Top Fantasy Basketball Guards for 2026-27: Tiers and Insights

Guards rule fantasy basketball. They set the pace, drive the volume and, in Yahoo’s High Score format, they can single-handedly decide a week with one nuclear night. The 2026-27 guard pool is loaded from the top of the draft to the late rounds, and it starts with two names that sit on their own tier.

Tier 1 – The Franchise Pillars

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

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t just a first-rounder anymore. He’s a franchise strategy. One of only two active guards with an MVP on his résumé, and he’s won the last two. He just came off a 2025-26 campaign of 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists, his third season in four over 31 points per game. In any format, he belongs in the same breath as Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokić at the very top of the board.

Luka Dončić arrives in Los Angeles as the new centerpiece after LeBron James’ move to Philadelphia. The fit with the Lakers is a storyline; the fit with Yahoo High Score is a cheat code. His triple-double ceiling is exactly what that format rewards, because only his best game each week counts. A 65–70 game season hurts in standard leagues, but in High Score, one monstrous outing every seven days is all that matters.

Tier 2 – Ready to Break the Door Down

Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons

Anthony Edwards has climbed the scoring ladder every season of his six-year career, and he’s not easing off. Last year: 28.8 points, 5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.4 steals. Thirty a night is right there for him, and now he’s paired with LaMelo Ball in what could become one of the league’s most explosive backcourts. In any standard draft room, you don’t wait. He’s a first-round anchor.

Cade Cunningham just built his breakout around Detroit’s entire offense and ended up fifth in MVP voting. He delivered 23.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 9.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks on 46.1% shooting across 64 games. That assist volume is gold in High Score, where each assist is worth two points. A 15-assist night doesn’t just look pretty in a box score; it can flip a matchup by itself.

Tier 3 – High-End Engines With Questions of Ceiling

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 is where the second and third rounds come alive. These guards already carry star-level workloads; the question is who jumps up a tier.

Tyrese Maxey and Jalen Brunson both shoulder heavy scoring responsibility and have the skill sets to crash the Shai/Luka/Cade/Ant party. Maxey steps into a Philadelphia offense that needs his aggression alongside LeBron James, while Brunson remains the heartbeat of the Knicks, his usage and shot-making locked in.

Donovan Mitchell now shares playmaking duties with James Harden in Cleveland, Devin Booker continues to operate as Phoenix’s primary scorer, and Jamal Murray still thrives in the two-man game with Nikola Jokić. None of them needs to dominate the ball to post elite fantasy lines. Austin Reaves, meanwhile, slots next to Dončić in Los Angeles, a role that promises clean looks, secondary playmaking and steady counting stats.

Then come the wild cards. Tyrese Haliburton returns from the Achilles injury that wiped out his 2025-26 season. His elite assist rate gives him a clear path back to top-tier fantasy value once the minutes ramp up. Trae Young is in a similar boat after appearing in just 15 games last year, still managing 17.9 points and 8 assists on 45.8% shooting. In High Score, both become especially intriguing: one explosive performance per week is all you need, and field-goal percentage isn’t part of the conversation.

Tier 4 – Volume, Roles and Aging Greatness

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 lives above 30 minutes a night, and that alone keeps them in the fantasy conversation all season.

Stephen Curry, at 38, still bends defenses and fantasy matchups. He averaged 26.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.1 steals in just 30.9 minutes across 43 games last season. The games cap is real, but when he plays, he produces. James Harden has transitioned away from his heliocentric peak and into more of a complementary role in Cleveland, yet his blend of assists, threes and foul-drawing remains valuable.

The next wave here is about opportunity and growth. Brandon Miller, Darius Garland, Tyler Herro, Josh Giddey and Jalen Green all hold prominent offensive roles and can flirt with 20 points per game while chipping in enough across the board to justify early-to-middle round picks. They’re the types you pair with a safer first-round star and let the upside ride.

Derrick White and rookie Stephon Castle deserve an extra circle in High Score drafts. Their defensive playmaking — steals and blocks — count for three points apiece in that format, turning a handful of disruptive possessions into a decisive weekly edge.

Keyonte George sits in that same “volume plus upside” lane in Utah, with a path to more touches and more responsibility as the season unfolds.

Tier 5 – Comebacks, Sleepers and Stat-Stuffers

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

Dyson Daniels headlines this tier for category leagues. His steals upside jumps off the page, and his ability to flirt with triple-doubles keeps him firmly on the High Score radar as well. Sharing a backcourt with Nickeil Alexander-Walker in Atlanta, he forms a defensive-minded duo; Alexander-Walker brings a similar profile but with more scoring punch.

The comeback stories add intrigue. Damian Lillard returns from an Achilles injury in Portland, Fred VanVleet works back from a knee issue in Houston, and Dejounte Murray looks to reestablish himself after two shortened seasons. In standard leagues, managers might worry about durability. In High Score, they just need one strong outing each week to justify a mid-round investment.

De’Aaron Fox has the inside track at a major role in San Antonio, likely pairing with rookie Dylan Harper. That backcourt could become one of the league’s more dynamic partnerships if Harper adapts quickly. Payton Pritchard, the 2024-25 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year, stepped into a starting role regularly last season and should command heavy minutes for Boston whether he opens games or leads the second unit. Ryan Rollins, meanwhile, slides into a revamped Milwaukee backcourt, a situation that could quietly yield value if he grabs a stable role.

Tier 6 – Solid Starters and Swing Picks

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

This tier blends rookies, second-year risers and steady veterans, all projected for consistent minutes and worth holding all season in a standard 12-team league. They’re ideal middle-round complements once your core is set.

Ja Morant’s single-game ceiling stands out immediately. In High Score, his ability to drop a 35-10-8 line with highlight plays and counting stats gives him outsized value, even if there are questions about volume or consistency. Darius Acuff is the rookie to circle here; Sacramento’s backcourt hierarchy isn’t fixed, and if he grabs a major role early, he could return value well above this draft range.

Mikal Bridges, CJ McCollum, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Ty Jerome and Immanuel Quickley all profile as reliable rotation fixtures. They won’t all win you a week by themselves, but they rarely sink one either.

Tier 7 – Late-Round Fliers With Defined 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, you’re chasing role clarity, upside and specific category needs. Every name here fits that bill.

DeMar DeRozan brings proven, mid-range heavy scoring to Denver and will push Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson for starter-level minutes. If he carves out a prominent role, his points and free throws still play in any format.

Jalen Suggs and Davion Mitchell are defense-first guards who organize the offense more than they dominate it. They won’t headline your fantasy roster, but their steals, minutes and occasional scoring spikes give them real value late.

Brandin Podziemski and Ajay Mitchell offer skill and feel that could grow into larger roles as the season wears on, while Jeremiah Fears steps into New Orleans with a chance to force his way into the rotation.

The star power at the top of this guard class is obvious. The real edge this season may come from how well managers read the tiers below it — and which backcourt bet becomes the next name to crash the MVP conversation.