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POINT GUARDS:
Kemba Walker (CHA vs MIN)
Back home at The Hive, where Kemba has done well historically. I’m ready to give up on this narrative altogether because I think he’s starting to perform well in any arena, but that’s neither here nor there for tonight’s matchup. MIN has been getting crushed by opposing backcourts this season and Kemba should just add on to the hurt.
Reggie Jackson/Ish Smith (DET vs CLE)
CLE has been crushed by opposing backcourts all season and there’s really no reason to stop going there now. Of course, Jackson is the main entrée here, but I could envision a scenario that Ish pops off for about 6x value just because of this matchup.
Patty Mills (SA vs ATL)
The DRPM (Defensive Real Plus-Minus) numbers came out recently and I would like to celebrate Dennis Schroder’s placement (second-worst) on the list, by running out Mills tonight. ATL is giving up fantasy points by the barrel, so he should have his hand in plenty of the offense.
Damian Lillard (POR @ MEM)
Hasn’t enjoyed a ton of success vs MEM in the past, but they are allowing the 5th-most FPPG to opposing PGs this season, 2nd-most on this slate… MEM is also missing Conley and Evans, which makes life easier for Dame Dolla and the Blazers.
Elfrid Payton (ORL vs IND)
Darren Collison (IND @ ORL)
The Magic/Pacers game has the highest total of tonight’s slate, and using one of the PGs involved in similar situations has produced great results before. Payton is still trying to find his way once again after suffering an unfortunate hamstring injury, but this setting should help him get back on the good foot. Collison seems like a safer bet, as he has played well over the last three games, averaging 35.3 DKP/33.3 FDP each time out… ORL is allowing the 8th-most FPPG to opposing PGs, 4th-most on this slate.
George Hill/De’Aaron Fox (SAC vs DEN)
DEN is allowing the 10th-most FPPG to opposing PGs… It is possible for Fox and Hill to play in the same lineup at times tonight, and the price is certainly right for both. Fox actually sees his usage rate climb to 24.8% without Hield in the lineup and the Domination Station initially had him in all 10 calculations on the 10/3 theory.
Mario Chalmers (MEM vs POR)
A lot is being made of Chalmers’ price increase, but he becomes even more viable if Tyreke Evans misses tonight’s game.
SHOOTING GUARDS:
Lou Williams/Austin Rivers (LAC @ NYK)
NYK is getting torched by opposing backcourts this season, so with Beverly and Gallo still out there are plenty of shots up for grabs.
Donovan Mitchell/Rodney Hood (UTA @ PHI)
PHI allowing 7th-most FPPG to opposing SGs
Avery Bradley (DET vs CLE)
CLE has been getting torn up by opposing backcourts this season and Bradley would love
CJ McCollum (POR @ MEM)
Averaging 36.2 DKP/33.3 FDP in his last eight meetings vs MEM.
Victor Oladipo (IND @ ORL)
He’s coming home, coming home, tell the world… heeeee’s coming home. It won’t be his first return to Orlando, but it’ll be his first return where he doesn’t have to compete for shots with Russell Westbrook. Use caution, though, as the Pacers are on the tragic trio (B2B, 3 in 4, 4 in 6) – sad face.
Garrett Temple (SAC vs DEN)
With Hield out of the lineup, Temple has played minutes in the upper-20s over the last two games.
SMALL FORWARDS:
Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL vs WSH)
WSH has nothing defensively for players like The Greek, as we have seen in this matchup in the past. Keep in mind, all of these performances last season were before The Greek truly cocooned into the wonderful player he is today…
LeBron James (CLE @ DET)
The good news is that this game should be close, and that’s usually when LeBron is at his best. Point is case: the Cavs have been terrible as a team, so that allows him to stay in these games longer. The price tag has gone up on LBJ but that’s what happens when you only miss salary-based expectations twice in the last nine games.
Paul George (OKC @ NOLA)
NOLA allowing 2nd-most FPPG to opposing SFs this season… Very quietly, PG13 has come to OKC and put up these numbers (below) – On a night where everyone is arguing over Greek and LBJ, this would be a very sneaky way to go.
Kyle Anderson (SA vs ATL)
ATL allowing *most FPPG to opposing SFs this season… We have seen Anderson’s best work in these more up-tempo matchups and he has exceeded/reached salary-based expectations in four of the last five games. Anderson also popped up quite a few times in the initial calculations of the DS.
Bojan Bogdanovic (IND @ ORL)
IND has a terrible schedule circumstance (B2B, 3 in 4, 4 in 6) but this shouldn’t affect Bogdanovic too much… He’ll just hang out and take three-pointers at a cheap price.
Wesley Johnson (LAC @ NYK)
Personally, not a fan of him, but it’s tough to deny his production over the last two games.
POWER FORWARDS:
Anthony Davis (NOLA vs OKC)
IIIIIIIIIIIIIII knowwwww… how could we even begin to think about this? Well, I’ll always take a chance on someone at low ownership matched up against Lazy Melo.
LaMarcus Aldridge (SA vs ATL)
Every big name has crushed ATL this season, LMA will do the same.
Ben Simmons/Dario Saric (PHI vs UTA)
Joel Embiid is listed as questionable for tonight’s game… should that happen, both Saric and Simmons will see a massive uptick in importance. Simmons has been playable under any circumstances this season, but Saric is specifically the one to target without Embiid.
Kristaps Porzingis (NYK @ LAC)
He becomes much more of a necessity if THJ ends up missing tonight’s game.
Trey Lyles/Kenneth Faried (DEN @ SAC)
When given the minutes, Lyles has made the most of his time with the Nuggets so far- whenever he’s gotten at least 15 minutes, he posted around 20 fantasy points. We never (EVER) know what Mike Malone is going to do with his rotation, but the absence of Faried leads me to believe both guys will get their fair share of minutes.
*** Stay tuned to the Slack channel as we try and decipher who exactly is going to be the better play ***
Aaron Gordon (ORL vs IND)
Thad Young (IND @ ORL)
Both guys are allergic to defense, but I’ll favor AG00 here since IND is in the midst of a tough schedule.
Zach Randolph (SAC vs DEN)
I noticed early on this season that Z-Bo tends to be more involved in games where the opposition has a physically-imposing center, and that’s exactly what is heading into Sac-Town tonight… Nikola Jokic.
CENTERS:
DeMarcus Cousins (NOLA vs OKC)
Aside from dropping a stinky dud in his last outing, Boogie has been remarkably consistent in every game this season. Ownership level will certainly not be there for him, so this is a fantastic spot for GPPs.
Nikola Jokic/Mason Plumlee (DEN @ SAC)
I’m really not a fan of playing guys on B2Bs, but Jokic did get ejected early on and I do like guys on the court in a pissed off mood. With Millsap out for tonight’s game, Jokic should be able to collect every single rebound opportunity while Plumlee should get more minutes as well. This is all very interesting, and I won’t be surprised if it ends up being profitable or a horrific dumpster fire.
*** Don’t forget Plumlee as a value option ***
Myles Turner (IND @ ORL)
Nikola Vucevic (ORL vs IND)
Both guys are in line for a huge night in this matchup. It interesting to note that Turner is coming off a season-best performance and he now has at least three blocks in seven of the last nine games. Vucevic has not reached salary-based expectations in the last five games, but it has allowed his price tag to drop back to normal and IND is allowing the 2nd-most FPPG to opposing centers.
Pau Gasol (vs ATL)
ATL allowing the 7th-most FPPG to opposing centers this season.
Marcin Gortat (WSH @ MIL)
This one is not for the faint of heart, but MIL is allowing the 5th-most FPPG to opposing centers this season.