It’s Friday, and if you’re like me, you love to wind down with some NBA DFS after a long week at work. Tonight, we’ve got a big, 10-game slate, and there are plenty of great options across the board. As always, we’ll name values, studs, and fades for the day’s DFS festivities. Let’s get right to it!

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Value Plays

Point Guard

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• Markelle Fultz will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL, and Anthony should immediately step in as the Magic’s starting point guard. Injuries to Michael Carter-Williams and Evan Fournier could open up additional opportunities for this extremely favorable matchup. Anthony could be a smash tonight.
• Melton saw his minutes bump up to 21 on Thursday, and he scored 25.1 FD points against Cleveland. In his two most recent contests, Melton has averaged 22 FD points across 18 minutes. That per-minute production could be valuable tonight against an undermanned Brooklyn squad.

Shooting Guard

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• In two games without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, LeVert has averaged just shy of 56 FD points per contest. He’s sure to be a chalky option, but this is a case where you don’t want to fade the chalk. It could burn you.
• Haliburton is coming off a massive game where he went for 17 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and three swipes. With De’Aaron Fox a GTD do to a hamstring injury, the rookie could be in line for a lot of minutes, giving him plenty of opportunity to build on Wednesday’s season-best showing.

Small Forward

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• Oubre’s season has been up-and-down, but he’s crossed the 30-FD point plateau four times across eight games. Stephen Curry is a GTD tonight, and if he’s out or limited, Oubre should take on a more prominent role in the offense. His matchup with the Clippers boasts a 232.5 over/under, one of the highest on the slate.
• With Lauri Markkanen out again, I’ll continue to roll with Porter. Porter posted a 14.7-point dud Wednesday, but prior to that, he had averaged 35.5 FD points across four games. The salary is too good to pass up given his upside.

Power Forward

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• Bagley’s 24-point, 12-rebound effort Wednesday is what we’ve been waiting to see, as he erupted for 45.4 FD points. Richaun Holmes is a GTD tonight with an ankle injury, and Bagley should be a primary option in Sacramento’s frontcourt. The potential absence of De’Aaron Fox opens the door for more offensive opportunities for Bagley as well.

Center

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• Adams recorded his first career triple-double Wednesday, and while double-digit assists aren’t something to get accustomed to, Adams’ consistent work on the boards and the defensive end give him a stable floor. Charlotte has been one of the best matchups for opposing centers this season, and Adams is worth a look here.
• Cousins “boogied” to 44.3 FD points Wednesday with Christian Wood out of action, and Wood is a GTD tonight. There’s a lot of value to be had at just $5.3K.
• I don’t mind rolling the dice on Lopez tonight at just $4.7K. He’s coming off a season-best 35.3 points against Detroit on Wednesday, and he’s got a great chance to keep the momentum rolling against Utah. The Jazz/Bucks game has the highest over/under of the evening at 236.5, and I’d like to get in on the action with this very affordable price tag.

Studs Worth Their Salary

• Bradley Beal (WAS) $10,100: Beal posted a career-high 60 points Wednesday, going for 74.9 FD points in the process. With Russell Westbrook potentially out due to a dislocated finger, Beal could be in for an even bigger role. Keep riding the hot hand.
• Julius Randle (NYK) $9,400: Randle has averaged better than 56 FD points across his last two games, but he’s been huge for the Knicks all season. Tonight’s matchup with OKC is one to target.
• Jaylen Brown (BOS) $8,000: Brown has been hot this season, and he hit at least 50 FD points for the third time Wednesday. Washington has been unbelievably generous to opposing players this season, and this game has a 234.5 over/under.

Notable Players to Fade

• Russell Westbrook (WAS) $10,700: Westbrook is dealing with a dislocated finger, and even if he’s cleared to play, he’s someone I’m not including in lineups. His price has crept up to nearly $11,000, and at his current salary, he would need to score at least 53.5 FD points to hit 5x value – something he’s done just once this season (53.6 FD points Wednesday).
• James Harden (HOU) $11,400: Fade at your own risk with Harden, right? I’ll take that risk tonight, as Harden’s salary is the highest of any player on tonight’s slate. As with Westbrook, this is a case of salary vs. value. Harden would need to go for at least 57 FD points to hit 5x value, and he hasn’t done that since the season-opener. He always has the potential for a 70-point showing, but I’d rather spend my money elsewhere.
• Rudy Gobert (UTA) $8,400: Gobert is one of the most steady options out there, but there are better plays at center tonight. I’d rather pay an extra $400 for Nikola Vucevic or go for one of the value plays listed above. In his three most recent games against Brook Lopez and the Bucks, Gobert has averaged 9.0 points, 13.7 boards, and 1.0 blocks.

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