Player Tiers: Shooting Guards

Categorized as: Author: Patrick, Fantasy Basketball, Fantasy Basketball Strategy, Fantasy Draft Cheatsheet 2007
Posted on: October 22nd, 2007

With small forwards, power forwards and centers done, it’s time to take a look at shooting guards. As always, you can find the tiers for all positions in the GMTR player tier spreadsheet.

Tier 1
Kobe Bryant (SG) – 2

As much as I hate Kobe, he’s in a class by himself among shooting guards. Of course, there is always a chance he walks away from the Lakers to go play on Pluto, but don’t worry, chances are much better that he sticks around and continues to annoy us from LA for years to come.

Tier 2
Dwyane Wade (G) – 9
Allen Iverson (G) – 19
Ray Allen (SG) – 26
Vince Carter (GF) – 23

When healthy, Wade can come close to matching Kobe in terms of fantasy value, but his shoulder injury will keep him out to start the season and that drops him into the second tier. There is some uncertainty around Ray Allen and what his role will be on the Celtics, but if he can put up anything close to his career averages, he’ll be a steal in the late second round. Vince Carter just signed a new contract this summer. The last time he did that, things didn’t work out so well for the Raptors.

Tier 3
Gerald Wallace (F) – 29
Tracy McGrady (GF) – 33
Michael Redd (GF) – 33
Joe Johnson (G) – 34

I considered combining tiers two and three because there is not much separating them. But, Gerald Wallace and his style of play frightens me a little, Tracy McGrady and his back scares me a whole lot, and Redd and Johnson are just a notch below the guys in tier two.

Tier 4
Brandon Roy (G) – 41
Kevin Martin (SG) – 46
Manu Ginobili (SG) – 53
Jason Richardson (GF) – 53
Ricky Davis (GF) – 58
Monta Ellis (G) – 68
Ben Gordon (SG) – 61
Jason Terry (G) – 61

If you wait until the middle rounds to grab a shooting guard or two, you won’t be disappointed. Some crazy value in this tier – I particularly like Martin (don’t overlook those percentages), Richardson (new team and healthy right now), and Ricky Davis (besides him and Jefferson, who else is going to score).

Tier 5
Stephen Jackson (GF) – 81
Richard Hamilton (SG) – 82
Randy Foye (G) – 84
Kyle Korver (SF) – 87
Raja Bell (SG) – 98
Jamal Crawford (SG) – 103
Matt Carroll (GF) – ND

Based upon the Adam Morrison injury, I’m bumping Carroll up from tier six to five. He’s a good late round sleeper and, if you’ve already drafted, grab him off waivers if you’ve got the space. Tier five had got a good mix of established vets that are going to deliver exactly what you expect, like Hamilton and Jackson, and some nice upside guys, like Foye and Carroll.

Tier 6
Anthony Parker (GF) – 105
Delonte West (G) – 105
Marco Belinelli (G) – 116
Steve Francis (PG) – 119
Corey Brewer (F) – 122
Larry Hughes (G) – 126
Cuttino Mobley (SG) – 127
Charlie Bell (GF) – 136
Luther Head (G) – 163
Jason Kapono (GF) – ND
John Salmons (GF) – ND
DeShawn Stevenson (SG) – ND
Rasual Butler (GF) – ND
James Posey (GF) – ND
Wally Szczerbiak (GF) – ND

The funny thing about shooting guards, since much of their value is derived from, you know, scoring, they kind of fall off the map pretty fast. Unless they are particularly good at something else, like threes or steals, no one really wants a backup shooting guard who averages 12 points a game. But there’s a little something to be found here: Anthony Parker did average 12 points a game last year for the Raptors, but he’ll be starting and should improve; in the past Delonte West has racked up the stats when he’s gotten playing time; Corey Brewer has looked good so far in the preseason for the Wolves; and Marco Belinelli can shoot the three, if you’re team is in need of that kind of thing.

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