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 the Tuesday’s 3-game Main slate starting at 7:35 ET.
POINT GUARD
John Wall – Houston (vs. Washington) - DK: $6,900 / FD: $7,700 / Yahoo: $28
Point guard is tricky tonight, with a lot riding on whether or not Trae Young plays. With that up in the air, we’re looking at a very expensive Russell Westbrook and John Wall at the top of the salary tier. Both missed a lot of games, and both returned over the weekend for one dismal effort – Westbrook, 26 fantasy points in 25 minutes and Wall, 20 fantasy points in 21 minutes. Playing each other in a revenge setting adds to the intrigue with both of them. If you read this column often, you know I’m almost always going to take the discounted player, and around $2K or more is significantly cheaper for Wall. Prior to the time off, Westbrook was averaging about 12 more fantasy points per game than Wall, and I recognize that Westbrook is the better upside tournament play. For cash games, I’m going with Wall over (or in addition to) Mike Conley or Rajon Rondo in what should be the highest-scoring and closest game of the three. It helps that Washington ranks third overall in fantasy points allowed, third to point guards, first in pace, and 28th in defensive efficiency. It’s a great spot for all Houston players.
Also Consider: Russell Westbrook, Mike Conley, Lou Williams, Rajon Rondo (if Trae Young is out)
SHOOTING GUARD
Bradley Beal – Washington (at Houston) - DK: $9,900 / FD: $10,300 / Yahoo: $47
On a slate with only three games, it can be dangerous to fade the obvious star option, and for me, that’s Beal tonight. Although Beal had his worst game of the new year on Sunday, it was still a 31-point effort and he didn’t dip too much below his 52-fantasy point per game average. Houston ranks seventh in pace, so as noted above, this game should be fast on both sides and very high scoring. The Rockets also rank near the top of the league in turnover rate, which could enable Beal to boost his line with a few steals. The matchup isn’t as prime with Victor Oladipo opposite, but playing Beal is really about having the best player in your main lineups with little room for error.
Also Consider: Jordan Clarkson, Victor Oladipo, Luke Kennard
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SMALL FORWARD
Nicolas Batum – LA Clippers (at Atlanta) - DK: $6,300 / FD: $5,500 / Yahoo: $21
The Clippers are set to be without three key starters, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Patrick Beverley. There is a chance that gets worse if more contact tracing reveals additional players that need to quarantine. For now, it looks like guys like Lou Williams, Luke Kennard, Marcus Morris, Serge Ibaka, and Batum are in for increased usage and minutes. The sites did have time to adjust pricing, so the value isn’t as good as it might have been, but is still good. Batum probably won’t see a huge minutes boost, as he is already averaging about 30 MPG, but could definitely see an increase in usage, which is five categories for him. All the Clippers should enjoy the pace boost that Atlanta offers, and with the absence of the defensive stars for LA, Vegas has this as a relatively high scoring and close game. It should be a wild box score, regardless of who wins.
Also Consider: RJ Barrett, De’Andre Hunter, Bojan Bogdanovic
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POWER FORWARD
Julius Randle – New York (at Utah) - DK: $9,700 / FD: $9,100 / Yahoo: $42
Randle is another spending priority at a tricky position. You could save with John Collins, especially if Clint Capela is out (or even Young sitting would increase his usage), given that you can throw the strong defensive rankings of the Clippers out with their stars missing tonight’s game. If you want a higher floor and more upside, and can afford it, Randle is the guy. He’s been fantastic, and even against defensive-minded Utah earlier in the season, he posted nearly 60 fantasy points (30 points, 16 rebounds, 7 assists). This may be the lowest scoring game of the night, and the Knicks are serious underdogs, but Randle can still make an impact on your DFS lineups tonight, and he’s another guy I’m nervous to roll without on this short slate.
Also Consider: John Collins, Serge Ibaka, Marcus Morris
CENTER
Rudy Gobert - Utah (vs. New York) - DK: $7,200 / FD: $8,300 / Yahoo: $31
I think most people will be deciding between Gobert and DeMarcus Cousins if Capela is out tonight, on Yahoo and FanDuel (true center sites) anyway. Cousins’ salary has come up dramatically and while Gobert is still more expensive, he’s also going to be more reliable. Both guys get good matchups. You might think it wise to go with Cousins in the higher scoring, faster-paced, less defensive game, and I won’t argue with the logic, but I also think that Wall and Victor Oladipo, who was rested during Cousins’ 50-plus fantasy point effort on Saturday, will be more active tonight. So, Gobert is the affordable solid (40-fantasy point double-double) cash game center play for me tonight.
Also Consider: Ivica Zubac, Alex Len/Robin Lopez, DeMarcus Cousins, Mitchell Robinson
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Serge Ibaka (PF/C – LAC) has been worth the salary even without George and Leonard missing games. He’s become a points and rebounds guy, though he can still come up with the occasional block. He’s a key part of my FanDuel lineups given his affordability ($5800) and positional eligibility at PF. It definitely helps his cause that Atlanta is the second-best PF matchup for fantasy.
Rajon Rondo (PG – ATL) will be an obvious second PG or G if Young sits. I’m making special mention of him because I think it very likely that the Hawks rest Young and Capela on the first half of a back-to-back. Resting them tonight when they’re facing an utterly depleted Clippers squad just makes sense (they get Brooklyn tomorrow). In the last two games, Rondo played 18 and 29 minutes, posting 29 and 23 fantasy points, respectively. With no Patrick Beverley to harass the Hawks PG, this becomes a much more favorable matchup, and even if Young is active, I see value in Rondo off the bench in this game.
Alex Len (C – WAS) is a player I have said I’ll never write up again so many times that well, I can’t believe we’re here again. The Wizards signed Len, played him 21 minutes on Sunday, and he responded with an 11-point, 5-rebound effort for 20 fantasy points. Priced at $3300 (DK), $10 (Yahoo), and $4000 (FanDuel), he occupies a valuable center slot, but could be worth 7-10X value. Robin Lopez is also a possibility, as he, too, is very fairly priced and producing with all the frontcourt absences in Washington. As noted above, this is the eighth-best center matchup for fantasy in addition to the positive game factors.
