Have you felt like you missed out in your draft after failing to draft an entire group of talented players? To help you navigate your upcoming H2H category drafts, let's talk tiers.
Tier-based drafting is all about looking for maximum talent/production at the best price. Each position has a different point where there is a considerable drop off in talent and opportunity. This methodology provides you a clear picture of the strengths and weaknesses of a position. It allows you to make calculated and impactful decisions during the draft, and it helps you avoid erratic ones that can leave you short-handed at a key position.
Here is a basic grid for H2H Categories leagues, along with some analysis to summarize each of the five positions. As a reminder, it's a good best practice to make your own tiers and embrace your opinions. You'll be even more cool, calm and collected during your draft or auction, and come away feeling like you did your due diligence leading up to draft day.
Point guard
Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard are in a tier of their own based on their Usage Rate and Player Efficiency Rating. Both ranked in the top 5 at the point guard position in these metrics. ... Tier 2 and Tier 3 options such as Trae Young, Luka Doncic and LaMelo Ball are also excellent options. ... LaMelo Ball could take a huge step forward and be one of the top point guards in the league by the end of the season. ... Tiers 4 and 5 are all solid options but do carry some risks. De'Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton and Ja Morant are intriguing fantasy options from this tier, but each have questions. Fox struggles at the line. Haliburton has competition for playing time. And Morant still needs to prove he can be a consistent threat from 3-point land.
Shooting guard
You'll have plenty of viable options in Tiers 1 through 5. James Harden has a defined role with the Nets and ranked No. 7 in fantasy on a per game basis in fantasy last season. He's in a great position to return top-5 value. According to Basketball Reference, Fred VanVleet was just the third player behind Harden and Curry in NBA history to average 4.0 or more rebounds, 6.0 or more assists, and more than 1.5 steals per game. ... Zach LaVine ranked 25th in 9-category leagues last year. He can still be very productive from a fantasy lens even with the Bulls' offseason additions. ... Caris LeVert averaged an impressive 20.7 points, 4.9 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 0.7 blocks, 1.8 3-pointers and 2.2 turnovers during the second half of the season. ... Nickeil Alexander-Walker provides you with consistent scoring, high end production in 3-pointers as well as a steady flow of assists and steals. The Pelicans traded away Lonzo Ball and Eric Bledsoe this summer which should provide Alexander-Walker with additional minutes.
Small forward
Durant is the epitome of a risk-reward player, but was simply marvelous on a per-game basis last season after returning from the devastating Achilles injury. It remains to be seen if Durant will stay healthy the entire season, but the Nets are likely to implement a load management strategy with their star forward. Be ready for that. ... The Lakers could do the same with 36-year old superstar LeBron James, who will play alongside Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook. ... The most value at this position is in Tier 3, with players such as Michael Porter Jr. and OG Anunoby. Anunoby was touted as a breakout candidate last season and he's delivered on the hype; he ranked No. 25 overall in nine-category leagues and is well-positioned to surpass expectations again this season. If you find yourself having to prioritize a player in Tier 5 as a potential starter then Saddiq Bey is worth considering. He has a chance to become a key contributor in the Pistons' rotation who gets north of 30 minutes per game.
Power forward
Giannis Antetokounmpo, the No. 2 player in fantasy hoops, is in a tier of his own at power forward. He's a multi-faceted producer, but with that comes sub-optimal free throw shooting. Giannis posted a 68.5 FT% last season after 63.3% the year before. If you have Giannis in a category league, you have to work around his one weakness. ... One of the most intriguing players in Tier 2 is Anthony Davis. He's had ample time to rest this offseason and didn't have to deal with a short turnaround time from the previous season, like the Lakers did when they won the championship. Davis will spend more time as a center this season and has a legitimate chance to finish as a top-4 player. ... John Collins has been one of my most targeted players from Tier 3, going off the board in the middle rounds. He signed an enormous five-year contract with the Hawks this offseason and should remain unchallenged for a starting role. ... Tiers 4, 5, and 6 also offers you dependable options, but that changes once you hit the later tiers.
Center
Centers are very valuable in category leagues due to their high FG%, rebounds and blocks, and Tier 1 is full of appealing options. Nikola Jokic was a fantasy dynamo last season. Jokic had the second-highest usage among centers behind Joel Embiid. Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns struggled to stay on the court due to a dislocated left wrist and then COVID-19. If he stays healthy, though, Towns has the talent and skillset to put together the best season of his career. There are a number of very good options in the later tiers; Kelly Olynyk, Steven Adams, Brook Lopez and Nicolas Claxton are appealing options late in drafts.