Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, we pose a question to a panel of ESPN fantasy basketball experts to gauge their thoughts on a hot topic.
Today's contributors are ESPN Fantasy's Joe Kaiser, Jim McCormick and Kyle Soppe.
As we get set for the stretch run of the fantasy season, James Harden sits atop the Player Rater (averages). Which player is most likely to unseat Harden as the most valuable fantasy option for the remainder of the season?
Joe Kaiser: Anthony Davis is that guy for me. In the final three games leading up to the All-Star break, he averaged 41.3 points, 14.0 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 1.3 steals and 1.7 3-pointers per game.
We know he's capable of huge nights as a shot-blocker and just about the only fault in his game is his lack of assists, an area where Harden will always have a distinct advantage. If Davis can stay healthy, and that's always a big question, he has a chance to leapfrog Harden on a Pelicans team that needs him to score and rebound even more in the absence of DeMarcus Cousins.
Jim McCormick: I'll take The Brow over The Beard. Since DeMarcus Cousins was injured in late January against Harden's Rockets, Davis leads the NBA with 23.2 shots per game and is the centerpiece of New Orleans' offense.
We also find Davis feasting on the glass sans Cousins; he's consumed 40.5 percent more rebounding chances (being within 3.5 feet of an available rebound) since Cousins went down.
Perhaps most pivotal to his case as the top fantasy asset however, is the fact that Davis is fifth in the league in blocks and third in steals over his past nine games. With such a rare blend of volume and efficiency, Davis is the top fantasy option for the next two months.
Kyle Soppe: I don't think anyone does it, but if someone is going to make the move, it's got to be LeBron James. During the Cavaliers' modest four game win streak, The King has been a triple-double threat on a nightly basis while taking over 21 shots a game.
We know he has the ability to be uber-efficient, and the fact that he is having fun only raises his ceiling. And let's not forget the Cavaliers have some seeding incentive to stay hot, as they will want to avoid having to go through both Boston and Toronto in the postseason. With all that mind, I'm thinking we get peak LeBron sooner than later. It's Harden's crown to lose, but these two are closer than they appear.