DFS NBA Full Court Press: FanDuel & DraftKings Main Slate - Mar. 5th, 2022

Main Slate Breakdown for NBA DFS 03/05:

Welcome to another year of the DFS Army NBA Full Court Press! Members had a ton of success using the Full Court Press along with various articles and tools that DFS Army provides last season, so we are glad to be back with another year of the all-inclusive article. You have to start your research somewhere, and oftentimes going game by game and breaking down every matchup and its key players is the first step in our process. My name is Mike aka @MadnessDFS on Twitter, make sure to give me a follow as I’ll occasionally make updates to the advice in the article. But, you’ll mostly find me in our VIP coaching forums where I provide detailed lineup maneuvers and answer all lineup questions. With that said, let’s get it started!

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San Antonio Spurs @ Charlotte Hornets

Vegas Total: 239.0

Vegas Spread: Cha -3.5

We’ll kick this slate off starting with the Spurs, Devin Vassell and Lonnie Walker both come in as questionable here and news we’ll need before lock. I’ll operate under the assumption that they both play, but keep an eye on the Breaking News Feed for updates. Dejounte Murray continues to crush and gets an elite matchup with the Hornets here, he’s a top spend-up option on the slate. Jakob Poeltl has been in great form and this Hornets frontcourt isn’t one that I’m afraid to roster guys against. We kind of know what we’re getting out of Keldon Johnson at this point, he’s a nice GPP option, but not a guy that I would want in a cash game. He’s coming off of a down game last time out, but again, it comes with the territory of rostering him. Other guys on the bench would become viable depending on if either Vassell or Walker sit, but we can wait for that news to come out to go there. Assuming they both play, they look like solid secondary options due to the minutes they’re seeing. From the Hornets, I’m going to continue targeting this Spurs team with opposing point guards, so LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier look like great options here. Miles Bridges continues to be a solid option in all formats, he’s going to play all the minutes he can handle as usual. Kelly Oubre has played more consistent minutes with Gordon Hayward out and now has at least 33 DraftKings points in three of his last four games and a guy I like quite a bit here. When Montrezl Harrell first joined the Hornets the minutes were looking great, but have since been pretty volatile. He’s more of a GPP option, but I do like him quite a bit assuming he gets the minutes, which is a big assumption at this point. He has a 19.3% usage rate and 1.02 fantasy points per minute with the Hornets this season. Then guys like Mason Plumlee and PJ Washington will round out this team as tournament options.

5-star play: Dejounte Murray, LaMelo Ball

4-star play: Jakob Poeltl, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Lonnie Walker, Terry Rozier, Kelly Oubre, Miles Bridges

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Keldon Johnson, Montrezl Harrell, Mason Plumlee, PJ Washington

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Philadelphia 76ers @ Miami Heat

Vegas Total: 221.0

Vegas Spread: Mia -2.0

Starting with the Sixers, James Harden has looked great as a Sixer so however I hate this matchup. I’ve essentially just stopped spending real salary on guys that are playing the Heat lately and it’s been profitable. The biggest issue with playing the Heat is they’re great on defense, but they also play extremely slow which hinders fantasy production. If you want to get to Harden in GPPs, be my guest, I won’t talk you off of a guy that can drop 80 fantasy points in the blink of an eye, but think we might be better served spending our salary elsewhere. Joel Embiid had a down game last night relative to his median production. That said, if I were to pick one of Harden and Embiid it would be Embiid, pace doesn’t impact big men as much as it does guys like Harden. Tyrese Maxey has continued to look solid as well which is somewhat surprising and makes him still playable, but I’ll probably be lower on Maxey and Tobias Harris going forward as I expect them to lose usage and production with Harden out there. Maxey has at least 36 DraftKings points in four straight games, and three of them being with Harden next to him… so take that for what it’s worth. From the Heat, Jimmy Butler comes in as questionable after missing their last game, but I will operate under the assumption that he’s a go here. That said, keep an eye on the Breaking News Feed for updates surrounding him and the rest of this team. He’ll look like a solid option in a revenge game against Philly if he is able to be a full go. Bam Adebayo will get a tough matchup with Embiid down low but looks like a fine secondary option if you happened to land on him. Tyler Herro continues to play great basketball and has a 29.7% usage rate and 1.07 fantasy points per minute with Kyle Lowry off of the court this season. Gabe Vincent had a rough go of it last time out but the minutes were still there and he should get the start again looking like a solid option again. Then guys like Caleb Martin and Max Strus are only in play for me if Butler ends up sitting again.

5-star play: Joel Embiid

4-star play: James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Tobias Harris, Gabe Vincent

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Orlando Magic @ Memphis Grizzlies

Vegas Total: 230.0

Vegas Spread: Mem -16.0

Starting with the Magic, Wendell Carter Jr. missed last night’s game and has already been ruled out for this game. Below is how this team operates with him off of the court this season:

• Chuma Okeke – 16.3% usage rate; 0.93 fpm
• Cole Anthony – 26.9% usage rate; 1.09 fpm
• Franz Wagner – 21.1% usage rate; 0.88 fpm
• Mo Bamba – 20% usage rate; 1.18 fpm
• Jalen Suggs – 27.3% usage rate; 1.06 fpm

We saw Chuma Okeke get the start in Carter’s place last night and had a solid game, so I would have no issues going right back to him in this spot. There will be more rebound equity for Mo Bamba who will look good again here, he got cut a few minutes last night due to foul trouble otherwise I would expect him to be in the 30-minute range. From the Grizzlies, Ja Morant has been in unreal form with at least 54 DraftKings points in four of his last five games and should be able to do whatever he wants against this Magic team. Jaren Jackson Jr. has been volatile as of late, so would be more of a GPP option here, but again, a great matchup against this frontcourt. Desmond Bane and Steven Adams both look like solid secondary options and guys I wouldn’t mind landing on as filler pieces. Then the rest of this team is more MME-type plays than anything for me in this matchup.

5-star play: Ja Morant

4-star play: Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Chuma Okeke, Mo Bamba, Franz Wagner, Jaren Jackson, Desmond Bane, Steven Adams

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Kyle Anderson, De’Anthony Melton, Brandon Clarke

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Portland Trailblazers @ Minnesota Timberwolves

Vegas Total: 233.5

Vegas Spread: Min -14.0

Starting with the Blazers, they’re going to be pretty shorthanded with Josh Hart and Justise Winslow joining the inactive list. I would expect to see guys like Elijah Hughes, CJ Elleby, and Trendon Watford/Greg Brown join the starting lineup and will all be good value options particularly Hughes, Watford, and Brown (I’m just not a huge Elleby guy). Watford looked great in 30 minutes of action last time out and is about a 0.90 point per minute guy on the season. Drew Eubanks will continue to start at center and gets a great matchup with this Wolves frontcourt, he looks like a solid mid-range option. Lastly, Anfernee Simons will run the offense as usual but obviously won’t have a ton of help, he’ll be more of a GPP guy for me here. From the Wolves, Anthony Edwards comes in as questionable after missing last night’s game, so keep an eye on the Breaking News Feed for updates surrounding his status. I’m going to operate under the assumption that he’s out again thinking that they’ll rest him as they come in as 14 point favorites at home. Below is how this team operates with Edwards off of the court this season:

• Karl-Anthony Towns – 32.7% usage rate; 1.49 fpm
• D’Angelo Russell – 26.4% usage rate; 1.16 fpm
• Malik Beasley – 22.7% usage rate; 0.89 fpm
• Patrick Beverley – 17.7% usage rate; 1.06 fpm
• Jarred Vanderbilt – 10.9% usage rate; 0.92 fpm

My favorite options of this group are the obvious ones in Towns, Russell, and Beverley. That being said, we should see Jaden McDaniels get the start again and is an 18.2% usage guy with 0.82 fantasy points per minute with Edwards off of the court. This is a great matchup for the Wolves as well. Malik Beasley’s price tag hasn’t moved either and has at least 28 DraftKings points in back-to-back games with Edwards out.

5-star play: Trendon Watford, Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell

4-star play: Anfernee Simons, Drew Eubanks, Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jaden McDaniels, Jarred Vanderbilt

Deeper Value: Trendon Watford, Greg Brown, Elijah Hughes, CJ Elleby

GPP Sleeper: Elijah Hughes, Greg Brown, CJ Elleby, Anfernee Simons

I wanted to give a quick shoutout to VIP member “GhostfaceKillaa” on his $30k win earlier in the season. A pivot to Curry off the chalky Doncic was the key for him, congrats man!

Golden State Warriors @ Los Angeles Lakers

Vegas Total: 224.0

Vegas Spread: Gsw -7.0

Starting with the Warriors, I’m not sure why Steph Curry’s price has increased, the production hasn’t exactly warranted it. I’ll consider him a tournament-only play in this matchup, he needs to get hot from three to pay off this salary which he’s certainly capable of, but I just think we can do better. That said… we will have all the value in the world tonight with that Blazers/Wolves game. I don’t have a problem going to Klay Thompson here, he should be right around 30 minutes and a guy that looks solid in all formats. I’ll decrease my interest in Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole with Klay back in the lineup, making them more of MME-type plays. Then we can round this team out with Jonathan Kuminga and Kevon Looney as GPP options. From the Lakers, Anthony Davis will be out for the next few weeks which will open up a bunch of usage and minutes on this team. With Davis off of the court his season, James has a 32.8% usage rate and 1.50 fantasy points per minute, he’ll look like a great option here. Russell Westbrook will benefit from Davis being out as well with a 28.9% usage rate and 1.15 fantasy points per minute. Malik Monk is probably more of a GPP guy, but you can do worse in this price range in a good matchup with the Warriors and coming off of a nice game last time out. Then Talen Horton-Tucker has shown some consistency with his minutes but not so much his production, he’ll be more of a GPP guy moving forward due to the ceiling we know he has. Carmelo Anthony should help fill in those Davis minutes as well and looks like a nice option at his price tag. Lastly, I would think LeBron gets the start at center again against a smaller Warriors team which will make Dwight Howard nearly unplayable.

5-star play: LeBron James

4-star play: Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Russell Westbrook, Malik Monk

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Kevon Looney, Talen Horton-Tucker, Carmelo Anthony

NBA Lock of the Day: Trendon Watford (DK – $4.2k; FD – $3.5k)

I would expect Trendon Watford to get the start for the Blazers tonight with Josh Hart and Justise Winslow both out. He’s coming off of a 30-minute game last time out in which he looked great on his way to 33 DraftKings points. The price tag really hasn’t moved much on him and is the dead minimum on FanDuel, not to mention the matchup is great with the Wolves. The savings we get on him will allow us to spend up elsewhere. At this point in the day, I would think he makes my core, but check out our VIP Cheat Sheets as we get closer to lock for staff picks on Core plays, 8x locks of the day, and tiers notes as well!

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