Rankings are all well and good, but how close are players in value, really? Is the gap between the top-ranked point guard and the fourth-ranked point guard chiasmic? How about the gap from 17 on through 29? Tiers can help illustrate a closer approximation of value and show which players share similar ranges of outcomes.

This is the first in our series of positional tiers — which assume a standard 9-category format: PTS, REB, AST, STL, BLK, FG%, 3PM, FT% and TO — and we’ll be breaking down each position over the next week.

Tier 1: Best of the Best

Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Luka Doncic, James Harden

These guys represent the cream of the crop among PGs this season. There’s a legitimate argument to put Curry and Dame in a tier of their own (or Curry in a tier by himself, for that matter), but Harden definitely belongs in this group. Luka’s inclusion depends on his ability to improve his FT% and cut down on turnovers, but the monstrous counting stats can’t be brushed aside.

Even among this talented tier, Curry is the only one who rivals Nikola Jokic for first-pick honors in fantasy drafts this season.

Tier 2: Elite Options

Trae Young, Fred VanVleet, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving, LaMelo Ball

Trae Young’s breakout campaign put Atlanta back in the playoff conversation.

These guys are a step below the top-four. The two biggest risers here are SGA and FVV, who could be ready to take the next step forward and finish with second-round value this season. We know what Young, CP3, and Kyrie can do, but fantasy managers and basketball fans alike are sure to be following LaMelo’s season closely to see how he follows up a spectacular season that culminated in Kia NBA Rookie of the Year honors.

Tier 3: Star Floor Generals

LeBron James, Jrue Holiday, Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker, Malcolm Brogdon

LeBron James enters his 19th season with some injury risk for Fantasy GMs.

The King sinks to Tier 3 this season for a number of reasons: He’s entering his 19th(!) season, Russell Westbrook was added with the likely intent of lightening James’ usage, and he’s starting to show signs of being mortal. Over the last three seasons, LBJ’s games played are: 55, 67, and 45 respectively. He’s not falling off a cliff, and he’s a borderline second-round fantasy pick yet again. He finished as the eighth player with PG eligibility last season in per-game average, and I have him 11th for the season ahead: still great on a per-game basis, but expect a slight decline. The rest of the tier are proven fantasy standouts.

Tier 4: Great Guards

De’Aaron Fox, Lonzo Ball, Russell Westbrook, CJ McCollum, Mike Conley, Terry Rozier, Ja Morant, Tyrese Haliburton, Kyle Lowry, Dejounte Murray, Darius Garland, Derrick White, Collin Sexton, Cade Cunningham

This is the biggest tier of them all, and for good reason. There are so many great PGs this season with very diverse skillsets. If you haven’t grabbed a PG at this stage of the draft, opting instead for elite frontcourt players or tremendous wings, now’s the time to get a sure-fire starter on your squad. There are some obvious risks tied to each of these guys, but any of them are capable of playing their way into the next tier up.

Tier 5: Good (but not great)

D’Angelo Russell, Marcus Smart, Spencer Dinwiddie, Reggie Jackson, Devonte’ Graham, Ben Simmons, Dennis Schroder

There are some quality options among this group of players, and if your best PG comes out of Tier 5, you might not be in bad shape. This is the last tier of players you’ll likely be comfortable with as a top option at the position. Among them are guys ready to take on increased workloads (Smart, Dinwiddie, Jackson), a pair of Celtics, and a player who’s drawn the ire of more than one fantasy manager after a playoff collapse.

Tier 6: Serviceable Plays

Jalen Suggs, John Wall, Jordan Clarkson, Kemba Walker, Donte DiVincenzo

NYC native Kemba Walker is back for the first time as a member of his hometown New York Knicks.

Suggs is yet unproven in the NBA, Wall has plenty of health concerns, and you’d be counting on Clarkson to replicate that awesome Kia NBA Sixth Man season.

How will Kemba split time with Derrick Rose in the Knicks backcourt? And can DiVincenzo continue to play solid enough basketball to warrant a spot in your lineups?

Tier 7: Late-Rounders

T.J. McConnell, De’Anthony Melton, Malik Beasley, Eric Bledsoe, Facundo Campazzo, Derrick Rose, Monte Morris, Seth Curry, Victor Oladipo

This is the group with the biggest question marks, and these guys shouldn’t be on your radar until the later rounds of fantasy drafts, if at all. McConnell will likely face more competition for usage this season, Melton is a per-minute darling with no clear path to minutes, and Beasley will cede offensive opportunities to Anthony Edwards, D’Angelo Russell, and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Campazzo and Morris will split minutes at PG with Jamal Murray out, Bledsoe is coming off a career-worst season, Curry is just a 3-point specialist, Dipo is injured once again, and Rose will split time with Kemba Walker.