This week’s Headlines from the Fantasy Hardwood includes the fantasy hoops stock report, a comparison between Gerald Wallace and Rudy Gay as well as a ranking of the top 10 fantasy ballers as of week 14.

THE FANTASYFANATICS.COM STOCK REPORT

On the Rise

Andrea Bargnani – Power Forward/Center, Raptors

Remember this guy? He was a big-time sleeper pick, if you can call a former number one overall draft pick a sleeper, going into this season. He rewarded those who drafted him with an awful December, averaging only 5.3 points and 2.1 rebounds on 30% shooting. However, he finished the month of January strong, posting averages of 13.8 points and 5.5 rebounds with 2 three pointers a game in his last four games last month. In his first two games in February, he has been outstanding, scoring 25 points a game on 56% from the field. It appears that he has finally shaken his first half shooting woes and is now worth a spot on your roster.

Josh Childress – Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Hawks

In case you missed it, there is not a hotter player right now than Childress, at least when it comes to shooting percentage. He has hit 23 of his last 29 shoots from the field over his last three games – both Atlanta wins. No way is he going to keep up this pace, although his career field goal percentage is over 50%. However, it is a good indicator that he should be in line for solid minutes for the foreseeable future. He is a good rebounder and great free throw shooter as well.

On the Way Down

Anthony Johnson – Point Guard, Hawks

Johnson was a popular free agent pick up in mid-December, especially for those teams that need some help in the assists category. He has lost time recently to the disappointing rookie Acie Law and the underrated veteran Tyronn Lue. Johnson’s decreased minutes have caused his statistics to be reduced to the point below fantasy consideration, including averaging only 4 assists over his past five games. The most frustrating part of this five game cold streak is that it came on the heels of a 12 point, 11 assist game against the Blazers.

Jason Maxiell – Power Forward/Center, Pistons

This one breaks my heart a little. All indicators this pre-season pointed to a breakout season for Maxiell. However, someone forgot to tell Flip Saunders, as Maxiell has managed to play just over 22 minutes a game. It is not as though he has not produced when he is on the court, putting up 11.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks on 56.5% shooting in six games as a starter. The problem is that the Pistons play their starters a ton of minutes, leaving only scraps on many nights for bench players like Maxiell.

THE FANTASYFANATICS.COM HEAD-TO-HEAD

Player Match-up: Gerald Wallace vs. Rudy Gay

The History: Wallace was a late first round selection in the 2001 draft after one year at Alabama by Sacramento. He was buried on the bench in his first three years in the league, averaging fewer than ten minutes a game. Wallace’s career went into hyper speed when he was selected by the Bobcats in the expansion draft. He played over 30 minutes a game in his first season in Charlotte and has played more minutes each season since.

Gay slipped in the 2006 draft a little to Houston’s number eight pick. He was then shipped to Memphis for Shane Battier. Gay is beginning to make that trade look one-sided with his strong play. His rookie season had ups and downs, but he finished with double-digit scoring.

The Numbers: Wallace’s numbers are at the all-star level this season. He is averaging better than 20 points a game for the first time in his career. He is also averaging a career high in three pointers (1.2), free throw percentage (72%), and assists (3.7). Wallace’s rebounding, especially offensive rebounding, and field goal percentage are down this season – mostly due to him playing on the perimeter more often. He is a thief on the defensive end, averaging over 2 steals a game.

At age 21, Gay is having a breakout season. He has just about doubled his rookie season scoring average at close to 20 points a game. Like Wallace, Gay can help you on defense at a steal and a half and almost a block a game. His big improvement, however, is three point shooting averaging 1.8 makes per contest.

The Current Situation: Wallace has developed his game to the point where he is considered a borderline franchise player. At age 25, he is still considered young enough to build a team around. He is a leader on a young improving team and he should continue to see as many minutes as he can handle.

After Pau Gasol was traded to the Lakers, Gay assumed the role of the go-to-guy in Memphis. He has an extremely high ceiling when it comes to his offensive ability. However, the question is how he will handle being the focal point of the opposing defense, especially if Mike Miller is traded, too. Gay will benefit by playing with an outstanding pass-first point guard in Mike Conley.

The Fantasy Winner: Gerald Wallace. Gay has more long term potential than Wallace, but is not nearly as battle tested. Wallace consistently produces on a team with a few other offensive options. He also has shown the ability to rack up defensive stats with the best of them. Gay has the makings of a fantasy star for many years to come. His superiority at the line and more overall upside is not enough to tip the competition to his advantage.

Top 10 Fantasy Ballers as of Week 14:

RANK LAST WEEK

1. Chris Paul (2)
2. Shawn Marion (1)
3. Amare Stoudemire (6)
4. Kobe Bryant (3)
5. Baron Davis (4)
6. Dirk Nowitzki (8)
7. Caron Butler (5)
8. Marcus Camby 7
9. Lebron James (UNRANKED)
10. Allen Iverson (UNRANKED)

NO LONGER RANKED LAST WEEK
12. Chauncey Billups (9)
13. Kevin Garnett (10)

The trade forced Shawn Marion to miss a few games, which is likely the reason why Chris Paul surpassed him as the top player in fantasy hoops. Amare Stoudemire continues an incredible climb to the top of fantasy basketball. His newfound shot-blocking, rebounding, and incredible free throw shooting may eventually place him at the top. Kobe Bryant should remain in the top 6 all season long. Baron Davis continues to avoid the injury bug, however, his shooting percentages have taken a tumble in recent games. Dirk Nowitzki is also a star on the rise, although he may need to hit some three-pointers to reach the top three. Caron Butler’s stock takes a plummet after missing a week’s worth of games. Marcus Camby also missed some time, however, rebounded well upon his return. Lebron James returns to the top ten for the first time since missing a few games weeks ago. Allen Iverson is actually a better fantasy player with Carmelo Anthony on the court. Chauncey Billups is on a team too talented to be able to maintain the type of statistics need to remain in the top ten. Kevin Garnett’s injury woes has him out of the top ten as well.

This Headlines from the Fantasy Hardwood was written by FantasyFanatics.com lead expert Rob Shaw and Brian Wagoner.