NBA fantasy: Top 50 shooting guards for 2019-20
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 - Fantasy superstars
RANK | PLAYER | TEAM |
---|---|---|
1 | Stephen Curry | GSW |
2 | James Harden | HOU |
3 | Kawhi Leonard | LAC |
4 | Bradley Beal | WAS |
With John Wall sidelined from the get-go, there's greater clarity about Bradley Beal's role as the Wizards' franchise player. As by far the team's top scoring option and top playmaker - neither Ish Smith nor Isaiah Thomas poses a serious threat to Beal's assist rate - look for the two-time All-Star to match or even improve upon last year's career numbers - 25.6 points, 5.5 assists, five rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game.
Last season saw Beal play all 82 games for the second straight year while averaging a league-high 36.9 minutes per night. With Scott Brooks possibly coaching for his job, don't expect Beal to take too many nights off, even if the Wizards' chances of making the postseason appear slim.
Tier 2 - Starters
RANK | PLAYER | TEAM |
---|---|---|
5 | Jimmy Butler | MIA |
6 | Kyrie Irving | BKN |
7 | Jrue Holiday | NOR |
8 | Devin Booker | PHO |
9 | Donovan Mitchell | UTA |
10 | D'Angelo Russell | GSW |
11 | Buddy Hield | SAC |
12 | Khris Middleton | MIL |
13 | DeMar DeRozan | SAS |
14 | Zach LaVine | CHI |
15 | CJ McCollum | POR |
16 | Victor Oladipo | IND |
With instability at point guard, Suns star Devin Booker saw his assist totals jump from 4.7 per game in 2017-18 to 6.8 last season (his turnovers also increased, but his growth in assist rate far exceeded his turnover rate - a good sign). But with Ricky Rubio signing in Phoenix this summer, Booker will presumably feature more in an off-ball role. Don't be shocked if his assists drop off, although his scoring could improve with Rubio shouldering more of the load.
A timetable hasn't been nailed down, but expect Victor Oladipo to make his season debut in December or January. It depends on how many bench and injury slots you have at your disposal, but as a midseason injury stash, Oladipo offers the potential for a massive influx in 3-and-D stats. In 111 games with the Pacers, he's averaged 2.1 made 3-pointers and 2.1 steals per game; only Paul George (2.2) averaged more steals per game last season. If you can afford to play the waiting game, take a risk on drafting the two-time All-Star before setting your sights on the players in Tier 3.
Tier 3 - Depth
RANK | PLAYER | TEAM |
---|---|---|
17 | Eric Bledsoe | MIL |
18 | Jamal Murray | DEN |
19 | Josh Richardson | PHI |
20 | Malcolm Brogdon | IND |
21 | Lou Williams | LAC |
22 | Terry Rozier | CHA |
23 | Brandon Ingram | NOR |
24 | Andrew Wiggins | MIN |
25 | Gordon Hayward | BOS |
26 | Caris LeVert | BKN |
27 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | OKC |
28 | Derrick White | SAS |
29 | Marcus Smart | BOS |
30 | Eric Gordon | HOU |
31 | JJ Redick | NOR |
32 | Klay Thompson | GSW |
Eric Gordon's numbers didn't drop off when Chris Paul was added to the Rockets' lineup in 2017, so there's a reasonable expectation that he continues to be a solid depth option even after CP3 was swapped out for Russell Westbrook. His assists, rebounds, and defensive numbers aren't special, but with 3.2 made 3-pointers per game since arriving in Houston, Gordon is one of the best middle-round targets for that category.
Similar to the draft-and-stash thought process for Oladipo, consider taking a flier on Klay Thompson before any of the options in Tier 4. Of course, his outlook is a lot murkier, having already been ruled out through at least the mid-February All-Star break. If your league has injury slots, you'll be able to find a stopgap option on the waiver wire comparable to where Thompson should be targeted - around the 100th pick.
Tier 4 - Bench
RANK | PLAYER | TEAM |
---|---|---|
33 | Tim Hardaway Jr. | DAL |
34 | Terrence Ross | ORL |
35 | Gary Harris | DEN |
36 | Evan Fournier | ORL |
37 | Jeremy Lamb | IND |
38 | Delon Wright | DAL |
39 | Joe Ingles | UTA |
40 | Spencer Dinwiddie | BKN |
41 | Nicolas Batum | CHO |
42 | Jaylen Brown | BOS |
43 | Mikal Bridges | PHO |
44 | Tomas Satoransky | CHI |
45 | Kris Dunn | CHI |
46 | Bogan Bogdanovic | SAC |
47 | Goran Dragic | MIA |
48 | Kevin Huerter | ATL |
49 | Reggie Jackson | DET |
50 | Dennis Smith Jr. | NYK |
The Charlotte Hornets figure to be a mess this season, but Kemba Walker's departure means more scoring and assist opportunities for those who remain. Nicolas Batum's counting stats dropped off last season, but improved shooting efficiency hints at major bounce-back potential. If he can put up anything close to his 2015-18 numbers - 14 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.7 made 3-pointers, and one steal per game - grabbing Batum with one of your late-round picks could be a minor coup.
Honorable mentions: RJ Barrett (NYK), Joe Harris (BKN), Will Barton (DEN), Danny Green (LAL), Derrick Rose (DET)