Fantasy Hoops: Ranking the Top 60 Guards for 2015-16

Following up on the release of the Top 150 overall players, this week we’ll begin a breakdown of the top performers at each individual position.

First up, we’ll rank the top 60 guards.

Please note: These rankings are based on nine-category fantasy scoring leagues that account for points, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, three-pointers made, turnovers, field goal percentage and free throw percentage.

Also, the position eligibility is based on Yahoo! fantasy leagues. Players may qualify at multiple positions (i.e. guard and forward).

In addition, listed below the rankings, are an assortment of interesting and pertinent stats for some of the players listed.

* Steph Curry had such an incredible statistical season last year, there are a thousand mind-blowing stats to choose from. I’ll go with these two: Prior to last season, no player in NBA history had ever dished out five assists and knocked down five three-pointers in four straight games. Well, last season, Curry has three such streaks… In addition, Curry has made 819 three-pointers over the last three seasons. Impressive, considering Michael Jordan made a total of 581 threes during his 15-year NBA career.

* Russell Westbrook’s game log over the final three months read like fiction. He averaged 31.4 points, 9.9 assists and 8.6 rebounds after the All-Star break. At one point, he strung together seven-straight games with at least 20 points, 10 assists and five rebounds. He was the first player with such a streak longer than even three such games since Michael Jordan in 1989… While Westbrook won’t be able to match those numbers this season because he’ll be forced to share the ball with Kevin Durant, Russ has proven he can still put up incredible numbers as part of a dynamic duo.

* Last season, Damian Lillard was one of only five players in the NBA to average at least 20 points, six assists and four rebounds. The four other players in this elite club: LeBron James, James Harden, Steph Curry and Russell Westbrook. The Trail Blazers gutted most of their roster this summer, which means that Dame will have to shoulder even more of the offensive load. Lillard’s usage rate will off-the-charts this season.

* Goran Dragic had an up-and-down season last year, due in part to a mid-season trade. However, it is important to note that in 2013-14, Goran averaged 20.3 points per game and 5.9 assists, while shooting over 50 percent from the floor (LeBron James was the only other player to average at least 20/5.5/50 percent in 2013-14, and no player in the NBA matched those numbers this season).

* Bradley Beal was a beast in the postseason for the Wizards, as he increased his production to 23.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per contest in 10 playoff games. Was this a sign of things to come from this promising sharpshooter?

* Reggie Jackson is coming off a roller-coaster 2014-15 campaign. Over the first 15 games of last season, with both Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook sidelined for the majority of those contests, Jackson averaged 19.3 points, 7.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds. Jackson was one of only two players to average at least 19/7/5 over the first month of the season. However, Jackson landed in coach Scott Brooks’ doghouse shortly thereafter after and Jackson’s numbers nosedived. He was then traded to Detroit, and after stumbling a bit in his first few games, played terrifically for the Pistons. In fact, Jackson was one of only four players to average at least 17 points and nine assists in post-All-Star break action. The other three were Chris Paul, Russ Westbrook and John Wall.

* Last season, Isaiah Thomas became the first player in NBA history to average at least 16 points and four assists per game despite averaging fewer than 26 minutes per game. Thomas was also incredibly productive in 2013-14 when he started and played heavy minutes for the Kings. Per BasketballReference.com, Thomas was one of just four players to average at least 20 points and six assists during the 2013-14 campaign. The other three members of that exclusive club were: Steph Curry, James Harden and Kyrie Irving.

* Monta Ellis is definitely durable (he’s played at least 80 games in four of the last five seasons) and he’s an offensive force, averaging at least 19 points per game in each of the last seven seasons.

* Danny Green was one of just two players last season to average a block, steal and three-pointer per game in 2014-15 (Draymond Green was the other).

* Dwyane Wade is obviously no longer the player he once was, but he is a still capable of playing at an elite level. While durability is definitely a concern (he’s missed a total of 48 games over the last two seasons), his performance on the floor is still awfully impressive. Last season, he was one of just six players to average at least 21 points, 4.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds.

* In 2014-15, Eric Gordon shot above 45 percent from three-point territory and over 80 percent from the free throw stripe (joining Kyle Korver as the only other player in this exclusive club).

* Rajon Rondo is a career 26 percent three-point shooter and last season he became the first player in NBA history shorter than 6’6 to shoot below 40 percent from the free-throw line over the course of a full NBA campaign.