For whatever reason, we have a tiny weekend slate. After just six games on Saturday, we have even fewer here. In fact, there are seven games in total, with only four making up the main slate on FanDuel. That means the player pool will be extremely thin, but there’s still plenty to discuss. So, without further ado, let’s get into it!

If you have any comments or questions, reach me on Twitter @Bartilottajoel

Create FanDuel lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool

Most Value Per Dollar 

On a limited slate like this, I will take a little bit of a different approach. While we only have eight value recommendations, we will try to include players from every position. That should help you guys set up lineups a bit easier, especially when you see what the studs look like later on. Two of the best point guards in the NBA will actually miss out today, and that’ll be featured heavily in the next section!

If you’d like to see more information on how the betting landscape will be for this slate, check out BettingPros.

Below is a list of the top-10 players of the day expected to generate the most value relative to their salary. These are ranked in order.

Bogdan Bogdanovic (ATL) $7.300:

It was unclear who the starting point guard would be in Atlanta with Trae Young out, but it’s clearly going to be Bogey. With him off the floor, Bogdanovic is posting a 24 percent usage rate which is scary since he’s in the midst of the best stretch of his career. He’s scored at least 36 FanDuel points in six of his last seven games, generating a 38-point average across his last 14 fixtures. One of those happened to come against these Bucks, with Bogey collecting 28 points, six rebounds, and seven assists in one of the best games of his career.

Collin Sexton (CLE) $8,200:

The Cavaliers are a calamity, but Sexton has proven to be an amazing scorer this season. He’s actually scored at least 27 raw points in six of his last seven games, averaging 39 FD points per game in that span. That’s really all you can ask for from someone in this price range, especially against a Washington team that ranks 27th in points allowed and first in pace. UPDATE: With Sexton out, Darius Garland is a fantastic play in his absence, averaging over 30 fantasy points per game in outings that Sexton has sat this year.

Tyrese Haliburton (SAC) $5,800:

We’re not exactly sure who will handle the ball with De’Aaron Fox out, but we have to believe it will be Haliburton. Hali is posting a 21 percent usage rate with him off the floor while averaging 1.1 FD points per minute. Those numbers are actually lower than I anticipated, but we expect TH to handle the ball on every possession from here on out. We love the matchup with the Warriors, too, with Golden State ranked second in pace and 21st in points allowed. Don’t forget about Delon Wright in the same situation!

Kevon Looney (GSW) $3,900:

With James Wiseman out for the remainder of the season, Looney will continue to start at center in Golden State. He’s actually done that in the last eight games, scoring at least 18 FD points in each of those. That’s a heck of a floor from someone this cheap, and we absolutely adore the fact that he’s played at least 27 minutes in all but one of those games. Not to mention, the Kings have the worst defensive rating in the NBA.

Kevin Huerter (ATL) $5,700:

The minutes from this guy are crazy. With De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish out, he’s one of the only wings left. That has allowed Huerter to average 35 FanDuel points per game across 38 minutes a night over his last five fixtures. That’s crazy from a $6K player, and we certainly don’t mind that he faces a Milwaukee team that plays at the third-fastest pace in the NBA.

Cole Anthony (ORL) $6,500:

The Magic are done, but it’s allowed them to throw Anthony in as their starting point guard. Since earning this role last week, CA is averaging 34 fantasy points per game across 30 minutes a night. That’s why Orlando spent such a high pick on him and his usage should continue to be sky-high to develop him as much as possible.

Brook Lopez (MIL) $4,800:

Lopez has quietly been brilliant for a month now and you wouldn’t know it by this price. In fact, Bro-Lo is averaging 27 FD points per game across his last 22 outings. Getting 27 fantasy points out of a guy below $5K is a godsend, and we love that he dropped 33.4 FD points in this matchup just a few weeks back.

Oshae Brissett (IND) $5,300:

The Pacers frontcourt is completely dismantled right now, with Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, and Goga Bitadze all nicked up. That has forced OB into a huge role, playing 67 combined minutes over the last two games. They certainly were empty minutes either, with Brissett providing 76.1 FD points in that stretch and another double-double on Saturday that’s not even included. That means he’s earned minutes no matter who plays, and if all three of these guys are out again, Brissett is one of the best values on the board!

Studs Worth Their Salary

• Russell Westbrook (WAS) $11,100: It’s honestly crazy what this guy is doing right now. This monster has 14 triple-doubles in his last 16 games, averaging 22.8 points, 14.1 rebounds, 12.4 assists, and 1.3 steals per game in that span. That equates to a ridiculous 58-point average in that stretch, and we certainly don’t anticipate a 20th-ranked Cleveland defense to slow him down.
• Stephen Curry (GSW) $9,800: Westbrook and Curry might be the best options in fantasy right now. Chef Curry has scored at least 47 FanDuel points in 11 of his last 13 games, generating a 51-point average in that span. He’s done that against some tough competition, and that should be really easy to duplicate against a Kings team that owns the worst defensive rating in the NBA. In their one meeting earlier this year. Curry had 30 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists.
• Khris Middleton (MIL) $8,000: The Bucks have been very cautious with Giannis Antetokounmpo recently, and that means he might sit here in the second half of a back-to-back set. If that’s the case, Middleton should be a beat. We say that because KM has a 31 percent usage rate with Giannis off the floor while averaging 1.3 FD points per minute.

Notable Players to Fade

• Bobby Portis (MIL) $5,300: Portis is a difficult player to trust. He’s actually scored less than eight FanDuel points in two of his last three games, playing 23 combined minutes in those two outings. That’s truly terrifying from someone in this price range, making Portis easy to avoid.
• Chuma Okeke (ORL) $5,300: Okeke was fantastic when Orlando was really shorthanded, but now that Cole Anthony and Wendell Carter are swallowing up so much usage, Okeke is not the same guy. Over his last eight games played, Chuma is averaging fewer than 23 FD points per game, despite playing nearly 30 minutes a night. That minute total could decrease even more over time, and that’s really worrisome at that per-minute rate.
• Lou Williams (ATL) $5,100: We thought Sweet Lou would get a lot more work without Trae Young, but that certainly wasn’t the case in the first game without him. Williams had just 21 FanDuel points across 20 minutes in that game on Friday, which is sadly the guy we’ve seen for months. That was his second-highest scoring game over his last nine outings, attaining a putrid 16-point average in that span.

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. Our Lineup Optimizer 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.

Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.