Just like our previous exercise with the forwards and centers, let’s break down the guard position into tiers, comparing rankings, projections and opportunity. To recap, we’re looking to group similar players together to identify our draft day strategy. If the player you’ve targeted is taken by another fantasy manager, you know that you can grab the next player from the same tier and get a similar level of production. On the other side, if everyone from a tier is taken, you can look at other positions with your pick without reaching for a player who you might not want this early and then come back to the guards in the next round.
While the draft isn’t the end of the roster-building process, it’s certainly an important one. Use the guard tiers in combination with our frontcourt tiers to plan your drafts. Practice with as many mock drafts as you can — and check out the expert mock draft — to make sure you’re ready for draft day.
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Tier 1
Caitlin Clark
Paige Bueckers
Kelsey Plum
Sabrina Ionescu
Skylar Diggins
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The line to separate the top tier from the second is blurred this season. Clark could almost be on a tier to herself, based on her high projections and presence in the conversation for the No. 1 fantasy pick, but she’s coming off a season-ending injury, and there is a legitimate belief that reigning Rookie of the Year Bueckers could challenge her in fantasy points this season. In our projections, Plum (in total fantasy points) and Ionescu (in fantasy points per game) are peers of Bueckers. Diggins represents the last player in this tier despite her projections mirroring those of Jackie Young because Diggins has more upside as the new superstar for the Sky than Young does as just one of several stars on the Aces.
Tier 2
Jackie Young
Kelsey Mitchell
Allisha Gray
Sonia Citron
Arike Ogunbowale
Courtney Williams
Rhyne Howard
This tier is topped by two players who are supporting stars to MVP candidates, with Young next to Wilson on the Aces and Mitchell teamed up with Clark for the Fever. We have one set of teammates in this tier, with Gray and Howard forming one of the most dynamic backcourts in the league. Ogunbowale is an explosive producer for the Wings and will be playing next to two other guards in the top three tiers in Bueckers and rookie Azzi Fudd. Citron comes in looking to build on an excellent rookie campaign, while Williams could be relied upon more heavily early in the season with teammate Napheesa Collier out recovering from injury until at least June.
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Tier 3
Chelsea Gray
Olivia Miles
Veronica Burton
Azzi Fudd
Kahleah Copper
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As mentioned above, Fudd, the No. 1 2026 WNBA draft pick, will play her rookie season next to two other star guards in Bueckers and Ogunbowale. Fellow rookie Miles will slot in next to Williams with the Lynx. Gray is back for another season as the engine for the WNBA champion Aces, while Burton had a breakout last season for the expansion Valkyries and will look to build on that. The player most likely to outplay her tier, though, is Copper. Copper was a Tier 2, borderline Tier 1 player at this time last season and, with former teammate Satou Sabally now playing in New York we might get a bounce-back elite performance from Copper.
Tier 4
Marina Mabrey
Ariel Atkins
Jewell Loyd
Kayla McBride
Natasha Cloud
Brittney Sykes
Mabrey and Sykes should have big roles on the expansion Toronto Tempo. Atkins has been a consistent performer across various situations for many seasons and should bring that same level of production to the Sparks. Cloud is currently unsigned, but she had a big campaign with the Liberty last season and should be productive wherever she lands. Loyd is the biggest wild card on this tier after a relatively down first season with the Aces that ultimately resulted in a championship. If she’s more comfortable in her role this season, Loyd still has the talent that made her a top-tier producer for several seasons with the Storm.
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Tier 5
Erica Wheeler
Saniya Rivers
Courtney Vandersloot
Jordin Canada
Sami Whitcomb
Flau’jae Johnson
Gabriela Jaquez
We get a mix of veterans, second-year players and rookies in this tier. Vandersloot and Wheeler have more than a decade in the WNBA, while Johnson and Jaquez are two of the exiting rookies in this year’s class. Rivers will also try to build on an up-and-down rookie campaign with a large role on a rebuilding Connecticut Sun squad.
Tier 6
Kiki Rice
Tiffany Hayes
Natisha Hiedeman
Aziaha James
Rachel Banham
Odyssey Sims
Kia Nurse
DiJonai Carrington
Sug Sutton
Kate Martin
Lexie Hull
Marine Johannes
Gianna Kneepkens
Sevgi Uzun
Jacy Sheldon
Dana Evans
Leila Lacan
Aari McDonald
Rae Burrell
Tyasha Harris
Raven Johnson
Taina Mair
Iyana Martin
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