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NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/23/17

by John Ferrucci 0 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/23/17

Saturday (12/23/17) features a twelve-game slate with games that may provide great value to your potential winning lineup. Many play opportunities lie beneath the $10,000+ priced players.


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NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/23/17

POINT GUARDS:

Kyrie Irving ($8,900 FD/$8,800 DK)

Holding about the same price tag on both platforms, Kyrie Irving has some serious upside Saturday night. Uncle Drew is averaging 42 FanDuel PPG over his last three games, as he torched opposing defenses for 30+ points each night. Although the Chicago Bulls have been hot lately, their defense remains weak as they rank top 5 worst in the league in defending point guards. This match is set to be in Boston, where Kyrie Irving is also averaging 44 FanDuel PPG over his last five home games. Kyrie should definitely cross your mind when assembling your lineup.

Tyler Johnson ($6,000 FD/$5,400 DK)

With a very appealing price, Tyler Johnson may be your go-to play to preserve some salary. Johnson has been given the starting nod the last three games to patch up Goran Dragic’s recent absence as he is dealing with elbow issues. Tyler Johnson logged 36+ minutes in each of his starts and has been thriving due to Dragic’s misfortune. Johnson evidently has seen a boost in usage and workload as he faces the New Orleans Pelicans Saturday night who rank 6th in pace of play. Averaging 32.2 FanDuel PPG in his three starts, the Pelicans will force the Heat to push up their tempo with Johnson running the offense. Johnson’s price makes him extremely valuable in this slate and has a good enough resume to take the risk on.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/23/17

SHOOTING GUARDS:

Khris Middleton ($7,700 FD/$7,600 DK)

Middleton and the Bucks play the Hornets Saturday night, the same team they defeated 109-104 the prior night. The Hornets rank poorly against SG’s as Middleton scored 28 points Friday night. Lately, Middleton has not disappointed DFS wise. He has scored at least 32 FanDuel points nine straight games. Ranking top 10 in the league in pace, the Charlotte Hornets will be forcing a top 10 offensive in the Milwaukee Bucks to handle more possessions. This makes Middleton immensely valuable, as the number of opportunities he could have will increase.

Tyreke Evans ($8,000 FD/$7,900 DK)

With Conley still sidelined or Memphis, Tyreke Evans continues to put on a show given the boost in usage and workload. Evans has scored 22+ points in 3 of his last 4 games. His teammate, Marc Gasol is doubtful to play Saturday night as he deals with a sore hip. Evans will be the primary source to score for the struggling Grizzlies. He shouldn’t have too much of a problem considering his opponent, the Los Angeles Clippers, rank 24th in the league in defending the position.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/23/17

SMALL FORWARDS:

Josh Richardson ($6,000 FD/$6,400 DK)

Alongside teammate Tyler Johnson, Josh Richardson has been doing just fine handling his increased usage percentage due to Dragic’s injury. In the three games Dragic has been sidelined, Richardson posted an average of 41.8 FanDuel PPG. Dion Waiters is also questionable in this one. If he is in fact ruled out, Richardson will see another upward spike in workload and be deemed as one of the Heat’s primary scoring options. Despite his recent value, his salary price hasn’t budged much which is nothing to complain about. I would gladly spend $6,000 on a player with this much upside.

TJ Warren ($7,700 FD/$6,600 DK)

As the days go on TJ Warren continues to be the foundation of the Phoenix offense with Booker sidelined. Since Devon Booker got hurt, Warren is averaging 20.6 PPG. His fantasy numbers have been sub-par in comparison to his expectations, however, it seems he’s getting on the right track as he has provided at least 34 FanDuel points in three straight games. Warren faces the Timberwolves who he faced just a week ago, and although held to 26 FanDuel points, he seems a lot more appealing as the rematch now takes place in Arizona. Warren is an interesting play and most likely won’t be owned very much.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/23/17

POWER FORWARDS:

Draymond Green ($8,700 FD/$7,200 DK) – 

After returning from a four-game frame Friday night, Draymond Green took no time getting right back on track as he posted a near triple-double in 30 minutes of play. He is playing the Denver Nuggets as the tough, gritty Draymond Green has significant upside. Although he can run up your salary, Green has a great match-up against a team whose defense ranks 26th in the league in defending power forwards, allowing nearly 50 fantasy PPG to PF’s this season. The Warriors are still Curry-less and need players to take the weight off of Kevin Durant’s shoulders. Draymond Green’s return may solve this issue very shortly as he will inherit that responsibility with Klay Thompson.

Nikola Mirotic ($6,800 FD/$6,500 DK) – 

Mirotic, or MiroFix? Since returning from injury, the what once was 3-20 Chicago Bulls have managed to ride a seven-game winning streak which was snapped Thursday by the Cleveland Cavaliers, who only won by three. Mirotic provides some serious help on the offensive end coming off the bench and has been a pretty good asset in DFS play. He has averaged 35.6 FanDuel PPG over his last five contests. Mirotic plays the #1 ranked defensive efficiency rated team in the NBA in the Boston Celtics. Despite overall rating, the Celtics rank 27th in the league in solely defending big men (PF/C’s). The PF position in this slate seems thin, making Mirotic a great fairly priced play.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/23/17

CENTERS:

Nikola Jokic ($8,300 FD/$7,600 DK)

From one Nikola coming off an injury to another, we now focus on the rising star over in Denver. Jokic has regained his playing time as he has logged 36+ minutes in back-to-back games. Due to his injury and initial minute restriction, Jokic has been priced down as we once saw him in the high $9,000 range on FanDuel and DraftKings. Jokic is coming off a 48.8 FanDuel point performance against the top 5 defense the Portland Trailblazers carry. The idea of this former second-round pick getting his rhythm back is scary for competitors, but a joy for DFS users. He clashes with the Golden State Warriors Saturday night, where he seems to have some upside considering his minutes boost and recent production.

Myles Turner ($8,100 FD/$6,500 DK) 

Myles Turner has a fairly big gap in salary between FanDuel and DraftKings, making him especially appealing on DK where his $6,500 salary seems way too cheap. Turner will be doing his thing at the Barclay Center Saturday night as he opposes the Brooklyn Nets for the second time in the past week. The first performance for Turner was average, posting 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting, which soon accumulated to 31 FanDuel points. This second time around may be a breakout game for Turner as the Nets rank third-worst in the league in defending centers. He is also coming off of a 40 FD point performance against the Atlanta Hawks. Regardless, the price for Myles Turner is extremely fair and seems to have a great opportunity for the ones seeking to take advantage of it.

 

 

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 12/22/17 – Value Plays

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 12/22/17 – Value Plays



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With nine games on the NBA schedule Friday, there are a lot of lineup possibilities for your DFS entry. That also means there are more opportunities to add some cheaper value plays to your entry. Let’s examine only those value plays today as we attempt to end your week on a high note.

POINT GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

Austin Rivers, LAC at HOU
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $5,600

With the bevy of injuries suffered by the Clippers this season, Rivers is averaging a career-high 33 minutes per game. He also has a career-high 21.7% usage rate, which brings him significant value when you factor in the added playing time. The Rockets play at the eighth-fastest pace (101.5) in the league, so Rivers should have added opportunity to provide value. The price is right to consider him for your entry Friday.

Shabazz Napier, POR vs. DEN
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,300

Napier has shown the ability to provide some scoring punch off the bench, averaging 8.0 points in 17 minutes per game this season. He doesn’t provide much in the way of rebounds or assists, but his 1.2 steals per game is impressive considering his limited minutes. Damian Lillard (hamstring) will not play Friday and while Napier might not start in his place, he still should see added minutes. The Nuggets allow the fourth-most points per game on FanDuel and fifth-most points per game on DraftKings to opposing point guards, so Napier might be worth the risk at this very cheap price.

SHOOTING GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

Eric Gordon, HOU vs. LAC
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $5,900

Gordon is expected to enter the starting lineup with Chris Paul (leg) out Friday, which is a role he thrived in earlier this season. He made 13 starts with Paul out previously, averaging 22.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 4.0 three-pointers per game. The Clippers are struggling right now and don’t have a lot of size outside of DeAndre Jordan, which is great news for the style that Gordon and the Rockets like to play. I can’t get him in my lineups fast enough.

Wesley Matthews, DAL at MIA
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $4,600

The Mavericks are not just a bad team, they are a bad team that can’t score as they are one of only five teams in the league averaging less than 100 points per game. Matthews is not a great offensive weapon at this stage of his career, but his average of 12.0 points per game is tied for third-highest on the team. The good news is he gets a lot of playing time, averaging 34 minutes per game for his third straight season. His ceiling isn’t very high, but he’s cheap enough to consider Friday.

SMALL FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

Josh Richardson, MIA vs. DAL
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $6,100

Richardson is going to be too expensive to be considered as this type of value play if he keeps up his recent excellent play. The Heat have been decimated by injuries, leaving Richardson to average 24.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.7 blocks and 3.3 three-pointers over his last three games. Hassan Whiteside (knee) and James Johnson (ankle) will be out again Friday while Justise Winslow (knee) might not play again either. Richardson should have a big role again in this game, making him someone to strongly to consider for your entry.

Mario Hezonja, ORL vs. NO
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $4,700

Hezonja only scored 12 points and grabbed two rebounds Wednesday against the Bulls, but he only played 24 minutes as the Magic were down big early. Both Aaron Gordon (calf) and Evan Fournier (ankle) are doubtful for Friday, which should leave significant playing time open for Hezonja. The Magic and Pelicans are both in the top-seven in the league in pace of play, so take a chance that he rebounds with a better performance in this contest. Of note, Hezonja is small forward eligible only on FanDuel as he is listed as a shooting guard on DraftKings.

POWER FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

Larry Nance Jr., LAL at GS
FanDuel = $5,100
DraftKings = $5,200

The Lakers will be without starting center Brook Lopez (ankle) for the next three weeks, opening up minutes in their frontcourt. While Kyle Kuzma rightfully stole all the headlines with his play Wednesday against the Rockets, Nance was no slouch either. He played 22 minutes in the game, finishing with 13 points, nine rebounds, four assists and one steal. This should be a high-scoring game between the Lakers and Warriors as they are both in the top-four in the league in terms of pace of play. Kuzma is priced significantly higher and will be a great option Friday, but Nance should also be considered an excellent value play.

Mike Scott, WAS at BKN
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $4,600

Scott is rolling right now, averaging 21.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 three-pointers over his last three games. He played at least 23 minutes in all three of those contests, largely because of Otto Porter Jr. (hip) missing time due to injury. Porter is listed as questionable for Friday’s game against the Nets, so Scott would likely be in line for increased playing time if he sits again. The Nets play at the fourth-fastest pace (103.3) in the league, so scoring opportunities could be plentiful for Scott. If Porter is ruled out, make sure Scott is in your lineup.

CENTERS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

Marcin Gortat, WAS at BKN
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = $5,200

Gortat is not having a great season and has played especially poorly of late, scoring nine points or less in seven of his last nine games. One of those performances came against these same Nets when he only scored five points, but he somewhat salvaged the game by grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out three assists. Even though the Nets added some size up front in Jahlil Okafor, he has barely played as the team tries to improve his conditioning and get him familiar with their offense. There aren’t many great cheap options at center, but Gortat has potential based on the Nets struggles at center.

Nene Hilario, HOU vs. LAC
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $3,700

Clint Capela (knee) is listed as doubtful for Friday, which would likely lead to Nene playing a more significant role. He only scored four points to go along with six rebounds while helping fill in for Capela on Wednesday, but that was not a good matchup against a Lakers team that went with a lot of small lineups. The Rockets are going to need him to battle with DeAndre Jordan on Friday, which is much better suited for Nene’s game. Considering how little he will cost, he could provide nice value if you want to go really cheap at center.

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 16

by Cesar Becerra 0 Comments

*Cesar Becerra*

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 16

We’re down to the final two weeks of the regular season, that means that we’ll have to monitor team reporters much closer than we usually would have to on Sunday morning. We could see instances where teams that have already clinched playoff berths/bye rest regulars. And we can also see a situation like the Packers where Aaron Rodgers was placed on IR after Green Bay was eliminated from postseason contention.

This applies more next week (week 17) than this week. But we could see a case where the Eagles get a little conservative if they clinch a first-round bye (PHI clinch a first-round bye with Vikings loss on Saturday). Let’s dive right in.

With no more Thursday Night or Sunday Night games, we are left with two Saturday games and two Monday Night games this week, but none of those games are on the Draftkings main slate. The Draftkings main slate features a 12-game slate and is Sunday only games.

Vegas

The Draftkings main slate has only one game with a game total over 50. The Falcons visiting the Saints line is currently sitting with a 52.5 over/under. The next games with the highest game totals are the Rams at Titans (48), Seahawks at Cowboys (47), Bills at Patriots (47), and Panthers at Bucs (46.5). Outside of those five games, no other game has a total over 45 points.

Regarding implied team totals, they are headlined by several of the teams I mentioned above. The Pats (29.75) and Saints (29) lead the way with over a four-touchdown implied total, but the Panthers (28.25), Rams (27.25), and Chiefs (27) are not that far behind. Some other teams with decent team totals are the Cowboys (26), Chargers (24.5), Lions (24). The Falcons (23.5) and Jags (23) round out the top ten of teams with the highest implied total.

In terms of game script, we have three teams that are double-digit favorites. The Pats are 12.5 points favorites at home against the Bills. The Chiefs are 10.5 point home favorites against the Dolphins. And lastly, the Panthers are 10 points favorites over the Bucs (this line is very interesting because the line initially opened at Panthers (-4) and has since moved 6 points). Outside of those huge favorites, the Chargers (-6.5), Bears (-6.5), and Rams (-6.5) all opened up as more than a touchdown favorite, but have since dipped below.

All this Vegas Data was taken as of Wednesday night, so I strongly suggest checking back on Vegas Insiders on Sunday morning.

Quarterbacks

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 16

Quarterback pricing is relatively even this week. The top 11 quarterbacks are all priced within $1,000 of each other with Russell Wilson ($7,000) leading the way and Dak Prescott ($6,000) rounding out the lower 6k range.

Drew Brees ($6,500) – It’s tough to choose between the top 5 priced quarterbacks, they are all in pretty good spots. I think due to recency bias Cam will be the most popular among that tier. I’m hedging from the slightly higher owned Cam for a cheaper Drew Brees. I like Brees for the $300 savings from Newton and the fact that his game has a higher game total (52.5 vs. 46.5) as well as a closer spread (-5.5 vs. -10). The Falcons and Saints games have traditionally turned into a shootout over the last three seasons, and Brees has crushed each time. Brees is a perfect 3 for 3 at exceeding his salary at home against the Falcons in their last 3 meetings at the Superdome. I know that the Saints have transitioned to a running team with their 2-headed monster, but I like taking my chances with Brees against Atlanta who ranks 20th against QB in aFPA. I get it that Cam has the safer floor, but when Brees is in the right matchup, he has the highest ceiling of any QB in the league.

Dak Prescott ($6,000) – There’s no mistake about it, Prescott has been awful without Zeke. But now the Cowboys finally get Zeke back after a six-game suspension, so that brings Prescott and the Cowboys offense back into play. Prescott is a home favorite facing a Seahawks defense that ranks 15th in aFPA to opposing QBs. The matchup is far from ideal, but if you’re looking to take a flyer on a quarterback with nice rushing upside, Prescott is your guy. I don’t like him as much as the next guy I mention, but if you’re looking at this salary range, I like his rushing upside.

Kirk Cousins ($5,400) – Yes, this is a bad matchup on paper against the Denver Broncos. But the Broncos aren’t the same feared defense that they were in the past. The Broncos rank in the bottom 5 in the league in passing touchdowns allowed (26) on the season. They still rank atop the league in passing yardage allowed (189) but are at the bottom 6 in the league in interceptions forced (8). Teams are throwing the least against the Broncos (418 attempts), yet 6 of the last 7 QBs to face the Broncos have met salary expectations. The lone exception is Josh McCown who was injured early in the game. I’m not saying you should start Cousins with 100% confidence, but Cousins is at his lowest price of the season and should air it out at least 30 times. Cousins has had some big games at home this season, so I think I’ll take a flyer on him for tournaments.

Cash:

C. Newton, R. Wilson, D. Brees, A. Smith, T. Brady

GPP:

(all of above) K. Cousins, D. Prescott, B. Bortles, M. Stafford

Running backs

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 16

Kareem Hunt ($8,400) – Everyone will pay up for Gurley after his 48 point eruption game. Gurley is always in play, so I won’t write him up for the rest of the season.  But a pivot off Gurley to save a few hundred bucks is Hunt. Hunt is only a $600 discount, so it’s nothing too crazy, but Hunt is slowly starting to look like how he started off the season. In the last two weeks under a new play caller, Hunt has absolutely smashed. Hunt in his last two games, Hunt has 24 and 25 carries in each game. In those two games, Hunt has 12 targets and 10 receptions totaling 73 yards. Overall he’s scored 3 touchdowns in his last two games, and now he faces the Dolphins who rank 29th in aFPA to opposing running backs. Hunt is a huge home favorite (-10.5) and in another nice spot this week.

Devonta Freeman ($6,500) – Barring any news about Tevin Coleman, Freeman is shaping up to be the highest owned running back on the slate. Freeman is coming off of his best game of the season where he touched the ball 27 times and totaled 194 yards with one rushing touchdown. Freeman’s workload is expected to remain the same, and he’s facing the Saints in which he has killed throughout his career. The Falcons are road underdogs, but this game should stay close, and Freeman could see another 5 targets in a game that has the highest potential to shoot out.

James White ($4,100) – Searching for value, we might have to land on the headache of the Patriots backfield. It’s always a mystery with what Bill Belichick will do with his trio of running backs, but this week we get some clarity. Rex Burkhead will be inactive, and Mike Gillislee ($3,900) is expected to be active for the first time in 5 weeks and should see all the goal-line work. That leaves Dion Lewis ($6,000) and James White ($4,100) in store to get the work in before the Pats reach the 5-yard line. White has seen a fair share of snaps with 45% over the last two games and has also received the most targets in the past four games (15). White figures to see an improved role out of the backfield and will continue to get targets. I like taking a flyer on him at his $4,100 price tag over Lewis.

Cash:

T. Gurley, K. Hunt, D. Freeman, M. Gordon, G. Bernard, A. Kamara, C. McCaffrey.

GPP:

(all of above), E. Elliott, L. McCoy, L. Fournette, P. Barber, J. White

Wide Receiver

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 16

A.J. Green ($6,700) – Michael Thomas ($7,600) is likely the highest owned receiver and for a good reason. A.J. Green is a nice pivot off the high priced Thomas. Once again, Green finds himself below 7k, but this time he’s a much better matchup than last week. Green faces the Lions defense that ranks 24th in aFPA to opposing wide receivers. Erasing last week’s tough matchup with Xavier Rhodes, Green is still seeing close to double-digit targets on average and is seeing 30% of the team’s targets. Green has had a somewhat disappointing season so far, but he always has the potential to go off for 20+ points. Green should come in at single-digit ownership and would be a nice pivot off the heavily owned Thomas.

Larry Fitzgerald ($6,800) – Fitz has 10 targets in 2 of the last 3 games for the Cardinals. This week Fitz goes up against the Giants secondary that is very depleted. The Giants rank 31st in aFPA to wide receivers and the Cards are home favorites. Fitz is a bit discouraging considering that Drew Stanton will be under center, but Fitz will continue to see the majority of the targets from the receiving corp.

Josh Doctson ($3,500) – A value GPP shot in the dark is Josh Doctson. I mentioned in the quarterback section that the Broncos rank in the bottom 5 in the league at allowing passing touchdowns. If you are going to take a shot with Cousins, you should consider stacking him with Doctson. Doctson may not be the possession receiver that Jamison Crowder ($5,000) is, but Doctson leads the team with 33% touchdown percent in the red zone. Doctson doesn’t have a safe floor but has a pretty decent ceiling. If he could find the end zone and catch 3-4 balls, he’ll smash value.

Cash:

M. Thomas, K. Allen, J. Jones, A. Green, L. Fitz, J. Crowder, C. Kupp, R. Matthews, D. Thomas, K. Cole, D. Westbrook,

Gpp:

(All of above), T. Hill, J. Landry, D. Funches, M. Evans, D. Bryant, M. Jones, M. Goodwin, J. Gordon, P. Richardson,

Tight End

Eric Ebron ($3,300) – Ebron has been pretty good since the beginning of November. In his last 7 games, Ebron has 40 targets (5.7/gm) and has 32 catches. That’s good enough for an 80% catch rate. During that span, Ebron also has a pair of touchdowns. This week Ebron is going up against the Bengals who rank 29th in aFPA. In a slate that has very little value, I like Ebron to save some salary.

Antonio Gates ($2,500) – Hunter Henry was placed on IR earlier this week, which signals more opportunity for old man Gates. Gates is the bare minimum and provides salary relief to the roster in studs at other positions. Last week Gates caught his lone red zone target for a 10-yard touchdown. At $2,500 you don’t need much to get four times salary.

Cash:

T. Kelce, E. Ebron, A. Gates, G. Olsen, T. Kroft

GPP:

(All of above), R. Gronkowski, G. Celek

Defense

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 16

Carolina Panthers ($3,100) – The Panthers have been on a tear their last two games creating turnovers. In the previous two games against the Packers and Vikings, they have accumulated 9 sacks, 2 fumbles, and 5 interceptions. This week they are huge 10 point favorites at home against the Bucs who are allowing defenses to outscore their implied points projection every time in the past 3 weeks.

Cash:

Panthers, Jacksonville, New England, Kansas City,

Gpp:

(all of above) Arizona, Washington

 

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 16

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 16

With only two weeks left in the regular season, that also means only two weeks left with a full slate of options in DFS. Let’s take full advantage this week and try to bring home the big bucks. Put your favorite daily fantasy football recommendations from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the NFL Player Lab.

**QUARTERBACKS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 16

Russell Wilson vs. Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – AT&T Stadium
DraftKings = $7,000
FanDuel = $9,000

The only team that seems to be able to slow down Wilson lately is the Los Angeles Rams. In two games against them, he’s only averaged 170 passing yards and one passing touchdown. In his last eight games against other teams, he’s averaging 288 passing yards and 2.6 passing touchdowns. He’ll get to face the Cowboys in Week 16, a team tied for the third-most touchdown passes allowed (26) in the league. With a more favorable opponent on tap, look for Wilson to rebound with a big performance.

Blake Bortles vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
DraftKings = $6,500
FanDuel = $7,600

If you play in season-long fantasy leagues, how crazy is it that Bortles might be one of the quarterbacks you are most confident in starting down the stretch? He’s been rolling of late, throwing for at least 268 yards and two touchdowns in three straight games. All three were homes games, but he’s not facing one of the tougher secondaries in the league on the road in San Francisco on Sunday. While Bortles has been turnover prone in his career, the 49ers have the third-fewest interceptions (seven) in the league this year. If you don’t want to pay up for Wilson, Bortles is someone to consider.

Drew Stanton vs. New York Giants
Stadium – University of Phoenix Stadium
DraftKings = $4,500
FanDuel = $6,000

Stanton started two games earlier this season before suffering a knee injury and played fairly well, throwing for at least 201 yards and one touchdown in both games. He’ll return to the starting lineup Week 16 with Blaine Gabbert being benched due to his struggles. Normally you wouldn’t want to look at Stanton, but he gets the Giants this week. The Giants defense is riddled with injuries, especially in the secondary. While Stanton is certainly not as talented, backup quarterback turned starter Nick Foles threw for four touchdowns against the Giants last week. He will only cost you the minimum, so he might be worth the risk in tournament play.

**RUNNING BACKS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 16

Le’Veon Bell vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $9,900
FanDuel = $9,300

Bell likely has the highest floor of any running back in DFS based on his role in both the rushing and passing games. He put that on full display Week 15 against the Patriots, cashing in 24 rushing attempts and six targets for 165 total yards and one touchdown. He has at least 100 total yards in six straight games, scoring five touchdowns over that stretch. With Antonio Brown (calf) out for Week 16, he should have an even bigger role in the offense. Don’t overthink this one, Bell is an elite option again this week.

Dion Lewis vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $6,000
FanDuel = $6,700

Lewis continues to see a steady role in the Patriots rushing attack, recording at least 10 carries in eight of his last nine games. He had a solid performance against these same Bills in Week 13, rushing 15 times for 92 yards. The Patriots will likely be without Rex Burkhead (knee) this week, who rushed for two touchdowns in that game. While James White will probably take on some added work with Burkhead out, it’s reasonable to think Lewis might not lose as many carries near the goal line like he has to Burkhead. The price is right to consider Lewis again this week.

C.J. Anderson vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
DraftKings = $5,500
FanDuel = $6,200

Anderson had his best game of the season last week, rushing 30 times for 158 yards. The volume was key as he has rushed for at least 81 yards in four of the five games that he received at least 20 carries in this season. The Redskins are not good against the run as they have allowed the fifth-most rushing yards per game (123.4) in the NFL this season. It’s been a lost year for the Broncos, but Anderson has enough promise to warrant adding to your entry for Week 16.

**WIDE RECEIVERS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 16

Michael Thomas vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
DraftKings = $7,600
FanDuel = $8,200

Thomas was expected to have an even larger role in the Saints offense this year with Brandin Cooks being traded to the Patriots and he has delivered, receiving the fifth-most targets (136) in the league. Although he only has five touchdowns, three of them have come in the last three games. His 1,085 receiving yards are sixth-most among all receivers, so he has tremendous upside even in weeks where he’s not scoring touchdowns. He hauled in 10 of 14 targets for 117 yards and one touchdown in Week 14 against these same Falcons on the road, so expect another big game at home this week.

DeAndre Hopkins vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $8,400
FanDuel = $8,100

It’s amazing to think about the numbers Hopkins has been able to put up with all the injuries the Texans have suffered at quarterback. He’s the focal point of their offense, receiving at least 13 targets in three straight games. Although he only had four catches Week 15, he made the most of them by posting 80 yards and one touchdown. It doesn’t matter who will be throwing him passes Sunday, Hopkins still has great upside.

JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $6,400
FanDuel = $7,000

The Steelers lost Antonio Brown (calf) during Week 15, leaving Smith-Schuster to finish with six receptions for 114 yards. With Brown already ruled out for Week 16, Smith-Schuster will likely occupy a bigger role in Pittsburgh’s passing attack. The Texans allow the sixth-most net passing yards per game (248) and are tied for the second-most passing touchdowns allowed (27) in the league, which could mean excellent numbers from Smith-Schuster this week.

Keelan Cole vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
DraftKings = $4,700
FanDuel = $5,300

Cole destroyed the Texans last week, posting 186 receiving yards and one touchdown. Marqise Lee (ankle) missed the game, opening up Cole to receive a season-high nine targets. Lee might not be able to return this week, which would likely mean more targets for Cole again. The 49ers aren’t great at defending the pass as they have allowed the fourth-most passing touchdowns (25) in the league. Cole definitely gets a boost in value if Lee doesn’t play, but he should still be considered even if Lee returns based on this price.

**TIGHT ENDS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 16

Rob Gronkowski vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,400
FanDuel = $8,400

There are three certainties in life: death, taxes, and Gronk crushing the Bills. He destroyed them again in Week 13, recording nine catches for 147 yards. In 12 career games against the Bills, he has 960 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. With 18 receptions and 325 receiving yards over his last two games, don’t hesitate to pay up for him based on this juicy matchup.

Antonio Gates vs. New York Jets
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $2,500
FanDuel = $4,500

The Chargers lost a big weapon in their offense this week as Hunter Henry (abdomen) was placed on injured reserve. Henry had received at least five targets in four straight games entering Week 15, posting two touchdowns over that stretch. With Henry now out, Gates has an opportunity to finish the season on a high note. He has developed a great relationship with quarterback Philip Rivers over the years, so he has an added advantage over many backups in similar situations. The Jets have allowed eight touchdowns to tight ends this season, leaving Gates with potential at this cheap price.

**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 16

Los Angeles Chargers vs. New York Jets
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $3,700
FanDuel = $4,900

The Jets weren’t exactly a juggernaut on offense, to begin with, but have taken a step backward with the loss of starting quarterback Josh McCown (hand). Bryce Petty was terrible last week against the Saints, completing only 19-of-39 passes for 179 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He’s already been named the starter again for Week 16, which is great news for the Chargers defense. The Chargers have 11 interceptions in their last six games, so things could get ugly for Petty and the Jets in a hurry.

Detroit Lions vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
DraftKings = $2,900
FanDuel = $4,600

The Lions defense has been excellent of late, recording five sacks, five interceptions, and three fumble recoveries in their last two games. They get to face a Bengals team playing out the string in Week 16 that has lost by a combined score of 67-14 over their last two games. It was so bad in Week 15 that the Bengals benched Andy Dalton for A.J. McCarron. With little promise on offense for the Bengals, look for the Lions to provide plenty of value for your entry.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 12/21/17

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 12/21/17



Use Code “CYBER30” at checkout for 30% off Seasonal Package
 

POINT GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Kris Dunn, CHI at CLE
FanDuel = $7,800
DraftKings = $7,300

The Bulls are red hot right now, winning seven straight games. The return of Nikola Mirotic and the improved play of their bench as a unit is a big reason for their recent success, but Dunn has also been a huge factor. Over the seven-game winning streak, Dunn is averaging 16.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 2.4 steals per game. The Bulls have moved to smaller lineups and are playing at a faster pace, which will only continue to help Dunn. He has great upside again Thursday.

Mario Chalmers, MEM at PHO
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,300

Chalmers was given the first crack at replacing Mike Conley (Achilles) at point guard, but struggled and was ultimately moved back to the bench. He’s been serviceable in that role lately, averaging 7.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.8 three-pointers over his last four games. The key is he played at least 22 minutes in all four of those contests. The Suns allow the second-most points on both FanDuel and DraftKings to opposing point guards, so Chalmers might be worth the risk based on his cheap price.

SHOOTING GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

DeMar DeRozan, TOR at PHI
FanDuel = $8,800
DraftKings = $8,800

DeRozan’s scoring is down almost three points per game this season, in large part because he is averaging almost four fewer shot attempts per game. He’s still been productive though with a 30% usage rate that puts him inside the top-15 in the league. He should get plenty of chances to score Thursday as the Sixers play at the third-fastest pace (103.3) in the league. While he’s one of the most expensive guards playing tonight, but he should be worth the price.

Justin Holiday, CHI at CLE
FanDuel = $4,900
DraftKings = $5,600

Holiday’s had a hard time contributing offensively of late, scoring eight points or less in four of his last six games. He’s averaging 12.5 shot attempts per game this season overall but has taken 10 shots or less in five of his last six games. That should come as little surprise with Nikola Mirotic back in the fold. All that being said, he can contribute with more than just scoring as he’s averaging 4.4 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 2.4 three-pointers per game this season. This could be a high-scoring affair between two teams that use small lineups, so Holiday has some upside.

SMALL FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

LeBron James, CLE vs. CHI
FanDuel = $12,300
DraftKings = $11,900

James is the best option available at any position Thursday with so few games on the schedule. James continues to get a lot of playing time, averaging 37 minutes per game. While he’s one of the best players in the league on a team with talent, he still plays a ton because the Cavaliers struggles on defense tend to lead to close games. While the Bulls are playing well, they don’t have anyone capable of slowing down James. Pay up for him in this game and enjoy the ride.

Robert Covington, PHI vs. TOR
FanDuel = $7,000
DraftKings = $6,200

Covington is ice cold from the field right now, shooting only 26.7% from over his last three games. He can carry a team when his shot is falling but tends to go through cold streaks like this as well. Even with his struggles, he still provides value. He hit at least two three-pointers in all three of those games, helping him to build a nice scoring floor. He is also excellent defensively, averaging 2.7 steals and 1.7 blocks over those same three games. There aren’t a lot of great cheap options at small forward Thursday, so it’s not a bad idea to spend a little more money on Convington as his upside is high if he can correct his shooting woes.

POWER FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Dario Saric, PHI vs. TOR
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $6,400

Joel Embiid (back) is not expected to play Thursday, which is good news for Saric’s value. In the last five games that Embiid has missed, Saric has averaged 17.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.2 three-pointers per game. Not only do the Sixers play at a fast pace, but the Raptors do as well as they play at the 10th-fastest pace (100.4) in the league. Saric should see increased usage and value with Embiid out again for this game.

Serge Ibaka, TOR at PHI
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $5,900

Ibaka missed a game Sunday with knee soreness, but that’s been his only bump in the road of late. The good news is he returned to play 27 minutes Wednesday against the Hornets. He was excellent yet again, scoring 24 points to go along with five rebounds, two blocks, and two three-pointers. He has scored at least 15 points, recorded at least one block and hit at least two three-pointers in each of his last eight games, giving him a nice base to work off of on a nightly basis. The price is right to take a chance on him continuing his recent run of success Thursday.

CENTERS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Kevin Love, CLE vs. CHI
FanDuel = $8,000
DraftKings = $8,300

The Cavaliers might be getting some scoring reinforcements with Isaiah Thomas (hip) reportedly set to return soon, but Love will continue to be James’ primary running mate at least until then. He’s been extremely efficient this season as he is shooting a career-high 47.4% from the field. His usage rate of 26.8% is also the highest it’s been since he joined the Cavaliers. The Bulls like to play small outside of Robin Lopez, which should only help Love. He will cost you a lot, but he should be productive again in this game.

Richaun Holmes, PHI vs. TOR
FanDuel = $5,900
DraftKings = $4,600

Like Saric, Holmes should also benefit from Ebiid sitting out Thursday. In the last five games with Embiid out, Holmes averaged 10.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. He doesn’t have nearly the upside that Saric does, but that doesn’t mean he can’t provide value at a cheaper price. There aren’t many great cheap options at center Thursday, making Holmes someone worth considering for your entry.

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

Tier 1

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

Only three options in the first tier but the decision will not be an easy one should be running just one lineup this week. Todd Gurley trails Kareem Hunt by just 13 yards rushing this season but has 190 more receiving yards and eight more total touchdowns giving him 25.1 DraftKings points per game this season and right in the middle of the league MVP talks. He is coming off a monster game where he rushed for 152 yards and three touchdowns and also added another touchdown through the air leading the Rams to a huge victory over their division rivals, the Seahawks. Kareem Hunt is also coming off a big game last week with 155 yards rushing and a touchdown and also added nine receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown through the air. It seems the Chiefs just needed to get Andy Reid away from making play calls for Hunt to get back on track as that is now back to back weeks with 100+ yards rushing.

Outside of Week 14 where he got injured, Alvin Kamara has been extremely consistent this season with seven games with 20 or more DraftKings points and sits with 1,336 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns. Looking at the matchups, all three of their opponents rank in the top third of the league in rushing yards per game allowed but Tennessee is the only one of the three to hold opponents under 100 yards per game and they also rank 4th overall when looking at DraftKings points per game to running backs.

The game script definitely favors Gurley, however, and he has proven to be near matchup proof at this point. When looking at DraftKings points per game allowed, Hunt has the best matchup of the three as the Dolphins rank 28th in that category and they have also allowed the most rushing yards per game(109.9). The DVOA ranks tell another story as the Falcons rank 30th in that category against the rush which is great news for Kamara who is averaging 6.6 yards per carry this season. The only knock on Kamara is that he is sharing a backfield with Mark Ingram who is also having a heck of a season. Using FanShareSports early in the week, Hunt and Gurley are neck and neck at the top and should command ownership in this tier and for me, I will be running about 45% of each with a little mix of Kamara in some contrarian lineups.

Top Targets in this Tier – Todd Gurley, Kareem Hunt

Tier 2

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

The second tier brings us two of the six running backs in the league who have already broke 1,000 yards rushing this season. I mentioned in the last tier how the Saints have been splitting the reps almost down the middle between rookie Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram and both are having tremendous season leading the Saints to the #1 overall DVOA rank in rushing. While the Falcons rank 12th when looking at DraftKings points allowed to running backs, they have been much worse on the DVOA scale ranking 30th this season. The Saints are currently 5.5 point favorites in a game with a 52.5 Vegas Total which could lead to another run-heavy game script for the Saints. While the game script for LeSean McCoy is not in his favor as the Bills are 11.5 point dogs to the Patriots, he has a lot going for him in this matchup. Both teams rank Top 10 in pace and McCoy always gets his share of touches in the offense regardless of game script. The Patriots have also been pretty bad against running backs as well as they have allowed the seventh-most rushing yards per game(122.3) and rank dead last in DVOA vs. the rush.

Up next, we have two elite receivers facing each other this week. The bad news for both of them is that both teams rank Top 12 in receiving yards per game and Top 15 in DVOA vs. the pass and both have elite corners in Marshon Lattimore(NO) and Desmond Trufant(ATL) who rank near the top of PFF’s cornerback rankings. The good news is that both receivers are getting targeted a ton in their respective offenses with Julio at 9.0 per game while Thomas is getting 9.7 per game. Julio leads with 1,215 yards while Thomas has 1,085 but Thomas has the slight edge in DraftKings points per game thanks to scoring two more touchdowns.  This game is projected to be a shootout and the only game this week with a Vegas Total exceeding 50 so I don’t think you can go wrong with either here in this spot.

Top Targets in this Tier – Micheal Thomas, Mark Ingram

Tier 3

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

Gronk returned from his one-game suspension last week and went off again posting 168 yards on nine receptions. That gives him back to back weeks with 100 or more receiving yards and three straight weeks with 25 or more DraftKings points. I wouldn’t go as far to say he gets a great matchup this week as the Bills rank 12th in DVOA vs. the pass but have been much worse against tight ends than wideouts as they rank 22nd in DraftKings points per game allowed to the position vs. 9th against wideouts. Gronk is pretty matchup proof as well. The other tight end in this tier, Travis Kelce, sits second to Gronk in receiving yards this season with 991 but has the same amount of touchdowns with seven. He has also slightly out-targeted Gronk this season with 8.1 per game but more importantly this week, he gets a way better matchup. Not only do the Dolphins rank 27th in DVOA vs. the pass but they have been terrible vs. tight ends ranking 28th overall in DraftKings points allowed to the position.

We also get two runnings backs in this tier who have been very productive lately. Kenyan Drake took over the #1 role in the Dolphins backfield when Jay Ajayi was traded to Philly and has heated up lately with 100 yards or a touchdown in four straight games for an average of 22.4 DraftKings points per game. The matchup is a bit tricky this week as the Chiefs do rank 31st in DVOA vs. the rush but 11th in DraftKings points per game to the position. The biggest knock on Drake this week could be the game script as the Dolphins are currently 10 point road underdogs and projected for just over 16 points. Drake will undoubtedly be the lowest owned player in this tier. Melvin Gordon, despite only breaking 100 yds twice this season, has been very productive ranking 7th in rushing yards (931) and has topped 75 yards in three straight games and has scored a touchdown in back to back games. The matchup is so-so as the Jets rank 13th in DVOA vs. the rush and 14th in DraftKings points per game allowed to running backs but he should get plenty of volume as the Chargers are 6.5 point favorites and projected to score around 25 points this week.

Top Targets in this Tier – Travis Kelce, Melvin Gordon

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

Tier 4

 Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

All four quarterbacks in this tier are at home and all of them beside Drew Brees are huge double-digit favorites. Looking at each player’s last four weeks performance, it has been Cam Newton and Alex Smith who have been far and away the best quarterbacks as both are averaging over 21 DraftKings points per game. Smith’s performance is a bit skewed as he had a huge week 13 scoring 40.6 DK points but didn’t exceed 20 in either of the other three weeks. Cam has been much more consistent with performances of 31.4, 15.5, 20.4, and 17.5 and he has also topped 20 DK points in 50% of his starts this season. He adds a ton of value using his rushing ability and leads all quarterbacks with 643 yards on the ground with five rushes of 20+ yards and five touchdowns.

Despite struggling recently with just two touchdowns over his last three games, Tom Brady still leads the league in passing while averaging 297 yards per game and trails on Carson Wentz and Russell Wilson in touchdown passes. As for Drew Brees, he has not thrown for 300 yards in four straight weeks and has only done so three times this season while throwing for three touchdowns just once and most of that can be contributed to the elite run game that Saints possess. When it comes down to matchups, Cam Newton clearly gets the best of them facing a Bucs team that has allowed a league-high 271.3 yards and ranks 29th in DVOA vs. the pass. Next best matchup goes to Alex Smith who faces a Dolphins team that sits mid-pack when looking at yards per game allowed (222.6) but ranks 27th in DVOA vs. the pass. Of the four, Tom Brady has the worst matchup on paper going against a Bills defense that ranks 12th in DVOA vs. the pass and 4th overall in DraftKings points per game allowed to the position.

Top Target in this Tier – Cam Newton, Alex Smith

Tier 5

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

Tier 5 gives us four quarterbacks who are all playing on the road this week and all but Matt Ryan are favorites. Matthew Stafford leads the way this season with 18.8 DraftKings points per game but it has been Phillip Rivers crushing value lately averaging 21.6 DraftKings points per game over his last four thanks to posting 20+ in three of those games. No other quarterback in this tier has more than one and Matt Ryan has zero after back to back performances of under 10 DraftKings points.

Rivers and Goff have the best matchups of the four as the Jets rank 22nd in DVOA vs. the pass and 27th in DK points per game allowed while the Titans rank 24th in DVOA vs. the pass and 17th in DK points per game allowed to the position. Ryan gets the worst matchup in this tier facing the Saints who rank 4th in DVOA vs. the pass and 13thin DK points allowed while Stafford’s matchup is in the middle with the Bengals ranking 18th in DVOA vs. the pass and 11th in DK points allowed to the position but have definitely been trending down lately allowing quarterbacks to score an average of 21.1 DK points per game.

Top Targets in this Tier – Phillip Rivers, Matthew Stafford

Tier 6

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

Three of the four wide receivers (Hill, Funchess, Cooks) teams in this tier are double-digit favorites which could work against their game scripts a little bit but it will be hard to avoid some of the matchups. For instance, Devin Funchess faces a Bucs team that has allowed the most DraftKings points per game this season. He could also be lower owned here coming off a one-catch week for just 19 yards. The concern Funchess this week is the shoulder injury that has been nagging him as he was held out of practice on Wednesday. If you are looking for consistency then don’t overlook Tyreke Hill in this spot as he has tallied double-digit DK points in six straight and eight of his last 10 games, twice going over 25 points. Over the past four weeks, he has also seen an uptick in his targets(8 per game) and sees a matchup vs. the Dolphins who rank 27th in DVOA vs. the pass.

On the flip side, Brandin Cooks has been trending down lately averaging just six targets per game and has exceeded 75 yards just once in that time. Robert Woods made his return last week after being held out for three weeks due to injury and looked catching six of his seven targets for 45 yards and a touchdown. The Rams are 6.5 point favorites and although Todd Gurley has been red hot, they may need to throw a bit more as the Titans have been much worse against the pass this season ranking 24th in DVOA and 23rd in DraftKings points per game to wideouts.

Both running backs in this tier are in great spots this week as their teams (Panthers, Patriots) are both double-digit home favorites. Dion Lewis is likely in for a bit bigger role this week with Rex Burkhead out a couple weeks with a knee sprain. That is good news considering he has already been getting a nice run with double-digit carries in eight of his last nine games. He also gets an elite matchup vs. the Bills who have allowed 122 rushing yards per game (8th most) and the most DraftKings points per game to running backs this season. Christian McCaffrey leads all running backs with an average of 7.2 targets per game and has been a PPR star with double-digit fantasy points in 11 of his 14 games, going over 20 DK points five times.

Top Targets in this Tier – Dion Lewis, Christian McCaffrey, Tyreke Hill

Tier 7

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

I will start with the wideouts in this tier and not only does Jarvis Landry lead them all with an average of 16.3 DK points per game this season, he also gets the best matchup this week. He will be facing the Chiefs who have allowed the seventh-most passing yards per game and while they rank 17th in DVOA vs. pass, they rank 30th in DraftKings points per game allowed to wide receivers. You also never have to worry about usage with Landry as he is one of just three players in 2017 to average double-digit targets each week (10.3).

The Bengals top wideout, A.J. Green, is not far behind averaging 8.8 targets per game and has been trending up lately with 10 targets per game over his last four but is coming off a down week where Xavier Rhodes shut him down with just two catches for 30 yards. Things don’t get any easier for Green this week as he will likely see a ton of Darius Slay who ranks as a Top 10 corner on Pro Football Focus.

On the other side of the ball, we have Marvin Jones Jr. who has been extremely consistent lately recording double-digit fantasy points in eight of his last 10 games with 20 or more in four of those games. While the Bengals rank 3rd in DK points per game allowed to wideouts, they have struggled a ton lately allowing a 100-yard receiver in three straight weeks (four total). Josh Gordon has been targeted 27 times in his three games since returning to the Browns and scored once but has yet to have that monster game we are all waiting for, maybe it’s the fact he is now playing sober (boom).

With Tevin Coleman out last week, Devonta Freeman got 24 carries but wasn’t overly impressive with 91 yards (3.8 per carry) but saved his fantasy day with a touchdown. This week it appears Coleman will be back in the mix which will limit Freeman’s carries but the Falcons are currently underdogs which could help him with some targets in the passing game. Jordan Howard has been up and down all season with four performances of 20+ DK points but has also put up six performances under 10 DK points. This week he faces a Browns team that ranks #1 in DVOA vs. the rush but have been trending down lately. The game script could definitely be in his favor as the Bears are currently 6.5 point favorites.

Top Targets in this Tier – Jarvis Landry, Marvin Jones Jr, Jordan Howard

Tier 8

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

While Marvin Jones has been the consistent piece of the Lions receiving core, Golden Tate has been hit and miss. He has tallied double-digit DK points twice in his last four games but also posted six DK points in the other two games. I mentioned the matchup earlier vs. the Bengals who have allowed four 100-yard receivers in the last three weeks so Tate is fully in play this week.

Robby Anderson was limited in Wednesday’s practice and even if he plays, he should be avoided as he is likely shadowed by PFF’s #1 ranked corner in Casey Hayward. Demaryius Thomas is on my radar this week and has been fairly productive lately catching 20 of his 38 targets for 207 yards and a touchdown. The problem this week is the matchup vs. the Redskins who rank 8th in DVOA vs. the pass and 8th in DK points per game allowed to wideouts.

Cooper Kupp has not been the most consistent fantasy option this season and a lot of that has to do with Todd Gurley running over defenses but Kupp is in a nice spot this week vs. the Titans who rank 24th in DVOA vs. the pass and 23rd in DK points allowed to wideouts. With Julio Jones normally getting a ton of the opposing defenses attention, Mohamed Sanu has thrived on the other side lately with 20+ DK points in two of his last three games. Stay tuned for the injury status, however, as he was limited on Wednesday with a knee injury.

Bengals rookie running back, Joe Mixon, was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and likely to be cleared by the league to return this week. Should he get back on the field, he gets a nice matchup vs. the Lions who have allowed 111 yards rushing per game and rank 29th overall in DK points per game allowed to running backs.

Top Targets in this Tier – Golden Tate, Cooper Kupp, Joe Mixon(if he starts)

 

Thanks for reading and if you have any questions leading up to Sunday morning lineup lock, be sure to hit me up on Twitter(@Jager_Bombs9). Good luck everyone!

 

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 12/20/17 – Value Plays

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 12/20/17 – Value Plays



Use Code “CYBER30” at checkout for 30% off Seasonal Package
 

Wednesday’s slate in the NBA is loaded with 12 games, giving you plenty of options for your DFS entry. We took a look at some of the overall excellent plays in Wednesday’s article on Sports Illustrated, but let’s now dive deeper into only the cheaper value plays that can help make you a winner.

POINT GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

George Hill, SAC at BKN
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $4,800

Hill did not play Tuesday due to an illness but is expected to return for Wednesday’s game against the Nets. Fellow guard De’Aaron Fox (quad) entered Tuesday’s game with an injury and tried to play, but had to leave the game early. Considering Fox missed Sunday’s game with the same injury, it would be surprising if he plays Wednesday. That would leave Hill in line for increased minutes, giving him a boost in value. He scored 16 points to go along with five assists and one steal in 33 minutes with Fox out Sunday, making him someone to consider again for this game.

Dejounte Murray, SA at POR
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $4,100

The Spurs have ruled out starting point guard Tony Parker (rest) on Wednesday, which should open up more playing time for Murray. Murray started the last three games that Parker missed, averaging 19.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. While it might be hard to replicate those numbers Wednesday, he won’t need to in order to still have excellent value at this price.

SHOOTING GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

Justin Holiday, CHI vs. ORL
FanDuel = $5,100
DraftKings = $5,200

Holiday has seen significant playing time of late, logging at least 38 minutes in three of his last six games. The Bulls finally have some depth with Nikola Mirotic, Bobby Portis, and David Nwaba all healthy, which is making it harder for defenses to key in on Holiday. He’s not just an offensive threat either as he is averaging career-highs in both rebounds (4.5) and steals (1.3) per game. The Magic play at the seventh-fastest pace (102.2) in the league, so look for Holiday to have a chance to make a big impact in this game.

Josh Hart, LAL at HOU
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $3,000

Hart is likely to receive another start Wednesday as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be unable to play as he can’t leave the state of California due to a legal issue. Hart started on the road Thursday against the Cavaliers, finishing with 11 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 33 minutes. Both the Lakers and Rockets are in the top-eight in the league in pace of play, so this could be a high-scoring affair. Hart is someone to consider based on his dirt cheap price on both sites.

SMALL FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

Josh Richardson, MIA at BOS
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $5,900

The Heat are running out of healthy players. Hassan Whiteside (knee) and James Johnson (ankle) have already been ruled out Wednesday, Justise Winslow (knee) is doubtful and Goran Dragic (elbow) is going to try and play after missing Monday’s game. With so few options left, Richardson has been forced to log at least 36 minutes in three of his last four games. He has shown great upside in his last two games, averaging 27.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals, 2.5 blocks and 4.0 three-pointers per contest. With plenty of minutes likely available Wednesday, consider Richardson for your entry.

Mario Hezonja, ORL at CHI
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $4,700

Injuries continue to pile up around the league as the Magic will be without Aaron Gordon (calf) on Wednesday. Hezonja has played at least 31 minutes in three of the last four games due to Gordon’s absence, averaging 17.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 1.3 blocks and 3.7 three-pointers per contest. The Bulls have allowed at least 100 points in five of their last six games, so this could be another high-scoring contest based on the Magic’s pace of play. He is only shooting guard eligible on DraftKings, but should still provide value on both sites regardless of his position.

POWER FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

Kyle Kuzma, LAL at HOU
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $5,800

The Lakers frontcourt is going to be a little thin going forward as Brook Lopez (ankle) has been ruled out for three weeks. While he wasn’t playing particularly well, Lopez was still averaging 22 minutes per game. Kuzma should be one of the players who benefits from Lopez’s absence, which he showed by playing 40 minutes in Monday’s overtime loss to the Warriors. The Rockets like to use a lot of small lineups, which fits well with Kuzma’s skillset. The price is right to get him in your lineup for this game.

Trey Lyles, DEN vs. MIN
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $4,800

Lyles did not play much earlier this year, logging at least 20 minutes in only one of the first 19 games. An injury to Nikola Jokic opened up some playing time for Lyles, and it doesn’t look like he’s planning on going back to a limited role anytime soon. He’s developed a consistent role over his last 10 games, averaging 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.2 three-pointers per contest. He’s passed Kenneth Faried on the depth chart as Faried hasn’t even played in two of the last four games. At this price, it might be worth taking a chance that Lyles keeps things rolling Wednesday.

CENTERS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

Alex Len, PHO at LAC
FanDuel = $5,700
DraftKings = $5,600

The Suns center position is extremely frustrating. They have been rotating DNP’s between Len, Tyson Chandler, and Greg Monroe, making it difficult to choose who to us in DFS any given night. One sliver of hope is that Len has played the last three games in a row, averaging 11.7 points, 13.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.3 blocks per game. He seems to be the more talented player between the three, it’s just a matter of getting consistent minutes. Keep an eye on his status throughout the day as he has value at this price if he takes the floor.

Bam Adebayo, MIA at BOS
FanDuel = $4,900
DraftKings = $4,600

With all the Heat’s problems with injuries already detailed, Adebayo is one of the players who has been counted on for extra minutes. His offensive upside isn’t great, but Adebayo has averaged 11.0 points and 6.2 rebounds over his last five games. This isn’t an ideal matchup against a tough Celtics defense, but there aren’t great cheap options at center Wednesday. If you want to take a chance on someone who won’t cost much, Adebayo could provide value.

NBA Fantasy Basketball Schedule Analysis for Week 10

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*



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NBA Fantasy Basketball Schedule Analysis for Week 10

If you’ve dug yourself into a hole through the first nine weeks of your season-long league, it’s not too late to get out of it. The time is now to start making up ground. It’s important to know the intricacies of the schedule to gain an advantage over your opponent in a head-to-head league as starting your best players might not always give you the best chance to win. Here are the moves you want to consider for your team based on the week ahead.

Teams With The Most Games – 4 Games Each
Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz

There are 16 teams that each play four games this week, so you might already have several players on your roster that are set up nicely. If you still need some help rounding out your starters, consider adding the below players who can all provide value based on their schedule.

NBA Fantasy Basketball Schedule Analysis for Week 10

Kelly Olynyk, Miami Heat

Olynyk makes the add list for the second consecutive week as the Heat continue to play a lot of games early on. Not only has Hassan Whiteside (knee) been ruled out for at least the Heat’s first two games Week 10, but James Johnson (ankle) is now out for 7-to-10 days. Things are really getting thin up front, so expect Olynyk to play a big role this week. He’s provided consistent production of late, averaging 10.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.0 three-pointer in his last three games. With all the minutes he can likely handle, Olynyk has a lot working in his favor. He’s still available in 55% of Yahoo! league, so pick him up if you need help up front.

David Nwaba, Chicago Bulls

The Bulls are rolling right now, mainly because this is the healthiest they have been all season. Nwaba is one of those players who missed time earlier this season as he battled an ankle injury. His energy off the bench has been key and he’s played more minutes than starting small forward Denzel Valentine in three of the last five games. Nwaba hasn’t let the playing time go to waste, averaging 11.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.0 steal over those five games. Outside of one tough game against the Celtics, the Bulls are playing teams who can give up points in the Sixers, Magic, and Cavaliers this week. Still available in 85% of Yahoo! leagues, Nwaba can provide help if you need it.

Maxi Kleber, Dallas Mavericks

Kleber has been on a bit of a rollercoaster ride of late, scoring seven points or less three times in his last six games. He was great in the other three though, averaging 16.7 points. The key is he’s been getting consistent playing time, logging at least 24 minutes in all six games. If you are looking for a three-pointer shooter, Kleber should be on your radar as he’s hit seven three’s over the last four games. The Mavericks play three teams who like to go small this week in the Suns, Heat, and Hawks, which is a good fit for Kleber. The Suns and the Hawks are two of the worst defensive teams in the league as well. Kleber is still available in 93% of Yahoo! leagues and is someone to consider if you play in a deep league.

Teams With The Fewest Games – 2 Games Each
Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons

With only two teams playing two games this week, players on these squads will see a significant decrease in value. Consider benching the below players who would normally be in your starting lineup otherwise.

NBA Fantasy Basketball Schedule Analysis for Week 10

Tobias Harris, Detroit Pistons

Harris has been excellent offensively for the Pistons, averaging career-highs in points (17.8) and three-pointers (2.7) per game. He’s shooting 44.0% from behind the arc, far surpassing his previous career-high of 36.4%. It’s not like he’s being more selective as he’s taking a whopping 6.1 three-pointers per game. That being said, he doesn’t provide hardly anything in the way of assists, steals or blocks and is only averaging 5.4 rebounds per game. In a week with only two games, his scoring alone might not be enough to warrant a start.

Dwyane Wade, Cleveland Cavaliers

Wade is nowhere near the player he once was, but he’s still provided value this season. He’s played well coming off the bench for the Cavaliers, averaging 11.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. Considering his main value is that of a stat compiler across multiple categories as opposed to excelling in a couple of areas, this week is not ideal for his value. Keep him anchored to your bench.

Reggie Jackson, Detroit Pistons

Jackson is slumping right now, scoring 12 points or less in four of his last five games. He shot only 29.2% from the field in those four games, so to say he was cold is an understatement. The Pistons play the Knicks and the Mavericks this week, two teams in the bottom half of the league in terms of pace of play. He’s not going to get many opportunities to contribute to your team in the first place with only two games, making the matchups even worse for his value. He should right the ship offensively sooner rather than later, but you still may want to bench him this week.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17

by John Ferrucci 0 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17

After a day off for most of the league, Monday night brings us a fresh ten game slate with some interesting play possibilities. There may be some hidden treasure to cash your lineup.


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NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17 - Lineuplab.com

POINT GUARDS:

Russell Westbrook ($11,300 FD/$11,200)

As for most nights, Russell Westbrook seems worth paying up for; He clashes with the Denver Nuggets on Monday night, as the Thunder start off a three-game homestand. Denver ranks 24th in the league in defending the PG position, and rank 22nd in the league in overall defensive efficiency. They also rank 9th in the NBA in pace, with a top 10 rank in offensive efficiency which will up the tempo in this game. This should not be a problem for Westbrook, as it is a great benefit to his DFS value.

Yogi Ferrell ($4,800 FD/$5,000 DK)

Mavs starting PG Dennis Smith Jr. is officially listed as questionable Monday night. If he plays, ignore this article as alternative plays for each position will be listed at the end of the article. If Smith Jr. is out and you need a cheap PG play to accompany Westbrook, or just to stock up on salary, Yogi Ferrell may be the best $4,800 you’ve ever spent. The young PG has recently been giving the starting nod as teammate Dennis Smith Jr. has been sidelined with a sore hip. Ferrell exploded in his last game for 41.2 FanDuel points in 38 minutes against the Spurs, who are a top 5 defense. He now meets Monday at home with the weakly structured Phoenix Suns, who contain one of the worst defensive rankings in the league. An additional benefit is that the Suns rank 1st in pace, which could benefit Ferrell severely. This game consists of two of the worst teams in the league, making it more likely to be a somewhat close game throughout the duration which rids any concern of a blowout cutting player’s minutes.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17 - Lineuplab.com

SHOOTING GUARDS:

Klay Thompson ($7,200 FD/$7,000)

With Stephen Curry sidelined for a little bit, many expect Klay to dominate the DFS board. He’s been a bit of a disappointment, but that’s solely because of the high expectations set for him. If you look aside from his fantasy points, his scoring is there without Curry; he has scored 20 or more points in five straight contests. The issue is that his other statistics in the stat sheet just aren’t there some nights. Regardless, he plays the Lakers Monday night, who rank in the bottom third of the league in defending the position. For the price given lately, Klay has been consistent value-wise and can his floor should be around 30 FanDuel points whenever you roster him. His breakout game seems overdue and it very well could be tonight.

Dion Waiters ($5,800 FD/$5,500 DK)

I’m not sure my brain is familiar with writing about Dion Waiters. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever even typed his name on my keyboard prior to this article, but the former 4th overall pick caught my attention in this slate. Waiters and the Heat square-off with the 6-23 Atlanta Hawks, who are riding a four-game win streak. With Hassan Whiteside still inactive and a recent injury to forward James Johnson, Waiters is in for a heavier workload and a boost in usage. Averaging 26.5 FD points per game in his last four contests, he has fantastic value when you mix his recent consistency and workload with his match-up against a team whose defense is almost as poor as their record.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17 - Lineuplab.com

SMALL FORWARDS:

Kevin Durant ($12,000 FD/$11,600 DK) 

Carrying the highest price tag on both FanDuel and DraftKings, he seems almost worth it with just about any price as long as Stephen Curry is not sharing the court. In the previous four games without Curry, Durant has posted a monstrous fantasy performance each night as he averaged 63.1 FanDuel PPG throughout the nights. He’s coming off a near triple-double, posting a 36-11-7 stat line. Luckily for those hunting Durant, there are quite a few value plays you can take the risk on to fit him into your lineup.

Omar Casspi ($4,500 FD/$4,100 DK) 

It wouldn’t be fair to end my piece Durant claiming there are some value plays in this slate and then not provide one. Luckily, I’m a fair man. A key value play for this Monday night slate is Durant’s teammate, Omar Casspi. Omar has drawn the start for Draymond Green in the last two games as Green is dealing with a sore right shoulder. He is listed as a SF on FD and is eligible for SF as well as PF on DraftKings, adding value to the risk of rostering him. Green has been listed out for this match-up opening a potential starting spot for him to do some damage in his third straight game. He has not disappointed with his responsibility of making up for Draymond’s absence, as he averaged 32.8 FanDuel PPG over an average of around 28 minutes per game in those starts. He is extremely cheap on both platforms and is a great plug-in to make room for a star in your lineup.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17 - Lineuplab.com

POWER FORWARDS:

Ben Simmons ($9,900 FD/$9,600 DK) 

Not the priciest of the “big dogs” of the slate, Simmons has a promising encounter with the streaking Chicago Bulls, who are looking for their sixth straight win Monday night with Ben Simmons in their way. This game has a few factors included with it that make it seem like Simmons will be a great play; Joel Embiid has been ruled out for this contest for rest purposes, evidently boosting Simmons usage and workload. Win streak or not, the Bulls defense is still on the poor end of the rankings. However, with Embiid out and the Bulls recent win spree, this game seems as if it’ll be a lot closer than we would’ve predicted a week ago. The official odds have the Sixers winning by only one and a half with a total of 208.5 (Spread and total are subject to change). Simmons opposing a weak defensive team with predictions of a blowout slim gives the front-runner for Rookie Of The Year some extra attention on this slate.

Jordan Bell ($4,700 FD/$4,500 DK) 

Everybody’s favorite part of these articles is for some direction to where the value is; Finding cheap value plays in DFS is like winning a scratch-off ticket: Awesome! Along with teammate Omar Casspi who is also listed in this article, Jordan Bell has some serious upside Monday night. Listed at PF on FanDuel and PF/C on DraftKings, Bell has started the last two games for injured Zaza Pachulia. Pachulia is listed out against the Lakers, which should put Bell back in the starting lineup. Bell averaged 28.2 FanDuel PPG in those two. He matches up Monday against a defense that ranks 28th in defending the position, allowing an average of 55.9 FPPG per 48 minutes. When logging at least 20 minutes this season, Bell has provided 30.1 FanDuel PPG. Bell and Casspi may be your salary saving dynamic duo tonight.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17

CENTERS:

Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,700 FD/$8,800 DK)

Towns was featured in Saturday’s article I wrote and he’s a little too difficult to avoid recently. Towns comes into the game Monday on an absolute tear, as he is averaging 58.9 FanDuel PPG over his last five games. Monday night KAT enters a contest against the Portland Trailblazers where he may be seeing an even larger workload. In Minnesota’s previous outing, star player Jimmy Butler exited the game when appearing to hurt his back. Although he returned to the game later, he is listed as questionable for Monday night. If Butler is sidelined, Towns is in for a heavy boost in usage. Given his recent production, he only costs $8,800 on DraftKings (10th highest salary).  He is definitely a stud to consider paying up for, especially on DraftKings.

Ekpe Udoh ($4,700 FD/$3,700 DK) – 

Ekpe Udoh was the talk of the DFS community on Saturday night as the Baylor product scorched the Cavaliers for 48.9 FanDuel points in his first official start filling in for injured high-caliber rim protector Rudy Gobert. Only scoring 9 points in that game, Udoh found other ways to produce as he stuffed the stat sheet for 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and a whopping 6 blocks across 32 minutes of play. Gobert is listed out tonight, and with Udoh’s first impression as a starter Saturday it is almost evident that he will draw the start again. He clashes with the red-hot Rockets who seek a 14th straight win with this contest. For the dirt cheap price Udoh is tagged at (Especially on DraftKings) he won’t have to do too much to exceed value.

 

Honorable Mentions:

PG: Chris Paul & J.J. Barea

SG: James Harden & J.J. Redick

SF: Harrison Barnes, Brandon Ingram & Josh Richardson

PF: Dario Saric & Thaddeus Young

C: Richaun Holmes & Al Horford

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/16/17

by John Ferrucci 0 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/16/17

Saturday Night’s NBA Main slate presents us an eight game mosh-pit with some interesting match-ups. Some of which provide some value plays given the injury epidemic going on recently.



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POINT GUARDS:

Russell Westbrook ($11,100 FD / $11,500 DK) 

If you’re going to pay up for somebody on FanDuel Westbrook may be the foundation to your lineup. He is cheaper on FD than The Greak Freak, LeBron and Harden. He is still very worth it on DK as the triple-double machine is coming off of a triple-overtime game where he stuffed the stat sheet of 27-18-15. He now plays the next night at Madison Square Garden, where he may just put on a show. Westbrooks opponents, the Knicks, rank 25th in defending the position. He logged 52 minutes during last night’s win, however, he should be more than fine. It’s time for the Russ show for my lineup.

Jeff Teague ($6,400 FD/$6,500/DK) 

Jeff Teague has a great match-up Saturday against struggling Phoenix Suns, who rank 28th in defending point guards this season as they allow on average 50.52 FPTS per game. Teague has not been so valuable on DFS lately, but he hasn’t had too big of a workload either with the way teammates Jimmy Butler and Karl Anthony-Towns have been playing lately. Regardless, this matchup offers Teague an ideal game to breakout to his old form.

SHOOTING GUARDS:

Donovan Mitchell ($7,800 FD/$6,900 DK) 

Donovan Mitchell is one of the most underrated rookies that has emerged in the league this year. Mitchell is slowly and steadily raising eyebrows and sparking a ROTY conversation. A bit pricey on FanDuel, Mitchell has pretty good upside in this contest, as he opposes the defense-weak Cavaliers. He has also been incredibly consistent in fantasy value. With blows to Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert in Friday night’s game, Mitchell would be reintroduced to a heavier workload if one, or both of those are sidelined.

CJ McCollum ($7,100 FD/$6,800 DK) 

McCollum has some serious upside in this slate. McCollum has scored 20+ points in four straight games averaging 33 FanDuel PPG in those contests. He appears likely to make it five in a row as he matches up with the Phoenix Suns, the 30th ranked team in defending shooting guards. His price is very fair and adds value to his projections, given his consistency as of lately. McCollum is a little more flexible on DraftKings as he is also eligible for point guard.

SMALL FORWARDS:

Jimmy Butler ($9,700 FD/$9,000 DK) 

Not many people have been hotter than Jimmy Butler lately. Holding one of the best SF match-ups of the night, Butler enters Saturday with a stretch in which out of the last 7 games, he has logged an average of 41 minutes and has scored an average of 27 points per game. One beneficial factor about Butler’s match-up against the Suns is that Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau hasn’t had much trust in his second unit lately, as his starters have been seeing serious minutes regardless of score. This helps the case for obtaining Butler as a potential blowout won’t damage his minutes too much. Butler is listed as SF on FanDuel, but SG on DraftKings.

Harrison Barnes ($6,700 FD/$6,500 DK) 

It seems as if regardless of how consistent Barnes is for the DFS community, he will never have the respect he deserves. Barnes meets with San Antonio Saturday night, a team he played earlier in the week. Barnes has played pretty well against the Spurs so far this season, averaging 33.9 FanDuel points per game in his two most recent games versus them. Harrison Barnes has great worth to his name considering his price won’t hurt the salary too much. Speaking of consistency, Barnes has only scored less than 25 FanDuel points once out of his last 18 games. Six of those 25+ games have come in a row as of right now, starting a streak.

POWER FORWARDS:

LaMarcus Aldridge ($8,500 FD/$8,000 DK) 

Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard are expected to rest against the Dallas Mavericks today. With this possibility, Aldridge easily grabs the attention of everyone drafting tonight. Aldridge played the Mavs earlier this week, posting 38.6 FanDuel points to accompany a 23 points & 13 rebound double-double. He averages 51 FanDuel points per game against them this season. This time, he is playing at home in San Antonio. Spurs are playing back-to-back games, however, due to a big Rockets win last night Aldridge only logged 26 minutes. There is not many solid options at PF today, and with Porzingis’ status for tonight’s game still unknown, Aldridge may be worth paying up for at the position.

Derrick Favors ($4,900 FD/$5,300 DK) 

Favors left Friday’s contest alongside Rudy Gobert against the Celtics with an eye injury after logging in just 12 minutes. If Favors gets the go-ahead to play tonight and Gobert doesn’t, he is almost a must play as he meets with the King and the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Ever since the return of Rudy Gobert, Favors has not been dominant by any means. If anything, he’s been virtually worthless as he averages a mere 18.6 FanDuel PPG since Gobert’s return. His salary has greatly adjusted to this play as he is now dirt cheap, with a chance to get back into old form against a Cavs defense that ranks in the worst five teams in the league in defending the position.

Alternatives if Gobert plays: Taj Gibson ($5,800 FD/DK) & Carmelo Anthony ($6,800 FD/$7,000 DK)

CENTERS:

Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,600 FD/$9,600 DK) 

On a slate like this one, Towns may be your ideal “big play” in your lineup. Almost nobody has been on good as KAT as he’s starting to perform as he used to prior to the Wolves stacking their roster with some serious off-season acquisitions. There is a few reliable options at the Center position today, but Towns may be the most necessary. The big man has snapped his slump for now, averaging 59.8 FanDuel PPG in his last four games. His last game of those four consists of a 72.3 night against the Sacramento Kings just the other night. He’s now rested with a great match-up at home. I’m locked in on Towns tonight.

Kevin Love ($8,000 FD/$7,900 DK)

The injuries of Favors and Gobert of Utah may just open an interesting opportunity for Kevin Love in this slate. Gobert is most likely going to be sidelined, taking away one of Utah’s best rim protectors. Love is eligible for PF as well as C on DraftKings, keeping him an even more reliable option given Utah’s injuries. Love has posted a double-double in six of his last seven games, with four of those six consisting of 20+ points. His price tag isn’t too high, which makes him very appealing for someone who doesn’t want Towns, and needs a solid play to compliment his bigger salary plays.