It’s finally time to start prepping for fantasy basketball drafts as the 2025-26 NBA season approaches. To help guide managers, this five-part series sorts players into draft tiers based on their position, starting with the point guards.
Note that a player’s position can vary across fantasy sites, so other eligibility is listed in brackets. The good, average and bad categories are based on a player’s latest season stats and Hashtag Basketball. Tiers don’t necessarily correlate to rounds.
Good: PTS, FT%, AST, STL, FG%, BLK | Average: REB, 3PM | Bad: TO
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is finally a regular-season and Finals MVP after recording his best statistical campaign. His numbers are expected to be similar in 2025-26 as he continues to spearhead the Thunder. The 27-year-old is an elite two-way player, with his main weakness being turnovers. The guard has made significant strides in his three-point shooting as he’s become one of the best scorers in the NBA, even taking home the title in that category.
Good: AST, PTS, STL, 3PM, REB | Average: BLK, FT% | Bad: TO, FG%
After a blockbuster trade, Luka Doncic now finds himself as the future point guard of the Lakers. Managers shouldn’t worry about the move, as the Slovenian’s production hardly changed from what he was posting in the first half of 2024-25 with the Mavericks. The five-time All-Star also underwent a major transformation over the offseason, and he could be in for a career year. Doncic is a stellar offensive player, but turnovers and injuries have been recurring problems.
Good: AST, PTS, FT%, BLK | Average: REB, STL, 3PM, FG% | Bad: TO
It took a few years, but Cade Cunningham finally met the high expectations that come with being a first-overall pick. A competitive Pistons team, his healthiest season and new career highs were the recipe for significantly raising his ranking and draft stock. The 24-year-old is already an excellent contributor across the board, but there’s still room for Cunningham to improve as he climbs to success. The only area he negatively impacted was turnovers, averaging the second-most in the league.
Good: AST, FT%, PTS, STL, 3PM | Bad: FG%, TO, REB, BLK
Look no further than Trae Young for stocking up on assists early. He led the league in them in 2024-25 and has averaged double-digits for the past three years. Despite his slight dip in scoring, most of his value comes from the offensive categories, as well as steals. However, field goal percentage and turnovers have consistently been the biggest holes in his game. The 27-year-old was the league leader in the latter category for the third consecutive season.
Good: AST, FT%, PTS, STL, 3PM | Average: REB, BLK | Bad: FG%, TO
James Harden is coming off a bounce-back year as he stepped up while Kawhi Leonard was sidelined. Even with the Clippers healthy now and full of new additions, the 11-time All-Star remains a fantasy gold mine. At 36, his numbers have declined, and his scoring isn’t what it used to be. However, Harden remains a great two-way producer, and he’s still impactful in other areas, particularly in playmaking. He primarily lacks in shooting efficiency and taking care of the ball.
Good: FT%, PTS, AST, STL, 3PM | Average: BLK | Bad: FG%, REB, TO
The injury-plagued 76ers gave Tyrese Maxey plenty of opportunities to show his skills as the leading man. He struggled at times, and his career-low field goal percentage and high turnovers reflected that. Still, he was the number one option offensively, and he quickly found his footing and carried the team. While some of the guard’s value depends on the availability of his two co-stars, either way, Maxey will be impactful. Although, durability has also been an issue for the Texan.
Good: 3PM, FT%, PTS, AST | Average: REB, STL, BLK | Bad: TO, FG%
Even at 37 years old, Stephen Curry remains the best three-point shooter in the NBA. While his production has slightly trended downwards over the years, namely in the scoring column, the 11-time All-Star has firmly remained a valuable fantasy asset. With a new co-star in Jimmy Butler, Curry’s got more help offensively and also more playmaking opportunities. Given his age, the primary concern is his availability, although he’s played 70+ games in the past two seasons.
Good: BLK, FG%, REB, STL | Average: PTS, AST | Bad: 3PM, FT%
Following the news of Fred VanVleet’s torn ACL, Amen Thompson is presented with a huge opportunity. He’s expected to shift to point guard and hold more of the playmaking role. His already elite defensive production, combined with increased scoring and assists, are all signs that point toward a big incoming season. The third-year guard/forward has thrived when given an increased workload. Just be ready for a poor free-throw percentage and few threes.
Good: PTS, AST, 3PM, FG%, FT% | Average: STL | Bad: REB, BLK, TO
As expected with a stacked starting lineup and two big acquisitions, Jalen Brunson’s ranking took a minor hit last season. His scoring and threes slightly dipped with more offensive help, but that also led to higher assists. Regardless, Brunson is still the commander of the Knicks. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if he played a few less minutes, given Tom Thibodeau’s firing and more backcourt depth. The guard’s shortcomings mainly lie on the defensive end, and he’s also prone to turnovers.
Good: PTS, AST, STL, FT% | Average: REB, BLK, 3PM, FG% | Bad: TO
De’Aaron Fox played through a finger injury on his shooting hand last season, but he underwent surgery to repair it and is good to go for October. He’s entering his first full year with a Spurs team that has a generational talent and plenty of young players sharing the backcourt with him. While that may slightly impact his numbers, he made significant strides in one of his biggest weaknesses by converting over 80% of his free throws for the first time.
Good: PTS, AST, 3PM, FT% | Average: REB, STL | Bad: FG%, TO, BLK
Drafting LaMelo Ball is a very high-risk, high-reward scenario. On the one hand, you get an excellent scorer, three-point shooter and playmaker who is so dominant offensively. On the other hand, there’s a good chance he’ll spend more of the season on the sidelines than on the court, and he’ll tank your field goal percentage and turnovers. The 24-year-old has only played 55+ games once in his five-year career due to ankle and wrist issues, but Ball’s star talent is enticing.
Good: AST, REB, STL | Average: PTS, BLK, FG%, FT% | Bad: TO, 3PM
After a disappointing year with the Thunder, Josh Giddey looked rejuvenated with the Bulls. He earned his best fantasy ranking yet and set new career highs in multiple categories. Now that he’s signed a hefty contract to return to Chicago, and with the team moving Zach LaVine at last year’s trade deadline, Giddey can have a huge season. The guard/forward is a jack of all trades, although he’s never been much of a three-point shooter. Also, his turnovers increased with the ball in his hands more.
Good: 3PM, AST, BLK, FT% | Average: PTS, REB, STL, TO | Bad: FG%
The Celtics are likely to be without superstar Jayson Tatum for the entire season, so they’ll rely more on guys like Derrick White. The 31-year-old has been a reliable source of production even when the team is at full strength, so he’s in for a big year. Expect the guard’s minutes and offensive stats to increase as he shoulders a heavier workload. While his numbers don’t jump off the page (except in threes, as he ranked in the top 10 in the league), White is very versatile.
Good: AST, FT%, PTS, STL, 3PM | Average: BLK, FG% | Bad: REB, TO
Jamal Murray’s production over the past few seasons has been relatively similar. He’s solidified himself as a consistent source of offensive numbers and steals, and his typical shortcomings are rebounds and turnovers. Murray also has a lengthy injury history, and he hasn’t played more than 70 games since the 2018-19 season. The Canadian’s role hasn’t changed much during most of his time with the Nuggets, and he has served as an excellent supporting star to Nikola Jokic.
Good: PTS, AST, STL, FT% | Average: 3PM | Bad: TO, REB, BLK, FG%
There’s no doubt that Ja Morant is an exceptional talent, but he hasn’t been able to stay on the court long enough to live up to his potential. The former second-overall pick is yet to eclipse 70 contests in a season, as off-court issues and injuries have limited his availability. When things are clicking, the 26-year-old is electrifying and versatile, typically only lacking in turnovers and blocks. The loss of Desmond Bane should result in an uptick in Morant’s offensive numbers, possibly even threes.
Good: PTS, 3PM, FT%, AST | Average: REB, STL, FG% | Bad: BLK, TO
Tyler Herro is expected to make his season debut around mid-November as he recovers from ankle surgery. He’s coming off a career year as he smashed his ADP and earned his first All-Star appearance. The 25-year-old stepped up to become the leader of the Heat with Jimmy Butler gone. Herro shifted to point guard and increased his scoring, playmaking, and field goal efficiency. He also suited up for his most games yet; however, his injury history still raises some concerns.
Good: AST, FT%, PTS, STL, 3PM | Average: FG% | Bad: REB, BLK, TO
With minor improvements across the board, Darius Garland significantly improved his disappointing ranking from 2023-24. However, his production has been lower since Donovan Mitchell joined the team. The 25-year-old still rebounded from a rough season by improving his efficiency and becoming more consistent. His primary source of value is from the offensive categories and steals. Garland underwent toe surgery in June and has no timetable for return.
Good: FT%, PTS, AST, 3PM | Average: TO | Bad: FG%, REB, STL, BLK
Immanuel Quickley was expected to have a massive season after breaking out with the Raptors following his trade there in 2023-24. Unfortunately, he let managers down as injuries got in the way, and he only appeared in 33 matches. The 26-year-old still managed to take his offensive game to new heights, and he remains Toronto’s future point guard. Availability and tanking concerns still linger, but Quickley has proven to be a great contributor in points, assists and threes when healthy.
Good: PTS, 3PM, FT% | Average: REB, AST, STL | Bad: FG%, BLK, TO
The Suns traded Jalen Green to the Rockets over the offseason as part of the Kevin Durant deal. The move opens up an opportunity for the fifth-year guard to up his offensive output. Green’s value has always been tied to the scoring categories, and his lack of contributions elsewhere has capped his ranking. Despite that and his inconsistency, the 23-year-old has shown his scoring prowess, and he will be asked to do a lot offensively to help Devin Booker. Playing point should also increase his assists.
Good: AST, STL | Average: FG%, FT%, TO | Bad: 3PM, PTS, REB, BLK
With Tyrese Haliburton sidelined for all of this upcoming season as he recovers from an Achilles tear, Andrew Nembhard will fill in for him. While he won’t replicate the same production, the 25-year-old is still in an excellent position to have a career year and provide great fantasy value. He’s yet to rank inside the top 150 in category leagues, but that shouldn’t be a problem this year. Expect Nembhard’s assists and points to increase the most, and he also boasted a sixth-best 2.5 AST/TO ratio last season.
Good: STL, BLK, FT% | Average: PTS, AST, 3PM | Bad: FG%, TO, REB
Jalen Suggs was enjoying a career year, but a series of injuries limited him to 35 games, and he only suited up for three contests in 2025. In that short stretch, the guard’s elite defensive prowess was on full display, and he showcased his improved scoring, albeit with low efficiency. Turnovers are another problem, especially considering that he’s not a big playmaker. The addition of Bane is expected to eat into some of Suggs’ numbers, who will be sharing the backcourt with him.
Good: FT%, PTS, AST, STL, 3PM | Average: REB, BLK, FG% | Bad: TO
For most of the first half of 2024-25, Malik Monk didn’t get much attention. It wasn’t until January that his production skyrocketed and became more consistent. The Fox trade further boosted his value, and the 27-year-old recorded a career season. He’s expected to continue starting for the Kings, which bodes well for his offensive production.
Good: AST, FT% | Average: PTS, STL, BLK, 3PM, TO | Bad: FG%, REB
Until Kyrie Irving is back, D’Angelo Russell will fill in at the one. He’s coming off one of his lowest seasons as his efficiency plummeted, but he has a chance to turn things around for a while. The 29-year-old can score and dish out assists while providing some defensive numbers.
Good: TO | Average: FT% | Bad: PTS, REB, FG%, AST, STL, BLK, 3PM
The Rockets’ depth left Reed Sheppard buried in the rotation in his rookie year. However, VanVleet’s injury leaves a gaping hole in the backcourt. It’s unclear if the 21-year-old will start or come off the bench, but either way, he’s poised to see a lot more action. In Summer League, the sophomore showcased his three-level scoring, playmaking and defensive production.
Good: AST | Average: STL | Bad: 3PM, TO, PTS, REB, BLK, FG%, FT%
The Jazz traded two guards in the summer, providing Isaiah Collier with a starting job. He received plenty of action in that role during his rookie season, and he had promising numbers in points, assists, rebounds and steals across 46 starts. The USC product will be responsible for commanding the offence and facilitating. His three-point shooting, turnovers and inefficiency need improvement.
Average: AST, STL, FT%, TO | Bad: 3PM, PTS, REB, BLK, FG%
The aftermath of the Bucks’ shocking decision to waive Damian Lillard leaves Kevin Porter Jr. as the projected starting point guard. He was previously a full-time member of the first unit for the Rockets, where he posted good numbers in points, rebounds, assists, steals and threes. The 25-year-old could return similar value in 2025-26.
Good: AST | Average: 3PM, FT%, TO | Bad: FG%, PTS, REB, STL, BLK
Bub Carrington strung together a solid rookie campaign. His workload is expected to increase as the Wizards continue to develop him. The 20-year-old should start at the one spot, and he’ll have CJ McCollum mentoring him in the backcourt. Carrington has great potential, but he does need to work on his conversion rate and defence.
Good: FT%, TO | Average: AST, STL, BLK, 3PM | Bad: PTS, REB, FG%
The Celtics traded Jrue Holiday to the Trail Blazers following a disappointing season. He’ll begin 2025-26 as the team’s starting point guard while Scoot Henderson is sidelined with an injury. It’s likely that the 35-year-old will eventually revert to the bench, given that his production has significantly dropped off since leaving the Bucks and Portland is leaning into their youth movement.
Good: FT%, PTS, AST, STL, 3PM | Average: REB, BLK, FG% | Bad: TO
The Mavericks are without Irving until January 2026 as he rehabs from a torn ACL. However, the team will be cautious with his return, so managers must consider whether it’s worth drafting the nine-time All-Star for only a few months’ worth of production. Irving is extremely versatile and can be a top-15 fantasy player. Additionally, his only weakness is turnovers, which he has reduced.
Good: AST, STL, FT% | Average: 3PM, TO | Bad: PTS, REB, BLK, FG%
As he nears the end of his career, Chris Paul’s main fantasy asset is his playmaking, with some steals and threes. The 40-year-old signed with the Clippers this offseason and will serve as a backup to Harden. Also, don’t be fooled by his 82-game season last year, durability is a big concern.
Good: AST | Average: PTS, STL, 3PM, FT% | Bad: FG%, REB, BLK, TO
Henderson has yet to live up to the expectations of being a top-three pick. Between a bench role, inconsistency, poor efficiency and high turnovers, his value has been limited. Still, the 21-year-old enters this season with a chance to prove himself. The Trail Blazers made some changes that give the young guard a chance to step up. Henderson could be a starter at some point, but he’ll miss the beginning of the season after suffering a hamstring tear.
Good: AST | Average: STL, FG%, TO | Bad: REB, PTS, BLK, 3PM, FT%
Davion Mitchell received plenty of playing time when he was traded to the Heat in February and provided decent points, assists, steals and threes. While the addition of Norman Powell hurts him, the 27-year-old will have increased value at the beginning of the season while Herro is sidelined and whenever else he misses time.
Good: AST, FG% | Average: STL, FT%, TO | Bad: REB, 3PM, PTS, BLK
With Haliburton being sidelined, T.J. McConnell figures to remain on the bench as he backs up Nembhard instead. He should still see more action, and he offers good points, assists, steals and shooting splits when asked to shoulder a heavier workload.
Good: STL, TO | Average: AST, BLK, 3PM, FT% | Bad: FG%, PTS, REB
Lonzo Ball made his long-awaited return to the court after making his last appearance in 2021-22. While injuries were still a factor, limiting him to 35 matches, he showed his defensive prowess and glimpses of his two-way abilities. The former second-overall pick now finds himself on the Cavaliers. He’ll play a backup guard role but will likely start while Garland is out.
Good: STL, AST, PTS, REB, FT% | Average: 3PM, BLK | Bad: FG%, TO
Dejounte Murray spent most of his first year with the Pelicans in street clothes. He’ll be in the same situation this season, as he’s expected to return from his Achilles tear sometime in January. The 29-year-old will reclaim his starting role and provide great two-way production once he’s back at full strength.
Good: AST, STL | Average: BLK, FG%, TO | Bad: PTS, REB, 3PM, FT%
Whenever Morant is out, Scotty Pippen Jr. can always be counted on to step up. However, a bench role limits his ceiling. Trading Bane also doesn’t help his situation, given the team’s offseason acquisitions. Pippen Jr. can still light up the box score when called upon.
Good: AST, TO | Average: STL, 3PM, FT% | Bad: REB, PTS, BLK, FG%
Tyus Jones had a disappointing year with the Suns following his breakout with the Wizards. Now he’s playing backup guard for the Magic. Even in that role, the 29-year-old can dish out assists and provide some scoring.
Rookie
The Nets selected multiple guards in the 2025 draft, with Egor Demin headlining the list. The 19-year-old is likely to get the starting point guard job. His best fantasy asset is his assists, as he’s an inconsistent shooter and a raw defender.
Average: AST, BLK, FT%, TO | Bad: PTS, REB, STL, 3PM, FG%
The Bucks have another point guard to help fill Lillard’s hole: Cole Anthony. He’ll likely serve as a depth piece but could get some starts. The former Magic guard is a streaky player, but he can put together some hot stretches.
Rookie
2025 18th overall pick Walter Clayton will mostly serve as a backup guard. Though he is a candidate to have significant value once the Jazz’s silly season shenanigans commence. The University of Florida product can score, dish out assets, hit the three-ball and grab some steals.
Cason Wallace (SG)
Dennis Schroder (SG)
Tre Mann (SG)
Miles McBride (SG)
Spencer Dinwiddie (SG)
Vit Krejci (SG, SF)
Malcolm Brogdon (SG)
Ben Simmons (PF, C)
De’Anthony Melton (SG)
Tre Jones (SG)
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!