ESPN preseason fantasy tiers reveal early-round focus on point guards, centers
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Point guards and centers account for eight of the 10 selections in the opening round of ESPN’s first 2025-26 NBA fantasy points mock draft, according to a positional tier list released on Oct. 1 by senior writer Dr. André Snellings.
The mock draft’s first round featured no small forwards, a single power forward, one shooting guard, four centers and four point guards. Wings became more common later, with shooting guards, small forwards and power forwards crowding the fourth and eighth rounds.
Snellings grouped players into five primary tiers per position—plus deeper tiers for late picks—based on preseason projections. The breakdown highlights where talent is most concentrated ahead of points-league drafts.
Point guards
More point guards appear in Tiers 1 and 2 than any other position. Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tops Tier 1, joined by Luka Dončić, now with the Lakers following an offseason trade, and Cade Cunningham, who climbed after a breakout season. Tier 4 contains specialists Dyson Daniels (steals) and Derrick White (three-pointers), while Tier 5 lists injured starters Tyler Herro and Darius Garland alongside expanded-role guards Jordan Poole and Kevin Porter Jr.. Russian rookie Egor Demin debuts in Tier 8.
Shooting guards
Anthony Edwards stands alone in Tier 1 for a second consecutive year. Tier 2 includes All-Stars Devin Booker and Jaylen Brown, each expected to shoulder heavier workloads after roster changes, plus third-year guard Amen Thompson. Tier 3 features Donovan Mitchell and three other rising scorers, while Tier 4 is limited to Jalen Green and Austin Reaves. Sophomore Reed Sheppard jumps to Tier 6 as Houston’s backcourt thins, and rookie Dylan Harper appears in Tier 9.
Small forwards
LeBron James, entering his age-40 season, is the lone Tier 1 small forward after finishing ninth in total fantasy points and sixth in per-game average last year. Jalen Williams headlines Tier 2. Top rookie Cooper Flagg shares Tier 3 with Franz Wagner, DeMar DeRozan and durable all-around contributor Josh Hart. Tier 4 features Miles Bridges, Mikal Bridges and Michael Porter Jr., who moves to Brooklyn for a larger role. Deni Avdija sits in Tier 5, while health concerns push Brandon Ingram and Kawhi Leonard into lower tiers. Notables further down include Ausar Thompson (Tier 7) and rookies Ace Bailey and Zaccharie Risacher (Tier 9).
Power forwards
Tier 1 now has two names: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis, who switches from center to power forward for a Mavericks squad deep at center. Pascal Siakam occupies Tier 2 with expected usage gains while Tyrese Haliburton is sidelined. A crowded Tier 3 ranges from veteran Kevin Durant to Zion Williamson. Tiers 4 and 5 list four players, three of whom combine shot-blocking with perimeter offense. No rookie power forwards crack the top tiers, though 2024 first-rounder Matas Buzelis appears in Tier 9.
Centers
Centers dominate Tiers 1 and 2. Nikola Jokić remains the consensus No. 1 overall fantasy pick, while Victor Wembanyama is viewed as his primary challenger. Tier 2 gains new entrant Ivica Zubac after a breakout year. Bam Adebayo is the only Tier 3 center, although dual-eligible power forward Evan Mobley shares the tier. Availability questions push Joel Embiid to Tier 4; he went in the sixth round of the initial mock draft amid limited health updates. Rookie Alex Sarr, the 2024 No. 2 pick, starts in Tier 5, with four classmates in Tier 8 and one in Tier 9.
Snellings advises managers to monitor positional depth and scarcity while drafting, noting that successful rosters often emerge from maximizing value at each stage of the draft.
Source: ESPN
