NBA Fantasy: Guard tiers rankings for 2026-27

Luka Dončić has a clear runway for massive fantasy production with LeBron James in Philadelphia.

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Guards drive most fantasy basketball drafts, and the 2026-27 class runs deep at every price point. These rankings sort the position from elite anchors to late-round sleepers, with notes on how each player fits standard nine-category leagues and Yahoo’s High Score format.

Tier 1

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Luka

Dončić

, Los Angeles Lakers

Gilgeous-Alexander is one of two active guards with an MVP on his resume, and he has won them in back-to-back years. He averaged 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 2025-26, and has cleared 31 points per game in three of his last four seasons. He belongs in the top three of any format alongside Victor Wembanyama and Nikola

Jokić

.

takes over as the centerpiece in Los Angeles following LeBron James’ free-agent move to Philadelphia. His triple-double ceiling is what High Score rewards because only his best night each week counts; a 65-to-70-game season costs you far less there than in a standard league.

Tier 2

Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves

Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons

Edwards has raised his scoring average in each of his six seasons, posting 28.8 points, 5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals in 2025-26. Thirty per game is well within reach, and pairing him with LaMelo Ball gives Minnesota one of the league’s most explosive backcourts. Take him in the first round anywhere.

Cunningham built a career year around Detroit’s offense and finished fifth in MVP voting, averaging 23.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 9.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks on 46.1 percent shooting across 64 games. His assist volume is especially valuable in High Score, where each dime is worth two points and a 15-assist night can swing a matchup on its own.

Tier 3

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

These are second- and third-round targets. Maxey and Brunson carry big scoring loads and could push into the group above. Mitchell shares playmaking duties with James Harden, Murray operates alongside

, and Reaves works next to

Dončić,

all three remain excellent producers with clearly defined roles.

Haliburton returns from the Achilles injury that cost him the 2025-26 season, and his elite assist rate makes him a strong bet to reclaim value quickly. Young is in a similar spot after appearing in 15 games last season, averaging 17.9 points and 8 assists on 45.8 percent shooting. Both are appealing in High Score, where one big night per week is all you need and field-goal percentage never enters the equation.

Tier 4

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 group plays 30-plus minutes nightly. Curry remains highly productive, averaging 26.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.1 steals in 30.9 minutes across 43 games at age 38. Harden has settled into more of a complementary role rather than a heliocentric one.

Miller, Garland, Herro, Giddey and Green all hold prominent roles and can approach 20 points per game with useful secondary production. Target them in the early-to-middle rounds. White and Castle deserve an extra look in High Score, where their steals and blocks pay three points apiece.

Tier 5

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

Daniels is the headliner here for category leagues due to his steals upside, and his ability to flirt with triple-doubles makes him plenty valuable in High Score as well. Alexander-Walker brings a similar defensive profile in the same backcourt, with more scoring punch.

Lillard and VanVleet return from Achilles and knee injuries respectively, and Murray is back after a pair of shortened seasons. Each needs only one strong game a week to pay off a mid-round High Score pick. Fox has the inside track alongside Dylan Harper in San Antonio. Pritchard, the 2024-25 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year, started regularly last season and should see heavy minutes in either role. Rollins is part of a revamped Milwaukee backcourt.

Tier 6

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

A mix of rookies, second-year risers and seasoned veterans, all projected for consistent minutes and worth rostering all season in a 12-team league. Take them in the middle rounds as complements to your top picks. Morant’s single-game ceiling makes him a particularly strong High Score fit, and Acuff is the rookie to watch in this range as Sacramento’s backcourt sorts itself out.

Tier 7

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

All are worth drafting from the eighth or ninth round on. DeRozan brings proven scoring to Denver and will push Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson for starter minutes. Suggs and Davion Mitchell are defense-first guards who play floor-general roles offensively.