Fantasy rankings: Shooting guard
For more fantasy basketball coverage, check out theScore's 2017 Fantasy Draft Kit, with player rankings and new content released daily.
These rankings reflect standard scoring formats, taking into account a player's expected production in the following categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, 3-point shots made, field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage, and turnovers.
Position Rankings
PG | SG | SF | PF | C | Top 150
Tier 1
| RANK | PLAYER | TEAM |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Harden | HOU |
| 2 | Stephen Curry | GSW |
| 3 | Kawhi Leonard | SAS |
Point guards with at least some semblance of a jump shot usually earn position eligibility at both guard spots, and the wing positions are also essentially interchangeable - both in real life and for fantasy purposes. For that reason, Stephen Curry (a point guard) and Kawhi Leonard (a small forward) rank as two of the best shooting guards in fantasy.
Depending on the league provider, most players in season-long leagues have eligibility at two positions. Maintaining roster flexibility won't be a major concern early in your fantasy draft.
Tier 2
| RANK | PLAYER | TEAM |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Kyrie Irving | BOS |
| 5 | Bradley Beal | WAS |
| 6 | Jimmy Butler | MIN |
| 7 | C.J. McCollum | POR |
| 8 | Klay Thompson | GSW |
| 9 | DeMar DeRozan | TOR |
| 10 | Gordon Hayward | BOS |
| 11 | Eric Bledsoe | PHO |
| 12 | Goran Dragic | MIA |
| 13 | Victor Oladipo | IND |
| 14 | Devin Booker | PHO |
| 15 | Khris Middleton | MIL |
| 16 | Nicolas Batum | CHA |
Middleton and Batum don't offer the same celebrity wattage as the majority of players in Tier 2. You won't see either supporting player in an All-Star Game, or on the cover of NBA 2K, but both offer the sort of well-rounded production that can stabilize a fantasy lineup.
Over the past three seasons, Middleton averaged 15.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, but what separates the Bucks wing is his 1.6 3-pointers, 1.6 steals, and 87.9 percent free-throw shooting on three attempts per game. With Jabari Parker out to start the year, expect Middleton to be Milwaukee's clear No. 2 scoring option behind Giannis Antetokounmpo.
In his two seasons with the Hornets, Batum has tallied 15 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.9 3-pointers, one steal, and half of a block per game. You can expect the addition of Dwight Howard to take away scoring touches and rebounding opportunities, but Batum is still one of the most underrated glue guys in fantasy.
Tier 3
| RANK | PLAYER | TEAM |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | D'Angelo Russell | BKN |
| 18 | Andrew Wiggins | MIN |
| 19 | Avery Bradley | DET |
| 20 | Trevor Ariza | HOU |
| 21 | Lou Williams | LAC |
| 22 | Dwyane Wade | FA |
| 23 | George Hill | SAC |
| 24 | Eric Gordon | HOU |
| 25 | Evan Fournier | ORL |
| 26 | Jeremy Lin | BKN |
| 27 | Tim Hardaway Jr. | NYK |
| 28 | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | LAL |
| 29 | Zach LaVine | CHI |
| 30 | Wesley Matthews | DAL |
| 31 | Dion Waiters | MIA |
Andrew Wiggins might be the odd man out in Minnesota. After averaging over 20 points per game in back-to-back seasons, the 22-year-old Canadian is going to see his scoring negatively impacted by the additions of ball-dominant wing Jimmy Butler and score-first point guard Jeff Teague, while potential MVP Karl-Anthony Towns will also still require plenty of touches.
On the other hand, coach Tom Thibodeau has leaned heavily on his wings, which guarantees Wiggins a healthy volume of fantasy production. If Wiggins can hone his outside shooting and redouble his commitment to the defensive end, it's not impossible for him to make a jump into Tier 2 status as a 3-and-D fantasy glue guy in the mold of Middleton and Batum. The T-Wolves are certainly paying Wiggins to perform at a higher level.
Tier 4
| RANK | PLAYER | TEAM |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | Tyler Johnson | MIA |
| 33 | Jordan Clarkson | LAL |
| 34 | Malcolm Brogdon | MIL |
| 35 | Patrick Beverley | LAC |
| 36 | Brandon Ingram | LAL |
| 37 | Gary Harris | DEN |
| 38 | Reggie Jackson | DET |
| 39 | Darren Collison | IND |
| 40 | Kent Bazemore | ATL |
| 41 | Buddy Hield | SAC |
| 42 | Seth Curry | DAL |
| 43 | Jamal Murray | DEN |
| 44 | J.J. Redick | PHI |
| 45 | Rodney Hood | UTH |
| 46 | Justise Winslow | MIA |
| 47 | Will Barton | DEN |
| 48 | Allen Crabbe | BKN |
| 49 | Bojan Bogdanovic | IND |
| 50 | Josh Jackson | PHO |
Suns rookie Josh Jackson may struggle to find his groove as a scorer when he shares the court with veterans like Eric Bledsoe. In his lone season at Kansas, Jackson shot just 37.8 percent from long range, and that's with a closer 3-point line and inferior defenders closing him out. If he doesn't develop his catch-and-shoot ability as a rookie, he probably won't be worth owning in fantasy.
Honorable mentions: Yogi Ferrell (DAL), Terrence Ross (ORL), Jordan Crawford (NOP), E'Twaun Moore (NOP), C.J. Miles (TOR), Norman Powell (TOR), Milos Teodosic (LAC), J.R. Smith (CLE)
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)