2025-26 Fantasy Basketball Rankings: PG/SG draft tiers

The 2025-26 NBA season is almost here, and with it comes my position-by-position fantasy basketball tiers, starting with the guards. This guide is points-league focused but includes insights for category formats as well.

[Join or create a fantasy basketball league for the 2025-26 NBA season]

Let’s kick it off with two players who will drive much of the MVP conversation this season.

Editor’s note: Players are listed based on their primary position from last season or projected role this year.

Tier 1 — The Fantasy pillars

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

Luka Dončić: Luka enters his first full Lakers season healthy and in shape, ready to deliver close to a nightly 30-point triple-double. Even in a down year, he dropped 28-8-8. His blend of usage, shot volume and all-around production makes him one of the safest fantasy picks available. With efficiency improvements and better conditioning, he could push for a top-three finish across formats.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: SGA and Luka were the only guards to average over 50 FPPG last season. After a legendary season finishing as the scoring leader, MVP, Finals MVP and champion, SGA’s floor is top five across all formats.

Tier 2 — Elite anchors

Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
James Harden, Los Angeles Clippers

Anthony Edwards: Edwards continues his ascent as Minnesota’s offensive centerpiece, combining highlight-reel finishes with steady statistical growth. His scoring is already elite, but his rebounds and assists have begun to rise, too. With another leap in efficiency, Edwards could join Tier 1 next season.

Cade Cunningham: There’s a chance Cunningham can sneak into the elites. He averaged 48 FPPG last season, so another leap forward for him and the Pistons in a weaker Eastern Conference can push him into 50 FPPG territory.

Devin Booker: The only thing preventing Booker from being a savage offensively is a possible late-season tank. I don’t see it happening, so expect Booker to put up top-tier points and assist numbers.

Trae Young: Trae’s elite assists and scoring floor make him one of the best points-league guards. Turnovers and poor shooting don’t impact his value as much, so bank on him being one of the few players getting at least 24 points and 10 assists a night.

Tyrese Maxey: I’m higher on Maxey than the consensus. Maxey posted the sixth-most FPPG among guards last year. Those numbers are going up with Joel Embiid and Paul George undoubtedly missing games.

Tier 3 — Established stars

Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
De’Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs
Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers

Stephen Curry: I’d draft Curry higher in category leagues than points because his 3s and high FT% are more statistically relevant. Still, he’ll likely be a top-10 scorer in the NBA who also generates enough counting stats elsewhere to warrant an early pick in points leagues.

De’Aaron Fox: Fox gets a full offseason to prepare to play with Victor Wembanyama, so an uptick in assists as the primary creator elevates his value. He finished in the top 10 in FPPG among guards last season, averaging 41 FPPG.

Jalen Brunson: The engine for the Knicks has one of the safest floors for a guard. He’ll likely go in the first three rounds of drafts, but be aware that the minutes are likely to dip under new HC Mike Brown.

LaMelo Ball: Injuries always hold him back, and it’s reflected in his ADP. When healthy, though, Ball is capable of being a top-10 scorer amongst guards in FPPG.

Tier 4 — High-upside starters

Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
Tyler Herro, Miami Heat
Josh Giddey, Chicago Bulls
Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
Desmond Bane, Orlando Magic
Derrick White, Boston Celtics

Ja Morant: Few guards are as explosive as Morant, capable of putting up 25/7/5 lines on any given night. The risk is obvious — injuries and off-court issues — but the reward is massive if he plays 65+ games. He’s a swing pick with league-winning upside. He’s way better for points formats since you can ignore the poor FT shooting, turnovers and lack of 3s.

Josh Giddey: He inked a new contract, plus was one of three players to average at least 8.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game last year. The other two? Luka and Nikola Jokić. Giddey can push for over 40 FPPG this year.

Amen Thompson: With Jalen Green gone, Thompson steps into a bigger role in Houston’s offense. His rebounding and defensive stocks make him an unusual fantasy guard with multi-category upside. If his jumper stabilizes, it’ll more than justify a third-round selection, even for points leagues.

Desmond Bane: Bane is a solid 30-35 FPPG scorer, but he’ll be in a new environment, playing alongside Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. I prefer Bane in category leagues, but he’ll have the counting stats to warrant a pick around the fourth or fifth round.

Tier 5 — Solid starters

Jalen Green, Phoenix Suns
Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets
Cam Thomas, Brooklyn Nets
Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers
Jordan Poole, New Orleans Pelicans
Zach LaVine, Sacramento Kings
Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers
Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks
Coby White, Chicago Bulls
Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets
Anfernee Simons, Boston Celtics

Jalen Green: Green gets a huge bump after getting traded to the Suns. Volume is king for points leagues and he’ll get plenty of opportunities as the secondary option to Booker. He’s much better for points than category leagues.

Cam Thomas: Thomas still hasn’t signed his qualifying offer with the Nets. We’ll have to wait and see how long his contract situation plays out. Thomas and Michael Porter Jr. are going to have a ton of scoring opportunities playing for Brooklyn.

Darius Garland: Garland should be a tier higher, but he underwent surgery on his toe in June with a recovery timeline of 4-5 months. I don’t expect to see him in uniform until November. When fully healthy, he should average north of 35 FPPG.

Dyson Daniels: The NBA’s Most Improved Player took a massive step forward last season. However, Jalen Johnson was hurt for the majority of the season, and the team wasn’t as equipped as it is now. I’m expecting some regression despite Daniels averaging 37 FPPG in 2024-25.

Fred VanVleet: FVV loses value in points leagues because his 3s, steals and FT% don’t carry as much weight. Still, he’s a useful PG capable of putting up at least 30 FPPG.

Tier 6 — Last, clear every-night starters

Immanuel Quickley, Toronto Raptors
Andrew Nembhard, Indiana Pacers
Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic
Mikal Bridges, New York Knicks
Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics
CJ McCollum, Washington Wizards
Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers
Norman Powell, Miami Heat
Bradley Beal, Los Angeles Clippers
Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers
Christian Braun, Denver Nuggets

Immanuel Quickley: Quickley is looking to bounce back from an injury-riddled campaign. He averaged 31 FPPG when he played, so it’s something to build off of playing with Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram and Jakob Poeltl.

Andrew Nembhard: Nembhard is one of my favorite breakout candidates with Tyrese Haliburton being ruled out for the season. His skill set fits better with category leagues, but I’d also consider getting shares in points leagues.

CJ McCollum: McCollum’s ADP is just outside the top 100 over the past seven days on Yahoo. He’s becoming a value, especially for points leagues. I think he’ll play a lot of minutes for the Wizards until a mid-season trade likely sends him to a contender.

Shaedon Sharpe: Sharpe’s athleticism pops every night, and he’s starting to find consistency as a scorer. Portland is giving him freedom to develop, which means more usage. He’s on the verge of becoming a 20-point scorer in this League.

Tier 7 — Reliable rotational assets

Kevin Porter Jr., Milwaukee Bucks
Keyonte George, Utah Jazz
D’Angelo Russell, Dallas Mavericks
Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons
Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors
Ayo Dosunmu, Chicago Bulls
Davion Mitchell, Miami Heat
Isaiah Collier, Utah Jazz
Quentin Grimes, Philadelphia 76ers
Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings

Keyonte George: George had growing pains last year, but his court vision and scoring style — reminiscent of Jordan Clarkson — make him worth the gamble. If his efficiency stabilizes, he could jump to Tier 6 quickly.

Brandin Podziemski: Podziemski is one of the rare guards who rebounds like a forward. Golden State trusts him with meaningful minutes, which ensures a solid floor. If Curry misses time, his value skyrockets.

Stephon Castle: Castle will start at SG and offers some nice counting-stat potential heading into his second NBA season. He’s a better asset for points leagues because his efficiency and lack of 3s remain an issue.

Davion Mitchell: Once he was traded to the Heat last year, he was finally able to carve out a meaningful role. His defense is infectious and he looked far more comfortable shooting the ball and acting as a primary facilitator than he did with the Kings and Raptors. He’s one of my sleepers whom I’ll be selecting in the later rounds of drafts.

Tier 8 — Upside watchlist

Scoot Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers
Cason Wallace, Oklahoma City Thunder
Jared McCain, Philadelphia 76ers
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta Hawks
Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets
Tre Johnson, Washington Wizards
Anthony Black, Orlando Magic
VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers
Bilal Coulibaly, Washington Wizards
Rob Dillingham, Minnesota Timberwolves
Bub Carrington, Washington Wizards

Scoot Henderson: Henderson’s early career journey has been volatile. Bringing in Jrue Holiday likely puts him back on the bench. Perhaps a sixth-man role could pan out. Either way, he’s better for points leagues than category if he continues getting 27 minutes a night.

Cason Wallace: Wallace thrives as a low-mistake, high-efficiency rotation guard. OKC trusts him in high-leverage minutes, which locks in his role. I think we’ll see his role expand this season, making him a fantasy asset in more category leagues than points leagues.

Tre Johnson: Outside of Cooper Flagg, Johnson has a legitimate shot at Rookie of the Year. The injury to Bilal Coulibaly should expedite his fantasy impact as well.

Rob Dillingham: The second-year guard looked great at Summer League. Mike Conley is getting older and Nickeil Alexander-Walker left in free agency, so they’ll need Dillingham’s speed and scoring punch off the bench. He’s a bucket who will emerge as a points league guy this year.