Fantasy Basketball Draft Sleepers: Guards to Target in 2026-27

It's hard to believe, but we have just over a month until the NBA regular season commences. That's one of the most beautiful things I've heard, and I can't wait to get into the everyday grind of the NBA. For my first article of the offseason, we'll dive into some risers and sleepers at the guard positions for your upcoming drafts. These can be tricky terms to differentiate, but I'll offer up a few guys for each who look like decent values! With that in mind, let's get started with some of the risers! 

Guard Risers

Darius Garland, LAC (ADP: 61)

There's going to be a trend in this article of guards taking on a bigger workload for bad teams. Garland is the face of that because he's going to be the primary playmaker for a rebuilding Clippers team. Parting ways with James Harden, Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac over the last year is one thing, but the offseason franchise punishments have this team in peril. The good news is that somebody needs to produce for them, and Garland is definitely the best candidate. 

This former All-Star was shipped to LA in the Harden trade and offers a fantasy-friendly profile. Over the last five seasons, Garland is averaging 20.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.6 3-pointers across 33 minutes a night. He also shot 46 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3-point range and 87 percent from the free-throw line. That's an elite fantasy stat line in a 9-cat league, and he might see the highest usage of his career for this rebuilt roster. Not to mention, Garland was unbelievable with Kawhi off the floor last year, averaging 27.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.2 steals per 75 possessions while posting an absurd 34 percent usage rate. 

Dejounte Murray, NOP (ADP: 67)

Murray played only 45 games over the last two seasons due to an Achilles tear but this former All-Star looked fully healthy to close last season. That's all we wanted to see as fantasy managers because Murray was a Top-25 pick in fantasy leagues in the past. It's easy to understand why, with Murray averaging 19.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.8 3-pointers since 2021. A stat line like that would usually warrant a Top-40 pick in fantasy leagues, but the injury question marks and team outlook have managers wondering. 

An Achilles tear is always scary, but Murray hasn't even turned 30 years old yet. Athletes are recovering from Achilles surgery better than ever, and Murray proved that in the final month of last year. He averaged 17 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.7 steals across 28 minutes over his final 13 games. That stat line is on par with what we've seen across a 34-minute role in the previous five years, so a bounceback feels like a strong possibility. Just like Garland, Murray should be asked to do a ton for one of the weakest rotations in the NBA. Jeremiah Fears and Jordan Poole are the only other true ball-handlers on this roster, and Murray should thrive next to scorers like Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy. 

Fred VanVleet, HOU (ADP: 124)

This one doesn't quite fit the narrative of the other guys in terms of heavy usage on a crappy team, but it feels like people are sleeping on VanVleet. This guy has been a Top-50 fantasy player throughout most of his career, and he's falling to the back of drafts right now. It's not like anyone stole his gig in Houston either, because VanVleet should resume his role as a 35-minute starting point guard. 

VanVleet tore his ACL in September of 2025 and has reportedly looked fully healthy. That's all you can ask for from a value like this, with VanVleet averaging 18.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.5 blocks and 3.1 3-pointers across 36.5 minutes over the last six seasons. The numbers have dipped since joining Houston, but 15.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.6 blocks and 2.9 3-pointers on solid shooting is nothing to scoff at. Those were his numbers in two years with the Rockets, and he'd be the steal of the draft if he could do 80 percent of that. The biggest thing Houston was missing in their postseason run last year was ball-handling and leadership, which is literally what's made FVV valuable throughout his career. 

Guard Sleepers

De'Aaron Fox, SAS (ADP: 85)

I know many of you might be shaking your heads at this one, but this is one of those draft prices where everyone is overreacting. Trust me, I get it! Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle looked incredible in the Spurs postseason run last year, but Fox was just not healthy. We're still talking about a former All-Star who's been a Top-25 pick in the past. It's not like this guy is over-the-hill either, with Fox turning 29 just before Christmas. A 28-year-old should not be overlooked like this, but that's what sports fans always do when young players below them break out in the postseason. Everyone always remembers the last thing they saw!

A speedster like this was always going to be limited by a severe ankle sprain, and that's exactly why he struggled so much in the playoffs. While he did have one of his worst seasons, averaging 18.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.2 steals is still solid from pick 85. That might be his floor too because Fox averaged 24.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.5 steals across the previous six seasons. Some people might be worried about the injuries, but Fox has played at least 72 games in three of the last four years. That's a lot in favor of a mid-round pick, and he might fall even further since so many people were blinded by the postseason runs of Castle and Harper. It's unlikely that Fox is outside the Top-100 at the end of the season, but a Top-50 resurgence seems like a more likely outcome. 

Immanuel Quickley, TOR (ADP: 101)

Quickley and Garland are actually very similar players. The reason Quickley is 40 picks later is that he has a lot more cooks in his kitchen. The good news is that none of them are stat-killers, with Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes being fantasy-friendly players for their teammates. That should be especially true for their starting point guard, who will be Quickley. This speedy guard has had nearly identical averages in his two full seasons with Toronto, averaging 16.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.5 3-pointers per game. He's done that with some good efficiency, shooting 44 percent from the field, 38 percent from 3-point range and 84 percent from the free-throw line. 

That's a fantasy-friendly stat line with very few weaknesses, and he did that across fewer than 30 minutes a night. We expect 30 minutes to be his floor this season because the lack of depth is the one thing holding this Toronto team back. Jamal Shead and Ja'Kobe Walker are the two backup ball-handlers, and those guys won't get Quickley off the floor much for a true contender. He's also been fairly durable, playing at least 64 games in five of six seasons. 

Scotty Pippen Jr, MEM (ADP: 155)

Who will be the Grizzlies' primary ball-handler? In addition, who will accrue fantasy points for this rebuilt roster? Those are questions that nobody really knows at this point, but it leaves a ton of value in fantasy drafts for players on this roster. I have a sneaky suspicion that Pippen will be the Grizzlies' starting point guard after the Ja Morant trade, and he's been a stud in that role throughout his career. 

Pippen has averaged 11.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 3-pointers across 22.5 minutes throughout his career. More importantly, he averaged 14.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.8 3-pointers across 28 minutes and 27 games as a starter two years ago. Pippen played only 10 games last season, but he closed the season as a starter. There's a chance Pippen plays 30 minutes as the Grizzlies' starting PG, and that possibility makes him one of the best sleepers when looking at the past production, roster construction and low price tag. 

Keon Ellis, BKN (ADP: 230)

I'm going to throw a bonus one in here because Ellis could be a sneaky sleeper outside the Top-200. This guy has always been a fantasy darling with his defense, and if he's going to prove to be a fantasy asset, there's no better opportunity than Brooklyn. This is quite simply the worst backcourt in the NBA, and Ellis could step into a 30-minute role if this team trusts him. 

That's all Ellis needs to be a success in fantasy leagues, averaging 5.5 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.5 blocks and 1.1 3-pointers across 16.5 minutes throughout his career. Let's just pretend that he plays 33 minutes and doubles those averages. That would come out to 11 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.0 blocks and 2.2 3-pointers per game. Those defensive numbers alone would make him a must-roster player, and he's never had an opportunity like this one when looking at the outlook of this nightmarish Nets roster.