Fantasy rankings: Point 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 | Russell Westbrook | OKC |
| 4 | John Wall | WAS |
At a historically deep position, Harden will carry more value when deployed as a shooting guard or small forward where applicable, but his multi-position eligibility is still an asset, allowing fantasy owners to maximize their roster's production in season-long leagues with daily lineups.
Curry's shooting prowess is nearly unmatched. Even though he doesn't offer overwhelming assist totals and likely won't touch 30 points per game as he did prior to Kevin Durant's arrival in the Bay Area, his value in field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage, and 3-point shots made keeps him among the elite fantasy point guards.
Westbrook had been atop the point guard rankings, but with Paul George and Carmelo Anthony now joining the reigning MVP on the Thunder, it's a safe bet that Westbrook's scoring numbers will take a major hit after his incredible triple-double season.
Tier 2
| RANK | PLAYER | TEAM |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Damian Lillard | POR |
| 6 | Chris Paul | HOU |
| 7 | Kyrie Irving | BOS |
| 8 | Kyle Lowry | TOR |
| 9 | Kemba Walker | CHA |
| 10 | C.J. McCollum | POR |
| 11 | Mike Conley | MEM |
| 12 | Eric Bledsoe | PHO |
| 13 | Goran Dragic | MIA |
| 14 | Victor Oladipo | IND |
| 15 | Ricky Rubio | UTH |
Don't be alarmed if you miss out on a point guard in Round 1 of your draft. With these Tier 2 ball-handlers set to be drafted between Rounds 2 and 5, you will have plenty of opportunities to bolster your point, assist, and steal totals. Most of these guards also offer around five rebounds per game.
Oladipo at PG15 may seem like a reach, but he's in a position to take on far more offensive responsibility in Year 5 now that he's out of Westbrook's shadow. Apart from center Myles Turner, Oladipo is the most important long-term piece in the Pacers' rebuild. Expect an uptick in usage, even if he's not a particularly effective scorer.
Tier 3
| RANK | PLAYER | TEAM |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | D'Angelo Russell | BKN |
| 17 | Jeff Teague | MIN |
| 18 | Avery Bradley | DET |
| 19 | Jrue Holiday | NOP |
| 20 | Dennis Schroder | ATL |
| 21 | Lou Williams | LAC |
| 22 | Rajon Rondo | NOP |
| 23 | Dwyane Wade | FA |
| 24 | Isaiah Thomas | CLE |
| 25 | Elfrid Payton | ORL |
| 26 | George Hill | SAC |
| 27 | Jeremy Lin | BKN |
| 28 | Lonzo Ball | LAL |
| 29 | Derrick Rose | CLE |
| 30 | Zach LaVine | CHI |
It will be hard for fantasy owners to resist drafting Isaiah Thomas. In most leagues, he'll be long gone by the middle rounds of 10-team drafts. Don't be the person who pays last year's prices for a player with a major injury and the additional hurdle of adjusting to a brand new roster where he's no longer the top dog. Even if Thomas hits his best-case scenario return date of January, that's still nearly half a season of fantasy production lost.
The bottom line: It's far more valuable to get 75-plus games out of a B-plus fantasy player like the Hawks' Dennis Schroder than 30 games out of Thomas.
Tier 4
| RANK | PLAYER | TEAM |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Tyler Johnson | MIA |
| 32 | Jordan Clarkson | LAL |
| 33 | Malcolm Brogdon | MIL |
| 34 | Patrick Beverley | LAC |
| 35 | Marcus Smart | BOS |
| 36 | Reggie Jackson | DET |
| 37 | Darren Collison | IND |
| 38 | Seth Curry | DAL |
| 39 | Jamal Murray | DEN |
| 40 | Markelle Fultz | PHI |
| 41 | Allen Crabbe | POR |
| 42 | Patty Mills | SAS |
| 43 | Austin Rivers | LAC |
| 44 | Dennis Smith Jr. | DAL |
| 45 | Kris Dunn | CHI |
| 46 | Ish Smith | DET |
| 47 | De'Aaron Fox | SAC |
| 48 | Emmanuel Mudiay | DEN |
| 49 | Yogi Ferrell | DAL |
| 50 | Tony Parker | SAS |
The Nuggets' guard rotation is of some note. Emmanuel Mudiay saw much of his production slip from his already modest rookie numbers. Jamal Murray has the scoring upside, but he's more of a combo guard than true point guard. Ultimately, Mudiay's prototypical point guard abilities may prove more expendable than Murray's scoring touch alongside such a strong passing frontcourt of Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap.
Honorable mentions: Jordan Crawford (NOP), E'Twaun Moore (NOP), Milos Teodosic (LAC), Tim Frazier (WAS), Matthew Dellavedova (MIL), Dejounte Murray (SAS), Dante Exum (UTH)
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)