Raptors Sign Sharpshooting Guard Jackson to Battle for a Roster Spot
The former college champ hit 38%-plus from deep his first two years before a junior slump. In Toronto, he's fighting for bench minutes — and fantasy relevance.
Barnes stays the only Raptor worth locking in; the new guard is a deep watch.
- Shot 38%+ from three in first two college seasons
- Slumped from deep as a junior last year
- Signs with Toronto, likely bench-lineup role
- Barnes: 42.1 FPTS/G last season (2025-26)
- Shead: 18.6 FPTS/G last season (2025-26)
The Raptors have added an NCAA champion guard to the mix, signing the former Husky sharpshooter who spent his early career developing as a shooting guard in Milwaukee. The pitch is simple: floor-spacing and athleticism off the bench. He knocked down better than 38% from three across his first two college seasons before a junior-year dip that he'll be looking to reverse in Toronto.
This is a compete-for-a-spot signing, not a rotation lock. He has some starting experience from his Milwaukee days, but the realistic path here runs through bench units — think corner threes and the occasional lob finish rather than featured touches. For a Toronto team hunting for cheap shooting, it's a sensible flier.
What the role actually looks like
Picture him catching lobs from Jamal Shead or spacing the floor off a Scottie Barnes kickout. That's the honest ceiling for now: energy minutes, highlight dunks, and open catch-and-shoot looks. If the three-ball comes back, he sticks. If it doesn't, this is a training-camp story that fades by opening night.
The two Raptors driving those looks are on very different fantasy tiers. Barnes is a genuine building block — he averaged 42.1 fantasy points per game last season (2025-26) with 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists across 80 games, ranking #20 overall (#7 at his position) in our model. Shead is more of a connector, posting 18.6 fantasy points per game last season (2025-26) on 6.6 points and 5.4 assists in 82 games, checking in at #232 overall.
The fantasy takeaway
For redraft purposes, the new guard is off the radar until he actually carves out consistent minutes — deep-league watch only, and even that's generous. Barnes remains the only Toronto player you truly need on your roster, though note his last five games ran 4.3 fantasy points below his season average, so he's cooled slightly. Shead is a streaming option in deep formats when assists spike. Bottom line: file the signing away, keep Barnes locked, and don't spend a waiver claim on a guy fighting for the 14th spot.
