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2026-27 Fantasy Basketball Backcourt Rankings

In fantasy basketball, big men might anchor percentages, but guards decide titles. They drive usage, pile up counting stats and, in Yahoo’s High Score format, they can flip a week with one nuclear night. The 2026-27 guard pool is loaded from the very top all the way into the late rounds, with value at every budget.

Here’s how the position stacks up for standard nine-category leagues and High Score, where only a player’s best game each week counts.

Tier 1: The Franchise Cornerstones

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

There are superstars, and then there’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Two straight MVPs, three 31-plus scoring seasons in his last four years and a 2025-26 line of 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists. He belongs in the same breath as Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokić in any draft room. In nine-category leagues, he’s a foundation piece. In High Score, he’s a weekly wrecking ball.

Across the country, a new era in Los Angeles begins with Luka Dončić. LeBron James has gone to Philadelphia, and Dončić now owns the Lakers’ offense. That’s exactly what High Score managers want. His triple-double ceiling is tailor-made for a format that only cares about peak output. A 65- to 70-game season hurts in standard leagues; in High Score, it barely registers if those games are massive.

Tier 2: The Next Wave of Superstars

  • Anthony Edwards – Minnesota Timberwolves
  • Cade Cunningham – Detroit Pistons

Anthony Edwards keeps climbing. Six seasons, six scoring bumps, capped by 28.8 points, 5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals in 2025-26. Thirty a night is now a realistic target, not a dream. With LaMelo Ball beside him, Minnesota suddenly boasts one of the league’s most electric backcourts. In fantasy terms, Edwards is a no-doubt first-rounder in any format.

Cade Cunningham just authored his breakout season and crashed the MVP race, finishing fifth. He turned Detroit’s offense into his own stage: 23.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 9.9 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.8 blocks on 46.1% shooting over 64 games. That assist volume is gold in High Score, where each dime is worth two points. A single 15-assist night can decide a matchup on its own.

Tier 3: Heavy Lifters and Comeback Engines

  • 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 the meat of the second and third rounds, where fantasy rosters take shape.

Tyrese Maxey and Jalen Brunson carry enormous scoring loads and sit on the edge of superstardom. Both have the volume and efficiency to crash Tier 2 if things break right.

Donovan Mitchell now shares playmaking duties with James Harden in Cleveland, but he remains a proven scorer with a locked-in role. Jamal Murray still orchestrates alongside Jokić in Denver, and Austin Reaves slides in next to Dončić in Los Angeles. None of them needs to dominate the ball to post strong fantasy lines; their roles are clear, their usage secure.

Then come the wild cards.

Tyrese Haliburton returns from the Achilles injury that erased his 2025-26 season. Before that, his assist rate was elite, the kind that instantly restores value once he’s back in rhythm. Trae Young is walking a similar road. Limited to 15 games last year, he still averaged 17.9 points and 8 assists on 45.8% shooting. Both guards fit High Score beautifully: you’re drafting them for the one explosive night a week, not for pristine percentages or flawless durability.

Tier 4: Volume, Veterans and Rising Wings

  • 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 tier lives in the 30-plus minutes per night range. That’s where fantasy value starts to feel safe.

Stephen Curry, even at 38, still produces like a star. Last season: 26.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.1 steals in just 30.9 minutes across 43 games. The workload is lighter, but the efficiency and scoring punch remain lethal.

James Harden has shifted from heliocentric engine to high-level complement in Cleveland. The ball isn’t his every possession anymore, yet the stat lines still work for fantasy.

Brandon Miller, Darius Garland, Tyler Herro, Josh Giddey and Jalen Green all sit in that sweet spot where 20 points per game is in play with meaningful secondary stats. They’re prime early-to-middle round targets, especially for managers who want scoring without punting assists or rebounds.

Derrick White and rookie Stephon Castle deserve special attention in High Score. Their defensive activity—steals and blocks—pays off at three points apiece, turning a strong two-way performance into a week-winning spike.

Tier 5: Risk, Reward and Defensive Juice

  • 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 group for category formats. His steals upside jumps off the page, and his ability to flirt with triple-doubles keeps him firmly in play for High Score as well. Sharing the Atlanta backcourt, Nickeil Alexander-Walker brings a similar defensive profile but with more scoring pop.

The tier is crowded with comeback stories. Damian Lillard returns from an Achilles injury, Fred VanVleet from a knee issue, and Dejounte Murray from back-to-back shortened campaigns. Each carries some risk in standard leagues. In High Score, they need only one big outing per week to justify a mid-round selection.

De’Aaron Fox has the inside lane to major minutes in San Antonio, pairing with Dylan Harper in what could become a dynamic backcourt. In Boston, Payton Pritchard—2024-25 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year—graduated into a regular starting role last season and should command heavy minutes whether he opens or closes games. Ryan Rollins, meanwhile, steps into a revamped Milwaukee guard rotation, offering late value for those willing to bet on opportunity.

Tier 6: Steady Hands and Swing Plays

  • 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 climbers and seasoned veterans, all projected for consistent roles. In a standard 12-team league, they’re the middle-round glue that holds a roster together.

Ja Morant stands out in High Score. His single-game ceiling remains enormous, and the format softens concerns about missed time or off nights. One eruption, and he pays off his draft slot.

Darius Acuff is the rookie to circle. Sacramento’s backcourt hierarchy isn’t fully settled, and Acuff has the talent to carve out a major role as the season unfolds. Around him, names like Mikal Bridges, CJ McCollum, Immanuel Quickley and Ayo Dosunmu offer reliable minutes and multi-category production, ideal complements to early-round stars.

Tier 7: Late-Round Lottery Tickets

  • 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

This is where smart managers separate themselves—eighth and ninth rounds, where upside and role collide.

DeMar DeRozan brings proven scoring to Denver. He will immediately challenge Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson for starter minutes, and even in a reduced role, his mid-range craft and foul-drawing translate to fantasy value.

Jalen Suggs and Davion Mitchell are cut from the same cloth: defense-first guards who run the offense rather than dominate it. Their steals, on-ball pressure and steady playmaking won’t always leap off the box score, but in deeper leagues and High Score formats, one disruptive night can tilt a matchup.

Brandin Podziemski, Ajay Mitchell and Jeremiah Fears round out the group as developmental bets with clear paths to minutes. They won’t be drafted as saviors. They don’t need to be. At this stage of a draft, one breakout week is often enough to change the course of a season.

And with this guard class, there will be plenty of those.

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