If you have played NBA DFS this week, then you know how crazy the trade deadline has been. That has now passed, but there are still after effects. There were nearly 20 trades and a number of players waived. Some players will suit up for new teams, other players will not yet be in uniform but regardless, many players will have different roles. This is the most player movement I can remember so it will affect a lot of the teams. Pay attention to the news and use your best judgment. Because of all this player movement, this should be an interesting slate with eight games on the FanDuel main slate.
Three of the eight games tonight have 230-plus projected point totals, with the Minnesota-New Orleans 233.5 being the highest. I will be avoiding the New York-Detroit game with its’ 206-total. There are 13 players that are priced at $9,000 or higher with Anthony Davis (yes, he is supposed to play again tonight but beware of all the drama surrounding this situation) being the top-priced player by a clear margin at $13,000. He is priced $1,000 more than Giannis Antetokounmpo and $1,100 more than Joel Embiid. Karl-Anthony Towns and Nikola Jokic round out the remaining 11k players with both having $11,200 price tags.
There are a lot of ways to construct lineups. Stacking any of the games that are projected to be high-scoring is a good option to consider. You can also look to take the Stars-and-Scrubs approach, where you essentially play higher-priced players and then find low-cost value plays to round out your roster. Today, I went with a more balanced roster. I faded the high-end players, so I have fewer low-end risky punt plays today.
The roster and comments that I provide are intended to be taken as an early first look. In no way, should you blindly enter this lineup in a contest, nor plug and play these players automatically without examining all the information available to you. Remember that you roster nine players on FanDuel but only count your best eight scores as FD drops the worst scoring player from your lineup.
As always, more value should open up as the day goes by that may allow you to get even better plays into your lineup. All of the plays that recommended are plays that I will be considering for my lineups, as well. That doesn’t mean that I will end up with all of these guys as updated news and constructing rosters might lead me to a different play. Remember to check the news and injury reports, especially in the 30 minutes prior to lock. Have a solid process, using all the information available to you to make the best decision possible for your lineup. Good luck and have fun!
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Point Guard
Eric Bledsoe (MIL): $7,800 at DAL
Khris Middleton is resting tonight and Bledsoe receives a 5% usage bump with him out of the lineup. Even if that wasn’t the case, Bledsoe has really been playing well lately. He has averaged 44.4 FDFP in his last four games. Dallas plays at a slower pace but then again, they have a new roster. I expect that this game could be a higher scoring game than initially projected. In his only other matchup against the Mavs this year, he earned 37.3 FDFP two weeks ago. Overall, he has returned at least 4x value in 15 of his last 17 games.
Shabazz Napier (BKN): $5,700 vs. CHI
This is a risky pick because first of all, it’s Shabazz Napier. Secondly, the Brooklyn rotations are always a little suspect, and finally, his minutes may be reduced slightly with Caris LeVert returning from injury. With that being said, he is still intriguing against the Bulls. He has returned 8x value each of his last two games versus Chicago during the 2019 calendar year. Granted, his salary the first time was only $3,600 but the second time (January 29), his salary was $5,100 when he earned 41.6 FDFP. Overall, he has averaged nearly 30 fantasy points in his last 7 games. If we get word that Rose, Teague, or Bayless will start for the Timberwolves, then pivot to those players. All three of the Timberwolves guards are questionable. If they all sit and you want to save a lot of salary, then Isaiah Canaan is a good option. Finally, Tyler Johnson is intriguing as the Suns have already said that he will start. He should do well in the up-tempo setting that the Suns can offer. If you can find the extra thousand, I prefer Dennis Smith, Jr. and the insane usage that he is going to get with the Knicks.
Shooting Guard
Luka Doncic (DAL): $10,000 vs. MIL
He is questionable for tonight, but I really like this play if he is able to go. He has earned at least 58 fantasy points in four of his last 11 games. Not only does he have a nice ceiling, but he has returned at least 4.6x value in 10 of his last 13 games. He is quickly becoming an NBA star and can do it all on the basketball floor. The last time he played Milwaukee, he earned 49.2 FDFP. If he can’t go tonight or if you don’t feel comfortable playing him with his questionable tag, then pivot to Bradley Beal against the Cavs. He had 45.3 FDFP last time these two teams played and has earned 40+ fantasy points in 15 of his last 19 games.
Andrew Wiggins (MIN): $6,000 at NOP
I do not like Wiggins’ game and rarely play him, but his price is at its’ lowest point of the year and he is putting up a ridiculous amount of shots. He wasn’t traded so the Timberwolves are rolling with him. His usage rate should be through the roof tonight if Rose and Teague both sit out in a fast-paced situation. He is coming off a 51.3 FDFP performance on Wednesday at Orlando. Overall, he has averaged 35.4 FDFP in his last eight games. In his three games against the Pelicans this year, he has averaged 34.4 FDFP. He rarely does things other than shoot the ball, but if he decides to be a good basketball player and not just a shooter, then he has a 50+ ceiling.
Small Forward
Kelly Oubre (PHO): $6,700 vs. GSW
With this roster build, I wasn’t able to fit Josh Jackson in so Oubre is the Phoenix Sun that I will play tonight in this high-scoring matchup with Golden State. He has flourished since coming to the Suns averaging 33.5 FDFP in his last 15 games. He has had three 40+ fantasy performances during that stretch, so there is a ceiling there, as well. This is unlike Josh Richardson, who I really like as a real-life basketball player but hasn’t had a 40-point fantasy performance since Thanksgiving.
Nemanja Bjelica (SAC): $3,900 vs. MIA
I like Bjelica as a player but his place in the rotation is not secure. This is definitely a risky pick, but I don’t like any of the other options anywhere close to his price. He does have upside as we’ve seen a number of 30+ fantasy performances but we’ve also seen quite a low floor. He is coming off a 24.3 fantasy performance on Wednesday against the Rockets. In his last six games, he has been above 20 FDFP three times (including 44.2 FDFP at Memphis) but he’s also had three games in the low teens. This is purely a salary saving punt. If you can find a better punt elsewhere then do it and then pay up for Giannis or Durant.
Power Forward
Lauri Markkanen (CHI): $8,100 at BKN
He has been playing some really good ball lately (averaging nearly 20 points and 11 boards in his last nine games). He has been a staple in both my cash games and GPPs. Tonight, is no different as he matches up against the Nets, whom he torched for 45.3 FDFP a little more than a week ago. In his last five games, he is averaging 41.4 FDFP.
Jeff Green (WAS): $5,900 vs. CLE
Otto Porter and Markieff Morris are both gone, and it is not likely that Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis will be ready to eat into any of Green’s playing time. He is a versatile forward that can fill up a stat sheet and tonight, he gets to go against his former team in the Cavs. He has returned at least 5x value in two of the three games he has played against the Cavs this season so far. He has been on a tear recently averaging 36.6 FDFP in his last four games. If you can find the extra $1,000 then I would prefer Josh Jackson and his 50+ ceiling (which he’s eclipsed twice in his last eight games). If you want to go the other way and save a bunch of money, then consider Trey Lyles if Paul Millsap is out again.
Center
Mason Plumlee (DEN): $5,800 at PHI
He has returned at least 5x value in four straight games. In his last two games, he has averaged 38 FDFP. He is priced up tonight and is my starting center on FanDuel only if Paul Millsap sits again. This would most likely have Plumlee starting again at power forward for the Nuggets. He is not a terrible play if Millsap plays but his price would be too high for me to pull the trigger. If I look elsewhere, then I will probably go to Brook Lopez who had 42 FDFP a few weeks ago against the Mavericks. Overall, Lopez is averaging 29 FDFP in his last 10 games. I also wouldn’t be mad at you if you paid up at the center position tonight as there are a lot of good options.
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Jamy Bechler is an NBA, NFL, and PGA fantasy contributor for FantasyPros. His DFS twitter is @WinningDFS101, and his website is www.FantasyFocusFootball.com. When he is not playing DFS, Jamy is an author, host of the “Success is a Choice” podcast, and is a leadership trainer, working with businesses and teams across the country (including the NBA). Even though he offers his advice on players and contests, after additional information and consideration, he may end up using different players and strategies than what he recommends.