Week 1 Fantasy Basketball Planner

The Fantasy Basketball Weekly Planner is the essential guide to setting your lineup for the upcoming week. Every week, we provide you with top matchups, the latest news and give you the scoop on injured players.

Fantasy Week 1 (Oct. 27-Nov. 2)

Teams with three games: Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Golden State, Houston, L.A. Clippers, L.A. Lakers, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minnesota, New Orleans, New York, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, Toronto
Teams with two games: Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit, Indiana, New Jersey, San Antonio, Utah, Washington

The NBA season kicks off this week with a condensed schedule due to the fact the season begins on a Tuesday. As usual in the NBA, Tuesdays and Thursdays are light days as are Sundays while the NFL is going on. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays are usually packed with games.

Tuesday night, the opener pits the last two Eastern Conference champions head to head as the Celtics get to unveil a 17th championship banner as part of a three-game slate.

Wednesday night is opening night for much of the league with 12 games. Odds are, Fantasy owners will have their first real look at their teams on hump day in Week 1. Thursday night features another light three-game slate with two nationally televised games (Houston at Dallas and New Orleans at Phoenix).

Then the weekend kicks off with a seven-game schedule on Friday night. All but two teams play on Saturday night. There aren't many 14-game slates on the NBA calendar, so Saturday night should be one of the best nights of the season to track Fantasy gamecenters online or via a mobile phone.

The same goes for Sunday night as the first Fantasy week of the NBA season concludes with a pair of matchups (Milwaukee at New York and Minnesota at Oklahoma City). Anyone with players on those four teams will want to pay close attention to those tilts.

Atlanta Hawks (Oct. 29 @ Orlando; Nov. 1 vs. Philadelphia): Both of their opponents allowed less than 100 points per game last season and the Sixers actually improved on the defensive end by adding Elton Brand. It's going to be tough inside for Al Horford, Josh Smith and Marvin Williams this first week against Dwight Howard, Samuel Dalembert and Brand. More than a few shots should get swatted away and rebounds will be tough to come by against those big men. We recommend reserving Williams in most Fantasy formats as he will only be available for one game. He will serve a one-game suspension in the opener stemming from a flagrant foul in the playoffs. In the backcourt, Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson are still worth starting in any format. This is not a good week to test out fringe players like Maurice Evans or Acie Law. Don't even think about going with Zaza Pachulia or Ronald "Flip" Murray yet. The Hawks say they are very happy with the depth they have on their bench this season even with the loss of Josh Childress in the offseason, but look to see how the fare on the floor in the regular season first.

Boston Celtics (Oct. 29 vs. Cleveland; Oct. 31 vs. Chicago; Nov. 1 @ Indiana): The defending champions get a tough matchup to start the season against a Cavaliers team that allowed just 96.7 points per game last season. But things get easier after that. The Bulls ranked 16th in the NBA (100.4 ppg) and the Pacers ranked 26th (105.4) and don't have Jermaine O'Neal any more. Considering the condensed schedule, a three-game week is a great way for the Boston "Three Party" to begin the season. Obviously, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are must starts this week. Rajon Rondo (ankle) was able to practice Friday and will start the opener after missing the final two preseason games. He's a suitable low-end guard option in leagues of 12-plus teams for Week 1. There are better options at center in Fantasy hoops than Kendrick Perkins, but the fact he'll get three games makes him worth considering as a No. 2. None of the bench players on the Celtics roster have any real Fantasy appeal this week.

Derrick Rose will get a shot to prove his worth right out of the gate. (Getty Images)

Charlotte Bobcats (Oct. 30 @ Cleveland; Nov. 1 vs. Miami): This first week is a tough one for Charlotte. They are slated for just two games and will face a Cavaliers team that ranked ninth in the NBA defensively last season. They wrap up the week by playing a Heat team that will be looking for its identity early on in the season, so the second game should be wide open. Despite playing just two games, Jason Richardson, Emeka Okafor, Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton should be considered good starts in any format unless you have a dearth of options with overwhelmingly favorable matchups. Okafor in particular should have his way in the Miami game against an undersized frontcourt. Sean May enters the season as the starting power forward, but he's not yet 100 percent from a conditioning standpoint and we recommend observing him for at least this week before activating him. His minutes could be limited. The same goes for Adam Morrison, who will have to earn minutes off the bench. D.J. Augustin is an interesting young guard, but he's still got something to prove before he'll be recommended in Fantasy.

Chicago Bulls (Oct. 28 vs. Milwaukee; Oct. 31 @ Boston; Nov. 1 vs. Memphis): The Bulls are dealing with several injuries entering the season, some more significant than others. Larry Hughes will be out for at least the first month of the season which actually alleviates some of the logjam in the backcourt. Derrick Rose left the preseason finale against Milwaukee with a hip and hamstring strain, but will be ready to go for the opener and should be in the starting lineup in the backcourt along with Kirk Hinrich. Rose can be used as a low-end starter in leagues of 12-plus teams, but it's not a bad idea to keep the rookie or Hinrich reserved until the dynamics of the Bulls backcourt become clearer if possible. Ben Gordon missed seven of the eight preseason games for the Bulls, but he says he will play in the opener. With Hughes out, Gordon should get his usual 30-36 minutes and double-digit shot attempts. He should be a safe play. Luol Deng was held out of the final game of the preseason as well with a stiff back and sore toe, but he should be in the starting lineup for the opener as well. Tyrus Thomas has a swollen ankle and while he should play, is not a recommended starter in Fantasy this week because he will be fighting off the injury and will have to split time with players like Joakim Noah and Drew Gooden up front. The frontcourt situation in Chicago still needs to be worked out. Consider players like Noah, Hinrich and Gooden viable low-end starters this week. Let role players like Andres Nocioni, Thabo Sefolosha and Aaron Gray prove their worth before considering them.

Cleveland Cavaliers (Oct. 28 @ Boston; Oct. 30 vs. Charlotte; Nov. 1 @ New Orleans): The Cavaliers will play three games in the season's first week, but two of the matchups appear to be very difficult on paper. The Celtics allowed the second fewest points in the NBA last season (90.3 ppg) and the Hornets allowed the fifth fewest (95.6). Charlotte gave up 101.4 ppg last season, but they are now coached by Larry Brown, whose teams are notorious for defense. LeBron James is a no-brainer this week. Mo Williams and Zydrunas Ilgauskas should still start in most leagues in Week 1 despite the tough matchups as they are both expected to see a good amount of the scoring load after King James. Sasha Pavlovic is expected to start at the shooting guard slot, but does not stand to see a lot of good looks against Boston or New Orleans. The same goes for Wally Szczerbiak off the bench. Both should be thought of as low-end options this week. Ben Wallace and Anderson Varejao will rotate at the power forward slot and at center, but neither is a recommended option.

Dallas Mavericks (Oct. 30 vs. Houston; Nov. 1 @ Minnesota): The Mavericks are one of the nine NBA teams in Week 1 to play just two games. They will start of the season on Oct. 30 against Houston, who ranked fourth in the NBA in defense last season (92.0 ppg). Then, they'll travel to Minnesota to face a Timberwolves team that allowed 102.4 points per game. The good news is that the team enters the season at full strength. The team's prominent trio of Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Jason Kidd are good starts in most leagues this week because the condensed schedule means no team is playing more than three games anyway. Jason Terry will come off the bench behind Antoine Wright, but Terry is the better Fantasy option because he will get the majority of the minutes there. Wright is worth owning in larger leagues because he is going to get a good amount of minutes, but is not yet worth activating. Erick Dampier will be the starting center and, as usual, his appeal is limited in Fantasy to that of a No. 3 center. It's not time yet to start fringe options like Brandon Bass, Jerry Stackhouse, Jose Juan Barea, DeSagana Diop or Gerald Green. At the moment, Barea is the only player of that group worth owning as Kidd's backup.

Denver Nuggets (Oct. 29 @ Utah; Oct. 31 @ L.A. Clippers; Nov. 1 vs. L.A. Lakers): Carmelo Anthony is a player to be reserved for the first week of the season in leagues with cumulative scoring systems. He will be serving a team-imposed two-game suspension as punishment for an arrest back in April. Dahntay Jones is expected to start in his place, but his upside is very limited in Fantasy. He is not recommended even for this one week. Allen Iverson should play in the opener, but has been at far less than 100 percent in the preseason, averaging just 5.3 points in three appearances. He has said himself that he is not at full strength, but is one of those players in Fantasy that is tough to sit whenever he is playing. However, if good backup options are available they should at least be considered. The Nuggets play three games, which is good news this week for Denver's second-tier players, especially with Iverson at less than 100 percent and with Anthony suspended. Kenyon Martin will start at power forward and Anthony Carter should start at the point. With 'Melo out for the first two games, it means more minutes and more touches for J.R. Smith and Linas Kleiza. Both have some appeal as stopgap options this week in deeper formats. Chris Andersen and Juwan Howard are players to monitor early this season. They could become nice additions in Rotisserie leagues for rebounding help due to the absence of Marcus Camby in Denver this season. They aren't recommended starts yet, though. Nene will begin the season as the team's starting center, but he'll have to prove he can be productive before he ascends from the ranks of No. 3 centers in Fantasy.

Detroit Pistons (Oct. 29 vs. Indiana; Nov. 1 vs. Washington): The Pistons will have just two games this week, but the matchups are not horrible. Indiana gave up 105.4 points per game last season and the Wizards enter the season with two of their starters out of the lineup in Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood. Detroit, however, enters the season in good shape. The starting lineup has just one change this season with Amir Johnson starting at power forward over Antonio McDyess. But McDyess is career reserve player who produces just as much -- and sometimes more -- off the bench than he does as a starter. Johnson has some appeal in Rotisserie as a shot-blocker, but most of the minutes at the four will still go to McDyess. A two-game first week is not the right opportunity to use Johnson in Fantasy. That may come later on. Chauncey Billups should be a safe play in most formats this week despite the two games as should Richard Hamilton. But Tayshaun Prince and Rasheed Wallace's situation depends on options available. This is not the week to take a chance on players like Rodney Stuckey, Jason Maxiell or Kwame Brown.

Golden State Warriors (Oct. 29 vs. New Orleans; Oct. 31 @ Toronto; Nov. 1 @ New Jersey): The Warriors will be without Monta Ellis for the first month and a half of the season, creating a situation for a rookie to start the year at point guard. DeMarcus Nelson has been tabbed as the starter for the beginning of the season, winning the job over more experienced Marcus Williams. While he is worth picking up as a reserve in the hopes he proves useful, Week 1 is not the right time to start him. He'll be matched up against Chris Paul, Jose Calderon and Devin Harris. It could be a tough week for the rookie. Corey Maggette, Stephen Jackson and Andris Biedrins should be considered safe starts in a three-game week. Al Harrington can be useful as a low-end option at forward or as a No. 2 center. Kelenna Azubuike is worth owning as a reserve, but is a very low-end starting option for now. Williams showed in the preseason that he can't be relied upon yet. Marco Belinelli, Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph are just player to monitor for now.

Houston Rockets (Oct. 29 vs. Memphis; Oct. 31 @ Dallas; Oct. 1 vs. Oklahoma City): Two of the three teams the Rockets will face in Week 1 allowed over 106 points per game last season and both Memphis and Oklahoma City have done little to shore up their defense. That bodes well for the team's big scorers, Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. Ron Artest should also get off to a quick start with his new team. It also means secondary options like Luis Scola and Rafer Alston could be in for strong starts. Shane Battier is dealing with an ankle injury that kept him out of the entire preseason and when he returns, it will likely come off the bench. He's not a recommended starter for Week 1 and likely won't be for a while.

Indiana Pacers (Oct. 29 @ Detroit; Nov. 1 vs. Boston.): Talk about bad matchups to start the season. The Pacers will play the best defensive team in the NBA last season to begin the year on the road in Detroit. Then, they will play the second best at home against Boston. Not to mention that they'll play just the two games this week. This could mean a slow start for Danny Granger, whom everyone expects to have a big year. He did not have a good preseason shooting the ball and that could linger on against these two tough defensive teams. The same goes for Mike Dunleavy, who is dealing with an ankle injury. He should be fine for the start of the regular season, though. Granger and Dunleavy remain worthy of a start for Week 1 in most formats, but don't expect huge weeks out of them. T.J. Ford had an outstanding preseason and is fully healthy going into the season. Those factors make him worth using in any league that requires starting four guards, regardless of the matchups. Troy Murphy is worth taking a shot on in deep leagues that require two centers, but if it's a toss up, go with just about any other option this week. When it comes to fringe players on the Pacers roster, which is basically everyone else, we recommend going with other options.

Los Angeles Clippers (Oct. 29 vs. L.A. Lakers; Oct. 31 vs. Denver; Nov. 1 @ Utah): The Clippers have two good matchups in the first week of the season as they will face a Lakers team that allowed 101.3 points per game last season and a Nuggets team that gave up 107.0 ppg, second most in the NBA. The Jazz allowed 99.3 points per game. Baron Davis is expected to be a game-time decision for the opener after suffering ligament damage in his left ring finger during the preseason. It is recommended to have somebody else to start until lineup deadlines are due. Use whatever the latest information is on him then to determine whether or not to take a risk on him in Week 1. It is not recommended to take a risk on Marcus Camby this week. He missed most of the preseason with a bruised heel and it has not recovered in time for him to begin the regular season. He is doubtful for the opener and it is very possible he will not play at all in Week 1. That's somewhat good news for Chris Kaman owners as Camby will not be around to take away his rebounds. Kaman makes for a strong start. The same goes for breakout candidate Al Thornton and Ricky Davis. In larger leagues, rookie Eric Gordon and veterans Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas could be useful in a pinch.

Los Angeles Lakers (Oct. 28 vs. Portland; Oct. 29 @ L.A. Clippers; Nov. 1 @ Denver): The Lakers will face a tough Portland team to begin the season, but will take on a Clippers team that may be without its best two defensive players in Baron Davis and Marcus Camby and a Denver team that allowed the second most points in the NBA last season. That's great news for Kobe Bryant, who will be in the starting lineup to begin the season despite a lingering pinkie injury and a hyper-extended knee suffered in the preseason. If he's in uniform, he should always start in Fantasy. Week 1 will give Fantasy owners their first real look at the dynamics of a frontcourt consisting of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Both are must starts until proven otherwise. The likely absence of Camby certainly helps matters for Week 1. Lamar Odom says he feels comfortable in his new role as the team's sixth man off the bench and the fact he'll get to be top dog with the second unit rather than play third fiddle with the ones should help. He remains a good start. Vladimir Radmanovic will get the starts for now at small forward, but most of the minutes will go to Odom there. Radmanovic is not yet a recommended Fantasy starter. Derek Fisher should serve as a viable No. 4 Fantasy guard in larger leagues due to the favorable matchups this week. Fringe players like Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic and Trevor Ariza should be reserved in Fantasy leagues until further notice.

Memphis Grizzlies (Oct. 29 @ Houston; Oct. 31 vs. Orlando; Nov. 1 @ Chicago): Rudy Gay is expected to be ready for the opener despite suffering from a staph infection in his leg. He's expected to start at small forward with rookie O.J. Mayo starting at the two-guard spot. Second-year guard Mike Conley will start at the point and rookie Marc Gasol may start at center for this very inexperienced team. Hakim Warrick could play a sixth man role off the bench, but should end up seeing starter's minutes and is still a breakout candidate entering the season. Darko Milicic will buy minutes with defense, but is not a recommended starter until he proves he can be relied upon regularly. Off the bench, Kyle Lowry should see decent minutes behind Conley and Mayo. Still, his appeal is limited to deeper leagues and he should be reserved in most Fantasy leagues for Week 1. There's no use for Antoine Walker, Marko Jaric or Hamed Haddadi yet.

Miami Heat (Oct. 29 @ New York; Oct. 31 vs. Sacramento; Nov. 1 @ Charlotte): The Heat will play a Knicks team that gave up 103.5 points per game last season, eighth most in the NBA. Their new head coach Mike D'Antoni coached a Phoenix team last season that gave up 105.4 points, five games. The Kings allowed 104.8 points and Charlotte gave up 101.3. This should be a good week for the Heat to get their feet wet with a new head coach and some changes in the starting lineup. Chris Quinn enters the season as the starting point guard as he was toward the end of last season. The good matchups this week will make him somewhat appealing in deeper leagues that require four or five guards, but he is expected to split some time with rookie Mario Chalmers and Marcus Banks should see some time both at the point and at shooting guard. Dwyane Wade is as healthy as he has been in a long time and is one of the top options in Fantasy heading into the season. He should be in for a positive week. Shawn Marion moves over to small forward to accommodate rookie Michael Beasley, who should start at power forward. The matchups in Week 1 figure to be high scoring, leaving plenty to go around for both players. At center, the Heat are going to go with either Mark Blount or Udonis Haslem. Haslem is the more productive Fantasy option and should get the majority of the minutes. Blount is merely a No. 3 Fantasy center option for now. Haslem should pick up center eligibility in leagues that allow multiple positions fairly early on in the regular season and would make a nice No. 2 Fantasy center. For now, consider him a fourth or fifth forward option in Week 1. And as far as Shaun Livingston is concerned, he's still too far off after just recently returning from his knee injury that sidelined him the last two seasons. He is a player to be monitored for now, but not started.

Milwaukee Bucks (Oct. 28 @ Chicago; Oct. 29 @ Oklahoma City; Nov. 1 vs. Toronto; Nov. 2 @ New York): The Bucks are the only four-game team in Week 1, which makes their appealing from the jump. Andrew Bogut and Charlie Villanueva will take on two teams with banged up frontcourts to start the season before meeting a formidable front line in Toronto against Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Bosh. He should do enough damage in the first two games to make it a positive first week and the Knicks figure to be a team that allows 100 points regularly this season. Michael Redd will match up against the likes of Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon in Chicago, Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City, Anthony Parker in Toronto and Jamal Crawford in New York. He should still get his shots up and will be able to put up around 20 points per game. Richard Jefferson will go up against Luol Deng, Jeff Green and Jamario Moon and he is very used to playing the Knicks having been a Net his entire career. He should have the upside in two of those three matchups with experience on his side against Green and Moon to go with his athleticism. Luke Ridnour will match up against rookie Derrick Rose in his first ever NBA game. He will then take on either Earl Watson or rookie Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma and Jose Calderon at home against Toronto. Ridnour will be a decent No. 4 guard for larger leagues, but his upside is limited. Rookie Joe Alexander is a player that should be reserved until he can prove his worth. Charlie Bell is not a recommended option this week despite the extra game.

Minnesota Timberwolves (Oct. 29 vs. Sacramento; Nov. 1 vs. Dallas; Nov. 2 @ Oklahoma City): Sebastian Telfair will be unavailable for the first three games of the regular season as he serves a suspension for pleading guilty to a criminal possession of a weapon charge. Randy Foye will match up against Beno Udrih, Jason Kidd and either Earl Watson or rookie Russell Westbrook. He should start as a No. 3 guard in most Fantasy formats this week. Mike Miller will go up against Kevin Martin, Antoine Wright and Kevin Durant and should be a viable option in most Fantasy formats. Al Jefferson and Kevin Love will be up against Mikki Moore and Spencer Hawes, Dirk Nowitzki and Erick Dampier and Chris Wilcox and Nick Collison. Jefferson should start in all leagues, regardless of matchups while Love should be given at least the first week to see where the rookie is at. Off the bench, Rashad McCants will play a sixth man role and can be useful as a No. 4 guard option in deeper formats. Ryan Gomes looks like he will lose a lot of minutes with Love in the mix. Corey Brewer will be starting at small forward, but he will not be a recommended Fantasy option this week. Craig Smith, Rodney Carney and Kirk Snyder are wait-and-see options that should not be active this week.

New Jersey Nets (Oct. 29 @ Washington; Oct. 1 vs. Golden State): The Nets are one of the two-game teams this week, but they have two of the best matchups of the bunch. The Wizards are banged up and are a team that allowed 99.2 points per game last season. The Warriors allowed the most points in the league (108.8). Vince Carter should do enough in the two games to make him worth anybody's while. Devin Harris should be productive enough to use as at least a No. 4 Fantasy guard this week. The Nets will be scoring in the high 90s or low 100s in the two games and there should be plenty of assists.

New Orleans Hornets (Oct. 29 @ Golden State; Oct. 29 @ Phoenix; Nov. 1 vs. Cleveland): The Hornets kick off the season with two very good matchups. To start, they'll face the team that allowed the most points in the NBA last season at Golden State. The Suns allowed the sixth most points in the league. Chris Paul should get off to a great start against rookie point guard DeMarcus Nelson in the opener before moving on to face Steve Nash and Mo Williams. David West, Peja Stojakovic and Tyson Chandler should all get off to quick starts. But secondary players like Morris Peterson, Julian Wright, Devin Brown and Mike James should not be used for now. They remain very low-end options in Fantasy.

New York Knicks (Oct. 29 vs. Miami; Oct. 31 @ Philadelphia; Nov. 2 vs. Milwaukee): The Knicks will begin the season against an undersized Heat team that will be starting either Mark Blount or Udonis Haslem at center. That should bode well for Zach Randolph and David Lee in the low post. Chris Duhon will likely be matched up against Chris Quinn in the opener before moving on to face some stiffer competition against Andre Miller and Mo Williams. Jamal Crawford will go up against Dwyane Wade, Andre Iguodala and Sasha Pavlovic. He struggled through most of the preseason, but finished by scoring 30 points against the Nets Friday and looks ready to go. Quentin Richardson will go against Shawn Marion, Thaddeus Young and Richard Jefferson, making this a tough week for him. Consider reserving him for now to see if he can prove productive in Mike D'Antoni's system again. The same goes for Stephon Marbury, who will play off the bench.

Oklahoma City Thunder (Oct. 29 vs. Milwaukee; Nov. 1 @ Houston; Nov. 2 vs. Minnesota): Reports out of Oklahoma City are that head coach P.J. Carlesimo has not decided on a starting lineup for the season opener yet. However, injuries could decide it for him. Power forward Chris Wilcox is dealing with a hamstring injury and is not quite 100 percent. Nick Collison is dealing with a hyperextended knee, Earl Watson is dealing with a strained calf and Joe Smith is getting used to playing with a mask after suffering a fractured nose. Ideally, the Thunder would look to start Watson and Kevin Durant in the backcourt with Jeff Green and Wilcox at forward and Collison at center. The injured players are considered game-time decisions as of Sunday, making them risky starts in Fantasy for Week 1. Durant is a must-start in all formats and Green has some measure of appeal in larger leagues, though, he's still a wait-and-see player for now. Smith is not a recommended Fantasy option at the moment. Off the bench, Russell Westbrook is far too green to trust yet in Fantasy and Desmond Mason would only be worth activating if an injury forces him into more minutes.

Orlando Magic (Oct. 29 vs. Atlanta; Oct. 31 @ Memphis; Nov. 1 vs. Sacramento): The Magic will play three teams that allowed at least 100 points per game last season, which would indicate a positive start. Dwight Howard will match up against Al Horford to start the season, but will get either Darko Milicic or rookie Marc Gasol at Memphis and then will play against Spencer Hawes rather than Brad Miller due to an ongoing suspension he will be serving. The matchups seem promising for Howard to get off to a hot start. The same goes for Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu, who should be active in any format. Jameer Nelson will be matched up against Mike Bibby, Mike Conley and Beno Udrih, which means it could be a tougher week for him, but he can be considered a decent start as a low-end guard in leagues of 12-plus teams. Mickael Pietrus will be the team's sixth man off the bench, but let him show what he can do before activating him. Bottom rung options like Keith Bogans, Courtney Lee, Anthony Johnson and J.J. Redick should be reserved.

Philadelphia 76ers (Oct. 29 vs. Toronto; Oct. 31 vs. New York; Nov. 1 @ Atlanta): The Sixers have a couple of minor injury issues, but both Samuel Dalembert (knee) and Thaddeus Young (back) should play in the opener against Toronto. Consider Dalembert a safe and good start for Week 1 as a low-end No. 1 Fantasy center or a solid No. 2 option. Young is still a fringe option in Fantasy and is best used as a stopgap in deeper leagues for now. The usual suspects, Andre Iguodala, Andre Miller and Elton Brand are must-starts through thick and thin. Lou Williams is a decent low-end starting option this week in deeper Head-to-Head leagues where low-end double digit scoring and little else may be appealing. The same goes for Willie Green, who will have to adjust to life off the bench after starting the last two seasons. Green could find himself back in the starting lineup if Young is unable to play at any point. Keep low-end options like Reggie Evans, Marreese Speights, Theo Ratliff, Kareem Rush and Jason Smith reserved this week.

Phoenix Suns (Oct. 29 @ San Antonio; Oct. 30 vs. New Orleans; Nov. 1 vs. Portland): The Suns will have a tough start to the season with a back-to-back set against two of the top teams in the Western Conference and a third game against one of the top risers in the league. All three opponents were among the top-10 defensive teams in the league last season and the Suns are trading in a run-and-shoot style this fall for a more stable half-court approach. That could lead to some games in the 80s and 90s for Phoenix this week and that's bad news for anyone not named Amar'e Stoudemire. Stoudemire will get his touches in the paint, but even Fantasy stud Steve Nash could suffer. Less scoring would mean less assists and less shot attempts for the point guard, but he remains a must-start in all leagues anyway. Shaquille O'Neal should get his fair share of rebounds, likely around 10 per game. He's probably as fresh right now as he is going to be all season, so take advantage of it while you can. Matt Barnes will be a new addition to the starting lineup this season and while he has some appeal as a low-end starter in deep leagues this may be a week to monitor where he fits into the rotation rather than start him, the same goes for Grant Hill who will come off the bench. Raja Bell is still the starter at shooting guard, but the decline in offensive possessions this season could hit him hardest. Leandro Barbosa could also be affected off the bench, but he has more offensive upside as the sixth man. Boris Diaw will be locked into a power forward role off the bench behind Stoudemire and will not have the flexibility that he has had in the past under Mike D'Antoni. Reserve him in Fantasy for now if possible. Rookies Robin Lopez and Goran Dragic have upside in Fantasy, but are going to have to fight for minutes.

Portland Trail Blazers (Oct. 28 @ L.A. Lakers; Oct. 31 vs. San Antonio; Nov. 1 @ Phoenix): The Blazers will be without Martell Webster to begin the season, so that means Travis Outlaw will be in the starting lineup at small forward. He had some appeal as a No. 4 forward option last season, but will no longer be the team's sixth man option. That role goes to Rudy Fernandez, who should begin the season as a No. 4 guard, but could emerge into a No. 2 over the course of the season with big minutes coming his way. Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden are must-starts in Fantasy for Week 1. Steve Blake has some low-end appeal in larger formats as the starting point guard for a three-game team this week

Sacramento Kings (Oct. 29 @ Minnesota; Oct. 31 @ Miami; Nov. 1 @ Orlando): The Kings will be without starting center Brad Miller for the first five games of the season, meaning second-year player Spencer Hawes will get a chance to start. Coming out of college, he was viewed as a baby Brad Miller for his passing ability and decent scoring touch. He can be a suitable stopgap for the first week. Beno Udrih is expected to be ready for the opener despite the hip injury that sidelined him in the preseason. With a full three-game schedule this week, Kevin Martin and John Salmons are great starts. Francisco Garcia has some upside in deeper formats that use four or five forwards, but it is recommended to monitor him before activating. Up front, Mikki Moore could have some sleeper value in Rotisserie formats for rebounds with Miller out, but he is a low-end option at best for deep formats. Jason Thompson, Shelden Williams, Quincy Douby, Bobby Jackson and Donte Greene are not recommended options this week.

San Antonio Spurs (Oct. 29 vs. Phoenix; Oct. 31 @ Portland): The Spurs head into the regular season without one of their big three options as Manu Ginobili will be out until at least mid-December with an ankle injury. That will give a few players a chance to step up in his place. Michael Finley is the logical choice, but at 35, he will need some help to fill Ginobili's 20-4-4 void. Roger Mason could step up off the bench as could Ime Udoka. Consider both players to monitor and not start for a two-game scoring period in Week 1. Tony Parker and Tim Duncan will have to do their part also to step up on offense to fill the void, and they are the only two Spurs players worth starting in most leagues in Week 1 and beyond. Finley has some low-end appeal in deep leagues that use four or five guards. Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto will continue to split time at center and neither player has any upside beyond that of a No. 3 center.

Toronto Raptors (Oct. 29 @ Philadelphia; Oct. 31 vs. Golden State; Nov. 1@ Milwaukee): The Raptors will have a bit of a new look as they hit the floor for the first time in the regular season with Jermaine O'Neal next to Chris Bosh in the low post. He should be healthy and motivated on a team that figures to contend and, in leagues that allow dual eligibility, he will be picking up center status likely within the first five games of the season. Both Bosh and O'Neal are clearly must-starts this week. The same goes for Jose Calderon, who is now the undisputed starter with T.J. Ford in Indiana. The Raptors are one of the three-game teams this week and two of those games come against a Warriors team that gave up the most points in the NBA last season (108.8 ppg) and a Milwaukee team that gave up the seventh most (103.9 ppg). That means that their roster should be ripe with one-week, stopgap options to choose from. Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon will start at shooting guard and small forward and could score in double figures with respectable totals across the line. Consider them as No. 4 options this week in 12-team leagues. Moon has been dealing with a heel injury and did not have a particularly good preseason, though. Off the bench, Andrea Bargnani remains a low-end option until he proves otherwise. The same goes for Jason Kapono, Will Solomon and Kris Humphries.

Utah Jazz (Oct. 29 vs. Denver; Nov. 1 vs. L.A. Clippers): The Jazz are one of the two-game teams this week, but the two matchups come against sub-par defensive teams. The Nuggets gave up the second most points in the league last season and the Clippers gave up 101.1 points themselves. But the Jazz will be without their point guard for at least the first week, as Deron Williams is still dealing with an ankle injury. They will try and get by with Ronnie Price, Brevin Knight and C.J. Wilson running the show. That could have a trickle-down effect to the rest of the offense in Week 1, but the must-starts, Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur, remain safe plays. Andrei Kirilenko is going to come off the bench in what could be a very suitable role for him as sixth man while Matt Harpring remains sidelined. He'll get to be top dog again with the second unit. C.J. Miles is going to start at small forward, but is not going to get many touches with the first group. Where Fantasy owners will want to look for other options is with the fringe options. Price, Knight and Wilson are going to spend the first two games sorting things out and whoever has the hot hand will play. That's too risky in Fantasy. Paul Millsap and Kyle Korver are very low-end options in a two-game week. Ronnie Brewer should be considered only in leagues that allow five guards.

Washington Wizards (Oct. 29 vs. New Jersey; Nov. 1 @ Detroit): The Wizards will begin the season without their biggest star as Gilbert Arenas is expected to be out until at least December. That means that Antonio Daniels will get another shot to start in his place. Last season, he averaged 9.1 points and 5.1 assists per game as a starter. That makes him a suitable No. 4 guard option in deeper formats, but a two-game week means a comparable guard with three games would be a better option in cumulative scoring leagues. At center, Etan Thomas is expected to return to the starting lineup after missing all of last season following heart surgery. Brendan Haywood enjoyed a semi-breakout year in his absence and this could be the year for Thomas to do the same with Haywood out until at least April. Give Thomas a chance to prove where he is at both physically and in the team's plans before starting him, though. Antawn Jamison missed most of the preseason with a knee injury, but he is expected to play and says he is at 100 percent. Consider him a safe start. Caron Butler is a good play this week despite the two-game week because no team is playing more than three games anyway. Fringe players like DeShawn Stevenson, Andray Blatche, JaVale McGee, Nick Young, Juan Dixon or Darius Songaila are not recommended starts this week.

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