This article aims to highlight some of the best NBA DFS Plays at every position for your cash game lineups. Keep in mind that the following player write-ups were constructed earlier in the day, and sometimes injury/rest situations can alter the fantasy landscape. Monitoring our NBA News & Headlines Feed throughout the day will keep you in the loop while giving you the subsequent DFS consequences of each information piece.
We’ll take a look at Friday’s 10-game main slate starting at 7:00 ET.
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POINT GUARD
Jrue Holiday – Milwaukee (at Portland) - DK: $7,500 / FD: $7,500 / Yahoo: $30
We love targeting guards against Portland, and tonight’s game features the highest total of the slate and a fairly narrow spread (236 points, Bucks minus-3.5). Holiday has been terrific lately, and figures to be a popular play for the price (FanDuel especially). His last two 45-plus fantasy point games came against much better defensive opponents in LA, and his first game against the Trail Blazers yielded another 45-fantasy point line, about 10 above his season average. On a big slate like this one, we have to be choosy about how to spend the dollars, and Holiday (and this game) are the source of prime value.
Also Consider: Damian Lillard, Ja Morant, Mike Conley
Bargain Options: T.J. McConnell, Eric Bledsoe/Kira Lewis Jr. (if Lonzo Ball is out), Ricky Rubio
SHOOTING GUARD
CJ McCollum – Portland (vs. Milwaukee) - DK: $8,200 / FD: $8,200 / Yahoo: $32
McCollum is back to himself, with four consecutive games of 36-39 MPG and 40-50 fantasy points. He missed the first tilt with the Bucks, but when he’s healthy, he’s absolutely matchup proof and should benefit as much, if not more, than Lillard in a faster-paced and high scoring bout…for about a thousand dollars less.
Also Consider: Anthony Edwards, Fred VanVleet, Andrew Wiggins
Bargain Options: Jordan Clarkson, Gary Trent, Marcus Smart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker
SMALL FORWARD
OG Anunoby – Toronto (vs. Golden State) - DK: $6,800 (PF) / FD: $6,600 / Yahoo: $28 (PF)
Anunoby’s price hasn’t changed (FD) or increased only slightly (DK and Yahoo) and his level of play has only improved. He is one of the only good things going in Toronto right now, but the Raptors are small favorites over the Warriors tonight, in one of the higher scoring games of the night. His scoring is as consistent as it gets and his double-doubles are coming more frequently. He put it all together Wednesday in another good matchup with the Thunder, nabbing three steals to go with his 20 points and 11 rebounds. I expect much the same – 35-45 fantasy points – kind of effort tonight.
Also Consider: Khris Middleton, Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown, Kyle Kuzma
Bargain Options: Doug McDermott, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Denzel Valentine (if Zach LaVine is out)
POWER FORWARD
Jayson Tatum – Boston (vs. Houston) - DK: $9,100 / FD: $9,200 / Yahoo: $42
There are fewer guys I’m excited about at PF tonight, so I’m trying to get Tatum to fit which is easier said than done, especially on DraftKings. Tatum is the player I feel both safest with (high floor) and excited about (high ceiling, especially in this matchup). Houston gives up the third-most overall fantasy points to opponents, plays at the fifth-fastest pace in the league, and Boston is a big home favorite.
Also Consider: Kristaps Porzingis, Draymond Green
Bargain Options: Jae Crowder/Dario Saric, Jaden McDaniels
CENTER
Jonas Valanciunas – Memphis (vs. Minnesota) - DK: $7,700 / FD: $7,600 / Yahoo: $28
On big slates, I often default to Valanciunas at center. He’s always pretty affordable, and always pretty reliable. He’s faced Rudy Gobert and the Jazz in three of his last four games, and come out surprisingly well. Tonight he gets to take on Karl-Anthony Towns, who hasn’t done anything to improve the Timberwolves frontcourt defense (they give up the second-most fantasy points to opposing centers). Valanciunas just fits with the best matchup and lowest price of any center that remotely tempts me tonight.
Also Consider: Karl-Anthony Towns, Clint Capela, Deandre Ayton
Bargain Options: Myles Turner, Robert Williams, Moses Brown
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ADDITIONAL NOTES
T.J. McConnell (PG – IND) is my preferred way of taking advantage of Charlotte’s weak defensive rating and fantasy friendliness (fifth-best overall matchup). McConnell isn’t flashy, but he is a quality salary-saver almost sure to return you about 20-25 fantasy points. Other Pacers have higher fantasy ranges, but most have also dipped into McConnell’s range, and the price discrepancy makes that hard to accept on a big slate like this one.
Gary Trent (SG – TOR) has played 36 and 38 MPG in his last two with his new team, yielding an average of about 36 fantasy points per game. He isn’t quite priced for that level of production, so while this struggling rotation is something to watch, I think Trent is a reasonable way to save tonight ($5200 FD, $5600 DK, $15 Yahoo) in what I noted above is a good game script for the Raptors.
Draymond Green (PF – GSW) Not to pick on this game too, too much, but Green’s salary stands out on FanDuel ($6600). The Raptors defense is nothing to worry about as they rank 18th in defensive efficiency and give up the seventh-most fantasy points to opponents. Green can be fluky, but his last two games have been solid, and his first tilt with Toronto yielded 39 fantasy points (a 10/10 double-double).
