With the 2019-20 NBA season just around the corner, fantasy basketball drafts are in full swing. If you’re like me, you’re scouring various sites and player ranking lists to find just the right players to draft. Who will be the breakout player of the year? Who are the best sleepers to take a chance on? And most importantly: who’s the best at each position?
While some positions are trickier to predict, the point guard position has an elite few at the top of the list. If you’re lucky enough to snag one of them, your team is in good shape. Of course, take these rankings with a grain of salt. When you draft, look for what your team needs. For example, if you already have several high-turnover guys, you might want to think twice before drafting Russell Westbrook, who averages the most turnovers of anyone on this list.
That being said, here are the top point guards for your fantasy team heading into the 2019-20 NBA season:
Honorable Mention: Trae Young
Trae Young had a rookie campaign that showed us a glimpse of a superstar in the making. Expect him to continue to grow, and his numbers along with him. Last season, after a slow start, Young ranked third in the NBA with 9.2 assists per game after the All-Star break. The only point guard with more in that span was Russell Westbrook. Especially as the Hawks grow and newcomers Cam Reddish and De’Andre Hunter fit in, Young should pick up right where he left off and put up some insane offensive numbers along the way. If you miss out on one of the elite fantasy point guards, Young would be a great option for some good scoring and assist numbers.
5. Jrue Holiday
When bringing up top point guards in the game, you won’t see Jrue Holiday in any top-five list. But fantasy basketball is all about numbers, and Holiday can fill up the stat sheet with the best of them. Last year, he averaged 21.2 points, 7.7 assists, and five rebounds per game. His field goal percentage is also a plus, shooting 47.2% from the field. He can knock down three’s, averaging 1.8 makes a game, and is a career 35.5% three-point shooter. His career average of 1.5 steals per game also provides value. On the court, he’s now a major piece on an exciting young New Orleans Pelicans team that features Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and rookie phenom Zion Williamson. In a year of growth for this young team, Holiday will continue to put up big numbers. There aren’t too many areas Holiday will hurt you, which is what makes him a solid pick at point guard.
4. Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving typically puts up high scoring numbers, but last season, he averaged the most assists per game (6.9) in his entire career. He’s consistently averaged in the early-mid 20’s in terms of points per game, and he shot 48.7% from the field last season. He also made 2.6 triples per game, and his shooting numbers may rise now that he’s on the Brooklyn Nets. The Boston Celtics had a lot of mouths to feed with Irving, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward and Al Horford last year. Now, Irving joins a young Nets team where he takes the role of D’Angelo Russell last season, who put up All-Star-level scoring numbers before being traded. Expect Irving’s scoring numbers to go up, and he’ll be a stable fantasy option at point guard for any team looking for high scoring from its point guard.
3. Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook has somehow managed to average a triple double in three straight seasons. In fantasy basketball, where we only look at stats, that would seemingly be a fantasy gold mine. But Westbrook’s averages last year of 22.9 points, 11.1 rebonds, and a league-leading 10.7 assists per game were neutralized by his turnovers and poor shooting percentages. In a typical nine-category head-to-head fantasy league, field goal percentage, free throw percentage, and turnovers represent three of the nine categories. And Westbrook will drag you down in all of those areas. Last year, he averaged 4.5 turnovers per game (second-highest in the NBA), and shot an inefficient 42.8% from the field and 65.6% from the free throw line. His points, rebounds, assists, and steals are all enticing, and Westbrook should be high on your radar. But be aware that he’ll negatively impact your team in other areas too, even if he does average a triple double for a fourth straight year in the Houston Rockets’ explosive offensive system.
2. Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard has been a model of consistency. He hasn’t experienced a major injury and will consistently average around the mid-20’s in points per game. With the lack of star power around him, Lillard will continue to put up similar numbers. He averaged 6.9 assists per game, 1.1 steals, and shot 44.4% from the field last season, which are all solid numbers from a point guard. In addition to his points, he’ll also get you three’s, as his three triples per game last year ranked fourth among all point guards. His 91.2% from the free throw line will help bring up your team’s free throw percentage, and he’s an elite 88.9% career free throw shooter. Throw in his 2.7 turnovers per game–which is decent considering point guards handle the ball a ton–and Lillard is a consistently reliable choice at point guard. It’s really a toss up between Lillard and a couple of the other guys below him on this list. It depends on what your team needs and what categories you value. But there’s no dispute on who the number one point guard is–either in fantasy or in real life.
1. Stephen Curry
Giving you Stephen Curry’s numbers from last season would impress, but we may be seeing an entirely different Steph this year. With no Kevin Durant to share the ball with for the first time since 2015-16, the MVP version of Steph may finally be unleashed again. Playing alongside KD last year, Curry averaged 27.3 points, 5.2 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. He shot 47.2% from the field and 91.6% from the free throw line. Of course Curry’s value skyrockets when you think about three’s. He averaged 5.1 made three’s a game last year–leading the NBA even above the three-point-happy James Harden.
But now, without Durant, many already have Curry slated to be in the MVP discussion. He’ll be running the show in Golden State, and his minutes will likely be staggered with the newly-acquired All-Star D’Angelo Russell. Without having to share playmaking duties too often, Curry will shine this year. Even if the Warriors don’t end up with a high playoff seed, Curry’s numbers might mirror his pre-KD MVP days, and he stands alone as the best fantasy point guard, and one of the best fantasy players, in the whole league. What has separated Curry from other productive shooters is efficiency. In fantasy terms, Curry will shoot a ton but won’t kill your field goal and free throw percentages at all. If you lucked into a top-five pick in your fantasy draft, Curry should definitely be on your radar. You won’t find his mix of high-volume three’s, elite scoring numbers, solid assists, rebounds, and steals, and high field goal and free throw percentages anywhere else.
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