After an electric NBA trade deadline that saw seemingly half the league change teams, there will be a little bit more spice added to these DFS slates moving forward. Different stars on different teams mean new systems, new usage, and new opportunities.
As always, keep track of news, especially on the recently traded players and their eligibility to play along with any projected playing time. There may be a new learning curve for the first week or so after the deadline to see how all the new puzzle pieces fit together on these new-look teams, but that’s why I’m here to get the ball rolling and win some DFS lineups. Let’s get to this 11-game slate. Early on, the Brooklyn Nets vs. Detroit Pistons game really jumps off the page with value galore, and Denver Nuggets vs. New Orleans Pelicans looks like a game with a potential for a lot of points to be scored.
Most Value Per Dollar
Below is a list of the top-10 players of the day expected to generate the most value relative to their salary.
Bruce Brown (SG – BKN) $5,000
With seemingly half of the Brooklyn offense out with injury or for personal reasons, somebody has to step up offensively. On Wednesday vs. Utah, Brown played 34 minutes and posted 26.4 FanDuel points. If James Harden remains out, the Detroit Pistons offer a much better matchup for Brown to see a similar uptick in minutes, usage, and fantasy points. There’s a solid chance Brown can reach north of 30+ points, and I see him as a solid cash and GPP play.
Isaiah Stewart (PF – DET) $4,100
The Pistons rookie has played well of late and is slowly starting to see an uptick in minutes. He has consistently reached 20+ minutes, and last time out vs. the Nets, Stewart scored 32.6 fantasy points across just 19 minutes of play. While I don’t expect him to be that efficient tonight, an increase in minutes could easily see Stewart reach the 30 point threshold again. He has a solid chance of returning a 6X-7X value in this game. I see him more as a GPP option, but can be sprinkled into cash lineups as well.
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (SF – BKN) $3,500
I’m going to be quite Brooklyn heavy with these value options in tonight’s slate, but again that is assuming Harden is out. In his last two games, the Nets’ small forward has played 27 minutes and 33 minutes, respectfully. While he hasn’t been the most efficient fantasy player, his opportunities are there, as he garnered a 27.8% usage rate last game vs. the Jazz. At $3500, TLC is a steal. The Nets players may be chalky tonight, but the fact that it’s part of an 11-game slate means their ownership shouldn’t get too high to avoid using in GPP’s or cash lineups.
PJ Dozier (SG – DEN) $3,500
With Gary Harris and R.J. Hampton both gone, Dozier should step right into a nice increase in minutes tonight in New Orleans. It’s not like he is the best player in the world, but the troubled Pelicans defense and a slight increase in the pace of play should grant Dozier plenty of opportunities to return 6X value. There should be a lot of points in this game, so Dozier has got to get his fill as well.
Frank Jackson (PG – DET) $3,500
After a miraculous negative point outing last game vs. Indianapolis, I am going right back to the well with Jackson. With Killian Hayes out, and Dennis Smith Jr. questionable, Jackson could potentially see the floor for 30+ minutes. Brooklyn provides a sweet, sweet matchup to have a stellar outing, and he has shown that he can reach north of 25 FanDuel points. This is a bit riskier of a play, considering how inconsistent Jackson is, but I really like his GPP potential.
Maxi Kleber (PF – DAL) $3,800
Despite playing second fiddle to Kristaps Porzingis, Kleber has still shown outbursts of 30 FanDuel point games. Five out of his last six games, he has reached north of 30 minutes played, and as a 0.7 FPPM guy, he can easily reach 5X-6X value if he plays around his normal 33-35 minutes. It’s not the most enticing play in the world, and I don’t love it for cash lineups, but throwing Kleber into a high entry GPP is a solid contrarian play in my books.
Robert Williams (C – BOS) $6,000
There is a lot of news to watch for Boston, but Tristan Thomspon, Luke Kornet, and Moritz Wagner should all be out for this game. With Daniel Theis gone as well, Williams will need to shoulder the load at the center spot, which means he will probably see the floor for 30+ minutes. In his last ten games, Willians has played quite efficiently, scoring 1.5 FPPM. Even if he regresses to his season average of 1.3 FPPM and only sees the floor for 25 minutes, that still puts him north of 5X value. Pessimistically, I see the Celtics center reach 5X value means that he makes for a great GPP or cash play.
Cedi Osman (SF – CLE) $3,700
Taurean Prince, Collin Sexton, and Kevin Love are all questionable for tonight’s game, and even if they all play, I don’t mind Osman in this spot. The Lakers are vulnerable right now, and not the team that ranks 10th in fantasy points allowed to small forwards. Osman doesn’t exactly project to have a high ceiling, so he is more of a cash play to me. I project him to see the floor for over 20 minutes and return right around 6X value.
Josh Jackson (SG – DET) $4,800
I mentioned in the opener that there is a lot of value offered from the Pistons and Nets players – Josh Jackson falls into that category. Especially if Dennis Smith Jr. is out, Jackson may not garner the start but should still see the floor around 25-27 minutes. Jackson has fallen just shy of 1.0 FPPM this season, so I expect him to return just shy of 6X value in a pace-up spot against a sub-par Brooklyn defense.
Jarrett Allen (C – CLE) $6,700
In four of his last five games, Allen has played at least 32 minutes and has consistently reached 35 FanDuel points. He has seen a consistent usage rate of around 20%, and if Collin Sexton is out, that should increase. Allen had a stellar outing last time vs. Chicago, ending a rebound shy of a double-double. I am planning on him to ride the momentum into this game vs. an injured Lakers squad with a ceiling right around 50 points.
Check out our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet for the top bets of the day
Studs Worth Their Salary
- Luka Doncic (DAL) $10,800: At such a high price, don’t expect Doncic to be a value play, but he always provides a nice floor. The Dallas point guard should be the highest scoring point guard this slate. As with Jokic, the number of value options means you have to spend up somewhere, and Doncic is another great option.
- Nikola Jokic (DEN) $10,500: I feel like a broken record writing about Jokic, but at any time the Denver big man can go off for 70+ points. There are a lot of solid options at center tonight, including Christian Wood at $7,700, but since there is so much value offered, you have to spend up somewhere. If you have the money, Jokic is a no-brainer, as he can break any slate he plays in.
- Brandon Ingram (NO) $8,300: With such a high projected total, Ingram is a nice stud that can still return 5X+ value. His usage rate has reached as high as 37% recently, and last game vs. the Nuggets, Ingram tallied 54.2 FanDuel points. While he may not reach that high again, I would not be surprised at all if he returns 6X value.
Notable Players to Fade
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) $11,100: After taking a game off with a sprained knee, Giannis’ return was far from spectacular, only posting 34.1 FanDuel points on Wednesday in the same matchup as tonight. I don’t expect him to score so low again tonight, but there are plenty of other options, and I want zero doubt when putting a $10k player or higher into my lineup.
- Damian Lillard (POR) $9,200: With CJ McCollum back and playing consistent minutes over the last couple of games, Lillard’s ceiling has seen a sharp decrease. Dame hasn’t reached 50 FanDuel points in any of his last five games. While Orlando offers a plus matchup, I expect tonight to be the same.
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Ryan Coleman is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Ryan, check out his archive and follow him @ryancoleman_98.