🖥 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

Stefon Diggs

Facing Strangulation, Assault Charges
Kevin Love

Sits Out Meeting With Celtics
Ace Bailey

Out for Second Straight Game
Jock Landale

Questionable Tuesday
CFB

Chip Kelly Named Northwestern Offensive Coordinator
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic May Have Avoided Major Injury
Alex Lyon

Bags Another Victory Monday
Riley Leonard

Will Start Against the Texans
Marcus Johansson

Matches Career High With Four-Point Effort
Steven Stamkos

Shines Monday Night With Three Points
Dylan Strome

Extends Point Streak in Loss
Sam Reinhart

Leads Charge Against Capitals With Three Points
Troy Terry

Enjoys Three-Point Night Against Sharks
Macklin Celebrini

Remains Hot Against Ducks
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Out Tuesday
Jaxson Hayes

Off the Injury Report Tuesday
Rui Hachimura

Sits Out Tuesday's Game
Caris LeVert

Unlikely to Play Tuesday
Drew Eubanks

Available Tuesday
Keegan Murray

Questionable to Face Clippers
Zach LaVine

Remains Out Tuesday
John Collins

Uncertain for Tuesday
Bijan Robinson

Explodes for 229 Total Yards, Two Touchdowns on Monday Night
Robert Williams III

Active on Monday Night
Kris Murray

Out on Monday
Pelle Larsson

Exits With Ankle Injury Monday
Josh Giddey

to Miss Rest of Monday's Action
Coby White

Ruled Out for Rest Of Monday's Game
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Won't Return Monday
Brandon Williams

Available Monday Night
Anthony Davis

Out Against Trail Blazers
Coby White

Questionable to Return Monday
Davante Adams

Officially Out on Monday Night
Drake London

Active Against Rams
Jake DeBrusk

to Miss Monday's Game as Healthy Scratch
Shane Pinto

Available Monday
Pius Suter

to Miss at Least Four Weeks
Pyotr Kochetkov

Likely Done for the Season
Josh Morrissey

Expected to Play Monday
Karel Vejmelka

Moved to Injured Reserve
Rasmus Dahlin

Expected to Rejoin Sabres Lineup Monday
Yegor Chinakhov

Penguins Acquire Yegor Chinakhov From Blue Jackets
Justin Herbert

Won't Face Broncos in Week 18
Marcus Mariota

Considered "a Stretch" to Play in Week 18
Geno Smith

Dealing With Significant Ankle Injury
Dak Prescott

Will Play in Week 18
Lamar Jackson

Week 18 Status "to be Determined"
Joe Mixon

Won't Return This Season
T.J. Watt

a Long Shot to Play in Week 18?
CFB

Penn State Working to Hire D'Anton Lynn as Next Defensive Coordinator
Joe Burrow

Will Play in Week 18 Against the Browns
CFB

Omar Cooper Expected to be Full-Go for Rose Bowl
CFB

Marcus Freeman Staying with Notre Dame for 2026 Season
CFB

Star Wideout Cam Coleman Entering Transfer Portal
Luther Burden III

Set to Undergo Additional Testing on Quad Injury
Kirill Marchenko

Scores Twice in Sunday's Win
Justin Brazeau

Pots First Career Hat Trick Sunday
Juraj Slafkovsky

Collects Season-High Three Points in Sunday's Loss
Eeli Tolvanen

Continues Scoring Surge With Three-Point Effort
Jack Eichel

to Remain Out Monday
Adam Fox

Nearing Return, Considered Day-to-Day
D'Andre Swift

Finds End Zone Twice in Sunday Night Loss
Luther Burden III

Posts Season-High 138 Yards, Touchdown in Loss
Christian McCaffrey

Racks Up 181 Total Yards, Touchdown in Win Over Bears
Brock Purdy

Delivers Second Straight Five-Touchdown Performance
Parker Washington

Leads Jaguars in Targets, Receptions, and Receiving Yards
Wan'Dale Robinson

Posts Season-High 11 Receptions in Week 17
Josh Allen

Seen Limping From X-Ray Room, Says Foot Injury Didn't Affect Him
CFB

Jay Hill Expected to be Next Michigan Defensive Coordinator
CFB

Michigan Targeting Kyle Whittingham as Next Head Coach
CFB

Texas Leading Rusher Quintrevion Wisner Set to Transfer

RANKINGS

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