🖥 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE THANKS
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Rookie Guards to Target in Fantasy Basketball

The annual NBA Draft is one of the most exciting times for  hoops enthusiasts. It's a great time to get fired up about our team's future and to try to peg the next big star in the league. For fantasy purposes, guys aren't necessarily must-owns based on talent, but a lot of times the situations those players are in lend themselves to more opportunities for production.

Let's take a look at a trio of rookie guards who are worth drafting based on the combination of fantasy-friendly talent and opportunity.

Editor's Note: RotoBaller has the best Premium NBA Subscription, only $29.99 for the full season. We have all the preseason tools to help win your drafts, and in-season tools to win your seasonal and daily leagues: Draft Kit, Premium Rankings, Sleepers List, Late-Round Fliers, Early-Round Avoids, DFS Cheat Sheets, Lineup Picks, Expert Lineups, Stacks and Avoids.

 

Rookie Guards to Target in Fantasy Basketball

Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets

Jamal Murray was extremely impressive in his lone season at Kentucky. The Canadian was the seventh overall pick in the 2016 Draft, and he’ll have every opportunity to be a key contributor for the Denver Nuggets. The 6’4” guard can do a bit of everything and he has a chance to become a dynamic player at the NBA level. His skill set will play well in the league, and he should be a good one.

With Gary Harris expected to miss three to four weeks with a groin injury, Murray will have every opportunity to impress Mike Malone and gain more of a foothold in the Denver rotation. Already expected to be a key member of that rotation before the Harris injury, Murray will be able to get plenty of minutes in order to make an impact. Harris will be back early in the season, but Murray is good enough to get consistent backcourt minutes even with a healthy Harris. He'll also be able to steal minutes at the point from Emmanuel Mudiay.

 

Buddy Hield, New Orleans Pelicans

2016-17 is already shaping up to be a long season for the Pelicans. With Jrue Holiday tending to his ill wife and Tyreke Evans expected to miss the first month or two of the season, Buddy Hield will be able to make in impact sooner than originally hoped on his decimated team.

Hield was an underrated playmaker at Oklahoma, and he’s quite capable of creating; but his role at the professional level will likely be to simply to shoot and score the basketball. Hield will do plenty of that. It's not out of the realm of possibilities for Hield to be the Pelicans’ number two scorer behind Anthony Davis--regardless of if he comes off the bench or finds himself in the starting rotation. Hield is already off to a spectacular start in the preseason, and the sharpshooter will likely carry it over to the regular season.

 

Wade Baldwin, Memphis Grizzlies

Wade Baldwin will be a very intriguing player in his rookie season. He came into the draft with little fanfare, and was selected by the Grizzlies with the 17th pick in the first round. Baldwin is a good athlete, and his 6’3” frame comes with a ridiculous 6’11” wing span. Baldwin converted on over 40% of his threes at Vanderbilt, so he’s not just an athlete on the floor.

Baldwin will serve as Mike Conley’s primary backup, but he also has the ability to play the two (which in fact might be his better position). Memphis does not have a lot of depth at the guard spots behind starters Conley and Tony Allen (39-year-old Vince Carter is still expected to play a major role), so Baldwin will have plenty of chances to become a big part of the Grizzlies’ offense. The rookie has already been impressing in the preseason and he could become the top producing guard from this year’s class.

 


By popular demand, RotoBaller has aggregated all of our fantasy basketball NBA waiver wire pickups into a running list of NBA waiver options, so bookmark the page and check back often for updates.

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Caris LeVert

Upgraded to Available Tuesday
Ron Holland II

Remains Out Against Kings
Robert Williams III

Sits Out Tuesday's Game
Jonathan Isaac

Active Tuesday Night
Javon Small

Returns to Grizzlies Lineup Tuesday
Tristan da Silva

Remains Sidelined Against Portland
Goga Bitadze

Out Against Portland
Vince Williams Jr.

Misses Third Consecutive Game
Cedric Coward

Unavailable on Tuesday Night
Aaron Wiggins

Will Play Against Spurs
Ryan O'Hearn

Pirates Agree on Two-Year Deal
Grayson Allen

Absent for Third Consecutive Game
Zach LaVine

to Miss at Least One More Week
Victor Wembanyama

Ready to Take on Thunder
Dwight Powell

Misses Tuesday's Game Due to Illness
Jaden Hardy

Starting on Tuesday Night
DK Metcalf

has Two-Game Suspension Upheld
Klay Thompson

Sits Out Tuesday's Action
Philip Rivers

to Remain the Starter in Week 17
Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Active Against Mavericks
Peyton Watson

Ready to Face Mavericks
Jaden McDaniels

Out on Tuesday Evening
Jordan Poole

Herbert Jones Out Tuesday
Max Christie

Still Out on Tuesday Night
George Kittle

Dealing With Mid-to-Low Ankle Sprain
Viktor Arvidsson

a Game-Time Decision Tuesday
Ryan Leonard

Available Tuesday
Tom Wilson

in Danger of Missing First Game of the Season
Phillip Danault

Makes Second Canadiens Debut Tuesday
Collin Graf

Available Against Golden Knights
Jack Eichel

Misses Fourth Straight Game
Vince Dunn

Won't Play Tuesday
Deshaun Watson

Will Not be Activated Off PUP List, 2025 Season is Over
J.J. McCarthy

Ruled Out for Week 17
Rome Odunze

Expected to Return This Season
Christian McCaffrey

Another Monster Game for Christian McCaffrey in Week 16
Brock Purdy

Throws for Five Touchdowns in Week 16
TreVeyon Henderson

in Concussion Protocol, Week 17 Status Unclear
George Kittle

Week 17 Availability in Question?
CFB

Jeff Brohm, Eli Drinkwitz "Names of Interest" for Michigan Head Coach
Timothy Liljegren

to Miss Second Straight Game Tuesday
Will Smith

Out Week-to-Week
Jaccob Slavin

Placed on Injured Reserve, Out Week-to-Week
Seth Jarvis

Considered Week-to-Week
Darren Raddysh

Totals Three Points in Monday's Win
Mason Marchment

Scores Twice Monday
Vince Dunn

Injured in Monday's Win
Rashee Rice

Still in Concussion Protocol, Estimated as Non-Participant on Monday
J.J. McCarthy

Listed as DNP on Monday Ahead of Week 17
Ilya Sorokin

to Miss Tuesday's Game
DK Metcalf

Suspended for Two Games Following Confrontation with Fan
Christian Dvorak

Returns to Flyers Lineup
Elias Pettersson

Still Out Monday
Brandon Montour

to Miss Four Weeks After Hand Surgery
Miles Wood

Available Against Kings
Zach Werenski

Ruled Out Monday
Leo Carlsson

Won't Play Monday
CFB

Byrum Brown Entering Transfer Portal
CFB

Bobby Petrino Joining Bill Belichick as North Carolina's Offensive Coordinator
TreVeyon Henderson

Exits Week 16 Victory with Head Injury
Lamar Jackson

Questionable to Return in Week 16 with Back Injury
Willson Contreras

Shipped to the Red Sox
Quinshon Judkins

Done for the Season with Broken Leg
Nick Chubb

Officially Active Against Raiders in Week 16
Gardner Minshew

Won't Return in Week 16
Woody Marks

Officially Inactive for Week 16
Quinshon Judkins

Carted Off in Week 16, Ruled Out with Apparent Leg Injury
Tua Tagovailoa

Dolphins Hope to Trade Tua Tagovailoa in the Offseason
Brandon Lowe

Pirates Acquire Brandon Lowe in Three-Team Trade
Shane Baz

Orioles Acquire Shane Baz From the Rays
CFB

Darian Mensah Returning to Duke Next Season
CFB

Josh Hoover Linked to Indiana in Transfer Portal
CFB

Arch Manning Agrees to Reduced Compensation for 2026 Season
Michael King

Padres Bring Michael King Back on Three-Year Deal
Logan Webb

Will Pitch for Team USA in World Baseball Classic
Tarik Skubal

Joins Team USA for World Baseball Classic
CFB

Will Muschamp Becoming Next Texas Defensive Coordinator
CFB

Beau Pribula Set to Enter Transfer Portal

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP