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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 Saturday’s nine-game slate starting at 7:00 ET. Also, what is up with nine games on the first day of playoff football, NBA?!
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POINT GUARD
Spencer Dinwiddie – Washington (vs. Portland) - DK: $7,500 / FD: $6,900 / Yahoo: $29
Dinwiddie has a range of fantasy outcomes that strongly overlaps with many players that are way more expensive than he is. He’s in a very favorable game environment tonight, given that Portland ranks 30th in defensive rating and is without their star guards. Dinwiddie frequently double-doubles, giving him a high floor and a high ceiling depending on how his shots are falling. If he can get to double-digit shot attempts, he should get to 40 fantasy points tonight.
Also Consider: James Harden, Anfernee Simons, Devonte Graham, Luka Doncic, Russell Westbrook, Patty Mills
SHOOTING GUARD
Darius Garland – Cleveland (at Oklahoma City) - DK: $7,900 (PG) / FD: $8,100 / Yahoo: $28
Now that Garland has posted back-to-back 50-fantasy point games, his salary is creeping up. But still, very affordable! The Cavaliers have won three in a row, largely on the strength of Garland’s play. He triple-doubled against the Jazz this week and has generally taken advantage of good matchups like this one. The Thunder are ranked as the second-most generous team overall for fantasy and offer a slight pace bump. Garland’s high minutes and usage make him a very safe guard option for tonight’s cash game lineups.
Also Consider: Malik Monk, Brandon Ingram, Evan Fournier, Jalen Brunson
SMALL FORWARD
Franz Wagner – Orlando (at Dallas) - DK: $5,900 / FD: $6,200 / Yahoo: $24
You have tons of options that I like at SF tonight, but Wagner has a very affordable price across the board. The Magic are still short-handed, but even with Jalen Suggs back, Wagner had another complete game Friday night. His ability to rack up stats in every category gives him a solid floor. Dallas isn’t an ideal matchup from a DvP perspective, but it’s not one of the worst either. Wagner should be able to reach value if he plays 30-plus minutes for the third straight game. If both Wendell Carter and Mo Bamba are back tonight, I’d pivot to Barrett or Hart.
Also Consider: Jaylen Brown, Jimmy Butler, R.J. Barrett, Josh Hart, Josh Giddey, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
POWER FORWARD
Kyle Kuzma – Washington (vs. Portland) - DK: $8,100 / FD: $8,700 / Yahoo: $33
I noted the great matchup for the Wizards above, and I don’t think it’s crazy to roster both Dinwiddie and Kuzma tonight. Kuzma has seen his salary shoot up, and it is tough to fit him on FanDuel, but he’s playing amazing ball right now. He has seven double-doubles in his last 10 games, and is averaging well over 20 points per game in that span, with frequent blocks and steals to boost his bottom line. Without Beal on the court, Kuzma’s numbers are up in every category.
Also Consider: Jayson Tatum, Tobias Harris, Evan Mobley, Julius Randle, John Collins, Robert Covington, PJ Tucker
CENTER
Omer Yurtseven – Miami (vs. Philadelphia) - DK: $7,000 / FD: $6,900 / Yahoo: $24
It’s rare that I’ll fade a star center, but on this big slate, there is a lot to be said for drawing from the second tier, even here. It stretches the budget to roster Jokic, and he has to be truly elite for it to be worthwhile. The Lakers do offer some advantages as an opponent for fantasy, but they have not been easy on opposing centers. Embiid was great last night, but I don’t like rostering him on a back-to-back against a strong defensive team like Miami. So, Yurtseven has been crushing it in Bam Adebayo’s absence, and his salary is still ridiculously low, especially on FanDuel. He’s averaging 39 fantasy points per game since Christmas, a span in which he has recorded double-digit rebounds in every game (seven double-doubles). This should at least be a competitive game, with Miami the small home favorite.
Also Consider: Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Jusuf Nurkic, Jarrett Allen, Mitchell Robinson
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Facundo Campazzo (G – DEN) I mentioned when discussing Jokic that the Lakers have some fantasy advantages, and they are mainly to opposing guards. LA gives up the second-most fantasy points to PG and SG this season. Campazzo is a very cheap way to take advantage of the matchup, though admittedly, he has a wider range of outcomes than Monte Morris. You can use salary as a guide, or try to use Morris in cash game lineups and Campazzo in tournaments.
Patty Mills (G – BKN) should be back in action for the Nets tonight after resting Thursday night. Kyrie Irving will not play tonight, so it’s up to Mills and Harden to form the backcourt in a favorable matchup with the Pelicans. He makes for a solid salary-saving G or Utility play in what should be the highest scoring game of the night (230.5 point over/under).
Jusuf Nurkic (C – POR) and Anfernee Simons, who rejoins the team for tonight’s game, are also possibilities for cash game lineups tonight. Nurkic, in particular, takes advantage of Washington’s DvP to centers: the Wizards allow the fourth-most fantasy points to the position, highest on the slate. He’s failed to double-double the last two games, but I think he’ll get back to it tonight.
