Fantasy Basketball Preview: Shooting Guards

This portion of my fantasy basketball preview series was decidedly harder to complete than the point guard rankings. The league is packed with wing talent, and so I had trouble getting this hierarchy in order. One notable absence on the list is Tracy McGrady, who I am assuming will miss most (if not all) of the season as he recovers from major surgery.One important detail I overlooked in the point guard rankings was the criteria I used in compiling the rankings. I already noted that the rankings were based on fantasy performance and not overall talent or performance, but I factored in players' expected roles, their expected growth or decline as players, and the 9 most common categories of fantasy relevance: points, rebounds, assists, FG%, FT%, 3's, steals, blocks, and turnovers. I should also note that players will only appear on one of my lists (so, for example, John Salmons will appear on this list and not the upcoming small forward list).As always, questions and comments are encouraged. My rankings are surely not the consensus picks, so I would love to hear other opinions. The Top 10 Dwyane Wade (Miami) - A fantasy force, Wade led the league in scoring last season with 30.2 points per game. Wade shot an outstanding 49.1% from the field, and he was 8th overall in assists per game with 7.5 dimes per contest, a remarkable accomplishment for a shooting guard. Add in his 5 boards, 2.2 steals, and 1.3 blocks (for a guard!) per game, and you have one of the most versatile and productive forces in fantasy basketball. A lack of 3's is the only complaint owners can have of Wade. A top 5 pick in any fantasy format. Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers) - Fresh off of a title-winning season, Kobe should come back hungry for another ring. His minutes per game have declined a bit in recent years, but he continues to be an elite scorer with good shooting percentages. Aside from scoring, Kobe offers a little of everything else, with 5 assists, 5 rebounds, a steal and a half and a trey all numbers that fantasy owners can come to expect from the Black Mamba. Brandon Roy (Portland) - Last season's Most Improved Player is becoming a true superstar. Roy is good for at least 20 points per game, which he accumulates efficiently (he was 48% from the field last season, as well as 37.7% from 3-point range and 82.4% from the line). Roy also has career averages of 5.1 assists and 4.6 rebounds, and he'll give you a trey and a steal per game as well. A great late first-round or early second round pick. Joe Johnson (Atlanta) - Yet another shooting guard with elite scoring ability. His numbers are similar to Roy's although his shooting percentages are a bit lower. Johnson will give you two treys instead of Roy's one, but he'll also add more turnovers. Johnson's combination of size and strength also help him have huge nights on smaller, weaker guards. An excellent pick who contributes across the board. Vince Carter (Orlando) - A high scorer throughout his career, Carter is coming off his best season in years. Carter averages 23.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.3 dimes, 1.5 treys, and 1.3 steals, all while posting respectable shooting percentages in all three fantasy-relevant categories. Now that Carter is finally on a legitimate contender, expect him to be motivated and ready to post big numbers. Can also play SF. Kevin Martin (Sacramento) - A huge scorer and an excellent 3-point threat (2.3 treys per game last season and 41.5% beyond the arc). The 4 rebound and 2 assists he likely contributes aren't much, especially when you factor in the turnovers (2.9 per game last season). Still, Martin is one of the best at scoring, he is one of the best at boosting free throw percentages (86.7% on 10.3 attempts per game last season), and his shooting from the line and 3-point territory make him a very appealing fantasy player. Michael Redd (Milwaukee) - Very similar to Martin, Redd scores in bunches and is among the best from 3-point range. Redd missed 49 games last season, but a healthy Redd is capable of scoring at least 20 points per game, and he'll also give you a couple 3's per contest. He's less turnover-prone than Martin, but his scoring, free throw percentage, and three-point percentage are all a bit lower than Martin's. O.J. Mayo (Memphis) - Mayo should improve over his excellent rookie season, in which he averaged 18.5 points, 1.8 treys (on 38.4% 3-point shooting), and 3.8 boards per game. Mayo is an excellent free throw shooter and gets a decent number of steals, but his 2.8 turnovers per game needs work. Ray Allen (Boston) - The best pure shooter in the league, Ray averaged 2.5 treys on 41% 3-point shooting, along with 18.2 points per game on an impressive 48% from the field. Allen rarely misses a free throw (89.3% from the line over his career), and, while his other averages don't amount to much, his shooting and scoring numbers are very stellar. Allen did not look very good in the playoffs, though, but that was likely a fluke and not a sign of future problems. Manu Ginobili (San Antonio) - 14.7 points, 1.5 steals, and 1.4 treys over his career are all impressive numbers, and, when he's been healthy, he'll be expected to score at least 16 points per game. Ginobili contributes in every category and won't hurt in any, making him a great option, despite the fact that he only played in 44 regular season games last season. Solid Options Monta Ellis (Golden State) - Missed the majority of last season because of injury and suspension, but the fleet-footed Ellis can get to the hole and knock down his jumpers. Ellis will not contribute much beyond the arc, but he'll score plenty and get a good deal of steals. Can also play PG. Ben Gordon (Detroit) - A high scoring guard with superb shooting skills and range (2.1 3's and 41.5% beyond the arc last season). Will compete with Rip Hamilton for minutes, but will still bring loads of points and threes. Mike Dunleavy (Indiana) - Sharpshooter with size who can score. Rebounds better than most guards and can also play small forward. Injury-prone history raises question marks. John Salmons (Chicago) - Gordon's replacement in Chicago will make up for most of his scoring (18.3 points per game last season) and also possesses good range (47.2% from the field and 41.7% beyond the arc last season). Can also play small forward. Richard Hamilton (Detroit) - Scorer with solid field goal and free throw percentages. Decent passer who can also play small forward. Will compete with Ben Gordon for minutes.Jason Terry (Dallas) - Big-time scorer with great shooting percentages. Good for steal a game as well. Jamal Crawford (Atlanta) - Like so many others on this list, a big-time scorer. Runs hot and cold, but contributes well in 3's and free throw percentage. Can also play point guard. Will come off bench behind SG Joe Johnson and PG Mike Bibby. Nate Robinson (New York) - 17.2 points and 1.7 treys per game last season off the bench, with 4.1 assists and 3.9 boards in a career year. Can also play point guard. James Harden (Oklahoma City) - Yet another scorer who can create his own shot. Above average passer who will get the chance to show his skills as a rookie. Randy Foye (Washington) - Combo guard who can score and add a little of everything. 1.6 treys and 4.3 assists last season, but he'll probably play less now that he's on a more competitive team. Others To Consider Raja Bell (CHA), Delonte West (CLE), J.R. Smith (DEN), Kelenna Azubuike (GS), Eric Gordon (LAC), Courtney Lee (NJ), Leandro Barbosa (PHO), Tyreke Evans (SAC), DeMar DeRozan (TOR), Ronnie Brewer (UTA)