With the way the NBA is today, it seems like every team in the NBA has a whole slew of competent guards taking up space on the bench, waiting for their chance to shine. Whether it is because rule changes have made it easier for guards to thrive or if there are just more capable players in the backcourt overall, there seems to be an inexhaustible supply of players at the position.
This shift isn't anything new, but it feels like it has become more pronounced than ever this season. In a CBSSports.com standard H2H scoring league, there are as many guards averaging 40-plus Fantasy points per game as forwards at 37-plus; there are as many guards averaging 35-plus as forwards averaging 33-plus; and there are 24 guards averaging at least 30 Fantasy points per game, compared to just 16 at the forward position. No matter how you slice it up, the forward position lags well behind their counterparts in the backcourt.
This makes it easier for Fantasy owners to uncover gems at the guard position, and judging by my twitter replies, this is a priority for many of you. "Should I drop Jordan Clarkson for Isaiah Canaan?" "Add Aaron Brooks?????" "Randy Foye or Gary Harris?"
You see the problem with these kind of questions, right? Sure, Brooks is going to get plenty of playing time in Chicago, and he is exactly the kind of player who can get hot and pour in points when given the opportunity. However, what are the chances Brooks is actually a difference maker at the guard position? Or Canaan, who I like more than Brooks, for that matter? As Foye and Harris have shown in Denver, not every opportunity for an increase in playing time works out.
There are so many good guards available now, and new ones seem to pop up every few days. For a while, it was Langston Galloway or Jordan Clarkson who were on the top of the most-added list. Then it was Canaan. Now, Brooks and Avery Bradley, both of whom have been added in at least 20 percent of CBSSports.com leagues over the last week. A quick glance at the guards ranked 45-54 in H2H leagues right now gives a good example of how easy it is to find help at the position:
45. Mo Williams
46. Deron Williams
47. Danny Green
48. Rajon Rondo
49. Gerald Henderson
50. Jordan Clarkson
51. J.R. Smith
52. Langston Galloway
53. Lou Williams
54. Isaiah Canaan
Keeping a roster spot open at the end of your bench to take a chance on these guys is a smart idea, because there's always the potential one of them has a Jeremy Lin-like run in him. However, we're talking about solid players with some upside who nonetheless might not even be starting Fantasy options in a standard league.
Unless you've been devastated by injury at guard, it is possible to overrate these waiver-wire guards. If it comes down to dropping Alex Len or Danilo Gallinari to pick up the latest hot trend at guard, I wouldn't do it; if this season has taught us anything, it's that there will always be another guard to scoop up.
