As an experienced or new fantasy General Manager, you may have come across the strategy to build your team using Point Guards (PG) and Forwards (SF or PF). These positions provide variance in statistical combinations that include scarcer categories like points, assists, steals, and blocks. As we look at the shooting guard rankings, traditionally we see players high in points, and perhaps steals, but lacking assists, rebounds, field goal percentage, and blocks. Therefore, when targeting the best players to draft for SG, we start with one key mantra:
The Best Shooting Guard is a Point Guard
Historically, the best shooting guard is a point guard (with SG eligibility). This is largely due to the propensity to get more assists and steals. This still holds true today, but as NBA offenses have opened up, the role of shooting guards has grown to include more playmaking duties. Of the top 20 in my shooting guard rankings, 12 of the players have PG eligibility, all with 5th round draf value and better.
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The Top 10 Shooting Guards/Point Guards (PG/SG)
- James Harden, BKN (Overall SG Rank: 1, Round 1)
- Fred VanVleet, TOR (Overall SG Rank: 3, Round 1)
- Donovan Mitchell UTA (6) Overall SG Rank: 6, Round 2)
- Jrue Holiday MIL (Overall SG Rank: 9, Round 3)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander OKC (Overall SG Rank: 10, Round 3)
- Kyrie Irving BKN Overall SG Rank: 11, Round 3)
- Terry Rozier CHA Overall SG Rank: 14, Round 4)
- Malcolm Brogdon IND Overall SG Rank: 15, Round 4)
- Tyrese Haliburton SAC Overall SG Rank: 16, Round 5)
- DeJounte Murray SAS (Overall SG Rank: 17, Round 5)
The Next best Shooting Guard is a Forward
In fact, the playmaking duties have expanded to the forward positions as well. Players like Paul George, Jimmy Butler, and Caris LeVert soak up facilitation usage for their teams, giving them upside in traditional PG categories and strengths in categories associated with forwards like increased rebounds and field goal percentage.
The Top 10 Shooting Guards/Small Forwards (SG/SF)
- Paul George LAC (Overall SG Rank: 2, Round 1)
- Jimmy Butler MIA (Overall SG Rank: 5, Round 2)
- Jaylen Brown BOS (Overall SG Rank: 7, Round 2)
- Khris Middleton MIL (Overall SG Rank: 12, Round 3)
- Buddy Hield SAC (Overall SG Rank: 20, Round 5)
- Anthony Edwards MIN (Overall SG Rank: 22, Round 5)
- Caris LeVert* IND (Overall SG Rank: 25, Round 6)
- Bogdan Bogdanovic ATL (Overall SG Rank: 27, Round 6)
- Evan Fournier NYK (Overall SG Rank: 29, Round 7)
- Norman Powell POR (Overall SG Rank: 30, Round 7)
*Caris LeVert suffered a stress fracture, and his status is unclear.
Overall, there is a tendency for the SG position to have eligibility at other positions. Use this to your advantage and build out flexible rosters with flexible skill sets. Use the table below to find the best SG’s for your team build.
Overall Shooting Guard Rankings
| SG Rnk | Rnd | Overall Rnk | Team | Player | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | BKN | James Harden | PG/SG |
| 2 | 1 | 12 | LAC | Paul George | SG/SF |
| 3 | 2 | 14 | TOR | Fred VanVleet | PG/SG |
| 4 | 2 | 15 | WAS | Bradley Beal | SG |
| 5 | 2 | 16 | MIA | Jimmy Butler | SG/SF |
| 6 | 2 | 21 | UTA | Donovan Mitchell | PG/SG |
| 7 | 2 | 24 | BOS | Jaylen Brown | SG/SF |
| 8 | 3 | 26 | CHI | Zach LaVine | SG |
| 9 | 3 | 27 | MIL | Jrue Holiday | PG/SG |
| 10 | 3 | 28 | OKC | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | PG/SG |
| 11 | 3 | 31 | BKN | Kyrie Irving | PG/SG |
| 12 | 3 | 32 | MIL | Khris Middleton | SG/SF |
| 13 | 4 | 44 | POR | C.J. McCollum | SG |
| 14 | 4 | 45 | CHA | Terry Rozier | PG/SG |
| 15 | 4 | 46 | IND | Malcolm Brogdon | PG/SG |
| 16 | 5 | 51 | SAC | Tyrese Haliburton | PG/SG |
| 17 | 5 | 53 | SAS | Dejounte Murray | PG/SG |
| 18 | 5 | 54 | PHO | Devin Booker | PG/SG |
| 19 | 5 | 55 | MIN | D'Angelo Russell | PG/SG |
| 20 | 5 | 56 | SAC | Buddy Hield | SG/SF |
| 21 | 5 | 57 | CLE | Darius Garland | PG/SG |
| 22 | 5 | 59 | MIN | Anthony Edwards | SG/SF |
| 23 | 6 | 62 | SAS | Derrick White | PG/SG |
| 24 | 6 | 63 | BOS | Marcus Smart | PG/SG |
| 25 | 6 | 66 | IND | Caris LeVert | SG/SF |
| 26 | 6 | 71 | ATL | Bogdan Bogdanovic | SG/SF |
| 27 | 7 | 74 | CLE | Collin Sexton | PG/SG |
| 28 | 7 | 76 | ORL | Jalen Suggs | PG/SG |
| 29 | 7 | 81 | NYK | Evan Fournier | SG/SF |
| 30 | 7 | 82 | POR | Norman Powell | SG/SF |
| 31 | 7 | 83 | HOU | Kevin Porter | PG/SG |
| 32 | 7 | 84 | NOR | Nickeil Alexander-Walker | SG |
| 33 | 8 | 88 | GSW | Andrew Wiggins | SG/SF |
| 34 | 8 | 91 | NOR | Devonte' Graham | PG/SG |
| 35 | 8 | 92 | HOU | Jalen Green | SG |
| 36 | 8 | 93 | WAS | Spencer Dinwiddie | PG/SG |
| 37 | 8 | 94 | CHI | DeMar DeRozan | SG/SF |
| 38 | 9 | 97 | NYK | R.J. Barrett | SG/SF |
| 39 | 9 | 99 | MIA | Duncan Robinson | SG/SF |
| 40 | 9 | 100 | UTA | Jordan Clarkson | SG |
| 41 | 9 | 103 | GSW | Klay Thompson | SG |
| 42 | 9 | 104 | MEM | Dillon Brooks | SG/SF |
| 43 | 9 | 106 | MIN | Malik Beasley | SG/SF |
| 44 | 10 | 109 | PHI | Danny Green | SG/SF |
| 45 | 10 | 114 | DAL | Tim Hardaway Jr. | SG/SF |
| 46 | 10 | 117 | BKN | Joe Harris | SG/SF |
| 47 | 10 | 118 | UTA | Joe Ingles | SG/SF/PF |
| 48 | 10 | 119 | ORL | Terrence Ross | SG/SF |
| 49 | 10 | 120 | NOR | Josh Hart | SG/SF |
| 50 | 11 | 126 | MIA | Tyler Herro | PG/SG |
| 51 | 11 | 127 | GSW | Jordan Poole | PG/SG |
| 52 | 11 | 128 | DAL | Reggie Bullock | SG/SF |
| 53 | 11 | 131 | MIL | Donte DiVincenzo | PG/SG |
| 54 | 12 | 141 | LAC | Nicolas Batum | SG/SF |
| 55 | 12 | 142 | TOR | Gary Trent Jr. | SG/SF |
| 56 | 12 | 143 | OKC | Josh Giddey | PG/SG |
| 57 | 13 | 150 | BOS | Josh Richardson | SG/SF |
| 58 | 13 | 151 | MEM | Desmond Bane | SG |
| 59 | 13 | 152 | OKC | Luguentz Dort | SG/SF |
| 60 | 13 | 155 | PHI | Seth Curry | PG/SG |
| 61 | 14 | 162 | DEN | Jamal Murray | PG/SG |
| 62 | 15 | 170 | ATL | Kevin Huerter | SG/SF |
| 63 | 15 | 171 | LAC | Eric Bledsoe | PG/SG |
| 64 | 15 | 177 | MIA | Victor Oladipo | SG |
For more great rankings and analysis, check out the 2021-22 Fantrax Fantasy Basketball Draft Kit!
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