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The question marks on this 8 game slate are plentiful. We will need to keep a close watch as news comes in fast and furious around lock. Quick changes will have to be made, and this will affect a lot of bench players. For today’s article, I’ve switched the format up a little bit due to the unique nature of this slate. Today we get a break down based loosely on format: Cash or GPP. It should be stressed that for the most part 6th men are better used in GPPs since they carry around huge uncertainties, but this slate has a few of them who can be reasonably used in cash games and it is important to highlight this.
CASH PLAYS
Dennis Schroder (5200/5900): With the return of Westbrook, Schroder has been moved to the bench and his production has taken a corresponding hit. That said, his price has dropped far enough that he his playable now, especially on FD. The upside for Schroder is capped, although he is capable of putting up a huge game. However, he has a high floor, and at 5200 on FD, Schroder should make value on the night. He’s a nice cheap cash play on FD, not so much on DK.
Kelly Oubre Jr. (4500/5200)/Jeff Green (4000/4400): As of this writing, Oubre is a game-time decision. If Oubre plays, he makes for an excellent play tonight, especially on FD where he is too cheap given that Markieff Morris is out. You can fire him up in all formats if he plays. Now, if Oubre does not play tonight, Jeff Green will play as many minutes as he can handle, in a great matchup. He is too cheap for the potential he brings to the table in this scenario. Keep your eyes and ears open for news around this play. The decision here will be a huge one tonight.
Larry Nance Jr. (6600/6200): As long as Love is out, which could be up to a month, Nance is cash viable. Nance does not need too many minutes to do his damage, averaging 26 minutes since Love went down. That’s more than enough for him to meet and exceed value, and if his minutes stray into the 30s, watch out! Nance is a core play tonight and usable in all formats. It helps that the matchup against the Hawks is a good one.
Serge Ibaka (5200/5100): One of the most consistent players out there, he gives you 30 FDP night in and night out. Ibaka is the quintessential cash play. A high value, always hitting right around value or slightly above, and with enough upside to get you to the top. The matchup against the 76ers is not a bad one, making him a nice cash play tonight. You can definitely use him in GPPs as well, in the hopes he puts up one of his occasional slate breaking games.
Evan Turner (4800/3900): If you are looking for the cash punt on DK, look no further than Evan Turner. At 3900 on DK, he is too cheap for what he brings to the table, especially in a matchup against Carmelo Anthony, who has never learned how to play defense. Harkless has already been ruled out, and Jake Layman is averaging just 12 mins a game as a starter, leaving Turner to play starters minutes off the bench. Turner should see around 27 minutes tonight with the possibility of getting even more, and that’s definitely more than enough for him to exceed value on DK. He is a little pricey on FD, relegating him to GPPs there.
GPP PLAYS
Marcus Morris (4700/5000): Marcus Morris is in fine form this season, averaging 24.4 FDP in 24.5 MPG. He has a relatively high floor and a nice ceiling for his price. The matchup against the Pistons is an average one, making Morris a good hybrid play tonight. I can see using him in cash if there’s a need for some salary saving at the position, and Morris is very capable of exceeding value at his price on both sites, making him appealing in hybrid lineups for the ladder system.
Montrezl Harrell (5700/5500): Harrell is a little pricey on both sites, but there’s no denying his form at the moment. Harrell is averaging 30 FDP in just 20 MPG. That translates to an insane 1.5 FPPM. Looking at the “Who’s Hot” metric on the DFS Army Research Station, Harrell is trending upward over the past 3 games. The low minutes total is definitely a concern here, limiting him to a strictly GPP role. It will be wise to have some exposure to Harrell in GPPs tonight.
Zach Collins (4400/4000): Collins is averaging 1.2 FPPM in just over 21MPG this season. He has been even better over his last 3 games. He has clearly shown he has the upside to eclipse value at his price and bring in GPP returns, making him a good play tonight. That said, don’t go overboard with the play. The minutes just aren’t where we want them to be with Collins yet to be fully confident here, but he is good and cheap enough for us to take a few shots at in GPPs.
Marvin Bagley III (5600/5200): Here’s a call which will be low-owned tonight. Everyone will be flocking to Nemanja Bjelica tonight and for good reason, he has been on a tear. However, with De’Aaron Fox questionable and Iman Shumpert out, there could potentially be a lot of minutes opening up for the Kings tonight. Add in the fact that the Kings are facing a well-rested Magic team on a b2b, and you can easily see this game going out of hand quickly. With the minutes potentially opening up, and with the possibility this game gets out of hand quickly, Marvin Bagley III is in line to be a huge beneficiary. In the two games this season Bagley got over 30 mins, he put up 44.1 and 46.3 FDPs. He clearly has the upside here in a good matchup. This is a strictly GPP play as it is dependent on things breaking his way and Bagley getting minutes. He’s an interesting GPP dart.
Terrence Ross (4000/4100): Just like Bagley above, Terrence Ross is an interest GPP play tonight in a game with the potential of getting out of hand quickly. Ross has made the most of his opportunities this season. In the 3 games where he has received more than 20 mins, Ross has put up 31.8, 25.8, and 28.8 FDPs. In the scenario where he receives more than 20 mins against a Kings team that struggles defensively, Ross should have no problem exceeding value at his price point. This all hinges on him getting the minutes, relegating him to GPP territory.
Gerald Green (4500/3900): As long as Harden remains out, and Gerald Green remains priced cheaply on both sites, he is in play in GPPs. Green is capable of getting hot in the blink of an eye and blowing up a slate. He is the prototypical GPP play when getting minutes, capable of putting up 40 FDPs or 5 on any given night. It’s good to take a shot or two at him tonight in GPPs, in the hopes of catching one of his great games.