Fantasy Basketball 2025-2026: 10 guards tanking your field-goal percentage
Dan Bruno highlights high-use guards dragging down Fantasy field-goal percentages
By
Dan Bruno
•
5 min read
Field-goal percentage can quietly swing fantasy matchups, especially when high-usage guards start piling up inefficient nights. Whether it's the result of tougher defensive attention, expanded offensive roles, or a growing reliance on 3-point volume, several notable backcourt players are having trouble converting their looks this season. In this article, we highlight 10 guards whose shooting efficiency has dipped well below expectations, examining the trends behind their struggles and what they mean for fantasy managers. From established stars to emerging scorers, these players present important decisions on whether to stay patient, adjust expectations, or explore roster alternatives.
White has shot below 43 percent just twice in his eight NBA seasons, but could be on track to do it again, as he is shooting a career-low 39.7 percent from the field. Part of the reason for the dip is the fact that he is also shooting a career-high 9.4 3-pointers per game and hitting 34 percent from deep. However, he shot 9.1 3s last season and still managed a field-goal percentage of 44.2 on the year, which, although being the lowest among his three full seasons with the Celtics, is still significantly better than his current rate. On the other hand, he is also dealing with a lot more defensive attention while having to take on a larger role in the offense with the absence of Jayson Tatum.
Donte DiVincenzo, Timberwolves
DiVincenzo is working on his lowest field-goal percentage in the last four seasons and the third-lowest among his eight seasons, as he is shooting just 40.5 percent from the field. Similar to the case of many players on this list, a major reason for the dip in field-goal percentage is the fact that an increasing amount of his shot attempts are coming from long range, as he is averaging 8.1 3-point attempts among his total of 10.6 field-goal attempts per game. However, in addition to a large portion of his shots being from distance, his long-range shooting is struggling in relation to the last three seasons, where he shot better than 39 percent in each.
Ball has yet to average better than 44 percent shooting from the field in a season and is currently working on a 41.1 percent average through 26 games played this campaign. On the other hand, he is showing better efficiency from deep, going from 11.2 3-point attempts with 33.9 percent accuracy last season to 8.8 3-point attempts with 37.1 percent accuracy this season. His current 3.3 made 3-pointers per game would be the third-most in his career, matching up behind the only other two seasons where he took more attempts.
Although he recently became the highest-scoring point guard in NBA history, it has been a common criticism throughout Westbrook's career that his scoring lacks efficiency. Unfortunately, that is certainly the case this season, as his 41.6 percent shooting from the field represents the lowest mark of his career aside from his rookie season. He is shooting 5.5 3s per game, which makes this just the third time in his career that he is averaging more than five per game, but his finishing from closer range is still lagging enough to drag his overall percentage to such notable lows.
Vassell shot 47.2 percent from the field in 2023-24, and then 44.3 percent in 2024-25. However, this year he is down to 42.2 percent shooting, which is on track for the second-lowest mark of his career. His long-range shooting is holding up, as he is hitting 37.9 percent on seven attempts per game, but he is not having the same relative success elsewhere on the court. The recent struggles could be a result of him having a tough time finding his groove in the offense, as the Spurs now have a number of other very capable creators and scorers who are taking up more of the offensive flow compared to recent seasons.
At the beginning of the season, it seemed that Mathurin had the path laid out for a perfect opportunity to take his game to the next level, as his squad needed someone to help fill the offensive void left in the absence of Tyrese Haliburton. However, after a dominant first couple of games, he was struck with an injury that kept him out for about three weeks. Since then, despite averaging 16.6 points per game, he has not been able to establish a great rhythm, shooting just 40.9 percent from the field over his last 22 games. Some of his struggles could be affected by the team's injury issues, but it is more likely that he is still getting used to an expanded role and more defensive attention, as his squad is looking to him as a preferred offensive option.
Quickley is shooting just 43 percent from the field, which is unimpressively on pace for his third-best mark in his six seasons. Just over half of his 13 field-goal attempts per game are 3-pointers, of which he is knocking down a decent 35.7 percent. Nonetheless, he is filling an important role by pushing the pace for a talented and sizable lineup around him, delivering a career-best 6.2 assists per game.
As another player who takes a significant amount of shots from deep, Harden has shot above 45 percent from the field just three times in his 16 seasons. He is knocking down 43.3 percent of his shots this season, which is actually better than his previous two campaigns with the Clippers. He is also averaging more than nine 3-point attempts per game for a fifth time in his career, hitting 35.8 percent from the outside. Although he has shot larger volumes from long range in the past, at 36 years old, he is less able to augment his efficiency with as many drives to the basket and creative finishes, contributing to a lower overall shooting percentage in recent years.
Anfernee Simons, Celtics
Despite shooting just 43.3 percent from the field, Simons is working on the fourth-best shooting percentage of his eight seasons. After shooting over eight 3s per game during the last three seasons, he is down to 6.5 3s per game in a significantly decreased role with his new squad. However, the reduction in responsibility has not been helpful in him finding his rhythm, as he has only reached the 20-point mark six times in 35 games, which is a significant drop back from the 38 instances in 70 outings last season.
Grimes is hitting just 43.5 percent from the field this season, but is also knocking down 36.5 percent of his career-high 6.6 3-point attempts per game. However, he has recorded better than 46 percent from the field twice in his previous four campaigns and has shot better than 38 percent from the field in three of those seasons. After starting during most of his time with the 76ers last season, he is back in a bench role, which could also be affecting his ability to find his comfort zone.
