Field-goal percentage can be a hidden swing category in fantasy basketball, especially when high-usage guards begin to drag down overall team efficiency. Using current fantasy basketball stats, NBA player projections and recent NBA news, this article breaks down 10 notable backcourt players whose shooting percentages have fallen well below expectations. With injuries, role changes and evolving NBA lineups reshaping usage across the league, these trends carry real weight in both season-long formats and long-term roster planning. Whether you're tracking fantasy basketball rankings, monitoring the NBA injury report, or evaluating trade and waiver options, understanding which guards are struggling from the field can give managers a meaningful edge.
10 NBA Guards Tanking Your Field-Goal Percentage in Fantasy Basketball
Derrick White, Celtics 
White has shot below 43 percent just twice in his eight NBA seasons but could be on track to do it again, as he is shooting a career-low 39.7 percent from the field. Part of the reason for the dip is the fact that he is also shooting a career-high 9.4 three-pointers per game and hitting 34.0 percent from deep. However, he shot 9.1 threes last season and still managed a field-goal percentage of 44.2 on the year, which, although being the lowest among his three full seasons with the Celtics, is still significantly better than his current rate. On the other hand, he is also dealing with a lot more defensive attention while having to take on a larger role in the offense with the absence of Jayson
Field-goal percentage can be a hidden swing category in fantasy basketball, especially when high-usage guards begin to drag down overall team efficiency. Using current fantasy basketball stats, NBA player projections and recent NBA news, this article breaks down 10 notable backcourt players whose shooting percentages have fallen well below expectations. With injuries, role changes and evolving NBA lineups reshaping usage across the league, these trends carry real weight in both season-long formats and long-term roster planning. Whether you're tracking fantasy basketball rankings, monitoring the NBA injury report, or evaluating trade and waiver options, understanding which guards are struggling from the field can give managers a meaningful edge.
10 NBA Guards Tanking Your Field-Goal Percentage in Fantasy Basketball
Derrick White, Celtics
White has shot below 43 percent just twice in his eight NBA seasons but could be on track to do it again, as he is shooting a career-low 39.7 percent from the field. Part of the reason for the dip is the fact that he is also shooting a career-high 9.4 three-pointers per game and hitting 34.0 percent from deep. However, he shot 9.1 threes last season and still managed a field-goal percentage of 44.2 on the year, which, although being the lowest among his three full seasons with the Celtics, is still significantly better than his current rate. On the other hand, he is also dealing with a lot more defensive attention while having to take on a larger role in the offense with the absence of Jayson Tatum.
Donte DiVincenzo, Timberwolves 
DiVincenzo is working on his lowest field-goal percentage in the last four seasons and the third-lowest among his eight seasons, as he is shooting just 40.5 percent from the field. Similar to the case of many players on this list, a major reason for the dip in field-goal percentage is the fact that an increasing amount of his shot attempts are coming from long range, as he is averaging 8.1 three-point attempts among his total of 10.6 field-goal attempts per game. However, in addition to a large portion of his shots being from distance, his long-range shooting is struggling in relation to the last three seasons, where he shot better than 39 percent in each.
LaMelo Ball, Hornets 
Ball has yet to average better than 44 percent shooting from the field in a season and is currently working on a 41.1 percent average through 26 games played this campaign. On the other hand, he is showing better efficiency from deep, going from 11.2 three-point attempts with 33.9 percent accuracy last season to 8.8 three-point attempts with 37.1 percent accuracy this season. His current 3.3 made three-pointers per game would be the third-most in his career, matching up behind the only other two seasons where he took more attempts.
Russell Westbrook, Kings 
Although he recently became the highest-scoring point guard in NBA history, it has been a common criticism throughout Westbrook's career that his scoring lacks efficiency. Unfortunately, that is certainly the case this season, as his 41.6 percent shooting from the field represents the lowest mark of his career aside from his rookie season. He is shooting 5.5 threes per game, which makes this just the third time in his career that he is averaging more than five per game, but his finishing from closer range is still lagging enough to drag his overall percentage to such notable lows.
Devin Vassell, Spurs 
Vassell shot 47.2 percent from the field in 2023-24, and then 44.3 percent in 2024-25. However, this year he is down to 42.2 percent shooting, which is on track for the second-lowest mark of his career. His long-range shooting is holding up, as he is hitting 37.9 percent on 7.0 attempts per game, but he is not having the same relative success elsewhere on the court. The recent struggles could be a result of him having a tough time finding his groove in the offense, as the Spurs now have a number of other very capable creators and scorers who are taking up more of the offensive flow compared to recent seasons.
Bennedict Mathurin, Pacers 
At the beginning of the season, it seemed that Mathurin had the path laid out for a perfect opportunity to take his game to the next level, as his squad needed someone to help fill the offensive void left in the absence of Tyrese Haliburton. However, after a dominant first couple of games, he was struck with an injury that kept him out for about three weeks. Since then, despite averaging 16.6 points per game, he has not been able to establish a great rhythm, shooting just 40.9 percent from the field over his last 22 games. Some of his struggles could be affected by the team's injury issues, but it is more likely that he is still getting used to an expanded role and more defensive attention, as his squad is looking to him as a preferred offensive option.
Immanuel Quickley, Raptors 
Quickley is shooting just 43.0 percent from the field, which is unimpressively on pace for his third-best mark in his six seasons. Just over half of his 13.0 field-goal attempts per game are three-pointers, of which he is knocking down a decent 35.7 percent. Nonetheless, he is filling an important role by pushing the pace for a talented and sizable lineup around him, delivering a career-best 6.2 assists per game.
James Harden, Clippers 
As another player who takes a significant amount of shots from deep, Harden has shot above 45 percent from the field just three times in his 16 seasons. He is knocking down 43.3 percent of his shots this season, which is actually better than his previous two campaigns with the Clippers. He is also averaging more than nine three-point attempts per game for a fifth time in his career, hitting 35.8 percent from the outside. Although he has shot larger volume from long range in the past, at 36 years old, he is less able to augment his efficiency with as many drives to the basket and creative finishes, contributing to a lower overall shooting percentage in recent years.
Anfernee Simons, Celtics
Despite shooting just 43.3 percent from the field, Simons is working on the fourth-best shooting percentage among his eight seasons. After shooting over eight threes per game during the last three seasons, he is down to 6.5 threes per game in a significantly decreased role with his new squad. However, the reduction in responsibility has not been helpful in him finding his rhythm, as he has only reached the 20-point mark six times in 35 games, which is a significant drop back from the 38 instances in 70 outings last season.
Quentin Grimes, 76ers 
Grimes is hitting just 43.5 percent from the field this season but is also knocking down 36.5 percent of his career-high 6.6 three-point attempts per game. However, he has recorded better than 46 percent from the field twice in his previous four campaigns and has shot better than 38 percent from the field in three of those seasons. After starting during most of his time with the 76ers last season, he is back in a bench role, which could also be affecting his ability to find his comfort zone.
