The NBA regular season is a mere three days away and it is officially crunch time for fantasy leagues. eDraft will be providing a top ten list of guards, forwards and centers to assist you in drafting the top-tier talent. Continue to check in with us as reap the rewards.

We delve into our top-ten fantasy guards by ranking the cream of the crop among the backcourts stars in the Association. Keep in mind that multiple fantasy sites may have certain players as eligibles for more than one position. For the purpose of this ranking the mentioned players are being considered only as guards.

When it comes to drafting a guard in fantasy hoops it is akin to drafting a quarterback in fantasy football; you must get yourself a good one. Picking a top-tier player is essential for success here. There are many serviceable guards in the Association; however, only a select few will offer those kind of super fantasy stats that ultimately separate the good fantasy teams from the average. With this in mind, here are eDraft’s top ten fantasy guards.

1. Kyrie Irving - Cleveland Cavaliers

Alright, I’m going out on a bit of a limb putting Irving ahead of the rest of the pack here, but ultimately this comes down to up-side and potential; both of which Irving has in spades. The Cavaliers have a revamped roster that should bring plenty of flair and excitement back to the city. Running the show there is of course Irving who had another outstanding season as he posted averages of 22.5 ppg, 5.9 apg and 3.7 rpg. With the new pieces in place and the roster upgrades all-around, Irving will improve on these already fantastic numbers.

2. James Harden - Houston Rockets

There is no doubt that Harden has proven himself as a top-tier fantasy option. He had a real breakout year last season in Houston as he finally garnered starter-like minutes. This season he has Dwight Howard as his new teammate and with Howard came a mountain of expectations and intensified exposure. While I see Harden having an equally great year statistically, I don’t see the potential for him to really improve too greatly upon last season. Harden’s field goal attempts per game should go down and so long as his percentages don’t dip too greatly then I expect his scoring average to remain around 21-24 ppg.

3. Derrick Rose - Chicago Bulls

The wildcard in the fantasy guard sweepstakes is without a doubt Rose. Folks are anxious to see just how sturdy that knee is and just how much confidence Rose has in it. If the exhibition games are any indication, Rose is feeling great and is playing free of concern or worry. A healthy Rose equates to an extremely productive fantasy-stud who gives you scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. I’m ranking Rose behind Harden by the slimmest of margins and only due to his return from injury.

4. Chris Paul - Los Angeles Clippers

Paul is poised to have a monster season as the floor leader for the Clippers. If it not for the balanced talent and depth of the Clippers; Paul would easily be ranked as the top fantasy guard. As it stands Paul is an early season favorite for MVP and he certainly seems ready for the regular season to get under way. Last week Paul dropped 40 points and registered a near triple-double against Denver, not bad for preseason action. Only two drawbacks for Paul are his lingering knee injury concerns and the fact that there are numerous scoring options on the roster to lighten his load.

5. Stephen Curry - Golden State Warriors

Curry can be a top-five player in the league, he can also be a twisted ankle away from a 30 day stint on the sidelines. Coupled with the fact that Curry logs heavy minutes a night and those injury concerns become all that more real. The Warriors need a healthy Curry to sustain a deep playoff run; fantasy owners need a healthy Curry to make a run at their league championship.

6. Deron Williams - Brooklyn Nets

The beneficiary of numerous roster changes, Williams figures to have a resurgence type year as he resumes he rightful role as floor general and creator. Williams will be able to succeed with all the new pieces around him because the majority of the new players are not shot creators, they rely on getting the ball in a scoring position. This suits Williams’ game nicely as he flourishes in the open floor creating for others and scoring as defences cheat off him.

7. Paul George - Indiana Pacers

George is now the leader of the Pacers and he will need to continue to play like it for the team to have a legitimate chance in the East. George has increased his per game scoring by 5 points per game in each of his last two seasons. It would be unreasonably to think that another 5 point scoring bump is forthcoming. Even still a solid 18 ppg average is attainable and so are 4 apg and 6.5 rpg.

8. John Wall - Washington Wizards

A healthy Wall is as good as they come, three straight seasons of amazing fantasy stats are marred only by minor injuries that have prevented Wall from playing full seasons. Wall is healthy and has some level of familiarity with his backcourt mate Bradley Beal now. With an average Wall-type year he is easily a top-ten fantasy talent; if Wall exceeds his career averages he could propel himself into a top-five fantasy bargain.

9. Kemba Walker - Charlotte Bobcats

This third-year player has shown steady improvement since his inaugural game in the Association. Walker faced heavy criticism from day one and he has done everything to dispel his naysayers. Now teamed with more offensive firepower, Walker’s stat line will see an increase across the board. Assist averages over 6.0 pg and rebounding numbers around 4.0 pg will become the norm all the while his scoring averages will hold steady at 20 ppg. Walker can be had for a real bargain in most fantasy formats as his reputation and exposure is diminished playing in Charlotte.

10. Ricky Rubio - Minnesota Timberwolves

I love watching this kid play ball, I’m not however a big fantasy believed in Rubio. He is still an extremely talented player who can make amazing passes; however, he must establish his offense and that alone is what suppresses Rubio’s fantasy value. He remains a top-ten fantasy talent despite the inconsistencies in his game.