The NBA resumes with a six-game slate in Orlando, and so NBA DFS returns as well. FanDuel has plenty of contests to enter for the league’s two-game slate tonight, so let’s take a look at some lineup possibilities with value plays, studs, fades, and more!

Create FanDuel lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool

Value Plays

Point Guard

 
The point guard position is filled with talent and perhaps the deepest position on the DFS slate today. Conley made the NBA world take back what they said about him and his non-impressive season with Utah. Conley tied Donovan Mitchell with a team-high 20 points and four assists in their first game and against the Thunder.

Kyle Lowry and Ben Simmons both resume their regular seasons with solid matchups. The Lakers are down to backup options at guard playing Alex Caruso 28 minutes. Without Avery Bradley, Kyle Lowry could feast and should be on double-double alert in his first game back. Simmons is in the same boat, and if he plays some power forward, he can run his rebound numbers up with Domantas Sabonis out for the Pacers. There’s no risk with any of these options, just reward.

Shooting Guard

 
Donovan Mitchell helped carry the Jazz to a last-second victory over the Pelicans on opening night and had a team-high 20 points and five assists. Versus the Thunder, he will be the primary scoring option, and if Mike Conley or Jordan Clarkson has an off night, Mitchell will be the one to pick up the slack. Paul George erupted in his debut game Thursday night, making six three-pointers and scoring a team-high 30 points. Versus the Pelicans and their fast-pace of play, he could see an increase in his 17 shot attempts.

Fred VanVleet faces a Lakers backcourt that’s depleted, making him a stellar play, much like the Lowry bit. The Lakers allow the 11th-most fantasy points to point guards (47.20), and with Lowry and VanVleet being a 1-2 punch handling the ball, both are good calls in their first night back.

Small Forward

 
LeBron took over late versus the Clippers and had another all-around game for the Lakers. In his only game versus Toronto this season, he recorded 13 points, 15 assists, and 13 rebounds. He may not record a triple-double like that again, but he’s certainly going to score more than his 16 points versus the Clippers.

Leonard was fantastic in the Clippers’ first game, and much like George, versus the Pelicans, there’s a real potential for increased production. The Pelicans allow the seventh-most fantasy points per game to small forwards (42.41), so Leonard or George are safe picks. The 76ers allow the 11th-most points per game to small forwards, and T.J. Warren is nothing but a pure scorer. Versus the 76ers, he’s averaging 23 points in three games, and with Sabonis out, Warren’s averaging the third-highest usage rate (24.5%) on the team and 0.95 fantasy points per minute. Because of Warren being primarily just a scorer, the risk is higher for him to score with the possibility of him scoring 18 points and a few rebounds and assists, for example.

Power Forward

 
Anthony Davis is coming off a monster game scoring 34 points and eight rebounds versus the Clippers. He led the league in scoring Thursday night, and despite the Raptors’ tough defense, he’s a safe play again. Adebayo is in the running for Most Improved Player and going to be one of the key factors in this game. He’s currently averaging 1.13 fantasy points per minute and a 21.3% usage rate.

JayMychal Green is a risky play, but as we saw in the Lakers’ game, he can pay off. Green’s production will likely depend on Montrezl Harrell’s status. His situation is certainly worth watching and if you’re looking for a cheap play as the last spot, Green could be just that.

Center

 
Without Sabonis in Indiana, Joel Embiid could have a huge day down low for the 76ers. Philly is moving their lineup yet again, but Embiid and Simmons remain as the two driving forces. Embiid scored 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the only meeting this season, and Myles Turner will be his individual matchup tonight. Turner is in a good spot, with his value rising as the main big in Indiana now. With Victor Oladipo still recovering and on a minute restriction, his usage and production can see a bump.

Jokic had quite a bit of drama surrounding him with COVID and traveling back to the states, but he is ready to go. The all-around playmaker, Jokic, will look to build off his only meeting versus Miami. He combined for 19 points, rebounds, and assists in 23 minutes, but this time around won’t be the same. He’s averaging 1.38 fantasy points per minute on the season and a team-high 27.2% usage rate.

5 Studs Worth Their Salary

• Joel Embiid, 76ers ($9,000): Embiid is the top center on the board tonight, and his matchup with the Sabonis-less Pacers should cement him in your lineups.
• Kyle Lowry, Raptors ($7,400): Lowry has the advantage of facing the Lakers without a true backcourt. If Caldwell-Pope is the primary defender, Lowry could be in for a big night.
• Paul George, Clippers ($7,700): The Pelicans are going to find it challenging to guard George and Leonard with Zion Williamson on a minute restriction. George is cheaper, making him the primary choice.
• Nikola Jokic, Nuggets ($9,000): Jokic leads the Nuggets in points (20.2), rebounds (10.2), and assists (6.9), and should do it tonight versus the Heat.
• Ben Simmons, 76ers ($8,000): Simmons will be playing two positions and causing mismatches for the Pacers. He averages 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in three games versus the Pacers this year.

5 Notable Players to Fade

• Zion Williamson, Pelicans ($6,800): Williamson is on a significant minute restrictions as it was evident in the opening game. He won’t be a DFS option if he’s not playing at least 25 minutes.
• Victor Oladipo, Pacers ($5,700): Oladipo was expected to opt-out of the restart, but is playing now. The Pacers will most likely limit him after the Sabonis injury to avoid more of the same.
• Serge Ibaka, Raptors ($5,700): Lowry, Siakam, and VanVleet will likely be the three-headed monster in the Lakers-Raptors matchup, leaving Ibaka out of the loop.
• Tyler Herro, Heat ($3,600): Herro wasn’t a factor versus Denver in their first meeting, and coming off an injury, he may take a few games to warm up.
• Gary Harris, Nuggets ($4,500): Harris only averaged six points in 17 minutes versus the Heat in their only meeting. He has taken a drastic step back over the last two years with Denver.

Create FanDuel lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool

Beyond our daily fantasy basketball content, be sure to check out our Daily Fantasy Basketball Tools. From our Lineup Optimizer – which allows you to build winning DFS lineups in seconds for Cash and GPP contests – to our DFS Cheat Sheets – that helps you get a quick read on the day’s players – we’ve got you covered this fantasy basketball season.

Vaughn Dalzell is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Vaughn, check out his archive or follow him @VaughnDalzell.