Below are the center tiers. When determining statistical outlooks, I used the (twelve team) nine-category rotisserie system that Yahoo uses, which includes both field goal and free throw percentage, three-point shots made, total points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and turnovers. Turnovers didn’t play a big role in my calculations because well-managed teams usually lose this category every week just because their total number of games played is greater than their opponent’s. Besides, if turnovers were of equal weight, they wouldn’t impact the rankings very much.
Players are listed in order within the tier, but there isn’t a whole lot of difference between the players within each tier. Players listed in parenthesis have dual position eligibility in the Yahoo game. For instance, Chris Bosh is considered a power forward in many fantasy games, but in the Yahoo game (and many others), he’s also eligible to play center. Be sure to check out the PG tiers , the SG tiers, the SF tiers and the PF tiers as well.
TIER ONE: Yao Ming, (Chris Bosh), (Tim Duncan)
Yao Ming is strong in every category except for steals. The return of Tracy McGrady might cause a bit of an adjustment period, but Yao proved last season that he can carry a team on his back…Chris Bosh might be ready to explode. He averaged 22.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game last season, and that might be a baseline if the Raptors successfully implement the Suns’ wide-open offensive scheme. He’s solid in every category except for steals and threes, making him a great second-round pick…Tim Duncan battled injuries last season and still averaged 18.6 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. He’s no longer a no-brainer first round pick, but he’s a very solid, versatile option in the second round.
TIER TWO: Brad Miller, (Jermaine O’Neal), (Boris Diaw), Ben Wallace, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Brad Miller offers great a great FT% and a ton of assists, and doesn’t hurt you in any category, except for blocks. Expect more of the same this season, making him a very safe pick in the third round…Jermaine O’Neal is excited about how the Pacers are going to speed things up this season, which should result in better play. Except for steals, his numbers are quite solid and I expect him to average 10+ boards with a move back to the center position…If Boris Diaw is eligible to play PF or C in your league, his value soars. After the All-Star break, Boris Diaw averaged 15.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists while shooting 57% from the field. The big question – how will the return of Amare Stoudemire and Kurt Thomas affect his playing time? He may not play 35 minutes a game again this season, but the Suns will find a way to get him 30…The Bulls acquired Ben Wallace to do what he’s always done: play defense, block shots and rebound. His FT% is awful, but he doesn’t shoot enough free throws to completely kill fantasy teams in that category. His rebounds, steals and blocks are amongst the best at his position…Zydrunas Ilgauskas offers great FT%, points and blocks, but his role seems to be diminishing as LeBron James continues to improve. Still, in the 5th round, he offers great value.
TIER THREE: Chris Kaman, (Mehmet Okur), Shaquille O’Neal, Marcus Camby, (Amare Stoudemire), (Carlos Boozer), (Pau Gasol)
Chris Kaman has improved his scoring, rebounding, blocks, steals, FG% and FT% in each of his three years in the league, making him a very solid pick in the 5th…His FG% and steals are pretty poor, but Mehmet Okur is strong in just about every other category, making him a very solid pick in the 4th round and a steal in the 5th…Shaquille O’Neal has a tendency to miss games (15.4 per season, over the last five) and his FT% (46.9%) is a killer, especially when he’s shooting eight or more a game. If you select Shaq, you’re pretty much forfeiting the category. If that’s your plan, and you’ve already grabbed a guy like Dwight Howard, then Shaq wouldn’t be a bad center…Fantasy-wise, with his blocks and rebounds, Marcus Camby would be right up there with Yao Ming if not for his injury history. He has never played more than 72 games in a season, and has averaged only 50.4 games played in the last five seasons…Obviously, the big question about Amare Stoudemire is the health of his knees. He’s struggled some this preseason, but is playing. I just think there is way too much risk there for a guy going in the second round. Let someone else take him while you grab Jermaine O’Neal or Lamar Odom at a fraction of the risk…Carlos Boozer doesn’t block many shots, but the rest of his numbers are pretty solid, including some great FG%, points, rebounds and assists (for a PF). His hamstrings appear to be good to go and he seems happy as camp progresses, so he provides adequate value in the 4th…When do you draft Pau Gasol? The guy is a Top 20 talent when healthy, but he’s going to miss four months, which means he should be back in mid-January, returning for just three months of the season. Currently, he’s going in the middle of the 5th, which isn’t a bad value there if you feel good about your first four picks. He’s a guy that can really help in a playoff run.
TIER FOUR: (Emeka Okafor), (Nenad Krstic), (Channing Frye), Samuel Dalembert, Tyson Chandler, (Chris Wilcox), (Andrew Bogut), Eddy Curry
Emeka Okafor is a double-double guy when healthy, but he still hasn’t said his ankle is 100%, so in the 5th round, I’d probably let someone else take the risk…Nenad Krstic broke out last season, averaging 14.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game after the All-Star break. His blocks and steals are below average, but the rest of his numbers are good…Channing Frye averaged 15.6 points and 7.9 rebounds in 14 games as a starter last season. He’s expected to start at PF for the Knicks and should benefit from Isiah Thomas’ arrival as head coach…Hampered by injures for most of last season, Samuel Dalembert was a disappointment, but he’s been working with Moses Malone in camp. He offers a ton of blocks, decent rebounding and a nice FG%…Tyson Chandler has landed in New Orleans and will get a fresh start after a less than stellar stint with the Bulls. He’s targeting a double-double season, but his numbers suggest that offensively, that will be a problem. He’s reportedly developing a face up game, and if he can start knocking that shot down, watch out. Right now, fantasy-wise, his points and FT% are holding him back…After he was traded to the Sonics, Chris Wilcox averaged 14.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 59.2% from the floor and 78.7% from the free throw line. Don’t expect those percentages to continue, but Wilcox should provide stability inside for Seattle…Andrew Bogut is going to be out until late November/early December with a lower leg sprain he suffered in training camp. He could still average a double-double this season, but this will definitely hamper his progress…In 68 games as the Knicks’ starting center, Eddy Curry averaged 13.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 56.6% from the field. He’s weak in blocks and steals, and is a black hole (0.3 assists per game), but Isiah Thomas is excited about using him this season.
TIER FIVE: (Zaza Pachulia), Nazr Mohammed, Primoz Brezec, (Kendrick Perkins), (Kwame Brown), (Darko Milicic), Erick Dampier, Joel Przybilla, Jamaal Magloire, Alonzo Mourning, (Kurt Thomas), (Nene), (Ike Diogu), (P.J Brown)
Zaza Pachulia had a pretty good season last year, but the Hawks brought in Lorenzen Wright and drafted Shelden Williams, so he may not be the starter for long…Nazr Mohammed was signed to fill the large shoes of Ben Wallace, and played well in the Pistons’ preseason debut, scoring 16 points and grabbing eight boards. He’ll get plenty of minutes if he continues to play like that. Keep an eye on his numbers in the preseason…Primoz Brezec doesn’t offer much in the way of blocks, steals or assists, but his points and rebounds are all right, while his FG% and FT% are pretty good for a center. It looks like the Bobcats might play Okafor at power forward, which would open up a ton of minutes at center…Kendrick Perkins showed some flashes in his third season, averaging 7.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 37 games as the Celtics’ starting center. The team acquired Theo Ratliff, so the two will battle it out this preseason…Kwame Brown has all the physical tools to be a great center in the league, except good hands. In 32 games as the team’s starting center, he averaged 10.7 points and 7.8 rebounds, but his FT% and blocks aren’t up to snuff…I really thought Darko Milicic would be a strong sleeper heading into the season, but Magic head coach Brian Hill plans on starting Tony Battie alongside Dwight Howard. Of course, this could just be a motivational tactic…According to Avery Johnson, Erick Dampier has been a “monster” in camp…Joel Przybilla and Jamaal Magloire are battling for the starting center spot in Portland’s lineup, but will probably split time, limiting either guy’s value…Mourning is a monster shot blocker and provides a great FG% but the rest of his numbers aren’t too hot. If Shaq can’t play for any reason, Mourning’s value takes a big jump…Kurt Thomas missed much of last season with a foot injury, but only averaged 8.6 points and 7.8 rebounds in 53 with the Suns last season. If Amare Stoudemire makes a strong return, Thomas won’t see a ton of minutes…Nene is coming of a knee injury but has shown flashes of talent in the past. It looks like he’ll start the season backing up Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin…Don Nelson seems to really like the idea of playing Mike Dunleavy at power forward, so Ike Diogu might find that minutes are hard to come by. He has shown flashes of ability, but hasn’t been consistent enough to earn big minutes…P.J. Brown is solid, yet unspectacular. He’s a good player to plug in when injuries hit.
TIER SIX: Francisco Elson, Fabricio Oberto, Brendan Haywood, (Mark Blount), (Chris Mihm), Adonal Foyle, (Jeff Foster), (Melvin Ely), (Nick Collison), (Raef LaFrentz), (Theo Ratliff), (Tony Battie)
It looks like Francisco Elson is next in the long line of centers that the Spurs have brought in to start alongside Tim Duncan. Fabricio Oberto is also in the picture, but it looks as if Elson will win the starting job…Brendan Haywood showed some flashes in the playoffs, but thus far in his career, he’s been nothing but a spot starter fantasy-wise…Chris Mihm is still having trouble with the ankle injury that cost him 24 games last season. He’s a decent fantasy center when healthy…Magic head coach Brian Hill plans to start Tony Battie at center this season, limiting Dark Milicic’s value in the process. Battie becomes a spot starter if he gets 20+ minutes a game.
