It is that time of the year where minutes are all in funk, half the league seems to be injured and as a result, a whole bunch of no-name players are getting plenty of usage. It makes for quite the challenge, but if you are paying attention, this is the largest advantage of the season. We’ve got 10 games to work with. Let me show you how it came together for my cash game lineup.
As always, please make sure to monitor the lineups rolling in right before game time, as that often will be the difference between cashing or not.
Create FanDuel lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool 
Point Guard
Cameron Payne (CHI): $5,600 vs MIL
When Payne was thrown into the fire, he immediately started playing quality basketball and it hasn’t stopped for one moment. Now that he is getting more minutes, his price has climbed, but not quickly enough. He is a great bet to score 20+ FanDuel points for the 7th time in 8 games tonight and may even hit 6x value in the process.
Tyler Johnson (MIA): $4,700 @ OKC
Johnson offers both a steady floor of 20+ FanDuel points every single night plus a huge ceiling, as we saw two weeks ago when he lit up the Wizards for 42.6 FanDuel points. If you have the money, spending up on Eric Bledsoe makes plenty of sense, but for what my lineup was able to afford, I’ll gladly accept the safety of Johnson.
It is that time of the year where minutes are all in funk, half the league seems to be injured and as a result, a whole bunch of no-name players are getting plenty of usage. It makes for quite the challenge, but if you are paying attention, this is the largest advantage of the season. We’ve got 10 games to work with. Let me show you how it came together for my cash game lineup.
As always, please make sure to monitor the lineups rolling in right before game time, as that often will be the difference between cashing or not.
Create FanDuel lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool
Point Guard
Cameron Payne (CHI): $5,600 vs MIL
When Payne was thrown into the fire, he immediately started playing quality basketball and it hasn’t stopped for one moment. Now that he is getting more minutes, his price has climbed, but not quickly enough. He is a great bet to score 20+ FanDuel points for the 7th time in 8 games tonight and may even hit 6x value in the process.
Tyler Johnson (MIA): $4,700 @ OKC
Johnson offers both a steady floor of 20+ FanDuel points every single night plus a huge ceiling, as we saw two weeks ago when he lit up the Wizards for 42.6 FanDuel points. If you have the money, spending up on Eric Bledsoe makes plenty of sense, but for what my lineup was able to afford, I’ll gladly accept the safety of Johnson.
Shooting Guard
Khris Middleton (MIL): $8,100 @ CHI
I mentioned Bledsoe who has been tearing it up for the Bucks, but it is Middleton tonight who may be their top play with Giannis Antetokounmpo ruled out with a sprained ankle. The Bucks have an implied total of 111 points tonight and with the way Middleton has been playing coupled with an increase in usage rate, he is among the best bets on the slate to hit value tonight.
Damion Lee (ATL): $3,700 @ GS
Lee has only has five games under his belt and a few of them have been rough, but at just 5 FanDuel points below value, there isn’t much risk. He does offer 8x upside, however, and has reached 20+ FanDuel points in three of those five games. In an up-tempo contest versus the Warriors, I’m drooling all over the Hawks’ new starting guard at his value price-point.
Small Forward
LeBron James (CLE): $13,100 vs PHO
Yes, I saw the price. It is extremely high. Have you seen what he is doing lately for DFS lineups? 71.9 FanDuel points, 72.4, 69.6, 69.8, and 68.9 over the last five games is just bonkers. He might not offer a ton of upside in terms of value here, but in a terrific matchup against the Suns, he is as safe as you’ll find on the slate.
Michael Beasley (NYK): $5,900 vs MIN
After Beasley went on a terror for the Knicks, they suddenly fazed him out of the lineup. Finally, they have been giving him more minutes again and the DFS results are back. In his last four games, Beasley has averaged 33.4 FanDuel points. The Timberwolves are not the easiest matchup, but you’ve got to take advantage of his low price-point before it jumps all the way up to where it belongs.
Power Forward
Kevin Love (CLE): $7,500 vs PHO
Love is back after missing an extended period of time and he has looked incredible in his first two games. He posted 36.4 FanDuel points versus the Bucks then dropped 45.4 against the Raptors Wednesday evening. The Cavs ramped his minutes up from 24 to 29 in his first two games so we might just see him get over 30 minutes tonight in a fast-paced game versus the poor defending Suns.
Jabari Parker (MIL): $5,700 @ CHI
Jabari has slowly seen his minutes climb since returning from injury and he is finally up to 30 as of Wednesday. While it is no guarantee that he will stay there, you’ve got to be encouraged by his consistent performances of 22.8 or more FanDuel points now in four straight games including the 37.7 outing Wednesday against the Clips. With Giannis out, Parker’s usage rate could further increase.
Center
Dewayne Dedmon (ATL): $5,600 @ GS
The Warriors are starting a bunch of nobodies right now so it should come as no surprise that the Hawks are expected to put up quite a few points this evening against them. Dedmon has been playing excellent basketball over the last week with over 35 FanDuel points per game including a huge outing against Rudy Gobert and the Jazz. He should have no trouble smashing value once again tonight.
Others I love this evening
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