2026-27 Fantasy Basketball Guards Rankings

Guards rule fantasy basketball. They set the tempo, drive the counting stats and, in Yahoo’s High Score format, can swing an entire week with one outrageous night. Heading into 2026-27, the position is loaded from the very top of the draft to the late-round lottery tickets.

This is a class built around star power, comeback stories and a handful of rookies who could break leagues if they hit early.

Tier 1: The Franchise Pillars

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
• Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers

There are stars, and then there’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Two MVPs. Back-to-back. One of only two active guards with that line on the résumé, and he’s done it while averaging 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 2025-26. He’s cleared 31 points per game in three of his last four seasons. That’s not a spike, that’s a standard.

In any fantasy format, he belongs in the top three with Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokić. In nine-category leagues he’s a foundation. In High Score, he’s a weekly nuclear option.

Then comes the new show in Los Angeles. Luka Dončić arrives as the Lakers’ centerpiece after LeBron James’ move to Philadelphia, and the fit with High Score is obvious. His triple-double ceiling is exactly what that format rewards. Only his best night each week counts, so a 65- to 70-game season barely dents his value. When he hits one of those 35-12-14 specials, you win the week.

Tier 2: The Next Wave of Megastars

• Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
• Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons

Anthony Edwards has climbed the scoring ladder every year of his six-season career. Last season: 28.8 points, 5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.4 steals. Thirty a night is now a realistic target, not a fantasy. Pairing him with LaMelo Ball gives Minnesota one of the most explosive backcourts in the league, and for fantasy managers he’s a no-doubt first-rounder in any format.

Cade Cunningham just built his breakout on the bones of Detroit’s entire offense. Fifth in MVP voting, 23.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 9.9 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.8 blocks, 46.1% from the field across 64 games. Those nearly 10 assists are gold in High Score, where every dime is worth two points. One 15-assist night can flip a matchup by itself. He’s now a system unto himself.

Tier 3: Heavy Usage, Heavy Returns

• Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
• Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
• Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
• Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
• Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
• Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers
• Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
• Trae Young, Washington Wizards

This tier is where second and third rounds are won.

Tyrese Maxey and Jalen Brunson shoulder massive scoring loads and both have the profile to crash Tier 2 if things break right. They dominate touches, close games and carry fantasy teams on high-volume nights.

Others in this group share the ball more, but their roles are carved in stone. Donovan Mitchell splits playmaking duties with James Harden in Cleveland. Jamal Murray works off Jokić in Denver. Austin Reaves now plays next to Dončić in Los Angeles. None of that dims their fantasy shine; it simply defines their lanes.

The intrigue comes with the comebacks. Tyrese Haliburton returns from the Achilles injury that wiped out his 2025-26 campaign. His elite assist rate made him a first-round talent before the setback, and he’s a strong bet to reclaim a big chunk of that value quickly. Trae Young is in a similar boat, coming off a 15-game season in which he still put up 17.9 points and 8 assists on 45.8% shooting.

Both Haliburton and Young fit High Score beautifully. You only need one eruption a week, and field-goal percentage doesn’t matter. When they get rolling, they can decide a matchup in a single night.

Tier 4: Volume, Veterans and Rising Wings

• LaMelo Ball, Minnesota Timberwolves
• Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
• James Harden, Cleveland Cavaliers
• Josh Giddey, Chicago Bulls
• Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets
• Derrick White, Boston Celtics
• Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
• Darius Garland, LA Clippers
• Tyler Herro, Milwaukee Bucks
• Keyonte George, Utah Jazz
• Jalen Green, Phoenix Suns

Most of this tier lives in the 30-plus minutes per night range, which is exactly where fantasy managers want them.

Stephen Curry, even at 38, still fires at an elite level: 26.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.1 steals in 30.9 minutes across 43 games. The volume might be managed, the explosiveness is not. James Harden, now more complementary than heliocentric, still supplies high-end playmaking with enough scoring to matter.

The middle of the tier is full of players who can flirt with 20 points per game while filling in the gaps. Brandon Miller, Darius Garland, Tyler Herro, Josh Giddey and Jalen Green all sit at the center of their teams’ perimeter attacks and bring useful secondary production. These are early-to-middle-round targets who round out a roster’s scoring base.

Then there’s the High Score twist. Derrick White and rookie Stephon Castle deserve extra attention there. Their defensive work—steals and blocks worth three points each in that format—gives them spike-week potential even when the scoring isn’t loud.

Tier 5: Risk, Reward and the Comeback Lane

• Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks
• De’Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs
• Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
• Dejounte Murray, New Orleans Pelicans
• Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta Hawks
• Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics
• Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs
• Ryan Rollins, Milwaukee Bucks
• Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets

This is the swing tier.

Dyson Daniels headlines it for category leagues. His steals upside alone keeps him on draft boards, and his ability to flirt with triple-doubles makes him a dangerous High Score play. Nickeil Alexander-Walker brings a similar defensive profile in the same Atlanta backcourt, with more scoring punch baked in.

The injury returns define the rest. Damian Lillard comes back from an Achilles injury in Portland. Fred VanVleet returns from knee trouble in Houston. Dejounte Murray looks to reset after two shortened seasons. In standard leagues, managers will weigh risk. In High Score, the calculus changes: they only need one strong game a week to justify a mid-round pick.

San Antonio offers a different kind of intrigue. De’Aaron Fox has the inside track next to rookie Dylan Harper, a backcourt that could become one of the league’s most dynamic if it clicks. In Boston, Payton Pritchard—2024-25 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year—moved into a regular starting role last season and should see heavy minutes regardless of whether he opens games or closes them. Ryan Rollins joins a revamped Milwaukee backcourt and steps into a situation full of opportunity.

Tier 6: Steady Hands and High Ceilings

• Mikal Bridges, New York Knicks
• Coby White, Charlotte Hornets
• Ja Morant, Portland Trail Blazers
• Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies
• Ty Jerome, Memphis Grizzlies
• Darius Acuff, Sacramento Kings
• CJ McCollum, Atlanta Hawks
• Ayo Dosunmu, Minnesota Timberwolves
• Immanuel Quickley, Toronto Raptors

Here lies a mix every fantasy manager knows well: rookies, second-year climbers and veterans who simply keep getting it done.

All are projected for consistent minutes and are worth holding all season in a standard 12-team league. They’re the middle-round glue pieces that let you swing harder early.

Ja Morant is the obvious headline. His single-game ceiling remains enormous, making him a particularly dangerous weapon in High Score. One night of peak Morant can erase a quiet week elsewhere. Darius Acuff is the rookie to circle in this range; Sacramento’s backcourt is in flux, and he has a clear path to relevance if he grabs a major role.

Tier 7: Late-Round Flyers With Real Paths

• Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors
• Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder
• DeMar DeRozan, Denver Nuggets
• Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic
• Jeremiah Fears, New Orleans Pelicans
• Davion Mitchell, Miami Heat

From the eighth or ninth round on, this is where smart managers hunt.

All six are draftable. DeMar DeRozan brings proven scoring to Denver and will push Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson for starter minutes. If he carves out a big role alongside Nikola Jokić, his mid-range artistry still translates cleanly to fantasy points.

Jalen Suggs and Davion Mitchell are defense-first guards who run the offense more like floor generals than pure scorers. That doesn’t dampen their appeal. In deeper leagues, those minutes, steals and occasional scoring spikes keep them firmly in play.

By the time these names come off the board, the core of a fantasy roster is already set. The right pick here, though—the rookie who hits early, the veteran who wins a role—can be the difference between a good season and a title run.