Emmy Predictions 2017: Who Will Likely Get Nominated for Guest Actor in a Drama Series?

From June 12 to June 26, voting is taking place for The 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. To add to the excitement of the past year in television, I'm providing analysis on which shows and performers are likely to get nominated this year. Next up is Guest Actor in a Drama Series.

2016 Nominees:
        Mahershala Ali for Netflix's House of Cards

        Hank Azaria for Showtime's Ray Donovan (WINNER)
        Reg E. Cathey for Netflix's House of Cards
        Michael J. Fox for CBS' The Good Wife
        Paul Sparks for Netflix's House of Cards
        Max von Sydow for HBO's Game of Thrones

Last year this category proved that Emmy voters love the actors on House of Cards. That's important to remember in all of these categories. However, none of the three nominated here last year are once again eligible - Ali and Cathey didn't appear at all while Sparks moved up to Supporting. So, the category could make room for the other talent from House of Cards or it may not. Similarly, the guest acting fields honored a lot of performers from The Good Wife. But will the same also be true of The Good Fight? There are a trio of performers with solid shots but it's unclear if the voters have enough awareness of the series. Azaria is the only performer from last year to be eligible again. So, his slot seems safe. But he'll be battling against former winners and an influx of memorable performances as well.

So now, here's my thoughts on the performers must likely to be nominated for Guest Actor in a Drama Series:

1. Hank Azaria for Showtime's Ray Donovan
2. Ben Mendelsohn for Netflix's Bloodline
3. Gerald McRaney for NBC's This Is Us
4. BD Wong for USA's Mr. Robot
5. Lars Mikkelsen for Netflix's House of Cards
6. Dylan Baker for CBS All Access' The Good Fight

And now, for some serious threats that could break into the list:

1. Matthew Perry and John Cameron Mitchell for CBS All Access' The Good Fight
2. Brian Tyree Henry and Denis O'Hare for NBC's This Is Us
3. Beau Bridges for Showtime's Masters of Sex
4. Reed Birney for Netflix's House of Cards
5. David Strathain, Danny Strong and Rob Morrow for Showtime's Billions
6. Jermaine Clement for FX's Legion
7. Ron Cephas Jones and Brian Stokes Mitchell for USA's Mr. Robot
8. Dan Bucatinsky, Brian Letscher and Ricardo Chavira for ABC's Scandal

Some considerable long-shots:

1. Orlando Jones, Corbin Bernsen, Peter Stormare, Omid Abtahi, Mousa Kraish and Jonathan Tucker for Starz's American Gods
2. Shaun Toub and Dominic Fumusa for Showtime's Homeland
3. John Legend for WGN America's Underground
4. Brian Cox and Simon Russell Beale for Showtime's Penny Dreadful
5. Glynn Turman for OWN's Queen Sugar
6. Jason Ritter for Amazon's Goliath
7. Hal Holbrook for ABC's Grey's Anatomy
8. Anthony Edwards and Peter Gallagher for NBC's Law & Order: SVU
9. David Straithairn for Amazon's Z: The Beginning of Everything

And now, just some colorful oddities who still have an outside chance:

1. Kenny Johnson for A&E's Bates Motel
2. Stephen Root for Amazon's The Man in the High Castle
3. Bill Cobbs for OWN's Greenleaf
4. Ben Vareen and Malcolm-Jamal Warner for Amazon's Sneaky Pete
5. Tom Verica for ABC's How to Get Away With Murder
6. Jonathan Cake for Showtime's The Affair
7. Christopher Lloyd for Syfy's 12 Monkeys
8. Steven Weber for Netflix's 13 Reasons Why

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with my choices? Let me know in the comments below!