom DPT OCS @mrdrsize
#ScreamsAtTrees @kfgibson
Mother of Dogs, Steelers Fan @TheSusanGEmery
Derf and Dylan @DerfandDylan
sum_dude44 @sum_dude44
Ron Burgandy @DIFS412
7Ringz @KevSanch12
Joel Verzosa, PT, DPT @jverzosa2
Dr. Fox @mkfox52
JP - The Wholesome Truth Teller @jay_pea619
DMICMedia @DmicMedia
JacobBak12 @JacobBak12
Dr. Merrick Elias @merrickelias
Jr #LetsGoReds @JrBloom5
Jay in PHX @ The End of the bar with #Ravensflock @JayNakazato
gray @Gray__Thomas
Tittiesrfun @2tittiesrfun
Scott Frederick @FredSDTW
Ron Karres @highdesertRon
AJ Fiore @juice33nyc

Coach RAM Medina @coachRAM71
Caz @BillsMafia32
Adam @Akatz23Adam
Alex M. @DynastyGuruNFL
Elprez365 @elprez365
Kevin Reavy @76pack
Coach Mahz @tribecallednola
David Rowland Broncos Fan @rowlandmsw1
gary goldberg @garygold23
Steven Perkins @FlavorizeThis
The Rocketeer @The_Rocketeer23

Kyle Leith @KyleLeith
Big Daddy Duck @FarmerRichieNFT
Dynasty Sportz Fanatic @Dynasty_Sportz
Fantasy Goodness @egGoodSports
Mister Patrick @MisterPatrick1
Jarred @InsiiderJayy
Gladys Louise Tyler @gladysLtyler
Brian @brian_newsome5

Skip @RealSkipBayless
Shannon @ShannonSharpe
Richard Sherman @RSherman_25
Colin @ColinCowherd
Stephen @stephenasmith
Dave @stoolpresidente
Scott @notthefakeSVP
Mike @MikeFrancesa
Boomer @7BoomerEsiason
Undisputed @undisputed
Jim @jimrome
Bomani @bomani_jones
Michael Kay @RealMichaelKay
Kay Show @TMKSESPN
Pat McAfee @PatMcAfeeShow

Dan Orlovsky @danorlovsky7
Damien Woody @damienwoody
Louis Riddick @LRiddickESPN
Brady Quinn @Brady_Quinn
Daniel Jeremiah @MoveTheSticks
Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter
Ian Rapoport @RapSheet
Jay Glazer @JayGlazer
Tom Pelissero @TomPelissero
Robert Griffin @RGIII
Chris Simms @CSimmsQB
Field Yates @FieldYates
Steve Smith Sr @SteveSmithSr89
AJ Hawk @OfficialAJHawk
Darius Butler @DariusJButler
Nate Burleson @nateburleson
Peter King @peter_king
Bart Scott @BartScott57

Rich Cimini @RichCimini
Connor Hughes @Connor_J_Hughes
JJ Zachariason @LateRoundQB
Cris Collinsworth @CollinsworthPFF
Sam Monson @PFF_Sam
Bill Barnwell @billbarnwell
Jeff Darlington @JeffDarlington

WFAN @WFAN660
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Matthew Berry @MatthewBerryTMR
4for4 Fantasy @4for4football
RotoBaller NFL @RotoBallerNFL
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Sharp Football Analysis @SharpFBAnalysis
The 33rd Team @The33rdTeamFB

ESPN Fantasy @ESPNFantasy
Underdog NFL @Underdog__NFL
PFF Fantasy @PFF_Fantasy
Luke Sawhook @lukesawhook
Razzball @Razzball
Peter Jennings @CSURAM88
Matt Harmon @MattHarmon_BYB
Brad Evans @NoisyHuevos
Adam Levitan @adamlevitan
Evan Silva @evansilva
RotoGrinders NFL @RotoGrindersNFL
Scott Pianowski @scott_pianowski
Football Guys @Footballguys

NFL Rumors @nflrums
NFL Beat Writers @32BeatWriters
Dov Kleiman @NFL_DovKleiman
ML Football @_MLFootball
JPA Football @jasrifootball
Ari Meirov @MySportsUpdate

NFL SUPERFANS!

Bills: TJ @TJDMCR, Sherm @Shermanbowler24, Gordon @JuanNot1, @kasperman3140, @cyber0ne11
Dolphins: CEO @miamiheatowner, Tony @FFTony_
Jets: NYJ Matt @NYJ_Matt, @brian_newsome5
Patriots: Jmontez @Jmontez2112, @Chynna20847044

Ravens: Igor Milanovic @igzilla83, @jayyydubzz, @JayNakazato
Steelers: Sam Thatcher @SamThatcher20, @OmarKhanartist, @gpickensmuse, @Js412561, @steelerpickens, @DBAkron, @MinkahBurgh39, @martae_king
Browns: @everythingreds1, @LfGBrowns
Bengals: Becky Eblin @Boomgal7, Nate @natestakess, Alex (4-13) @LoganWilsonSZN

Texans: @TexansCanada, @brownchubbybear
Titans: @SackedBySimmons, @_TheTexasTitan_
Colts: E @epbale, @TheChadSparks
Jaguars: @Chancetheman511, @JNCO_suave, @NickElenis, @JustinVreeland

Chiefs: Brody Lay @brody_nascar, @Crete_Keeper, @wannabejake9
Chargers: Jeremy @JeremyBrigman, Q @Tipster22, @shanegoespew, @cmsinclar
Raiders: Chris @ThereGoCupid, @WatchMeWork365
Broncos: @DorkDraft, @Koldonn1, @LordKadidy

Giants: @NABERSGOATED, @KAYVONMVPSEASON
Eagles: AJ Luciani @aj_luciani, Coach H @htheman, @KeeganOwnsYou
Commanders: #5 @SammyBaugh8, @AndrewLiv, @JackRafff123
Cowboys: Paul Kellam @charles_kellam, Samson @Samson_P_Buck, @mitxhsteven

Bears: DaBears 4-6 @CalebToMoore2, Wes @loafinit, @JanskyThomas
Packers: Mel @YFF_Mel, @mkfox52
Vikings: The Purple Persuasion @TPPSkol
Lions: @mcfcbillson, @mcbreeze11, @DetroitBeastie, @Jack_theJaysfan, @CHEN313

Bucs: JB Barry @FantasyCoachJB, Aaron Schill @aaron_schill, @Sup750867331387, @bigmauchstan
Falcons: Michael B @ImagineMichael3 
Panthers: @RollCoveragePod, @2growls1roar, @MissYou_DJ
Saints: Rachel @liveocgirl, @MattZylbert

Rams: Eric @coookemE, Otto @hawkeyeram4life, @commishrhino
49ers: Mike Grimes @Dr_FootBalls, Mike Hurtads @MikeHurtads, Field General @FieldGeneral13, @49ersSportsTalk, @JamesStantonX, @KeyesBill, anthony_monroig
Seahawks: Derf and Dylan @DerfandDylan
Cardinals: @GodDamnFerDi, @RobOfABirdGang 

X (Twitter) Support Handles

Support @Support
Developers @XDevelopers
Premium @premium
Engineering @XEng
X @X
Linda Yaccarino @lindayaX
Elon Musk @elonmusk 


John Frascella is a professional sports writer for Razzball, FanSided and Recruit Certified. Follow him on Twitter @LegendSports7 for all things NFL, NBA and MLB throughout the year. 

Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Frascella's NBA Top 100 Players: 1 Sentence or Less...



We live in a different kind of society today... people don't want to read long-form journalism. We like Twitter. We like YouTube. TikTok. "Hot takes" that stir the pot and get conversation going.

Short and sweet, so we can move on to the next thing in our evolving modern lives.

That said, I'm featuring one-sentence synopses (or less) this time around. Here's a link to my last such list:

2019: John Frascella's Top 65 NBA Players

Quick Ranking Notes:

-Players will not be punished for opting out of The Bubble.

-This list includes injured players.

-Be sure to give your opinion after reading!

TIER 10

100. Steven Adams: A highly-efficient center who brings toughness and a never-back-down attitude in the paint. 

99. Kendrick Nunn: A very impressive rookie who is coming along nicely due to the help of Pat Riley, Erik Spoelstra and veteran leader Jimmy Butler. 

98. Will Barton: Not my favorite guy, but he brings an offensive spark when coming off the bench, and his herky-jerky style of play can disorient opposing defenses. 

97. Robert Covington: A three-and-D analytics favorite who spaces the floor and provides top-tier individual defensive work. 

96. Tristan Thompson: Another highly-efficient big who also happens to be one of the elite rebounders in the entire NBA. 

95. Josh Richardson: Another strong defender who can also give you an offensive boost when he's on his game from the perimeter. 

94. Serge Ibaka: A good, solid veteran who has developed into an extremely effective bench player for one of the best teams in the NBA. 

93. Terry Rozier: Has some good counting stats, but I'd like to see him improve his efficiency and polish up his all-around game as a floor general. 

92. JJ Redick: Consistently one of the best pure shooters in the game; spaces the floor beautifully and runs defenders around a plethora of screens. 

91. Eric Gordon: A tough guard who buckles down on D when he needs to; unlimited range and an aggressive offensive repertoire. 

90. Harrison Barnes: A consistently good player who never becomes great. 

89. Jusuf Nurkic: Will move up the list if he can remain healthy; he was out of the lineup for quite some time. 

88. Lauri Markkanen: Hasn't quite panned out the way people expected; needs to be tougher, both mentally and physically. 

87. Paul Millsap: A savvy veteran with a polished all-around game on both ends of the floor. 

86. Derrick Rose: Had a very impressive season, still showcasing that "burst" as he attacks the rack with reckless abandon. 

85. Blake Griffin: An extremely talented all-around player who simply cannot stay on the floor; too many highlight-reel dunks as a youngster. 

TIER 9

84. Draymond Green: You take away those Golden State stars, and he just doesn't seem particularly impressive. 

83. Marcus Smart: One of the best two-way bench players in the NBA; a relentless sparkplug who would bring serious value to any team in the game. 

82. Goran Dragic: Has settled in nicely as the veteran leader of the Heat's second unit. 

81. Myles Turner: An excellent young shotblocker who has the potential to be a much more impactful all-around contributor. 

80. Brook Lopez: A real solid, steady veteran and calming influence on a high-powered Bucks team. 

TIER 8

79. Ricky Rubio: He still feels a bit underrated, to me - he's a professional facilitator who keeps his teammates in offensive rhythm. 

78. Collin Sexton: Had a tremendous season as one of the Cavs' only true go-to guys. 

77. Devonte' Graham: Has quickly developed into a "microwave" scorer who can really catch you off guard with an offensive barrage. 

76. Marcus Morris: Consistently one of the best bench players in the NBA - tough, versatile and always useful. 

75. Evan Fournier: Known as a "shooter", but can also surprise you with a pretty effective all-around offensive game. 

74. Kelly Oubre: A rising young player who has found a comfortable home with the up-and-coming Suns. 

73. Aaron Gordon: A dynamic player with a lot of all-around potential; needs to find exactly what his game is. 

72. Dennis Schroder: A relentless offensive attacker who always puts opposing defenses on their heels; he ain't scared. 

71. Bojan Bogdanovic: One of the more underrated scorers in the game; a crafty veteran arsenal with more versatility than you think. 

70. Jonas Valanciunas: A rock solid traditional big; huge and powerful, with good hands and palpable energy. 

TIER 7

69. Clint Capela: Something tells me he won't be as noticeable or noteworthy with the developing Hawks. 

68. Mike Conley: I think a bigger name than his ability at this point; need to see him stay healthy and make a consistent impact. 

67. Hassan Whiteside: Arguably the best shotblocker in the world; a traditional big who can really be dominant in the right matchups. 

66. Deandre Ayton: A rising young center who has the potential to crack my top 50 in the near future. 

65. Caris LeVert: A very talented all-around player who needs to stay healthy and maintain some consistency. 

64. Montrezl Harrell: A ferocious finishing big who plays with tenacity and flair. 

63. Jaylen Brown: Finally seems to be coming into his own and establishing a consistent offensive style and repertoire. 

62. Danilo Gallinari: An old-school scorer with all of the offensive tricks in the book. 

61. Spencer Dinwiddie: Easily one of the best and most impactful bench players in the entire NBA. 

60. Buddy Hield: A high-volume scorer who needs to develop the other facets of his game. 

59. Victor Oladipo: Needs to stay healthy for a little while and we'll get him back into my top 50, where he belongs. 

58. Kevin Love: A good, solid veteran, but I'm just not sure about his impact on winning at this point in his career. 

57. De'Aaron Fox: A quick-and-athletic young point guard who aims to create havoc on both ends of the floor. 

56. Julius Randle: The best all-around player on the Knicks; a dubious distinction, I suppose. 

55. Jaren Jackson Jr: A very exciting young player who features an advanced all-around game on both ends of the floor; watch out for these feisty Grizzlies. 

54. Gordon Hayward: Hasn't had the best of luck staying healthy in Boston; still a very talented all-around player who knows how to play up to the level of his competition. 

TIER 6

53. Andrew Wiggins: One of the more talented pure scorers in the game, but his overall production will take a hit once Steph Curry and Klay are back. 

52. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: One of the most impressive young guards in the league; wise beyond his years with a real calm to his game. 

51. Eric Bledsoe: One of the best and most physical defensive guards in the game; gets a boost for contributing to one of the most dominant teams in the NBA. 

50. Malcolm Brogdon: A tremendous addition by the Pacers who has really steadied the ship for a team with some injury issues. 

49. Fred VanVleet: One of my favorite players in the NBA; this kid has balls...he doesn't back away from The Moment. 

48. Lou Williams: Another one of my favorites; an all-around scoring machine who has been making defenders look silly for many, many years now. 

47. Jamal Murray: Really impressed me during the postseason last year; forms a very formidable pick-and-roll duo with his good buddy Nikola Jokic. 

46. T.J. Warren: Probably the best player in The Bubble, thus far!

45. John Collins: A tremendous young rebounder with legitimate scoring potential, as well. 

44. Bam Adebayo: Has come out of nowhere to become a dominant disruptor on both ends of the floor; again, credit the Player Development team of the Miami Heat. 

43. D'Angelo Russell: Played out of his mind for my Nets, but needs to come back healthy and find a steady home within the NBA landscape. 

42. Jrue Holiday: Feels kind of overrated to me - good two-way player who never stays completely healthy and appears to have fleeting impact. 

41. Zach LaVine: A true go-to scorer for one of the weaker all-around teams in the game. 

TIER 5

40. Ben Simmons: "The Process" isn't panning out; the Sixers need Simmons to become more of a scoring threat so they can escape frustrating limbo. 

39. Ja Morant: An electric young point guard who plays with exuberance and brings major excitement. 

38. Tobias Harris: A steady all-around player and calming influence on a volatile Sixers' team. 

37. Chris Paul: He's still got it; you can't underestimate how important it is to have a closer who knows how to execute winning plays down the stretch. 

36. Nikola Vucevic: Consistently one of the most underrated players in the game; I have to give him his due credit. 

35. Kristaps Porzingis: This Luka/Unicorn combo is really workin' out for Mark Cuban and company!

34. Brandon Ingram: An incredibly dynamic young player who continues to develop at a surprisingly rapid pace. 

33. Andre Drummond: The best rebounder in the world; but his overall style of play is kind of dated for today's spacing-based NBA. 

32. Rudy Gobert: Personally, I'm not a huge fan, but he's arguably the most impactful defensive player in the NBA and he's an anchor for a consistently solid Jazz squad. 

31. Domantas Sabonis: One of my favorite young players in the game; an all-around force who plays unselfish, team-first basketball on both ends of the floor. 

30. Kyle Lowry: Up there with the toughest players of all; a true grinder who has worked hard for everything he has achieved at this level. 

TIER 4

29. Klay Thompson: Probably the second-best shooter in the world; also an elite defender at his position when healthy. 

28. DeMar DeRozan: As consistent as they come - but will he ever breakthrough in terms of winning in the postseason?

27. LaMarcus Aldridge: A polished, savvy all-around big on both ends of the floor. 

26. Zion Williamson: Probably the most exciting young player in the world - a Swiss army knife of a player who will probably be in my top 20 before we know it. 

25. Khris Middleton: The textbook definition of an effective "right-hand man" or No. 2 option. 

24. Kemba Walker: A well-liked, productive point guard with a propensity to deliver in the clutch. 

23. CJ McCollum: Another one of the most underrated basketball players in the universe; kid brings it every single night and is a freakin' scoring machine. 

TIER 3

22. Jayson Tatum: One of the most popular young players in the game; a Scottie Pippen-esque all-around threat with a long list of individual skills. 

21. Pascal Siakam: Probably the best individual story in the NBA - went from a 7th man "garbage cleaner" to a near-superstar faster than anyone in history. 

20. Donovan Mitchell: Has shown an awful lot early in his career, but I had him inside my top 15 about a year or so ago; something just isn't quite the same. 

19. Karl-Anthony Towns: I'm with "Sir" Charles Barkley on this one - this kid is just too soft for me. 

18. Devin Booker: Another one of the most exciting young players in the world; a versatile scoring machine who clearly has the potential to become a top-10 player. 

17. Kyrie Irving: One of the most dominant individual scorers in the game, but his off-the-court antics are really becoming detrimental. 

16. Russell Westbrook: Having a much better season than you think - check the stats, I'm tellin' ya!

15. Trae Young: Was easily one of the best statistical players in the NBA; a young floor general who can shoot, drive and dish with the best of 'em. 

14. Bradley Beal: He and James Harden are the only 2 players averaging over 30 points per game for the season. 

13. Jimmy Butler: It only took one veteran leader for the young Heat to go from a fringe playoff team to top-half seed in the improving East. 

TIER 2

12. Stephen Curry: Hopefully he comes back fully healthy, lookin' like his old self in fine form. 

11. Joel Embiid: A dominant two-way player who could benefit from more nastiness and mental consistency. 

10. Paul George: An elite player on both ends of the floor; a textbook two-way player who is as silky smooth as they come. 

9. Nikola Jokic: An entertaining all-around big who leads by example; his Nuggets feed off his unselfishness and infectious positive attitude. 

8. Damian Lillard: One of the coolest athletes in the world - a fearless crunchtime performer with flair and truly unlimited range. 

7. Luka Doncic: Quickly developing into this generation's Larry Bird - a pure genius on the basketball court. 

TIER 1

6. Kevin Durant: Can be ranked as high as No. 1 overall when healthy. 

5. James Harden: Just tired of ranking him in my top 4 - need to see him get it done in the playoffs, for once. 

4. Anthony Davis: Has the size, athleticism and all-around talent to be the absolute best basketball player in the universe. 

3. Giannis Antetokoumpo: Needs to carry his team to a title to grab my No. 1 spot. 

2. Kawhi Leonard: Season on the line...out of anyone in the world...he's probably the guy you want with the ball in his hands. 

1. LeBron James: Still "The King" - either the best or second-best player in the history of basketball; still goin' strong. 

BRING ON THE DEBATE ON TWITTER @LEGENDSPORTS7 !!! 

Thursday, July 23, 2020

MLB Fantasy Grades, Part 2: Last Year's Losers (including myself)

Photo Credit: Tomahawk Take



You know how it goes...I burn through these things...

A quick, happy recap from Part 1:

Billy V: A-
Steve: A-
Mike A: A-
Ross: B+
Marty: B
Chris P: B-

Team Name: Flawless Fantasy
Manager: Hymee G. 

Infield: Kris Bryant has "back stiffness" and Carlos Correa is Carlos Correa. Obviously we like the talent in that duo, but something feels just a tad risky about the combination. Ketel Marte has turned a corner and become a true fantasy monster.

Infield Grade: B

Outfield: A foursome of all-stars, and safe. What a duo with Soto and Springer. Ozuna and Brantley are solid vets - we know what to expect, there.

Outfield Grade: A

Utility: A lot of us think Jorge Polanco will regress, but he's still a quality guy for Util. Good Utility upside with DeJong, Upton and Peralta as well. Solid group.

Util Grade: A-

Bench: Hymee loves the NL East. Brian Anderson, Swanson and Kingery make for interesting bench players. Adames is a "hunch" guy for me. I really liked that pick when it happened.

Bench Grade: B+

Starting Pitching: Hymee clipped me with deGrom. I don't usually go SP that early, but it was simply the right value point. Glasnow may have the best pure stuff in the game. Lance Lynn is a friggin' bulldog. My kinda guy. Bumgarner and Ray were both "Fro Guys" last season. Manaea came on the cheap and Gausman sucks.

SP Grade: A-

Relievers: 3 closers in Giles, Leclerc & Wade Davis. Kela may eventually come back and be a 4th closer for this squad. Nothing overly spectacular, but definitely not bad at all.

Relief Grade: A-

Overall Grade: A

Team Name: Fightin' Zyls
Manager: Matt Z

Infield: Zyllie went super early on Tatis, and that needs to pay off for him. You could argue that he has the most upside in the entire game. We'll see how it shakes out. Goldschmidt is reliable, and he needs Alfaro and McMahon to continue developing and improving.

Infield Grade: B

Outfield: "The Cat" is all-in on homers w Harper, Stanton, Cespedes & Gallo. Will he have issues in the BA category? Sure. Homers? No prob at all.

Outfield Grade: B+ (because I don't count Cespedes as a real player)

Utility: Dahl has good upside for a Util spot. Always rakes, but never stays healthy. I like Cron and Santana in these spots, as well.

Util Grade: B+

Bench: Only two spots. Aguilar could be good if the Marlins leave him alone and let him have a full plate of at bats.

Grade: C

Starting Pitchers: It's a parade of "Zylbert Guys" - Darvish, Bauer, Montas, Heaney, Fried, Richards, Velasquez, Lopez & Taijuan Walker. Certainly not the worst group I've ever seen.

SP Grade: A-

Relievers: Hendriks is a top 3 or 4 closer to me. Givens is probably in some sort of closing timeshare. Carlos Martinez always seems to bounce around from starter to reliever, then back around again.

RP Grade: B

Overall Grade: B

Team Name: The Legend.
Manager: The Legend aka "The Commish"

Infield: Anybody gonna argue with the trio of Freeman, Gleyber Torres and Moncada? I got them exactly where I wanted them. I'm assuming Freeman and Moncada can't get corona again, right? Villar was an absolute freakin' monster last year - I hope he can repeat out of the leadoff spot.

Infield Grade: A

Outfield: Betts and Kepler lead the way for me. I'll be waiting 14 days or so for Hunter Dozier, who is eligible at OF. Danny Santana was insanely good last year, but I know he's a risky bet to repeat that overall production. Pederson continues to come along.

Outfield Grade: B

Utility: Eduardo Escobar and Gurriel seem too good for Util. Probably the best Util guys I've ever had. Kevin Newman was sneaky good last year and Yandy Diaz has a live bat.

Util Grade: A-

Bench: Santander was my best fantasy player the second half of last season. He may be the best overall producer for the Orioles in a banbox. With Betts out of Boston, I have Chavis, Moreland and Vazquez to mix-and-match in Daily settings.

Bench Grade: B

Starting Pitching: The reigning champ Billy V has a MAJOR problem with my rotation. Some quotes from The Champ:

-"You have the worst pitching in the league."
-"You are very light in starting pitching."
-Took passing shots at Paddack & Soroka.

I don't usually mention stats, but just of note... Paddack had a 0.98 WHIP last season and Soroka was 2.68 in ERA. Two young aces for their respective NL teams. Boyd had 238 Ks and Marquez had 175. Samardzija stays solid, Caleb Smith gets hype and Bassitt could be the A's second-best.

SP Grade: B

Relief Pitching: Most consider Hader the best in the game. I have 3 more closers in Colome, Kintzler and Watson, too.

Relief Grade: A-

Overall Grade: A-

Team Name: Team Piazza
Manager: Jimmy H

The battle of the "H Boys" gets underway...

Infield: Realmuto is obviously a top fantasy catcher. I like Olson and Rendon; not feeling overly confident in Biggio or Hampson, just yet.

Infield Grade: B

Outfielders: Trout leads the way, clearly. I'm not a McCutchen guy. Mercado has all-around potential but I don't like his spot in Cleveland's batting order. Meadows will be back after his COVID designation.

Outfield Grade: B

Utility: Carlos Santana had a monster year last year. I feel like it was a bit over his own head. Sano has great upside in a Util spot. Tucker and Senzel are intriguing young talents.

Util Grade: B+

Bench: Odor is an empty home run guy. Tsutsugo will be platooning with the Rays.

Bench Grade: C-

Starting Pitching: Comin' in hot with Verlander, Castillo and Gray. Strong stuff, there. Folty looked so freakin' bad in his preseason start. Stiff as a board. Gave up back to back to back homers to the Marlins. Luzardo is a major prospect name. Mikolas is good where drafted.

SP Grade: A-

Relief Pitching: Diaz and Jimenez are the likely closers. Can we really trust Edwin, at this point?

Relief Grade: B-

Overall Grade: B

Team Name: Rockville Rube Baker
Manager: Tommy H

Infield: Clipped me on Garver. He looks like the real deal. Veteran infield with Abreu, Altuve, Donaldson and Bogaerts. All good.

Infield Grade: A

Outfielders: Yelich was the No 1 overall selection. Robles is well-regarded in most fantasy circles this year. Renfroe is a power guy and Choo is a steady pro.

Outfield Grade: B+

Utility: Khris Davis is a TH captain. Carpenter seems to be tapering off into oblivion. Akiyama is an obvious wild card and Hosmer is real solid down here in Util.

Util Grade: B

Bench: Went for homers in Vogelbach and Calhoun. Starlin Castro actually has to play a key role for the World Series champs.

Bench Grade: B+

Starting Pitchers: Things kind of stop after Greinke, Snell and Urias.

SP Grade: B-

Relievers: Yates is one of the best, and Bradley is safe. Good duo.

RP Grade: A-

Overall Grade: A-

Team Name: The Fresh Princes
Manager: Mike R. 

Infield: Clipped me on Will Smith. Wanted Garver or Smith around where they went, and didn't get either. Moustakas, Ramirez, Turner form a rock solid trio.

Infield Grade: A-

Outfielders: Marte, Eloy, Rosario and McNeil - an interesting mix. I never like Starling, but he continues to be a fantasy stud. Eloy is a rising offensive star. Rosario and McNeil are quality contact guys.

Outfield Grade: B+

Utility: Gonna be hard for Semien to repeat, but he was fantastic last year. Everybody knows I like Amed Rosario! Austin Riley got oooohs and ahhhhs from the crowd.

Util Grade: B

Bench: Christian Walker and Calhoun were good values. Who knows what will happen with Puig and Aquino.

Bench Grade: B-

Starting Pitching: Bieber was scary good last year. I'm not really sure how. He doesn't seem THAT good when you watch him live. Giolito was a superb value play. Rising stud. Carrasco and Anibal are on the downside. Maeda should be interesting with Minnesota.

SP Grade: B+

Relievers: Is Anderson really an undisputed closer? Not really, but the kid has crazy lights out stuff. Daniel Hudson will mix and match with Doolittle in Washington.

Relief Grade: C

Overall Grade: B+

Final Report Cards:

Hymee: A (I actually agree with Billy, Hymee does seem to have the most balanced all-around squad)
Billy V: A-
Steve: A-
Mike A: A-
Tommy: A-
Legend: A-
Ross: B+
Mike R: B+
Jimmy: B
Zyllie: B
Marty: B
Chris P: B-

Good luck to all from The Commish!

MLB Fantasy Draft Grades, Part 1: Who Crumbled Under the Pressure?

Photo Credit: NJ.com


IMMEDIATE DISCLAIMER: This entire report is done in stream-of-consciousness. I will not be looking up any stats. Just going off initial reactions and gut feelings. No time to waste; let's roll...

(Part 1 will include the first 6 report cards.)

Team: Twin Towers
Manager: Billy V

Infield: Right away, I feel like he got good value on Sal Perez behind the dish. Couple years ago he was considered an easy top 5-6 catcher. He fell pretty far in this one. Not in love with Edwin Encarnacion nor Chris Taylor. Gotta be pretty excited about Bregman and Machado at 3B and SS.

Infield Grade: B+

Outfield: I told Billy during the draft that I like Schwarber this year - I don't particularly know why. Just feel like he is going to put it all together. Luis Robert was a super, super upside pick. Can't argue with that "swing for the fences" at all. The defending champ knows what he is doing. Cannot question him. Conforto and Verdugo... we shall see.

Outfield Grade: B

Utility: Bo Bichette another high upside play. Didi could really like the Phillies' little league fences. Lux is currently in the minors. Hicks can obviously do some good things.

Utility Grade: B

Bench: Gotta like Andujar as a possible bounce-back candidate. Austin Hays was pretty impressive in a short stint last year. Sean Murphy & Kieboom are a couple more upside plays.

Bench Grade: B

Starting Pitchers: Gerrit Cole is the best in the game (this from a Mets fan who loves deGrom). Morton and Nola, that's monster behind Cole. Kluber at SP4 is in the right spot. His arm might be shot, but you gotta love him in that spot. No pressure on him to perform, there. Billy also got good value on Eovaldi & Montgomery.

Starting Pitching Grade: A+

Relief Pitchers: Not sure if Kimbrel will ever be himself again. I have no qualms with Iglesias nor Kennedy, where they were drafted. Fair selections.

Relief Pitching Grade: B+

Overall Grade: A-

Team: King Martin
Managers: Luciano & Marty

Infield: No complaints, here. Bellinger and Devers should be monsters. Hiura is well-liked in fantasy circles, though not as much by me. If Tim Anderson can repeat, that would be pretty spectacular.

Infield Grade: A

Outfield: I feel like Cain is kind of over the hill. Not a huge fan, anymore. Avisail never stays healthy and doesn't always find a groove vs right handed pitching. Grichuk is a headache. Strikeout machine. I like Castellanos but I don't particularly approve of this outfield.

Outfield Grade: C

Utility: Josh Bell should easily be one of the better Util players in our league. Canha was good for me last year. Buxton always seems to be more hype than substance.

Utility Grade: B

Bench: I like Smoak at Miller Park. He could really turn things around in a major way. I thought Pence was done in the past, but he came alive last year. Maybe he's on a special "workout regimen". Nimmo is a good pick down here. Alvarez a great stash at IL, just in case.

Bench Grade: B+

Starting Pitching: That Buehler news was a little weird. Why is he pitching so far down in the rotation? In a vacuum, initially, I liked him as one of the top 5 or 6 SP plays. Clevinger and Minor were good picks, where they went. Not loving Ryu anymore in the AL East. Rich Hill and Alex Wood: same guy 10-15 years apart in age. Neither can stay healthy, nor will they.

Starting Pitching Grade: B

Relief Pitching: Melancon is the lone closer. I don't think I can get behind that in Daily settings.

Relief Pitching Grade: D

Overall Grade: B

Team Name: The Rhombuses
Manager: Chris P

Infield: Not sure I've seen the double catcher strategy in the infield. This is most likely a first for me, with both Sanchez and Grandal. Wong has always sucked ass whenever I have drafted him. Lindor is a megastar and Vlad Jr. brings massive upside.

Infield Grade: B-

Outfield: Charlie Blackmon is all alone out here. Mallex Smith brings a massive amount of steals, at least. One of the best in the game in that department.

Outfield Grade: C+

Utility: Starts off quite well with Justin Turner, Andrus & Pollock. Can't really go wrong with that trio at Util. I'm not sure if Wil Myers carries any fantasy value any longer. I can't really say with any type of certainty.

Util Grade: A-

Bench: This is where old men go to retire. Miguel Cabrera, Robinson Cano AND Matt Kemp? What year is this?? Seager, Urshela and Bradley bring some potential value. There are still certain things to like, here.

Bench Grade: B-

Starting Pitching: Whoa whoa...Scherzer, Strasburg AND Berrios?? How ya doinnnn...awesome! No depth at all after that. It's actually kinda scary. CP is gonna be workin' that FA list. This had the potential to be an A+ staff.

SP Grade: A-

Relief Pitching: That Chapman pick was curious. Way early. Britton will begin the season as the Yankees' closer. Osuna also seems to be in deep shit. That was also way early. Who knows? He may never get the job back from Pressly. Doolittle is fine. This still has the potential to be a very good bullpen over the long haul.

Bullpen Grade: B+

Overall Grade: B- (has the potential to go up to B+ with the right roster fills)

Team Name: World Champion Astros!
Manager: Stevie Sums

Infield: Seems pretty monster to me. Surprised to see LeMahieu at first - not really traditional - but then you have Merrifield, Suarez & Story, 3 of the best.

Infield Grade: A

Outfield: What is this, my team from a couple seasons ago? Steve has both JD Martinez & Judge in his outfield - not half bad. I also like Franmil Reyes & Gurriel. This is a very Fro-approved outfield.

Outfield Grade: A

Util: Like Josh Bell mentioned earlier, Matt Chapman should be one of the elite Util players in our league. Reynolds is one of the only good Pirates. Murphy & Segura are crafty vets.

Util Grade: B+

Bench: I like both guys, but it's a short bench. Renato Nunez and Corey Dickerson. I had Nunez queue'd up for 5 rounds, then still didn't take him. Oh well.

Bench Grade: B

Starting Pitching: Yeesh. Patrick Corbin is going to have some awfully heavy lifting to do, here. Steve is looking for upside to deliver on both Lamet and Gallen. I have a hunch that Bundy will do well with the Angels. Dakota Hudson is clearly in for a regression.

SP Grade: C+

Relief Pitchers: Hand and Neris form a safe combo. I have no f'n clue who Ryan Helsley is, but I assume he is the Cardinals' closer with Gallegos possibly out.

Relief Pitching Grade: A-

Overall Grade: A-

Team Name: Overrated Fro's
Manager: Ross

Infield: Nice combination across the board here from Ross. Contreras dropped further than he should have behind the dish. Peter Alonso is the GOAT. Great speed from Albies and Mondesi. Arenado is a superstar.

Infield Grade: A+

Outfield: Not sure if Soler nor Yaz can repeat what they did last season. Benintendi still has a lot to prove.

Outfield Grade: B-

Utility: Hoskins is definitely a Ross captain. I'm just not so sure about him, at this point. Last year's BA regression was truly frightening. Maybe he has been exposed by big-league pitching. Ohtani is a surprisingly good hitter. I'd like to see him full-time as a hitter, honestly. Tauchman is already flashing some good things.

Util Grade: B+

Bench: Nothing of note on this bench. The Mariners are truly hoping JP Crawford will breakout in some kinda way.

Bench Grade: D

Starting Pitching: Why am I seeing Ohtani everywhere I turn? This feels somewhat like a weird fantasy baseball Twilight Zone. Anyway, Clayton Kershaw's kinda on his own out here. McCullers and Wheeler have potential, but we also know them. You know what I mean by that. Alcantara nice value toward the bottom.

SP Grade: B- (very close to C+)

Relief Pitchers: Workman, Robles, Britton, Ottavino. Pretty solid, all things considered.

Bullpen Grade: A-

Overall Grade: B+

Team Name: Madd Dogs
Manager: Mikey Berto

Infield: Mikey is Cub crazy with Rizzo and Baez. Of course, they are safe picks. I'm getting that feeling that Edman won't be able to repeat what he did last season. Muncy has been quite good in recent years.

Infield Grade: B+

Outfield: Acuna and Pham get your attention real quick. That is quite the Dynamic Duo. Laureano is a textbook Mike pick, and the Mets are hoping JD Davis can build off last year's surprising breakout.

Outfield Grade: A-

Utility: Nelson Cruz is one of the most underrated athletes of all time. The guy f'n mashes. He is as consistent as they come. A nice steal for Mikey there. Seager another great value. Fell really far. Too far. Votto also worth a dart throw.

Util Grade: A

Bench: Solak and Happ are the smart plays, here. Right bang for the buck. Arraez can rake, when you give him opportunities. Mazara a nice IL stash.

Bench Grade: B+

Starting Pitching: Mikey going with the young studs in Flaherty and Woodruff up top. Must be an NL Central thing, considering the Cubs in his lineup too. Oh shit. Here's another one. Kyle Hendricks is his SP3. And he has Kwang Kim, too? Wtf. This is a weird starting staff, but still pretty good.

SP Grade: B

Relief Pitching: Taylor Rogers is the lone full time closer. Ryan Pressly will begin the season as the awesome Astros' closer.

Bullpen Grade: B-

Overall Grade: A-

Tune in tomorrow for Part 2!