For the ninth season in a row, ESPN.com is predicting the top players in basketball with NBArank.

Who will be the best player this season? To get the final prediction, we asked our expert panel to vote on pairs of players.

LeBron James vs. Kawhi Leonard. Zion Williamson vs. Luka Doncic. Devin Booker vs. D'Angelo Russell.

We asked, "Which player will be better in 2019-20?" To decide, voters had to consider both the quality and the quantity of each player's contributions to his team's ability to win games in the regular season and postseason.

Here are Nos. 10 to 3. Nos. 1 and 2 drop on Friday.

More: 100-51 | 50-31 | 30-11 | LeBron expectations

NBArank: 10 to 3

10. Paul George

• LA Clippers | SF

• Previous rank: 14

• 2019-20 projected RPM wins: 8.3

One big question: How healthy is he? After George required surgeries to repair both shoulders, the Clippers will surely take things slow with him, which could delay how quickly he and Kawhi Leonard become comfortable and adjust to playing with one another. After averaging career highs of 28 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game in 2018-19, George will have to get healthy again while learning what his role will be like with Leonard. -- Ohm Youngmisuk

9. Damian Lillard

• Portland Trail Blazers | PG

• Previous rank: 10

• Projected RPM wins: 9.4

One big question: From the moment he entered the league as a mystery guest from Weber State, Lillard established himself as a fearless, durable floor general with an uncommon stage presence. His big-game shot-making rivals any of his contemporaries, and he's a first-rate culture-setter who quietly agreed to a supermax extension over the summer that will keep him in Portland well into his 30s. Lillard has publicly stated that he's uninterested in building a superteam or serving as a recruiter in a league where such machinations are bigger than the game itself. Yet Lillard's independence poses a challenge: Without the concentration of star power present on the rosters of most NBA contenders, how far can Lillard lift the Trail Blazers in an unforgiving Western Conference? -- Kevin Arnovitz

8. Joel Embiid

• Philadelphia 76ers | C

• Previous rank: 9

• Projected RPM wins: 9.1

One big question: Will Embiid hold up for a deep postseason run? A year removed from jumping 23 spots up to No. 9, Embiid receives a slight bump despite an improvement across the board statistically. Playing a career high 34.3 MPG, Embiid dominated when he was on the court, averaging 27.5 points and 13.6 rebounds in 64 games. Battling an illness last spring and having his fitness questioned, Embiid saw his production on both ends of the court decrease in the playoffs, eventually leading to the 76ers falling in the second round. -- Bobby Marks

7. Nikola Jokic

• Denver Nuggets | C

• Previous rank: 12

• Projected RPM wins: 12.1

One big question: Can Jokic make the leap from the superstar to MVP tier? Jokic has finished in the top 10 in real plus-minus (RPM) in every season of his career. He makes his teammates better, utilizing excellent court vision and touch to run the Nuggets' offense from the high post. But for the Nuggets to contend this season, Jokic has to take a more aggressive mindset and raise his game that final level. His ability to do so will determine whether the Nuggets have a legitimate shot at the crown. -- André Snellings

6. Stephen Curry

• Golden State Warriors | PG

• Previous rank: 2

• Projected RPM wins: 13.4

One big question: Just how good can Steph be without Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson (at least for most of the year)? All eyes will be on the former MVP to see how far he can carry the Warriors without as much star power by his side. It will be interesting to see how Steve Kerr manages his star guard's minutes in the beginning of another long season. Curry and the Warriors know it will be a challenge, but they seem energized by the opportunity. -- Nick Friedell

5. Anthony Davis

• Los Angeles Lakers | PF

• Previous rank: 6

• Projected RPM wins: 9.8

One big question: Is he built for May and June basketball? We don't know because we've never seen it. There's no question that Davis is one of the best big men in the game, but it's fair to ask if he's ready to help LeBron James get back to the NBA Finals. Think about it this way: Since Davis entered the league in 2012-13, he's made it to the playoffs only twice -- and past the first round of the playoffs once. In that same time frame, James has missed the Finals only once. -- Kirk Goldsberry

4. James Harden

• Houston Rockets | SG

• Previous rank: 3

• Projected RPM wins: 15.7

One big question: Can Harden be the best player in the world when it matters most? Yes, there will be a regular-season spotlight on how Harden and old buddy Russell Westbrook mesh. But Harden is at the point where he can't really prove anything until late spring. It's way too harsh to label Harden a playoff choker (postseason averages of 28.2 points and 7.0 assists as a Rocket), but the only way he can hush critics is to carry Houston to a title. -- Tim MacMahon

3. LeBron James

• Los Angeles Lakers | SF

• Previous rank: 1

• Projected RPM wins: 11.3

This is the first time since the debut of NBArank before the 2011-12 season that LeBron isn't No. 1. What should we expect from James this season? Our NBA experts dive into that question here.

One big question: How long can he keep it up? Though James' averages of 27.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists while playing a career-low 35.2 minutes per game last season suggest he is still in dominant form, his VORP (value over replacement player) and PER (player efficiency rating) were both the lowest they've been since his rookie season. If James keeps defying Father Time with some younger talent in Anthony Davis and Kyle Kuzma to help share the load, L.A. should be a force. If he can't, then the Lakers could have real challenges. -- Dave McMenamin

More: 100-51 | 50-31 | 30-11 | LeBron expectations

I get a lot of tweets.

And they are almost always questions. Whom to start, whom to sit, why am I such an idiot? Though in fairness, the last one is usually just from Field.

But this was different.

It wasn't a question.

It was a statement.

And a request.

@jamespjennings wrote: "Pretty sure this is my last year playing Fantasy Football. Talk me out of it, @matthewberrytmr."

I don't know why, but this tweet really spoke to me. No complaining from Jim, no anger, just defeat. Sadness. As if the fight had been knocked out of him for the final time. But with his last ounce of hope, he reached out. It seemed like he could no longer pull himself up off the mat, but, as he extended a virtual hand, could I?

I called him soon after.

Jim Jennings, it turns out, is a guy with a pretty great life. He'll be 34 next month, happily married to his wife, Ryanne, and they have two great kids: Desmond (8) and Maggie (4). A huge soccer fan, he lives in the small town of Honesdale, Pennsylvania, and has a job he loves, working in digital marketing for a yoga tech company.

As far as I could tell during our call, he really has only one problem:

His fantasy football team.

They're 0-3 and that's not the worst part.

The worst part, he told me, is he expected it. His team name, he explained, is Last Place Guaranteed.

It's not an ironic name.

He truly expects to finish last.

Because he always does.

Jim has been playing for a decade now and his teams are always near the bottom and never in the hunt. He doesn't understand why. He's tried everything. He's tried being super-active, constantly tinkering. That didn't work. He's tried being super-casual, just leaving his lineup as is, not making many moves, going with the flow. That didn't work, either.

It's not that he doesn't know football. He's a die-hard Eagles fan and has followed them forever.

It's not that he doesn't understand fantasy. He has played and won his fantasy baseball league. He did really well in fantasy Premier League as well when he used to play that.

It's just fantasy football.

He's currently in only one league, the "Sideline Syndicate," a 10-team, half-point PPR league with an extra flex and no kicker, with a bunch of his colleagues.

And, he says, "Every week, without fail, I make the wrong move."

It starts at the draft, he tells me. He never gets a high draft pick, so he always feels like he's chasing running backs in the draft and he never gets one of the truly elite ones. And then his in-season roster management always seems to be off.

It's not as if he isn't trying. He really is. He researches and reads. Maybe too much.

"There's just so much information out there," he said, "I read this and then I read that, and I don't know what to do." Head of customer service and league commissioner Page Olver tells him he tinkers too much.

Tinkering too much and just some bad luck certainly seem to be the culprit this season. In Week 1, he left DeSean Jackson (31.4) and Sammy Watkins (42.3 points) on his bench. In Week 2, Last Place Guaranteed lost by a few points as they faced the Patriots defense and their 35-point performance.

And then this past week he lost to Maxx, the eighth-grade son of CEO Todd Wolfenberg.

It's not that he lost to a kid (though that didn't help). It was how he lost. He had started Watkins, who in a game where Patrick Mahomes threw for 374 yards and three touchdowns managed just 64 toothless yards. That his Chris Godwin did nothing while Maxx's Mike Evans went off against him with three touchdowns.

And speaking of tinkering too much, Jim benched Joe Mixon for Raheem Mostert in Week 3, and as he watched former practice-squad guy Jeff Wilson Jr. score two touchdowns instead of his guy, thus killing his comeback hopes, he just lost it.

He was at his tipping point. He was done with Last Place Guaranteed. He was quitting fantasy football.

He just didn't see any way he could win.

Ever.

He's been playing for a decade and he's never won a fantasy football league.

He's never even made the playoffs in a fantasy football league.

His proudest achievement to date was not finishing last this past year, because last place had to clean the company car.

So he was done. Unless, as he tweeted, I could talk him out of it.

And I told him what I will tell everyone out there who is 0-3 or 1-2 and not feeling great about your team. What I will tell anyone who drafted Saquon Barkley or Tyreek Hill. Or those who bypassed production at RB or WR to draft Hunter Henry or O.J. Howard in the fourth or fifth round. Those who regret their early pick of Todd Gurley II or James Conner when Dalvin Cook was just sitting there. Or anyone who is sitting there with a good team, but has had the most points scored against them in his/her league. Or those who listened to some moron on ESPN last week who, ahem, "loved" Stefon Diggs.

I get it.

I totally get it.

I've been there. We all have.

I'm in 16 leagues this year, so I experience some sort of regret or frustration every week. The Bitter Berry puppet on The Fantasy Show on ESPN+ didn't just come out of thin air, you know?

(By the way, 16 is by far the most leagues I've ever played in and for me, with work and kids, it's just way too much. I have to cut way back next year.)

So I feel you, Jim.

But you asked me to talk you out of it, so here goes.

When we spoke on the phone, I asked you what drew you to fantasy football in the first place. You told me it was something fun to do with your buddies in college. That as a Philly fan you used to watch only the Eagles, but that you love football and fantasy has made you much more knowledgeable about the league as a whole and gives you a rooting interest in a lot of other games. You enjoy the work league you are in, the banter and trash talk around the office, the wild trade talks that go on. The way that it gives you an excuse to interact with people in the company that your job normally doesn't bring you in contact with.

Look, fantasy football, specifically season-long fantasy football, isn't just about winning. Sure, it's more fun when we win, but this is for enjoyment. A hobby. A game we play. And often times, it's much more than a game. It's a connective tissue that holds a group together, something that is becoming increasingly difficult these days with every device possible going off at every minute. I've seen it save lives, inspire romance, make strangers into lifelong friends, be an escape, bring out the best in people and redefine what a family means.

It's a secret language and special bond that only those who play the game understand, and it's not easy. Nothing worthwhile ever is.

Which is why the feeling when you've won is so great. You've overcome holdouts and injuries, poor performances and bad schedule luck. You've navigated the waiver wire, traded shrewdly and managed to make a lot more correct start/sit decisions than not. I loved the line in "Avengers: Endgame" where Tony Stark says, "Part of the journey is the end." And I think about that here, Jim. Everything you've gone through is part of the journey. But unlike Tony, you haven't gotten to the end yet. You've just been stuck in the middle too long.

I don't want you to quit. I believe you'll miss the fun and banter of the league at work. And soon, when your kids are a little bit older, you'll find that playing in a league with them is one of the greatest things in the world.

At the start of every fantasy football season, I always make a plea in my Draft-Day Manifesto to invite at least one person who has never played to join a league. I'm trying to increase our numbers, so I definitely don't want to lose one.

And I think the way we accomplish that, the best way I talk you out of it, Jim, is for you to experience winning. So I'm going to do whatever I can to help make that happen. I follow you on Twitter now and my DMs are open to you, 24/7. You told me your only goal was just to not finish last. We are going to aim higher than that.

And the first thing we are doing, dammit, is changing the team name.

Let's get to it.

As always, this is not a start-or-sit column. I don't "love" or "hate" players. I do, however, "love" or "hate" their ESPN projection for PPR leagues. So that's what this is. Players who are "loves" are players I believe will generally meet or exceed their ESPN projections. "Hates" are players I believe will fall short of their ESPN projections. That simple. For specific "this player or that player" questions, please consult my rankings, which are constantly updated all the way through Sunday at kickoff. You also can watch The Fantasy Show on ESPN+, which expanded to four episodes a week this year, and of course Fantasy Football Now, every Sunday morning on ESPN2. Thank you as always to "Thirsty" Kyle Soppe of the 06010 podcast and the Stat-a-pillar from The Fantasy Show on ESPN+, Damian Dabrowski, for their help at various points in this column.

Here we go:

Quarterbacks I love in Week 4

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (vs. Eagles; ESPN projection: 18.2 points): For people worried about Rodgers, please remember he has played Chicago, Minnesota and Denver, three very tough defenses. Things should get a lot better Thursday night against an Eagles secondary that has given up at least 320 passing yards six times in its past 10 games, including to Case Keenum and Matt Ryan this season. The Eagles have a good run defense, so the way to attack them is through the air, where only three teams in the NFL have given up more passing yards per game than the Birds. By the way, want a fun weird note that means nothing? Rodgers has four games of four or more TD passes in Week 4 during his career (no other week can claim that).

Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams (vs. Buccaneers; ESPN projection: 17.6 points): Forget "road Ben," have you met "home Jared"? Goff's weird home/road splits have been very Roethlisberger-esque since the start of 2018. Goff has scored 18-plus fantasy points nine times, and eight of them have come at home. During that stretch, he averages 24.4 PPG at home and just 13.3 PPG on the road. Goff was on the "hate" list last week -- and he did, in fact, finish below his ESPN projection -- because of his struggles with pressure. Well, even with the efforts of NFL sack leader Shaquil Barrett, the Bucs still create pressure at a below-average rate this season despite blitzing at the third-highest rate. Todd Bowles has done a good job with this defense, especially when you consider what he has to work with, but it won't be enough on Sunday and Goff will pick up where Danny Dimes left off last week.

Daniel Jones, New York Giants (vs. Redskins; ESPN projection: 18.3 points): Speaking of Danny Dimes, the good times should keep rolling in his home debut as a starter against my Redskins team that has allowed all three QBs they have faced this season to complete better than 70% of their passes with three touchdown passes. Playing aggressively (9.45 air yards per target), Jones looked like the real deal despite playing 61.7% of his offensive snaps in Week 3 without Saquon Barkley (for those worried his production might falter without his star running back). I love this stat: There have been only six QBs in the past 15 years to have a game with at least 330 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns: Aaron Rodgers (twice), Deshaun Watson, Drew Brees, Michael Vick, Russell Wilson ... and Danny Dimes in his NFL starting debut.

Kyle Allen, Carolina Panthers (vs. Texans; ESPN projection: 15.3 points): A top-seven QB in each of his starts in the NFL, Allen's results should have the Panthers encouraging Cam Newton to take as long as possible to come back from injury. Allen was only one of three QBs last week to average 8-plus air yards per pass attempt while being on target with at least 86% of his passes (Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan were the other two), and now he gets a nice matchup against a Texans squad that allows opponents to complete 70.5% of passes (seventh highest) and is bottom 10 in passing yards allowed.

Others receiving votes: Matthew Stafford, who quietly has six touchdowns in three games, will certainly have to keep throwing to keep up with the Chiefs on Sunday in a game with the highest over/under of the week. ... If T.Y. Hilton plays, I expect Jacoby Brissett to be usable against a Raiders team that gives up 9.2 yards per pass attempt (third highest) and creates pressure at the lowest rate in the NFL. ... It has most certainly not been pretty, but don't look now, the 11th-best QB in fantasy through three weeks is ... wait for it ... Case Keenum. Now, Keenum didn't practice Wednesday, so stay tuned, but whoever is under center for the Skins on Sunday should put up points against a Giants defense that just resurrected Jameis Winston.

Quarterbacks I hate in Week 4

Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (vs. Patriots; ESPN projection: 16.9 points): Currently the ninth-best QB in fantasy, Allen has a real test on his hands Sunday against a Patriots defense that has yet to give up a TD pass and leads the NFL with six interceptions. In addition to the tough matchup, volume could be an issue, as New England ranks second in time of possession this season. And that's important because volume is one of things helping Allen this season. The Bills rank fifth in time of possession, allowing Allen to rank third in QB opportunities (pass attempts + rush attempts).

Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns (at Ravens; ESPN projection: 15.2 points): It has been bad. No two ways about it. Mayfield is the first player since 2007 to throw at least 35 passes without throwing multiple touchdown passes in each of his team's first three games to open a season. I love him as a player and believe he will eventually get it turned around, but it's unlikely to happen anytime soon. The Ravens are top five in both blitz and pressure percentage this season, and as anyone who saw Mayfield run around behind that shaky offensive against the Rams on Sunday night knows he struggles under pressure. In their past 23 home games, the Ravens have given up only 11.8 fantasy PPG to QBs. Gimme the under on an already-low 15.2.

Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at Rams; ESPN projection: 16.6 points): The Winston giveth, the Winston taketh away. Hope I'm wrong, but this feels like a bad Winston week. A cross-country trip to face a Rams team that has the fifth-lowest completion percentage against (57.8%), the fourth-fewest yards per pass attempt (5.84) and is one of three teams yet to allow multiple TD passes in a game (New England and Green Bay being the others). Given Winston's penchant for turnovers and a leaky offensive line, I expect Wade Phillips to be aggressive going after Winston. The Rams' ranking of third best in terms of fewest fantasy points allowed to opposing QBs appears to be safe for another week.

Mitchell Trubisky, Chicago Bears (vs. Vikings; ESPN projection: 13.9 points): It's one thing to be solid against my Redskins, it's another thing entirely against the Vikings. Minnesota is seventh or better in the NFL in fewest yards allowed per catch, deep completion percentage against, preventing yards after the catch and scoring defense. Trubisky averaged 12.5 points against the Vikings last season and that was thanks to 23.6% of his points coming with his legs. He's not running this season so far and I'm not even starting him in my deep, two-QB league.

Running backs I love in Week 4

Mark Ingram II, Baltimore Ravens (vs. Browns; ESPN projection: 14.7 points): A no-brainer start, I'm taking the over on his already-high projection. Already with five rushing scores this season, Ingram is averaging 5.98 yards per carry in Baltimore's high-octane offense. Derrick Henry, another bruising back without much passing-game involvement, abused the Browns in Week 1 to the tune of 28 points. With the Ravens as a touchdown favorite at home, I like Ingram's chances for a nice game as Baltimore salts it away in the second half.

James Conner, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. Bengals; ESPN projection: 16.6 points): The 25th-best running back in fantasy so far, Conner has been a massive disappointment to those who drafted him in the first round (raises hand). And while the Steelers' offense is still figuring how to operate in the Mason Rudolph era, things get a lot better for Conner on Monday night at home against the Bengals, a bottom-seven defense this season in terms of scoring, yards per play, rush yards allowed and yards per carry. Cincy also allows the sixth-most yards per carry before first contact, something that should help boost Conner behind the (oddly) struggling offensive line of Pittsburgh.

Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks (at Cardinals; ESPN projection: 14.1 points): Another recent disappointment, this is a bit risky, as Rashaad Penny might come back this week and if Carson has one more fumble he might never get on the field again. That said, Carson never fumbled in college and lost only two in the NFL prior to this season, so I believe the issue can be corrected. Against a Cardinals team that has given up the fourth-most red zone drives this season, expect Carson to get into the end zone against Arizona's 30th-ranked run defense and with the Seahawks a 4.5-point road favorite.

Marlon Mack, Indianapolis Colts (vs. Raiders; ESPN projection: 14.9 points): Featuring one of the best offensive lines in football and wanting to ease Jacoby Brissett into his new role, the Colts have become the league's fourth-run-heaviest offense this season. With T.Y. Hilton probably at less than 100 percent, expect the Colts to lean on Mack, who already leads the NFL in rushing attempts. The Raiders are 11th worst in the NFL in most fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs and are 7-point underdogs on the road.

Others receiving votes: Given how strong Buffalo is against the run and the Patriots' loss of James Develin, this feels like a James White game against the Bills. White is averaging 15.9 points per game against the Bills in his past three, and Buffalo is one of only four teams in the NFL to have already allowed multiple receiving touchdowns to opposing running backs. ... I'm as surprised as you are, but Carlos Hyde has been responsible for more than 70% of the Texans' running back carries this season. He has some flex appeal in what should be a close game against Carolina's bottom-eight run defense. ... With Melvin Gordon probably back as the starter in Week 5 for the Chargers, this is the last week for Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson to ball out. Ekeler's a no-brainer of course, but Jackson should be flex-worthy for the Saquon Barkley managers who missed the rush to get Wayne Gallman. The Dolphins have been run on a league-high 115 times this season, resulting in a league-high six rushing TDs while giving up 5.43 yards per carry (second highest). As a 15.5-point favorite, the Bolts will have plenty of junk time in the second half for Jackson to get some work.

Running backs I hate in Week 4

Sony Michel, New England Patriots (at Bills; ESPN projection: 9.0 points): As we discussed on the Fantasy Focus Football podcast earlier this week and mentioned above in the James White section, the loss of fullback James Develin really hurts Michel here, which is not good considering his struggles already this season. He has been the worst RB after first contact this season (0.73 yards per carry after first contact) and just 15.6% of his carries have gained at least five yards this season, dead last of the 38 RBs with at least 25 carries. Also, he has yet to catch a pass this season and the Patriots are using Rex Burkhead a lot more, in addition to White. Add to that the Bills' eighth-best run defense and the low projected total for this one (42 points), and it's easy to see why he's projected for just 9.0 points. I'm not going under that, because there's always a chance he falls into the end zone, but I'm looking for other options if possible this week.

David Montgomery, Chicago Bears (at Vikings; ESPN projection: 12.1 points): Given his uneven usage so far this season, it's hard to get excited about him against the Vikings. Minnesota has put at least seven men in the box for 70% of opponent rushes this season (NFL average: 56.4%). That is among the reasons the Vikes are seventh in rush TD percentage (one TD on 70 carries), eighth in yards per play allowed and ninth in fewest fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. He's a cross-your-fingers-and-hope flex play in Week 4.

Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons (vs. Titans; ESPN projection: 13.6 points): He got all the work in Week 3 after Ito Smith left early because of a concussion and neither Brian Hill nor Qadree Ollison active, but given the first two weeks he's unlikely to get that amount of work again. He did look better last week, I'll give him that, but I want the under on 13.6 facing a Titans team that has given up only one rushing TD on 74 attempts (1.35%) this season. Despite facing Nick Chubb, Marlon Mack and Leonard Fournette this season, the Titans are still 10th best in terms of fewest fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs.

Pass catchers I love in Week 4

Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers (vs. Eagles; ESPN projection: 16.7 points): Obviously anyone who has him is starting him, but putting this here to say that if you have him, don't panic (he's still getting a 26% target share). And if you don't have him, your last chance to buy low is likely between when you read this and kickoff Thursday night. The Packers have played Chicago, Minnesota and Denver. The schedule gets easier, starting Thursday night against a Philly team has allowed the fourth-most passing yards (881) and has allowed at least 24 points in all three games this season.

Terry McLaurin, Washington Redskins (at Giants; ESPN projection: 13.4 points): Michael Thomas. Odell Beckham Jr. DeAndre Hopkins. Sorry, just naming some of the players with fewer fantasy points than McLaurin, the first player in NFL history with five catches and a receiving TD in each of his first three NFL games. He has a 50% end zone target share and a 30% red zone target share on a team that will continue to have to throw while in negative game script (Washington is passing 78.8% of the time when trailing, the fourth-highest rate in the NFL). No team has been worse against the pass this season than the Giants.

Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals (at Steelers; ESPN projection: 14.4 points): Death, taxes and you start your slot receivers against the Steelers. Boyd now has three straight games with at least 10 targets (he had just three 10-target games all of 2018) and he ranks fourth in receptions through three weeks. Opponents are 35-for-40 for 530 yards and 4 TDs to the slot vs. the Steelers this season, and as a road underdog with a struggling run game, expect Cincy to keep throwing on Monday night.

Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks (at Cardinals; ESPN projection: 15.4 points): A legit WR1 now, Lockett continues his fantasy rock star ways getting to face a Cardinals team that has allowed the second-most slot completions and is tied for the most slot touchdowns allowed this season. Opponents have thrown deep on the Cardinals 31 times (second most), cashing in with four deep TDs (third most). Giddy up.

Darren Waller, Oakland Raiders (at Colts; ESPN projection: 13 points): Across all positions, only Keenan Allen has more receptions this season than Waller the Baller. A top-three tight end play for me (over Mark Andrews and Zach Ertz) this week, he should be in your flex if you happen to have Kelce or Engram. Waller is receiving an insane target share (30.2%) and averaging 10-10.5 yards per catch in all three games this season. This is a great matchup against a banged-up Colts secondary that allows the sixth-most points to tight ends, and a game in which the Raiders should be trailing.

Others receiving votes: It's always awkward talking about the Thursday night game, because many people read this column Friday, and when you whiff on the Thursday night game and people are reading it Friday already seeing a brutal pick, it's like ... ughhhhhhhhhh. But YOLO. You know I'm on Rodgers and Adams tonight, so gimme some Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who seems to have clearly won the WR2 job for the Pack. The Eagles are tied with the Redskins for most TD passes of 40 or more yards allowed this season (three), and MVS is responsible for the only two GB receptions of 40-plus yards this season. He's been targeted on 25.3% of routes thus far. ... You know I'm a Kyle Allen believer, so it makes sense I'm on DJ Moore and Curtis Samuel as WR3s with upside against the Texans' pass defense, which ranks in the lower third of the league. ... Devin Smith was on the field for 91% of the Cowboys' offensive snaps last week, only Patrick Mahomes has more deep touchdown passes this year than Dak Prescott, and the Saints are allowing the third-most yards per play this season. ... Will Dissly is the only tight end with multiple end zone receptions this season, he is available in 48% of ESPN leagues and faces an Arizona team that has allowed five touchdowns to tight ends in three games.

Pass-catchers I hate in Week 4

Josh Gordon, New England Patriots (at Bills; ESPN projection: 12.8 points): So far this season, the Patriots have had 72.7% of snaps with 3 or more WRs on the field. And going three-wide seems to be hurting Gordon's opportunities. New England has three deep touchdowns this season (more than 15 yards downfield), and they've gone to Phillip Dorsett and Antonio Brown. The Bills have the fifth-lowest opponent deep completion rate (31.3%), and in Gordon's career as a Patriot more than half of his fantasy points have come via the deep ball.

John Brown, Buffalo Bills (vs. Patriots; ESPN projection: 10.9 points): At least I'm consistent. Josh Allen is on the hate list this week, so it stands to reason I believe his No. 1 target will fall below expectations. With an expected shadow from Stephon Gilmore, it's hard to see a big game from Brown. Opponents are just 5-for-27 when throwing deep against New England this season with 0 TDs and 3 INTs.

DJ Chark, Jacksonville Jaguars (at Denver; ESPN projection: 11.4 points): Chark is the No. 8 wide receiver in fantasy through three weeks, but I'm taking the under on the road against the Broncos. Denver is tied for the fifth-fewest red zone drives allowed this season, and touchdowns have been a big part of Chark's fantasy value to this point. Chark will likely see a decent amount of Chris Harris Jr. in this one, too. I love Gardner Minshew as much as the next mustache, but I'm taking the under for his favorite receiver.

Jared Cook, New Orleans Saints (vs. Cowboys; ESPN projection: 7.5 points): A funny thing happened on the way to becoming the next coming of Jimmy Graham. Cook has just five catches in three games and he has zero red zone targets. His 12.2% target share is just 16th among tight ends and, oh yeah, he lost his starting QB to injury. The Cowboys aren't a terrible matchup, but nothing about the QB play or Cook's usage so far this season can make you feel anything other than nervous.

Matthew Berry -- the Talented Mr. Roto -- had Jim pick up Danny Dimes and start him this week. Just so you know whom we are all rooting for.

The New Orleans Pelicans have hired Teresa Weatherspoon and AJ Diggs as two-way player development coaches, the team announced Thursday.

Weatherspoon and Diggs will work with the Pelicans' two-way players, currently guard Josh Gray and forward Zylan Cheatham, and accompany their transfers to and from the G League.

Weatherspoon, 53, who recently served as director of player and franchise development for the WNBA's New York Liberty, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September.

She becomes the second WNBA legend to join the team this offseason. The Pelicans hired Swin Cash to be the vice president of basketball operations and team development in June. Cash and Weatherspoon worked together with the Liberty in the front office in recent years.

Weatherspoon was an inaugural member of the Liberty and also played for the Los Angeles Sparks. She also was head coach at Louisiana Tech.

As a player at Louisiana Tech, Weatherspoon led the team to the national championship in 1988, winning the Wade Trophy as the player of the year. She also was a member of the Olympic gold medal team in 1988.

She played internationally before the WNBA launched in 1997. As a member of the Liberty, she hit a memorable half-court shot to force a deciding Game 3 of the 1999 WNBA Finals against Houston.

Diggs played college basketball at California from 2000 to 2004, appearing in 116 games before playing briefly in the G League.

WASHINGTON -- For years, the Wizards would head into a season with proclamations from players, management or ownership -- if not all three -- about how many wins they were hoping for or how deep a playoff run they thought possible.

New general manager Tommy Sheppard outlined a different definition of success Thursday, saying 2019-20 is "all about player development."

After all, the club is coming off a 32-50 record, has a mostly reworked roster and will be without injured All-Star point guard John Wall for the foreseeable future. Sheppard took the GM job on an interim basis when Ernie Grunfeld was fired late last season. After running free agency and the draft, Sheppard was given the permanent post in July.

His task is to rebuild, although his word of choice is "revitalize."

Sheppard said watching and measuring players and helping them improve over the course of the season is his chief aim for now.

"It's not just by a stat sheet. It's all the things that you're asked to do on the floor," Sheppard said at a news conference. "Are you able to go out there, execute consistently, and we see you improve the things that we're asking you to do? We're asking players to be stars in their role, essentially, right?

"You get some guys that ... the only time the ball's coming to you is the end of the shot clock. So we're asking you to set great screens. We're asking you to be a selfless help-side defender. We can evaluate that to see if you're doing those things. I think those are areas that we're going to evaluate and watch the roster get better."

With training camp to open next week, Sheppard said he has not heard from shooting guard Bradley Beal about the contract extension he has been offered. Beal has until Oct. 21 to accept it. If not, he is under contract for two more seasons.

Wall is out for most, if not all, of the season because of a ruptured Achilles tendon -- Sheppard said the NBA has not ruled on whether Washington can use a disabled player exception -- leaving Beal as the team's unquestioned best player and leader.

"Really excited to see what Bradley Beal does this season," Sheppard said. "He's a tremendous cornerstone of this franchise. We're very blessed to have him."

Sheppard offered some updates on injured players:

• First-round draft pick Rui Hachimura, who left Japan's World Cup team early because of knee discomfort, is "in good shape" and "didn't leave the court" when players held a pickup game for more than an hour Wednesday.

• Isaiah Thomas, who had surgery on his left thumb last week, is out of a cast and wearing a splint; he'll sit out the entire preseason and the start of the regular season.

• C.J. Miles, whose left foot was operated on for a stress fracture in July, took shots Thursday and was on the court for more than an hour.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Responding to recent critical comments made by Kevin Durant about the Oklahoma City Thunder organization, general manager Sam Presti pushed back against the idea that there's lingering animosity.

"If there is anything that Kevin Durant ever, ever needed from me or from anyone here, it would be a moment's notice for that to happen," Presti said Thursday. "I also think if you work with people for eight years like we did, he and I -- he was 19 when he came into the NBA, I was 29. We both went through a lot of changes together, and I have nothing but positive things to say about him and his tenure here.

"You've asked me that in the past. You've asked me that today. You can ask me that in the future if something like this comes up again. I'm never going to change that tune because that's how I feel."

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Durant singled out Presti while criticizing team staffers and the fan base about how he was treated during his first return game to Oklahoma City with the Golden State Warriors.

"I eventually wanted to come back to that city and be part of that community and organization, but I don't trust nobody there," Durant said. "That s--- must have been fake, what they was doing. The organization, the GM, I ain't talked to none of those people, even had a nice exchange with those people, since I left."

Durant, now a member of the Brooklyn Nets, has gone back and forth regarding his feelings about the Thunder since his 2016 departure, calling OKC "home" in one interview and also saying he had fun during the return game. But his most recent comments were directed more specifically at Presti and the organization.

"I would always be there if he needed anything from me, and I truthfully believe ... it would be reciprocated, as well," Presti said of Durant.

Asked about Durant's claim he hasn't had a "positive conversation" with anyone in the organization, Presti, who called Durant's contributions to the Thunder "monumental," deferred.

"I've never made it a habit of getting into my personal conversations with our former players, other than to say I feel really good about those relationships, and I think you can hear in my voice the way I feel about him," Presti said. "That hasn't changed, and it won't change."

Presti also addressed recent comments from Clippers coach Doc Rivers, who claimed there was knowledge the Thunder wanted to "break up their team," which prompted Los Angeles' move to trade for Paul George.

"No," Presti said when asked if Rivers' claim was true. "I mean, again, I don't know the context in which that comment was made, and obviously no one asked us our opinion about it. But no. ... We all know that players like Paul George and Russell Westbrook are extremely hard to acquire in cities, in the smaller cities in the league, and when you have those players, you try to do everything you can to retain them."

George was traded nearly a week into free agency -- not exactly an ideal time to begin a roster teardown -- after the Thunder had agreed to deals with veterans Mike Muscala and Alec Burks, anticipating them as additions to a contending-level team.

"I think the thought pattern just doesn't really line up if you just look at it logically," Presti said. "Probably that type of thing would have been done much earlier and it wouldn't have resulted from a trade request from one of your best players."

After George was traded and the outlook for the Thunder had shifted, they allowed Muscala and Burks to reevaluate their options. (Muscala stayed; Burks signed with the Warriors.)

In the wake of George's trade, Presti was very candid in saying the Thunder were approaching the upcoming season with the possibility of it being the last for their core group. The pivot to a possible teardown wasn't coming until at least the following summer, but following George's trade request, the Thunder enacted a new plan. They traded Westbrook to Houston soon after the George deal.

"There's nothing illegal about what took place," Presti said. "PG handled that like a pro with us. It wasn't the conversation I wanted to be having in the middle of free agency, but it was handled professionally and in a way that was respectful, and we were able to make it work for us."

The NBA G League is experimenting this season with a new rule under which trips to the free throw line will include only a single foul shot that will be worth one, two or three points depending on the nature of the foul leading to the attempt, officials told ESPN.

It marks the latest move -- in both the G League and the NBA -- to improve game flow and reduce the length of games. Officials estimate that moving to a "one foul shot for all the points" model will shave between six and eight minutes off each G League game, said Brad Walker, head of basketball operations for the league.

The average G League game clocked in at about 2 hours, 5 minutes last season, Walker said. This move could take that average below the two-hour barrier, a clean broadcast window that has been in the minds of league officials for years.

The G League will revert to traditional free throw rules for the final two minutes of regulation and overtime, officials said. Shooting fouls on made baskets -- and-1s -- will proceed the same way, with the shooter attempting one free throw worth one point.

The NBA's competition committee has discussed the concept in recent meetings, and league officials brought it up to NBA head coaches at their annual preseason gathering in Chicago earlier this month, officials said.

The G League has pondered the concept for years, but in the past, it did not appear to have enough momentum for passage. Some within the league raised concerns about the decrease in on-court rest time for players, though coaches could mitigate that with more frequent substitutions.

The league has already reduced timeout lengths -- a move that shaved about four minutes off game times -- and did not hear any pushback about the impact on in-game rest, Walker said.

"We don't know how big of a deal it will be at the G League level until we try it," Walker said.

Officials also worried about deviating from historical statistical standards, according to reporting in 2014 from ESPN's Kevin Arnovitz. The NBA then brandished evidence showing players shoot more accurately on the second and third attempts of any trip to the line, a finding that has held across other independent studies. Logic follows that moving to a one-shot rule would result in an overall decrease in league-wide free throw accuracy. The raw number of attempts would obviously drop sharply.

"We might hear some blowback on that," Walker said, "but I think [the change] is going to be great for game flow."

Others wondered how the one-shot rule might change the way trailing teams approach late-game fouling -- and whether it would increase or decrease the likelihood of dramatic comebacks.

Trailing teams foul on purpose to stop the clock. The one-shot rule bumps up the likelihood of those fouls resulting in zero points -- a boon for comebacks. But it also eliminates the 1-of-2 splits that provide trailing teams some hope. Overall, the rule probably adds more variance to game outcomes.

Walker said the G League worried the lure of those empty trips might push trailing teams to start intentionally fouling earlier. That led to the decision to revert to traditional free throw rules in the final two minutes, he said.

"We don't want to incentivize fouling," Walker said.

The G League contemplated moving back to traditional free throw rules even earlier -- with five minutes remaining or even for the entire fourth quarter, Walker said.

The NBA has taken several measures over the past half-decade to improve game flow: reducing total combined timeouts from 18 to 14 in 2017, mandating teams return to the floor after timeouts in a timely fashion, and punishing so-called "Hack-a-Shaq" fouls and intentional fouls committed away from the play more harshly across larger chunks of games.

The G League has taken additional steps, including trying to limit so-called "transition take fouls" -- basically wrap-ups of ball handlers that stop fast breaks but do not qualify as clear-path fouls -- by awarding the fouled team one free throw and possession. The G League has also used a coach's challenge in recent seasons, and the NBA will implement one for the first time this season -- a change that could add replay breaks into crunch time.

The one-shot free throw rule will be evaluated at the end of the season, with the G League deciding whether to go forward with it in 2020-21 and potentially beyond, officials said.

LeBron James has been the No. 1 player in ESPN's NBArank since the beginning. He had just disappointed and somewhat disappeared in the 2011 NBA Finals loss to the Dallas Mavericks, yet he was still recognized as the game's greatest all-around performer later that year. For eight seasons we asked ESPN's basketball experts to predict the best player in the game, and for eight seasons LeBron has been undeniable.

Now, there's someone else at No. 1. Our panel has James as the No. 3 player for 2019-20.

Every LeBron James season is its own kind of unprecedented experience. This one might carry the most unknowns. In the modern game, there's really no case of lead shot-creators like James making All-NBA at age 35. He looked mortal in his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers. He's adjusting to a remodeled roster and an elite big man in Anthony Davis.

So, is the ranking right? And if LeBron isn't the best player in the NBA anymore, then what is he?

Four of our NBA experts look into the big questions and expectations surrounding his upcoming season.

More: NBArank 100-51 | 50-31 | 30-11 | 10-3

Doubts, drama and dominance

Jackie MacMullan: What should we expect from LeBron James this season? Another season filled with intrigue and drama. Let's be honest: He can't help it!

Perhaps there will be veiled passive-aggressive tweets. Maybe his physical response to a game gone awry will include a tell. Either way, it won't take much guesswork to figure out how LeBron feels about the Lakers' season, because he'll let us know.

Has any other athlete ever used social media so effectively? James transformed Taco Tuesday into a national phenomenon, and then he had the good sense to attempt to trademark it. He invites us into his world on his terms, whether it's sharing a glimpse of his punishing workouts in the gym or endearing clips of his sons playing basketball in the yard before the sun comes up. These windows into his soul have enhanced his standing as one of the most popular players in NBA history.

There's nothing more confounding for elite athletes to confront than their own mortality. LeBron already experienced this on a smaller scale because of a strained left groin that shut down his 2018-19 season.

Perhaps he will carve out his own version of load management this time around. James has already conceded he conserves his energy on the defensive end during meaningless regular-season contests. And yes, there has been a decline in his lateral quickness. But are you going to be the one who declares he's trending downward?

In his maiden voyage with the Lakers last season, which ended in disappointment and frustration from all sides, he still submitted 27.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists a game. The beauty of LeBron is his ability to take slights, real or imagined, and channel them into a frothy lather that will display his undeniable talents yet again. There's no denying he zeroed in on the doubters during this long offseason with laser focus, and that he will emerge recentered and highly motivated to reclaim his throne.

Alright alright. Enough is enough. The throne has been played with to much and I ain't for horseplay. Ether coming soon! ??????????? #JamesGang✊?

— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 1, 2019

So LeBron will bully on, mowing over coaches and teammates and pundits and general managers and owners and anyone else in his way who dares to defy his method of grasping for that elusive fourth ring. Most of the time amid that pursuit, he will be a force of nature, a runaway locomotive, the epitome of a champion. But every once in a while, his biggest strength -- his undisputed reign as the king of player empowerment -- will reveal itself as his most glaring weakness.

Glass of cabernet, anyone?

What will well-rested LeBron look like?

Kevin Arnovitz: Andre Agassi's autobiography, "Open," eloquently shares the physical and mental anguish of the aging athlete. On the first page of the introductory chapter, Agassi introduces himself as a heaping bundle of bones, muscles and joints who now wakes up every morning as a "stranger to myself."

"I'm a young man, relatively speaking," Agassi writes. "Thirty-six. But I wake as if ninety-six. After three decades of sprinting, stopping on a dime, jumping high and landing hard, my body no longer feels like my body, especially in the morning. Consequently my mind doesn't feel like my mind."

Though LeBron James is still only 34 until Dec. 30, no high-performance athlete in the world has performed more quick sprints, sudden stops, explosive jumps and hard landings over the past 20 years. James has played more than 56,000 minutes in more than 1,400 regular-season and playoff games, and this doesn't include international competition, years in high school and AAU tournaments, during which teenagers routinely play multiple games per day, and his relentless training regimen.

For all of his transcendent attributes as the greatest basketball player of his generation, James' durability over the course of his career might be the most impressive. During his first 15 NBA seasons, he rarely missed time because of injury. But last season, he was out five weeks before the All-Star break because of a strained left groin and shut it down for good in late March as the Lakers faded from postseason contention, with James never fully recovering from the winter injury.

By virtue of playing his final game on March 29, James will enter the 2019-20 season with something he has never enjoyed -- a six-month sabbatical from high-level basketball. After eight consecutive years of enduring his most intense competition of the year between mid-April and mid-June, James' only physiological objective this spring and summer was recovery.

This means James and the rest of us are about to learn the answer to a question that, for 15 years, has been nothing more than a hypothetical:

What does LeBron James with more than half a year of rest look like?

Will all those biomechanical stunts that have been signature features of James' dominance be more potent than ever? Will his capacity for all that sprinting, leaping and force be rejuvenated as he struts his rebuilt body into Lakers training camp Friday? Will his recovery combined with a more calculating load management program produce an athlete whose more selective output at its very best is as potent as any player's in the NBA?

The last time James won a championship, he played in only 16 games over a 57-day period in 2016. The final weeks of the Cavs' season and their march through the Eastern Conference en route to a seven-game series with the Golden State Warriors was hardly a vacation, but anyone who watched James in the 2016 NBA Finals observed an athlete in a rare state of vigor, punctuated by the chase-down block of Andre Iguodala.

It's possible that James' 2019 hiatus will be nothing more than a brief delay of the inevitable. One of the characteristics of age is the unsatisfying results of regeneration. Injuries that used to heal at 100 percent now recover at 94 percent strength. Aches that were once temporary now linger permanently. And where did that lag between second and third gear come from?

But James has rarely been subject to the limits that inhibit other superstars, and his physical exceptionalism is his defining trait. In 2019-20, we could learn exactly how much it distinguishes him.

Will the roster work for or against LeBron?

Chris Herring: The stakes are incredibly high in Los Angeles for multiple reasons. The Lakers traded the farm for Anthony Davis. He'll be a free agent after this season and there's no guarantee he'll stay in purple and gold if things go off the rails. (The Dwight Howard fiasco, in which this exact scenario played out, is still a raw memory for Lakers fans). Beyond that, James is on the downside of his career, even if he's still performing at a level we've never seen for his age.

One element worth watching: How much will James be asked to do going forward? Getting Davis was a huge help. He arguably becomes the most talented teammate James has ever had. But one of the biggest downsides of not landing Kawhi Leonard was losing the possibility of making LeBron's minutes easier on offense as he ages. Even with Davis in tow, James doesn't have an abundance of high-level ball handlers on this roster.

Rajon Rondo has been less aggressive for quite a while now, and he's coming off a season in which he posted a career-low free throw rate of 8.3%. Alex Caruso has had his moments and he's a fan favorite, but he's still something of an unknown, as most of his contributions last season came during the season equivalent of garbage time. And while the Lakers made a handful of noteworthy signings -- Danny Green, Avery Bradley, Quinn Cook, Jared Dudley -- it's fair to raise the question of whether the team again has left itself with a glaring problem.

The Lakers clearly didn't have enough shooting on the roster heading into last season, unsurprisingly finishing second to last in the league in 3-point percentage. Now, Los Angeles might have robbed Peter to pay Paul: The Lakers have the shooting they need, but they lack ballhandling options at a time in James' career where it would seemingly benefit him to play more on the wing instead of having to repeatedly set up plays for himself and Davis.

That Iguodala layup he pinned to the backboard in 2016 happened right after an offensive sequence when James was essentially able to stand off to the side and rest. All-Star teammate Kyrie Irving led the possession from start to finish. Having to do less as a setup man because of Irving's presence made James sharper in key moments during that series. The same might be true of an entire season if James had another solid ball handler to take the pressure off of him.

None of this is to suggest that James and the Lakers won't have an incredible season. But the roster construction surrounding James and AD probably will force LeBron to try to do it all, draining more of his late-career battery than what is ideal.

Can James still flip the switch whenever he wants?

Kevin Pelton: As late as last season's All-Star Game, long after the flaws in the Lakers' roster were evident, I still expected them to make the playoffs for one simple reason: LeBron flipping the switch. After all, I reasoned, James has mastered the art of conserving energy during the regular season for extended playoff runs, during which he has reestablished himself as the NBA's best player. So if the playoffs weren't guaranteed, James would unleash that same terror on the league during the stretch run, right?

The run never came. After beating the Houston Rockets in their first game after the February break, the Lakers dropped five of their next six, including a loss to the rival LA Clippers that effectively ended their playoff hopes. It wasn't for lack of effort on James' part. He played 39.7 minutes per game over that stretch, and wasn't exactly ineffective, averaging 28.3 points, 10.1 assists and 8.7 rebounds.

Box-score numbers aside, this wasn't the kind of dominant LeBron we'd come to expect when the stakes are highest. The Lakers were outscored by 3.8 points per 100 possessions with him on the court in that stretch, according to NBA Advanced Stats, struggling badly at the defensive end. The defining memory of that period was a careless turnover when James threw an inbounds pass off the backboard during a stunning loss to the lowly Phoenix Suns.

There are plenty of reasons to believe that LeBron will be better this season than he was late last winter, including his six months off.

James has a tendency to play much better during his second season in a new setting. His worst campaign with the Miami Heat was his first one, which ended with a meltdown in an NBA Finals loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The same was true of his first regular season back with the Cleveland Cavaliers, with whom James also missed time because of injury before turning it on in the playoffs.

The Lakers' chemistry also was fractured after the team's failed attempt to trade for Anthony Davis before the deadline, which paid off when the deal was completed this June. A roster built around Davis and James should better complement his style of play.

Nonetheless, last season was the first time since James established himself as an MVP-winning megastar that we've failed to see him play like the NBA's best player for any meaningful period of time. Given LeBron's age and the historic mileage he has accumulated since entering the league at age 18, it's fair to wonder whether he's still capable of such heights. As a result, LeBron finds himself in unfamiliar territory entering the 2019-20 campaign: He needs to convince us he's the best player in the league.

The Minnesota Twins on Thursday became the first team in major league history to hit 300 home runs in a season.

And they weren't done there.

No. 300 was a two-run shot by Jonathan Schoop off Detroit Tigers pitcher Jose Cisnero in the seventh inning of the Twins' 10-4 victory. It was Schoop's 23rd homer of the season.

One inning later, catcher Willians Astudillo hit a solo shot to left field for No. 301.

Including the Twins, 13 teams have set franchise records for home runs this season: Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati, the Chicago Cubs, Houston, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee, the New York Mets, the New York Yankees, Oakland, San Diego and Washington.

Arizona and Cleveland are also both on pace to set team marks before the season ends.

Before this year, the record for home runs by a team was 267 from the Yankees last year.

Minnesota won the American League Central title Wednesday. The Twins need just one more victory to become the fourth major league team to reach 100 wins this season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

CINCINNATI -- And this one belongs to Marty Brennaman.

With fans applauding his every mention, the Hall of Fame broadcaster called his final Cincinnati Reds game Thursday, ending a 46-year career that has featured so many big stars and historic moments -- Hank Aaron, the Big Red Machine, Pete Rose -- and more than a few verbal tiffs with fans and players who weren't exactly endeared to his tell-it-like-it-is style.

He went out in style.

Brennaman popped into the press box to shake writers' hands before a game against the Milwaukee Brewers, already showing emotion. He recounted a touching phone call from Joe Girardi as he drove to the ballpark.

"A tough day," Brennaman said. "I've cried three times already."

The Reds billed it as a "Marty Party" and borrowed a favorite phrase from former broadcast partner Joe Nuxhall, declaring that "this one belongs to Marty."

At the end of yet another tough season -- the Reds' sixth straight with a losing record -- the voice that so many Cincinnati fans equate with baseball became the soundtrack to the final home game of not only a season but a career. The Reds distributed commemorative transistor radios so fans in the stands could hear that voice call a Reds game one last time.

Brennaman is more comfortable being heard rather than seen, as is a broadcaster's role.

Not today.

Fans stood and cheered when the mayor declared it Marty Brennaman Day during pregame festivities on the field. Brennaman, 77, then headed for the broadcast booth and the microphone -- his frequent companion for nearly a half-century -- for the same play-by-play call that's as familiar as a first pitch.

He and color commentator Jeff Brantley didn't ignore the focus of the day, but neither did they dwell on it. When Brennaman noted that it felt hotter than the announced 74 degrees at the first pitch, Brantley said: "Could be the stress."

Brennaman then launched into describing each batter the same way he has for decades -- name, stats, how they're trending. When Aristides Aquino homered inside the left-field foul pole in the bottom of the first, Brennaman described it this way: "If it's fair, it's good. And it is, and it is."

Fans were hoping the home team would win so they could hear Brennaman's familiar line after a victory: "And this one belongs to the Reds." The Brewers had won the first two games of Brennaman's final series.

The Reds' voice since 1974, Brennaman intended to quietly retire after the season. He agreed to a farewell season that would allow fans and teams to show their appreciation and celebrate a career with so many calls: Aaron's 714th homer that tied Babe Ruth, three World Series titles and Rose's record-setting hit No. 4,192 among the most memorable.

For one more time, Brennaman was nearly as big as the game itself.

"I first got to hear him when my dad was traded here," said Reds manager David Bell, the son of Buddy. "I was in high school. Listening to those games was the most important thing in my life. It was three hours of escape. He made it really matter."

Young players are dominating baseball like never before, but it takes more than some success on the field to become a star. With that in mind, we asked our Jeff Passan and David Schoenfield to make and grade the cases for 20 2019 breakout players to ultimately decide who graduated to stardom this season.

While the 2019 class climbs the stairs in alphabetical order, wearing their (baseball) caps and gowns, it will be up to Professor Passan and Dean Schoenfield to determine who has earned their degree in superstardom. Will a Class of 2019 diploma be waiting for your favorite player?

Pete Alonso, New York Mets

Who he was in March: The power-hitting first baseman led the minors with 36 home runs in a 2018 season split between Double-A and Triple-A, but the Mets also had Dominic Smith and a glut of veteran infielders who also could play first base if needed (Todd Frazier, Robinson Cano, Jed Lowrie). Alonso had to win the job in spring training.

His 2019 case for stardom: Home runs. Lots of them. He destroyed Cody Bellinger's National League rookie record, reached Mark McGwire's 1987 rookie total of 49 and is chasing down Aaron Judge's rookie record of 52 as he battles for the overall MLB lead.

Professor Passan proclaims: There is a very simple equation. Home runs + New York = Stardom. Pete Alonso hits lots of home runs. Pete Alonso plays in New York. Pete Alonso is a star.

Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros

Who he was in March: A promising slugger who hit .293 with 20 home runs in 88 games across Double-A and Triple-A in 2018, but with questions about his defense and no immediate path to playing time with the Astros.

His 2019 case for stardom: Well, the American League has the DH rule. Alvarez tore apart Triple-A Round Rock and received a promotion to the majors on June 9. He homered in four of his first five games and has terrorized major league pitchers ever since with one of the highest OPS totals since his recall.

Professor Passan proclaims: Since his June 9 debut, Alvarez has been the best hitter in the American League. Better than Mike Trout. Better than his teammates Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve. The. Best. That's a star.

Tim Anderson, Chicago White Sox

Who he was in March: A toolsy and athletic shortstop with some pop (20 home runs in 2018) and speed (26 steals), but with a .258 career average and .286 OPB through three seasons.

His 2019 case for stardom: He still swings at everything but has a chance to win the AL batting title. If he does, his .258 average would be the lowest a batting champ had entering the season.

Professor Passan proclaims: A batting title is wonderful. A dozen walks in almost 500 plate appearances is frightening. A .399 BABIP is unsustainable. Two outta three, in this case, is bad. But this is Tim Anderson. The bat-flippingest make-baseball-fun ambassador there is. The well-rounded skill set makes it a yes.

Josh Bell, Pittsburgh Pirates

Who he was in March: A heralded prospect coming up through the Pirates system, Bell slugged 26 home runs as a rookie in 2017 but just 12 in 2018. He had a decent .357 OBP, but the lack of power was concerning.

His 2019 case for stardom: Bell spent the offseason working with a private hitting instructor named Joe DeMarco, and the pair overhauled Bell's body position, mechanics and approach. He hit six home runs in April and then .390 with 12 home runs in May, and the big first half earned him an All-Star nod. He has slowed down since but is still at 37 home runs, 116 RBIs and an OPS well north of .900.

Professor Passan proclaims: This is a tough one. Bell was perfectly good his first two full major league seasons. Then he turned into a monster in the first half this year. Since the All-Star break, he has been almost a carbon copy of his first-two-years self, which is decidedly not a star. Wait. Earnest Bell wants a word? Uh. Never mind. He's a star.

Walker Buehler, Los Angeles Dodgers

Who he was in March: The former first-round pick out of Vanderbilt had fully recovered from Tommy John surgery and finished third in the Rookie of the Year balloting in the National League after going 8-5 with a 2.62 ERA. His dominant performance against the Rockies in the NL West tiebreaker game -- one hit in 6⅔ scoreless innings -- culminated a run in which he posted a 1.55 ERA over his final 12 starts. With a fastball that averaged 96.7 mph, a full complement of off-speed pitches and excellent control, he looked like a potential Cy Young contender.

His 2019 case for stardom: He's 13-3 with a 3.15 ERA and 202 strikeouts in 171⅓ innings while issuing just 30 walks. When he's on, he's really on: He has allowed no runs in eight starts and one run in five starts and had games with 16 and 15 punchouts.

Professor Passan proclaims: Last year, after beating the Rockies in Game 163, Buehler was asked if he knew he was going to win. "I won't say 'yes,'" he said, "but yes." It's not just the fastball and strikeouts. Buehler walks and talks like a star too.

Luis Castillo, Cincinnati Reds

Who he was in March: One of the hardest-throwing starting pitchers in the majors, Castillo had a 4.30 ERA in 2018 in his first full season. Was he a one-trick pony or could he back up his high-octane heater with a more refined approach to pitching?

His 2019 case for stardom: Castillo stormed out of the gate with a 1.76 ERA through his first nine starts. He earned his first All-Star selection and is 15-6 with a 3.22 ERA, improving his strikeout rate from 23.3% to 28.9% while also cutting down on his home runs.

Professor Passan proclaims: Castillo since July 1, 2018: 260⅔ innings, 291 strikeouts, 30 home runs allowed, 3.04 ERA -- while pitching in the Great American Band Box. His fastball-changeup combo is a Tyson-prime right hook/right uppercut. Do it for one year? OK. For two? Star.

Mike Clevinger, Cleveland Indians

Who he was in March: That other guy in the Cleveland rotation, the one with the long hair that made him look like he belonged at a skateboard park instead of on a major league mound. He had an under-the-radar breakout season in 2018, going 13-8 with a 3.02 ERA, but that made him just the third-best starter on the team behind Trevor Bauer and Corey Kluber.

His 2019 case for stardom: He missed time early in the season with a back injury and then 10 more days with a sprained ankle, but when he has pitched he has raised his game to another level, going 11-3 with a 2.68 ERA and 149 K's in 107⅓ innings.

Professor Passan proclaims: Psssssst. He was a star last year too. It just takes an extra year for anyone to recognize it when you play in Cleveland.

Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox

Who he was in March: A talented but unproven young hitter. He won a ring with the Red Sox in 2018, but his first full season was a bit of disappointment as he hit just .240/.298/.433. Still, he was just 21, so there was hope for growth.

His 2019 case for stardom: He grew. Devers began the season without a home run in his first 32 games, but then everything suddenly came together and he's hitting over .300 with 50 doubles and 30 home runs. He and teammate Xander Bogaerts became just the 13th and 14th players to reach both figures in one season since 2000.

Professor Passan proclaims: Came up at 20 with a stratospheric start. Returned to earth, struggled and slumped his second season. Put everything together this year and now leads the AL in total bases. That's actually a pretty archetypal star turn -- from wunderkind to learning to fully realized.

Jack Flaherty, St. Louis Cardinals

Who he was in March: Part of the star-studded 2018 rookie class, Flaherty went 8-9 with a 3.34 ERA at age 22, finishing fifth in the Rookie of the Year vote. With his perfect pitcher's build (6-foot-4, 205 pounds) and elite stuff, there were high expectations for his sophomore season.

His 2019 case for stardom: It was a slow start, but he has arguably been the best starter in the majors in the second half with a 1.05 ERA in 12 starts and an opponents batting line of .157/.226/.240. Overall, he's 10-8 with a 3.05 ERA and 206 whiffs in 174⅓ innings.

Professor Passan proclaims: He was sneaky excellent last year. All of this -- especially the brilliant second half -- makes this a no-brainer star turn.

Lucas Giolito, Chicago White Sox

Who he was in March: Once regarded as maybe the top pitching prospect in the game, his first full season in the majors was a disaster with a 6.13 ERA. At least he started 32 times, about the only positive from his 2018 season. His future was cloudy.

His 2019 case for stardom: Maybe the most improved player in the league, Giolito made the All-Star team and finished 14-9 with a 3.41 ERA and in about the same number of innings fanned 103 more batters than in 2018.

Professor Passan proclaims: He has turned in a wonderful 2019. He has a chance to be a workhorse in an era when workhorses simply don't exist. But he's not a star yet. This is nothing against Giolito. It is a bias against pitchers succeeding at the major league level for one season -- especially after one as bad as 2018. He made adjustments this year; the question is whether the adjustments of hitters next year will change the outcome. If not, he'll headline this list.

Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks

Who he was in March: He was a nice player, coming off a nice 2018 season in which he hit .260/.332/.437, and after hitting just eight home runs his first three seasons in the majors, he showed a little pop with 14 home runs and 12 triples. He had moved off shortstop to second base, however, and the Diamondbacks were also going to try him in center field.

His 2019 case for stardom: Wow. The skinny slap-hitting shortstop prospect for the Mariners developed into a rocket-hitting masher, hitting .329 with 32 home runs, all while playing a surprisingly good center field (and filling in at second base as well).

Professor Passan proclaims: An OPS near 1.000 for a 25-year-old who had a huge tool set and finally translated it warrants a yes. Star.*

* pending ball that doesn't fly like it's rocket-fueled.

Jeff McNeil, Mets

Who he was in March: He surprised by hitting .329 in 63 games as a 26-year-old rookie, but the Mets had so much confidence in him that they traded for Robinson Cano and signed Jed Lowrie. Maybe they would try him in the outfield and turn him into a utility guy.

His 2019 case for stardom: If you can hit, the team will find a place for you in the lineup. McNeil has hit .318, but the big surprise has been the 23 home runs on his way to a 5-WAR season. He has started at least 14 games in left field, right field, second base and third base.

Professor Passan proclaims: Buying the bat all day, every day. Seriously, have you ever seen McNeil's actual bat? It looks like a club. It has no knob and a ridiculously thick handle. It's practically a medieval weapon. In other words, McNeil would have been a star in the Byzantine army too.

Chris Paddack, San Diego Padres

Who he was in March: Stolen from the Marlins for Fernando Rodney in 2016, Paddack returned from Tommy John surgery to make 17 starts in the minors in 2018 with a 2.10 ERA -- and just eight walks in 90 innings. The Padres gave him a shot at making the rotation.

His 2019 case for stardom: He did, start off with a sizzling April and finishing 9-7 with a 3.33 ERA over 26 starts, including an impressive 150 strikeouts to just 31 walks.

Professor Passan proclaims: The Giolito Corollary. One major league season of excellent pitching does not a star make. Next year's list could have a pretty sweet rotation, though.

Marcus Semien, Oakland Athletics

Who he was in March: That guy who made all those errors that one season? He was a nice player and his fielding had improved, but he had never posted an OPS+ above league average.

His 2019 case for stardom: He's hit more than 30 home runs, he's played good D and he's played every game for the A's. His 7.4 Baseball Reference WAR is the second highest for a shortstop this decade (Francisco Lindor had 7.9 in 2018).

Professor Passan proclaims: Regardless of what he does with his bat, Semien is star-adjacent on account of his glove alone. So grain-of-salt this as you may: It would be nice to see him do what he's doing again. Career .403 sluggers tend not to raise the mark by more than 100 points in a season. He has gotten better, but -- and this goes for Marte, McNeil and others -- how much of that is improvement and how much of that is the ball?

Mike Soroka, Atlanta Braves

Who he was in March: Part of the Braves' plethora of young pitching prospects, Soroka made five starts for the Braves in 2018 as a 20-year-old but missed the final three months with a shoulder strain and inflammation.

His 2019 case for stardom: He's not just a Rookie of the Year candidate but a Cy Young candidate, with a 2.60 ERA and the poise and feel for pitching of a 22-year vet, not a 22-year-old kid from Calgary.

Professor Passan proclaims: Ibid. Giolito/Paddack.

Eugenio Suarez, Cincinnati Reds

Who he was in March: He had slugged 60 home runs over the past two seasons and received an All-Star berth in 2018, but as a third baseman on a bad team in a league that featured Nolan Arenado, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rendon and Justin Turner at the position, he was still relatively anonymous.

His 2019 case for stardom: Now he's battling Pete Alonso for the MLB lead in home runs, and his unbelievable second half gives him a shot at breaking George Foster's franchise record of 52 home runs.

Professor Passan proclaims: In 2014, the Detroit Tigers needed a starting pitcher. They dealt for veteran Alfredo Simon, who threw 187 innings of 5.05 ERA ball worth minus-0.5 WAR. The return? A rookie named Eugenio Suarez, who, five years later, is most certainly a star, having hit like one for two years running.

Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres

Who he was in March: The consensus No. 2 prospect in the game behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. -- though No. 1 on Keith Law's preseason list -- he hadn't played above Double-A and was just 20 years old, but the Padres gave him a chance to win the shortstop job in spring training.

His 2019 case for stardom: He broke camp with the Padres -- screw service time -- and soared past Vlad with a .317/.379/.590 line and some spectacular plays in the field before a stress reaction in his back ended his season in August.

Professor Passan proclaims: Everything about him, from the bat to the glove to the arm to the slide to the look, screams star. If we were ranking this list instead of going alphabetically, he'd be No. 1.

Gleyber Torres, New York Yankees

Who he was in March: He made the All-Star team and finished third in the American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2018 after hitting .271 with 24 home runs.

His 2019 case for stardom: Still just 22, he's about to become the first Yankees middle infielder to hit 40 home runs (Alfonso Soriano hit 39 in 2002). He's done that while playing a solid shortstop when Didi Gregorius was injured and then moving back to second base.

Professor Passan proclaims: He's the future Yankees shortstop and on the cusp of 40 home runs in his age-22 season a year after a Rookie of the Year-quality season. Yes. That is a star.

Kirby Yates, San Diego Padres

Who he was in March: A 32-year-old journeyman reliever who had been let go at various points in his career by the Red Sox, Rays, Indians, Yankees and Angels. The Padres claimed him off waivers in 2017 and he had a 2.14 ERA with 12 saves in 2018. Not that anybody outside of San Diego had noticed.

His 2019 case for stardom: In a year when it feels like every closer has struggled, Yates has been the one constant with a 1.21 ERA and an MLB-leading 41 saves.

Professor Passan proclaims: Just because he's 32 and well-traveled doesn't preclude Yates from being recognized for what he has become: the best reliever of 2019 and a star.

And there you have it, the members of the Class of 2019 are ... Pete Alonso, Yordan Alvarez, Tim Anderson, Josh Bell (thanks to Mr. Bell), Walker Buehler, Luis Castillo, Mike Clevinger, Rafael Devers, Jack Flaherty, Ketel Marte, Jeff McNeil, Eugenio Suarez, Fernando Tatis Jr., Gleyber Torres, Kirby Yates. Better luck next year to all who just missed graduating this time.