🖥 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

Guards to Avoid in Fantasy Basketball Drafts

Jake Finnen looks at three overvalued NBA guards to avoid as potential draft busts in 2016-17 fantasy basketball leagues. Think twice before drafting them.

I'll keep this quick because the title says it all. These guards should be avoided during your 2016-17 fantasy basketball drafts due to their minimal potential in season-long formats.

This does not mean to avoid them for daily games, because all players will have good games. But solid seasonal fantasy options need a combination of production and consistency. These players are lacking one or the other, which seriously hinders their fantasy outlook.

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.

 

Leave Them Alone on Draft Day

Wesley Johnson, SG/SF, Los Angeles Clippers

After last season, Johnson wasn't really doing anything worth noting. He was a below average scorer on a team that was desperate for scoring and thrived off of 36-year old Jamal Crawford even though Wesley is only 29. Wesley was overlooked last year and I don't see much of that changing this upcoming year. Even with Chris Paul playing his best wouldn't be enough to give Johnson the touches he needs to be worth drafting.

I doubt anything could make Johnson fantasy relevant but I bad harping on a guy but then again...he makes millions to play basketball and I get paid squat as a writer, so he'll be ok. Anyway, he averaged 6.9 PPG last year which is nothing special. Add in low rebound and assist totals, 3.1, 0.6 respectively, and you have one of three guards fitting to write an avoid/busts column about.

 

Patrick Beverley, PG/SG, Houston Rockets

I made this list before the injury but that just cements the reason why he's here in the first place. The knee injury should only put him out a couple weeks but even then, his defense alone doesn't make him fantasy relevant other than some risky DFS plays on a night to wear he may have a good matchup.

He is one of the top defensive guards but even if he led the league in steals it wouldn't equal fantasy numbers worth rostering. He CAN hit threes. It's rare but he can shoot and when he gets hot, like every other player, he can be savior to your team if you had him. Keep an eye open for the occasional tasty daily matchup when he might blow up, but for regular fantasy, keep on looking.

 

Matthew Dellavedova, PG/SG, Milwaukee Bucks

I am going to get crap for this but this is one option I feel confident about. I'll tell you this now. I don't like Dellavedova. I don't like him at all. I think he's a bad basketball player.

Ok, now to tell you why I firmly stand by my bias. Look at his production last year. He had decent averages, 7.5 PPG, 4.4 APG, shooting 40% from 3pt range and 41% from the field. Remember that he was playing with the best team in basketball, so if opposing teams were going to let anyone beat them by himself, it would be Dellavedova. I would hope you would have solid numbers playing alongside one of the best players of the century, another rising superstar in Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love all creating space. All those guys made every opposing team tread backup point guard Matthew Dellavedova as the weak link, hardly bothering to cover him.

The problem now is that Dellavedova is on Milwaukee that won't create near the openings for Delly that he got in Cleveland. It's not like he'll even significantly bump his per minute touches, with a lot of other young Bucks also demanding the rock. I think the Bucks took Dellavedova for his defense but if you watched him play throughout the regular season… you'd wouldn't understand why.

Just remember he was playing with LeBron James and company so Dellavedova was usually the most open man on the court and teams would basically let him do what he wanted. Dellavedova only took shots where he had the three seconds it takes for him to get a shot off and that was much thanks to spacing created from the rest of his ex-squad, the championship winning Cleveland Cavaliers. I'm happily avoiding Dellavedova.


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

Romeo Doubs

Questionable to Return Against Bears in Week 16
Jordan Love

Ruled Out with Concussion, Replaced by Malik Willis
Jalen Smith

Expected to Remain in Lineup Sunday
Ayo Dosunmu

Probable for Meeting With Hawks
Jordan Love

Evaluated for Concussion, Questionable to Return
Coby White

Iffy for Sunday
Andrew Wiggins

May Remain Out Sunday
Davion Mitchell

Questionable for Sunday
Tyler Herro

to Miss Fourth Straight Game Sunday
Trae Young

Available for Sunday's Tilt
Doug McDermott

Active on Saturday
Rui Hachimura

Misses Battle of Los Angeles
Jerami Grant

Won't Play Saturday Night, Kris Murray Joins Starting Unit
Jonathan Isaac

Tristan da Silva Out, Jonathan Isaac Returns for Magic Saturday
Jalen Suggs

Out Against Jazz
Lauri Markkanen

Misses Second Consecutive Game
Grayson Allen

Unavailable Against Warriors
Jonathan Kuminga

Misses Saturday's Action Due to Illness
Cam Spencer

Makes Third Career Start Saturday
Cam Whitmore

Jamir Watkins Out Against Grizzlies
Bilal Coulibaly

Departs Lineup Saturday
Khris Middleton

Ready to Face Grizzlies
Pat Connaughton

Tre Mann, Pat Connaughton Active Saturday
D'Andre Swift

Officially Active Against Packers on Saturday
Dontayvion Wicks

Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks Active for Week 16
Caris LeVert

Cleared for Action Saturday
Marcus Mariota

Questionable to Return with Hand Injury
Josh Jacobs

Active for Saturday's Game
Ricky Pearsall

Ruled Out for Week 16
Mike Matheson

Returns Against Former Team Saturday
Timothy Liljegren

Misses Saturday's Game
Mackie Samoskevich

Out on Saturday
Anthony Cirelli

Available Against Hurricanes
Brandon Hagel

Added to Injured Reserve
Nikita Kucherov

a Game-Time Call Saturday
J.T. Miller

Injured in Saturday's Win
Christian Watson

Should Be Able to Go Against Bears
Zach Bogosian

Unavailable Saturday
Marcus Johansson

Questionable for Saturday
Bo Horvat

to Miss Fourth Straight Game Saturday
Seth Jarvis

to Be "Out for a While"
Phillip Danault

Rejoins Canadiens for Draft Pick
Mason Marchment

Blue Jackets Acquire Mason Marchment
Brandon Lowe

Pirates Acquire Brandon Lowe in Three-Team Trade
Shane Baz

Orioles Acquire Shane Baz From the Rays
Jonathan Marchessault

Out Day-to-Day
Tristan Jarry

Oilers Place Tristan Jarry on Injured Reserve
Patrick Kane

to Remain Out Saturday
Shea Theodore

Considered Week-to-Week
Jack Eichel

to Miss at Least Two More Games
Davante Adams

Likely Won't Play in Week 17
Jordan Martinook

Misses Friday's Contest
Evan Rodrigues

Available Against Hurricanes
Tyler Seguin

Undergoes Surgery, to Be Re-Evaluated After Olympics
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Listed as Questionable for Week 16
Drake London

Expected to Play Sunday
Tee Higgins

Questionable to Play in Week 16
Michael Carter

Will Start at RB in Week 16
Dalton Kincaid

Will Practice on Friday, Expected to Play on Sunday
Garrett Wilson

Shelved for Remainder of 2025
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
Kenneth Walker III

Breaks Off Long Touchdown in Comeback Win vs. Rams
Matthew Stafford

Racks Up Highest Yardage Total in Over a Decade
Puka Nacua

Delivers Career-Best Performance on Thursday Night Football
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
Jakobi Meyers

Jaguars Agree to Three-Year Extension With Jakobi Meyers
Davante Adams

Officially Out on Thursday Night
CFB

Will Muschamp Becoming Next Texas Defensive Coordinator
CFB

Beau Pribula Set to Enter Transfer Portal
Bo Bichette

Willing to Make the Move to Second Base
CFB

Jeremiyah Love Officially Heading to NFL Draft
CFB

Jake Merklinger Leaving Tennessee for Transfer Portal
Mike Trout

Angels Open to Mike Trout Playing Center Field in 2026
CFB

Kansas State's Jayce Brown Intends to Transfer
CFB

Nation's Leading Passer Drew Mestemaker to Enter Transfer Portal
Justin Crawford

Phillies Planning to Start Justin Crawford in Center Field
CFB

Jayden Maiava Signs New Deal to Return to USC
CFB

Aidan Mizell Won't Return to Florida, Entering Transfer Portal
CFB

East Carolina Targeting Jordan Davis as Next Offensive Coordinator
CFB

Michigan QB Jadyn Davis Set to Enter Transfer Portal
CFB

Travis Williams Joining Texas A&M Defensive Staff
CFB

Dylan Raiola Entering His Name into Transfer Portal
CFB

Cincinnati's Brendan Sorsby Plans to Transfer When Portal Opens
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia, Phillies Finalizing One-Year Deal on Monday
Brandon Royval

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
CFB

Baylor, LSU, Miami Among Potential Suitors for DJ Lagway
CFB

Aidan Chiles Will Enter Transfer Portal
Manel Kape

Shines At UFC Vegas 112
Kevin Vallejos

Gets Second-Round Knockout Win
Giga Chikadze

Suffers His First Career Knockout Loss
CFB

Quarterback DJ Lagway Entering Transfer Portal
Cesar Almeida

Gets Dominated
Cezary Oleksiejczuk

Wins Sixth Fight In A Row
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Melquizael Costa

Gets First-Round Knockout Win
Marcus Buchecha

Still Winless In The UFC
Kennedy Nzechukwu

And Marcus Buchecha Fight To Draw
Lance Gibson jr

Lance Gibson Jr. Drops Decision In His UFC Debut
King Green

Gets Back In The Win Column

RANKINGS

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