To construct a profitable fantasy girls’s basketball workforce, you do not have to spend tons of time making ready. You simply want a plan.
That is the place breaking the positions into draft tiers could be extraordinarily useful. These fantasy managers who do some further work to know which gamers and positions to give attention to early within the draft and which to go away till the center or later rounds achieve an enormous benefit.
On the idea of our projections and tiers, the ahead/middle place is way deeper than the guard place this season, so you’ll want to issue that in when making your choices.
With that in thoughts, listed here are our draft tiers at guard for this season.
Tier 1
Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm
Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas Wings
After Breanna Stewart’s departure from Seattle to the New York Liberty, Loyd stepped as much as fill the void. She averaged a career-high 24.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and three.4 APG in 35.4 minutes, boasting a powerful utilization charge of 31.5%. Regardless of the Storm’s addition of Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike to the roster this offseason, Loyd is predicted to take care of a excessive utilization charge and stays worthy of a high choose in drafts. She demonstrated her means to coexist with Stewart and Sue Chook throughout their time collectively in Seattle.
Ogunbowale can also be one other secure choose. She averaged 21.2 PPG, 4.5 APG, 3.7 RPG and 1.7 SPG whereas taking part in a profession excessive 37.2 minutes final season. The Wings offense will proceed to revolve round her, and he or she could possibly be leaned on much more with Satou Sabally set to overlook the primary half of the season as she rehabs a shoulder harm.
You possibly can’t go mistaken with Loyd or Ogunbowale early within the draft.
Tier 2
Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
Chelsea Grey, Las Vegas Aces
Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
Skylar Diggins-Smith, Seattle Storm
Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas Aces
Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
Brittney Sykes, Washington Mystics
Kahleah Copper, Phoenix Mercury
Jackie Younger, Las Vegas Aces
The one participant on this tier fantasy managers can have questions on is Clark. You must really feel comfy including the rookie to your fantasy workforce. Clark was drafted No. 1 total by the Indiana Fever and will command a excessive utilization charge out of the gate, similar to Aliyah Boston and Rhyne Howard because the top-over choose within the two earlier seasons. Clark was the primary participant in Division I historical past, males or girls’s, to succeed in 3,000 factors and 1,000 assists. Her ability set will translate properly to the WNBA. The availability of viable guards in fantasy hoops is restricted so do not hesitate to pick anybody on this tier.
Kelsey Plum receives vital consideration, and rightfully so, on an Aces workforce that led the league in offensive ranking final season. Nonetheless, Chelsea Grey shouldn’t be neglected. She lately signed a contract extension and averaged 15.3 PPG, 7.3 APG, and 4.0 RPG final season. Regardless of injuring her left foot throughout the Finals final season, Grey is predicted to be wholesome by the beginning of the common season. Whereas Plum is understood for her scoring skills, Grey may contribute throughout different statistical classes.
The Sky have undergone vital roster modifications since profitable the championship again in 2021, and Kahleah Copper now finds herself on a rebuilding Phoenix Mercury workforce after being one of many large offseason acquisitions. Whereas she will not be the first possibility on a Phoenix workforce that features Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner, Copper stays a strong fantasy possibility because of her means to contribute throughout a number of statistical classes. Final season, Copper averaged 18.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.0 APG, and 1.0 SPG in 31.2 minutes, and we mission comparable numbers for her in 2024.
Tier 3
Courtney Vandersloot, New York Liberty
Allisha Grey, Atlanta Dream
Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever
Marina Mabrey, Chicago Sky
Courtney Williams, Minnesota Lynx
Jordin Canada, Atlanta Dream
Do not let Vandersloot’s teammates like Stewart, Ionescu and Jonquel Jones deter you from including her to your fantasy workforce. Final season, the Liberty had the second-highest offensive ranking (109.6), surpassed solely by the Las Vegas Aces (113.0). This favorable setting units the stage for Vandersloot to proceed thriving. She averaged 10.5 PPG, 8.1 APG, and 1.3 SPG final season. Any guard on this tier is a strong selection when you prioritize the F/C place early in your draft.
Tier 4
Ariel Atkins, Washington Mystics
Kayla McBride, Minnesota Lynx
Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury
Lexie Brown, Los Angeles Sparks
Diamond Miller, Minnesota Lynx
Moriah Jefferson, Connecticut Solar
Miller was somebody I discussed in my sleepers column. She needs to be wholesome heading into the 2024 season after averaging 12.1 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and a pair of.5 APG in 26.1 minutes as a rookie final season. Miller is poised to exceed expectations. Regardless of Taurasi being 41 years previous, she averaged 16.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and 4.6 APG in 27.3 MPG final season. Whereas her workload could also be managed all through the season, leading to missed video games, Taurasi stays productive when wholesome. As a hedge, fantasy managers ought to contemplate choosing Sug Sutton close to the tail finish of their drafts, offering a plug-and-play possibility for the video games Taurasi misses.
Tier 5
Diamond DeShields, Chicago Sky
Dana Evans, Chicago Sky
Sug Sutton, Phoenix Mercury
Natisha Hiedeman, Minnesota Lynx
Jacy Sheldon, Dallas Wings
Sophie Cunningham, Phoenix Mercury
Sami Whitcomb, Seattle Storm
Rebecca Allen, Phoenix Mercury
Erica Wheeler, Indiana Fever
Tier 6
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Washington Mystics
Jordan Horston, Seattle Storm
Aari McDonald, Los Angeles Sparks
Crystal Dangerfield, Dallas Wings
DiJonai Carrington, Connecticut Solar
Tyasha Harris, Connecticut Solar
Kristy Wallace, Indiana Fever
Victoria Vivians, Seattle Storm
Layshia Clarendon, Los Angeles Sparks
Kia Nurse, Los Angeles Sparks