Welcome to the NBA DFS Bargains column, where we’ll sort through value plays in salary cap formats like FanDuel and DraftKings. Please take note that this article was created earlier in the day, so pertinent injury information and breaking news could add or subtract bargain situations. Paying attention to our NBA News & Headlines feed is one way to stay on top of everything.
With that, let’s go ahead and dive into the bargain bin!
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FANDUEL & DRAFTKINGS BARGAINS
Ante Zizic – C – Cleveland (FD: $4200 / DK: $3700)
Tristan Thompson and Larry Nance Jr have both been ruled out for Cleveland, so Ante Zizic will see significant minutes tonight. The matchup is a tough one at Utah, but the combination of a shortened salary to go along with quality minutes should be more than enough for Zizic to post solid value. You can go ahead and roster him with confidence through all formats on both FanDuel and DraftKings.
DeMarre Carroll – SF – Brooklyn (FD: $5000 / DK: $5100)
Carroll has looked good while notching 30+ fantasy points and 32+ minutes over his past two games. It’s comforting to see that he stepped up with a great shooting night at Houston on Wednesday, as he was pretty cold heading into that matchup. Carroll will continue to come off the bench for Brooklyn, but that’s not such a bad thing when considering he’ll see plenty of minutes while facing an Orlando team that ranks 27th in defensive efficiency vs opposing bench players.
Taj Gibson – PF – Minnesota (FD: $4500 / DK: $4600)
Gibson isn’t a must play by any stretch of the imagination. However, he’s a reasonable value filler if you need a power forward around this salary level. He has been up-and-down lately, but the minutes should be there (27-30) in a competitive draw with San Antonio tonight. Robert Covington will continue to miss time, meaning Gibson will continue to see steady playing time with a thinner frontcourt rotation. It helps that the Spurs rank 27th in defensive efficiency to opposing power forwards.
Spencer Dinwiddie – PG – Brooklyn (FD: $6000 / DK: $5700)
Dinwiddie was the hero of Brooklyn’s exciting comeback victory at Houston on Wednesday. While he posted 46 fantasy points through 32 minutes in that game, Dinwiddie still profiles as more of a risk/reward tournament option. His role seemingly changes on a night-by-night basis, but he’ll occasionally reach for upside when things are falling his way. Perhaps Wednesday’s outburst will inspire him to be more aggressive tonight against a below-average Orlando backcourt defense.
Jarrett Allen – C – Brooklyn (FD: $7200 / DK: $6100)
Take a look at the salaries next to Allen’s name. He’s a much better pick on DraftKings where the price is still lagging behind his recent performances. Allen has been good, but not great most of the season – then he erupted for 48 and 60 fantasy points against Boston and Houston respectively in his past two. Is this coincidental or a sign of things to come? Only time will tell, but you’ll have an opportunity to get ahead of the curve on DraftKings. It helps that Allen is facing an Orlando team that ranks 28th in rebound rate.
ALSO CONSIDER
We have a few more value fillers to consider if you need salary relief to round-out your lineup. Kyle Korver (SG – UTA) should continue to see respectable minutes and scoring opportunities for the shorthanded Utah backcourt. The matchup looks good on paper against a bad Cleveland team … Staying at the shooting guard position, I don’t mind Evan Fournier (SG – ORL) as a mid-range pick who is floating in the $5k+ range on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He doesn’t have much upside, but the minutes and shot attempts are there.
We have a substantial list of risk/reward bargains for large-field tournament purposes. They include the following players:
- Terrence Ross – SG – Orlando
- Nikola Mirotic – SF – New Orleans
- DeMarcus Cousins – C – Golden State
- JaMychal Green – PF – Memphis
- Jaron Blossomgame – SF – Cleveland
You can get more details on those recommendations by reading today’s expanded NBA GPP Pivots column.
