NBA dfs

NBA DFS: Gems with Ghost and Adam 11/09

We only have three games tonight so it’s to do the NBA Round-table with Ghost and myself. If you’re not a huge fan of the small slates, just wait 24 hours. We have 13 games on Wednesday but for now, it’s Taco Tuesday and we have a late hammer in NBA DFS: Gems with Ghost and Adam 11/09 – let’s ride!

One thing I want to clarify based on the questions I have received over the past few years is that I will never list a player under the $5,000 price tag simply because I use the projection model to identify all targets in this range and below. While there are often plenty of options that I like at $5,000 and less, since I often find myself with not only one – but multiple – in my NBA DFS lineups, you all have access to the very model I use to make my own selections, so when asking yourself: “Should I use player X or player Y?”, make sure to check the model because that is how I make all of my own decisions and I truly ride or die by it on a daily basis.

Before running to the DraftKings, FanDuel, or Yahoo lobby to construct your NBA DFS lineup after reading this article, please make sure to utilize the abundance of tools we have at Win Daily:

• Proprietary Projection Model
• Articles of the Day
• Cheat Sheet (coming soon)

Question 1: “Which approach are you taking when building a single lineup? Stars & Scrubs, Balanced, Game stack, etc.?”

Ghost: At first glance, I’ll likely be going with two studs in my main lineup and surrounding them with mid-range targets; this will prevent me from dipping too low in the punt range, while also maintaining a ceiling high enough to win a tournament.

Adam: We all know that three games mean we’re playing in GPP-only so, in that vein, I’m looking to lock in one or possibly two studs. However, instead of jamming in a player with a five-digit salary I may be looking at the lower range of stud players and not dipping too far into the punt range. Of course, this could all change by the first injury report tomorrow.

Question 2: “Which stud is a lock for you on this slate?”

Ghost: Paul George. While his shot hasn’t been falling in the last two games, in addition to him publicly voicing displeasure about the new ball, PG’s volume is second to none at the moment, taking 20 or more FGA in five of the Clippers’ last six games.

Adam: Damian Lillard. The Clippers are in the bottom half of the league in three-point field goals attempted and FG%. In this past game, Dame took 14 and hit six, which was 42.9%. He’s shooting just 24.7% from beyond the arc and if you don’t think there’s a nuclear Dame Time right around the corner, I respectfully disagree. Lillard lost 4-5 minutes in the past game due to a blowout and hit the most three’s he has in any game. $9,200 on DraftKings is going to look stupid on one of these slates.

Question 3: “Which stud are you most likely to fade in a single-entry contest or be underweight on in 150-max?”

Ghost: Trae Young. We saw what Mike Conley’s absence does to this Utah Jazz team, and while they missed him on the offensive end, it was much more noticeable in terms of their perimeter defense. Conley limited Young to 21 points on 8-for-20 shooting in a previous meeting, and the former has only allowed Young and one other guard (Kyle Lowry) to score 20 or more points against him this season.

Adam: At the risk of sounding like an echo chamber, it is Young for all the reasons Ghost listed above. Honorable Mention goes to Giannis, just because of the salary. If someone like Lillard gets within 10 DraftKings points of Giannis for $2,200 less, that’s a win.

Question 4: “If you had to pick one star and one value play to be in the winning lineup, who would they be and why?”

Ghost: Paul George and Anfernee Simons. While my love for George was explained above, I also like the value Simons provides to this Trail Blazers offense; he constantly checks into the game for one of Damian Lillard or CJ McCollum, and with the Clippers bleeding fantasy points against primary ball handlers, Simons has a good combination of floor and ceiling, seeing 19 or more minutes in every game this season.

Adam: Lillard and Luke Kennard. This game is going to be likely the most appealing on the slate and Portland is in the bottom 10 in FG% allowed from deep and is 23rd in attempts allowed. Kennard can get hot in a hurry and he’s shooting 47.5% from deep so far.

Question 5: “Give us a hot take for tonight’s slate.”

Ghost: Despite both teams holding 20-point wins against one another, the Clippers and Trail Blazers game stays close in what will be already their third meeting of the young NBA season, where Paul George will drop a 30-point double-double and nearly 60 fantasy points.

Adam: Lillard fully unloads all of his early-season frustrations on the Clippers, scoring at least 35 real points and assisting on at least 10 baskets for the Blazers as these teams go back and forth all game long.

You can find us on Twitter @DFS_Ghost and @Bucn4life

NBA DFS: Gems with Ghost and Adam 11/08

There are eight games tonight and we have some heavy hitters to choose from, with almost 10 players above five digits for salary on DraftKings. There is also a large late-night hammer if you’re bold to go along with all the other options the NBA DFS: Gems with Ghost and Adam 11/08 include. It’s Mojito Monday – Let’s ride! 

One thing I want to clarify based on the questions I have received over the past few years is that I will never list a player under the $5,000 price tag simply because I use the projection model to identify all targets in this range and below. While there are often plenty of options that I like at $5,000 and less, since I often find myself with not only one – but multiple – in my NBA DFS lineups, you all have access to the very model I use to make my own selections, so when asking yourself: “Should I use player X or player Y?”, make sure to check the model because that is how I make all of my own decisions and I truly ride or die by it on a daily basis.

Before running to the DraftKings, FanDuel, or Yahoo lobby to construct your NBA DFS lineup after reading this article, please make sure to utilize the abundance of tools we have at Win Daily:

• Proprietary Projection Model
• Articles of the Day
• Cheat Sheet (coming soon)

Point Guards

Luka Doncic ($10,700 DK/$10,200 FD) 

If you feel like you’re still waiting for Luka to have his first big fantasy game of the season, you’re not exactly wrong. He has just one contest with 60 DK this season and it’s been a little bit of a slow start, much like last year. The last time we saw him he was draining an absurd three to win at the buzzer against Boston and maybe that’s what he needed to wake up. He’s now hit 53 DK in back-to-back games and gets the Pelicans backcourt, which bleeds against opposing guards. 

On top of his 1.39 fantasy points per minute and 36% usage, Doncic is in the isolation play type 46% of the time and is third in points scored on that play type. It looks like the Pelicans are good defending it with just five points allowed per game, but opponents have shot just 37.7%, the ninth-lowest in the NBA. That’s not going to stick and Doncic could see a ceiling game here. 

Chris Paul ($8,700 DK/$8,300 FD)

This spot is fascinating. Kings rookie Davion Mitchell is fast earning a reputation for being an excellent on-ball defender, which would point us toward him squaring up Devin Booker for most of his minutes. After all, Booker is the more dynamic scorer at this juncture. That could leave Paul with a little more offensive responsibility than normal and he leads the league in frequency as the pick and roll ball handler. The Kings have allowed the sixth-most points on the second-most field goal attempts in that play type. The truly scary part of that equation is opposing players have shot 36.3%, sixth-worst. CP3 is only scoring 6.6 points per night but the Kings are going to give him plenty of catches to exploit his 1.38 fantasy points per minute when Deandre Ayton (out tonight) is off the floor. 

Shake Milton ($5,200 DK/$5,600 FD)

Even if veteran forward Danny Green plays in this contest, Milton is still going to be vital for the short-handed Sixers once again. He has played 34 and 36 minutes in the past couple of games and has 1.05 fantasy points per minute on a 21.5% usage rate. Both of those rates exceed Tyrese Maxey, who hasn’t done an overwhelming amount with his chance in the rotation. Maxey is having to play 40+ minutes to clear 30 DK points. Milton is still a little cheaper and so far, has been the more efficient player rather easily. The Knick just played last night and are 22nd in defensive rating. 

Honorable Mention:

Russell Westbrook – super cheap on FD

Kyle Lowry 

Kemba Walker (rested yesterday, it could be Derrick Rose’s turn tonight)

Shooting Guard 

This position does not look like a priority to sink our salary into tonight. Milton especially looks appealing on either site (although FD gives you much more flexibility). The most expensive player at the position that even somewhat catches my eye is Tyler Herro, but what else is new? He’s been a monster for Miami, doing his best to back up his comments from the preseason about how good he is. You could say to play Seth Curry, but I can’t stress enough how much of a GPP play that is. You saw what happens when Curry doesn’t score at least 20 real points in his last game. 

Anthony Edwards and Zach LaVine are both fine, but not large priorities in my eyes. LaVine gets the Nets but they have been playing slower and have a top-six defensive rating and both teams are in the bottom half of the league in possessions per game. If anything, the Grizzlies rank 29th in defensive rating so Edwards looks strong with his 1.14 fantasy points per minute and 30.5% usage but D’Angelo Russell should be back tonight. Overall, this is the spot to use a mid-range player or value that pops up through the day. 

Honorable Mention 

Jordan Poole 

Jalen Brunson 

Gary Payton II but I’d want the model to confirm that play 

Small Forward 

DeMar DeRozan ($8,200 DK/$8,500 FD)

DDR is only PF-eligible on DK, but he’s SG/SF eligible on FD so I’m not sure exactly which position I “should” write him for, so I get to pick. Anyway, the Nets played yesterday and this reeks of a spot that they sit either Blake Griffin or LaMarcus Aldridge. Even if they don’t, Brooklyn has been weak in the paint since the start of last season. DeRozan is top-five in points scored from drives to the basket and his 30.1% usage and 1.22 FPPM are eye-popping. His true shooting rate is 59.7% which is high, but not like i’s going to come screaming back to Earth. I’m not always a fan of the salary involved, but this is a very strong spot for him. 

Will Barton ($5,500 DK/$5,800 FD)

Barton and a couple of his teammates could be very popular tonight. Michael Porter Jr. is out which means Barton is a virtual lock to play 35 minutes. His fantasy points per game are over 1.05 and his true shooting is under 50% when Porter is off the floor so far this year. P.J. Dozier could be a punt as well, but I’m not sure exactly how much Denver I want. Miami’s defense is no joke as they are top-three in defensive rating and points per game allowed. Both teams are 23rd or lower in possessions per game, so even though Porter is out we may not want to totally load up on Nuggets players. 

Furkan Korkmaz ($4,900 DK)

I will likely not play him on FD because he is SG-eligible and that position is a little easier to fill. He didn’t start the last game which admittedly freaked me out, since he has been starting and was coming off a wrist injury. All he did was play 32 minutes and drain seven threes, scoring over 30 DK on the way. In addition to his 0.93 fantasy points per minute, he does have a 22% usage without Tobias Harris on the floor. He’s also more appealing on DK because the Knicks are in the bottom 10 in 3-point frequency allowed and Korkmaz is shooting 42.6% from deep so far this year. With the bonus that DK gives out, it can boost the score by 2-3 points. 

Honorable Mention 

Kevin Durant

Carmelo Anthony 

Power Forward

Anthony Davis ($10,200 DK/$10,600 FD)

Absolutely nobody is going to want to hear this after Saturday night, but AD is in a smash spot tonight. The Hornets have been tortured by big men all season long and are in the bottom-eight of the in-the-paint metrics. Davis leads the entire league in paint touches and they are 26th in rebounds allowed. Charlotte is also 28th in points per possession allowed on post-ups, while AD is fourth in the league in points scored on that play type. Only the Knicks allow a higher field goal percentage than the Hornets and Davis is third at 60.6% from the field. With LeBron out, both he and Westbrook hover right at 1.50 fantasy points per minute. 

Frank Kaminsky ($4,300 DK/$4,300 FD)

We rarely dip below $5,000 with our plays, but Kaminsky is likely going to be overwhelming chalk so he has to make the article to stress that point. We talked earlier about the pick and roll game and Kaminsky is going to be the roll man in a lot of those sets for Paul. The Kings have held the roll man to under 43% from the field, but Kaminsky also produces 1.16 fantasy points per minute. He’s played around 10 minutes more than teammate JaVale McGee when Ayton has been out and it’s hard to argue with a salary this cheap on either site. 

Honorable Mention 

Miles Bridges

Harrison Barnes 

Center 

Nikola Jokic ($11,000 DK/$11,100 FD)

We’re not spending a lot of time here because you don’t need to know a whole lot more than Joker has 2.35 FPPM when Porter Jr. is off the floor. Even if that drops by half a point, we’re looking at 1.80 or so. It’s not a fun spot but the entire Nuggets squad has to go through Jokic and he should touch the ball at least 100 times tonight. If you have the salary, play him. At a very early guess, the Frank the Tank/Joker combo could be the cash starting point tonight (potentially). 

Let’s say for argument that Jokic is the chalk of the night. I’m looking at Joel Embiid as an elite pivot, as he’s $1,200 cheaper and even though it may not seem like it, his 1.76 fantasy points per minute and 38.5% usage would rival Joker’s rates. Embiid has been off the injury report lately and the Knicks are getting demolished in the post-up game, which has been Embiid’s special for years now. He’s scoring 6.1 points and Joker is second at 4.7, while Biid is shooting just 46.2%. The Knicks allow a 68% field goal percentage and if Embiid gets Mitchell Robinson in foul trouble, the Knicks are going to lose some serious size down low. Oh, Embiid is tied for the second-most free throw attempts per game. 

Honorable Mention

Karl-Anthony Towns

Richaun Holmes (love him against Kaminsky/McGee)

You can find us on Twitter @DFS_Ghost and @Bucn4life

NBA DFS: Gems with Ghost and Adam 11/05

After some craziness towards lock last night, we turn the page to Friday and the nine-game slate at hand. There is a ton to get to in the NBA DFS: Gems with Ghost and Adam 11/05 and we have so many paths to green screens! Let’s carve out a path for Friday’s slate! 

One thing I want to clarify based on the questions I have received over the past few years is that I will never list a player under the $5,000 price tag simply because I use the projection model to identify all targets in this range and below. While there are often plenty of options that I like at $5,000 and less, since I often find myself with not only one – but multiple – in my NBA DFS lineups, you all have access to the very model I use to make my own selections, so when asking yourself: “Should I use player X or player Y?”, make sure to check the model because that is how I make all of my own decisions and I truly ride or die by it on a daily basis.

Before running to the DraftKings, FanDuel, or Yahoo lobby to construct your NBA DFS lineup after reading this article, please make sure to utilize the abundance of tools we have at Win Daily:

• Proprietary Projection Model
• Articles of the Day
• Cheat Sheet (coming soon)

Point Guard 

Steph Curry ($11,400 DK/$9,800 FD) 

I get it, you’re sick of me and Ghost talking about Steph. Maybe you’re more comfortable getting exposure on FD where he dropped under $10,000. I’m telling you that you want exposure in a magnificent bounce-back spot. He’s in the top 20 in points per game as the pick and roll ball handler. That’s already good but he’s shooting just 39.5% on that play type. To add some context, last year he shot 47.3% from that play type. We talked about it the other night with CP3, the Pelicans bleed production to guards and specifically to the pick and roll ball handler. They are dead last in frequency, points allowed, points per possession, and made field goals. With Curry’s 31.9% usage, he could smash this slate. 

Malcolm Brogdon ($8,600 DK/$8,000 FD) 

Caris LeVert is back for the Pacers but Brogdon is still playing a boatload of minutes at 36 this past game, his first back from a hamstring injury. The usage of 29.6% is going to come down a little bit but he’s still going to be super involved in the offense and has a 31% assist rate. He flirted with a triple-double and didn’t even hit any of his 3-point shots but still scored 38 DK. Portland is 12th in pace and has fallen to 21st in defensive rating so there is room for multiple Pacers to flourish. 

Reggie Jackson ($6,100/$5,700 FD)

He’s been due some positive regression due to poor shooting and that happened last game, which was also against the Timberwolves. The usage rate is over 23% and his true shooting is still barely above 47%, contributing to his 0.86 fantasy points per minute. Both teams are inside the top eight in pace and Jackson is typically playing 35 minutes per night. We don’t always end up in the mid-range but R-Jax is on the board. 

Honorable Mention 

Ja Morant 

De’Aaron Fox (very low FanDuel price)

Cade Cunningham (probably chalk again on DK, along with Patrick Beverly)

Shooting Guard 

Fred VanVleet ($8,800 DK/$8,200 FD)

Scottie Barnes is on track to make his return but that’s not going to matter much for FVV. He’s going to log 35-38 minutes and this guy can get hotter than fish grease at any moment from the field. The usage for the Raptors is spread out so he’s never really going to be a 32% usage player when everyone is healthy, but his 28.8% assist rate leads the team and does his 1.04 fantasy points per minute. That doesn’t sound crazy high but when you’re logging so many minutes, it’s a fair trade-off. The matchup against the defense of the Cleveland in the backcourt is phenomenal. 

Anthony Edwards ($8,500 DK/$8,000 FD) 

We play primary ball handlers against the Clippers all the time and with D’Angelo Russell still out for the Wolves, Edwards is right up there as that player. His usage rate of 33.3% is the highest on the team by 5% and he has 1.21 fantasy points per minute to go along with it. The Clippers are 29th in rebounding and Edwards is firing at will, averaging over 20 attempts per game and over seven rebounds. He’s logging heavy minutes and played 38 in this past game and we saw this game can post gaudy totals at 241 just two days ago. He’s still coming into his own and will continue to do so. 

Terry Rozier ($6,700 DK/$5,500 FD) 

Playing Rozier can be frustrating because if his shot isn’t going in, you’re in for a rough time. Still, Sacramento is 26th in defensive rating and if you believe that rookie guard Davion Mitchell is a bad individual matchup, LaMelo Ball could struggle (he’s questionable as well). That would open up even more for Rozier who has a 21.4% usage rate and 0.77 fantasy points per minute. The true shooting is under 48% and the more Rozier plays, the more he’ll get the feel of the season. When Ball is off the floor, the usage bumps to 26.1% in a 27-minute sample and both teams are in the top 10 in pace. 

Honorable Mention 

Caris LeVert 

Jordan Poole (especially if no Curry)

Small Forward 

Paul George ($10,400 DK/$10,800 FD) 

When in doubt at a position, play PG13. I don’t mind spending down with his teammates like Nic Batum again since the Wolves give up so many three’s but George is the man that will be charged with carrying the Clips as far as he can. His 34.1% usage and 1.53 fantasy points per game are both among the leaders in the league so his salary is deserving. Minnesota is 20th in allowing field goal attempts against isolation and George is 10th in frequency. That helps explain why he scored 32 real points last game and has a chance to do it again. 

Harrison Barnes ($7,600 DK/$7,700 FD) 

The man just keeps on ticking and he scored 40 DK last game while taking just eight field-goal attempts all game. That is virtually unheard of in this version of the NBA and his true shooting rate is unsustainable at 66.8% but the usage is still solid at 21.7%. He’s a player I always am scared to play him because I feel like I’ll get the floor game but this game should have such a high pace to it with two poor defenses. The old man has a trick or two up his sleeve and he’s fifth in the league in minutes. 

Desmond Bane ($5,100 DK/$5,400 FD)

It has been a minute since we’ve talked about Bane but not much has changed for the Grizzlies with Dillon Brooks still out. He’s sporting a 23.1% usage rate and 0.97 fantasy points per minute to go along with 4.5 attempts as a spot-up shooter per game. Washington has held opponents to just a 32.6% field goal rate and but the amount of attempts they allow is more towards the middle of the pack. Bane has 1.10 points per possession on that play type and is shooting 41.3% from beyond the arc. 

Honorable Mention 

Kevin Durant 

Miles Bridges

Power Forward/Center 

Can we get a slate that has some solid power forwards at some point, please? I feel like I could end up with a lot of value options but on the higher end, Domantas Sabonis is very affordable and we just saw this Portland interior get torched but Jarrett Allen. I’m not betting on Myles Turner going off again and Sabonis has the second-most paint touches in the league. That’s going to end well for him and he’s under $9,500 in a game that should be quick-paced and has no defense to speak of. 

Richaun Holmes is a bargain on either site and Charlotte is 23rd in points allowed in the paint. Holmes is eighth in points scored in the paint and at $6,500 on DK, he could be wildly popular. He’s playing about 28 minutes per night and averaging just under a double-double in a fantastic spot that we’ve talked about all slate. 

One of the biggest pieces of chalk on both sites likely turns into the duo of Thad Young and Drew Eubanks. With the loss of Jakob Poeltl, they both played at least 19 minutes and they were both over 45% rostered in cash games last slate. I was surprised that the field played both together but with Poeltl off the floor, they both have fantasy points per minute over 1.10. They aren’t quite as cheap as they were but are easily affordable. 

Honorable Mention 

Evan Mobley

Draymond Green

You can find us on Twitter @DFS_Ghost and @Bucn4life

NBA DFS: Gems with Ghost and Adam 11/04

Tonight brings us a more manageable slate as far as not being overwhelmed. Last night was 11 games and that can be tough but tonight is only five games in the NBA DFS: Gems with Ghost and Adam 11/04. It’s Thirsty Thursday – let’s ride!

One thing I want to clarify based on the questions I have received over the past few years is that I will never list a player under the $5,000 price tag simply because I use the projection model to identify all targets in this range and below. While there are often plenty of options that I like at $5,000 and less, since I often find myself with not only one – but multiple – in my NBA DFS lineups, you all have access to the very model I use to make my own selections, so when asking yourself: “Should I use player X or player Y?”, make sure to check the model because that is how I make all of my own decisions and I truly ride or die by it on a daily basis.

Before running to the DraftKings, FanDuel, or Yahoo lobby to construct your NBA DFS lineup after reading this article, please make sure to utilize the abundance of tools we have at Win Daily:

• Proprietary Projection Model
• Articles of the Day
• Cheat Sheet (coming soon)

Point Guard 

Chris Paul ($8,500 DK/$7,800 FD) 

We’re going right back to the Point God after he sliced and diced the Pelicans on Tuesday night. The Rockets are playing at the fastest pace in the league and while CP3 is one of the best at dictating how the game flows, Houston is also third in possessions per game. Paul is the pick and roll king and the Rockets are in the bottom 10 in points per possession allowed and FG% allowed. That was one of the reasons we loved him the other night and this spot isn’t that much worse. With the high-end of this position not especially appealing, Paul checks in as my top option. 

Kyle Lowry ($7,700 DK/$5,900 FD)

I would be stunned if Lowry is not heavy chalk on FD since he is under $6,000. He’s much more fairly priced on DK but Lowry had a game that reminded you of what he is capable of. He does only have a 15.1% usage so far but is still chugging along with 0.95 fantasy points per minute. The assist rate is a team-leading 31% and he’s still logging a ton of minutes in competitive games. As he grows more comfortable, his game will elevate and you’ll start to see more alley-oops to Bam Adebayo and other little things that just take repetition. Boston is reeling and is playing their second game in two nights, which isn’t going to help their 25th ranked defensive rating. 

Honorable Mention:

Kevin Porter Jr. 

Cade Cunningham (this kid is not going to shoot 13.6% from the field)

Value Spot 

Shooting Guard 

Donovan Mitchell ($9,400 DK/$8,000 FD) 

Provided the ankle isn’t going to be an issue for Mitchell (he played full minutes last game), he showed the upside that he possesses on any given slate. The usage is spiked over 35% so far and the fantasy points per minute are 1.29. Mitchell is one of the best scorers in the game and is 12th in drives per game. Atlanta is only 19th in points in the paint allowed and they’re on a back-to-back situation. I’m willing to go back to the well, especially on FD where he’s $8,000 flat. 

Tyler Herro ($6,700 DK/$6,400 FD)

Is Lowry a little too expensive for you? That’s fine, just pivot down to Herro. He continues to be a monster this season with a 29.1% usage and 1.19 fantasy points per minute. He’s already moved into the favorite spot for Sixth Man of The Year. We talked about how the defense for the Celtics has come apart and they are already having players-only meetings. It’s barely November, guys. It can be a little difficult to quantify just how Herro scores because he’s just a bucket. When a guy can score from anywhere and is getting almost 70 touches per game, he’s always going to be in play. 

Honorable Mention:

Devin Booker

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (probably chalk against Westbrook defense)

Value Spot

Small Forward 

LeBron James ($10,400 DK/$10,100 FD)

He’s listed as questionable but I’ll continue to treat that as it doesn’t matter. LeBron is playing his normal minutes every night and he leads the team in usage rate at 30% with 1.24 fantasy points per minute. The Thunder are 23rd in defensive rating so far and the Lakers are second in the league in possessions per game. Both teams are top 16 in pace and LeBron still excels in transition with the fourth-most points in the league. The Thunder have defended that play type well but this is LeBron and if you’re potentially playing town Thunder players, a run-back makes sense. 

Josh Giddey ($5,800 DK/$6,000)

Giddey continues to make himself comfortable in the NBA and he remains very affordable on both sites. He’s virtually matched SGA in fantasy points per minute at 1.08 despite having a usage that is 8% lower at 20% and Giddey hasn’t even shot well yet with a true shooting rate under 50%. He’s logging more front-court touches than his teammate as well and with the Lakers defense still very suspect, he can contribute in every category. When we’re early in the season, it’s important to jump on easy trends. LA being second in pace and possessions per game may not last but we can take advantage as long as it does. 

Honorable Mention 

Jaylen Brown

Jae’Sean Tate

Value Spot 

Power Forward/Center 

If you thought power forward was bad last night….it’s not getting much better tonight. The plan is more or less the same in that we’ll be using the positional flexibility on both sites. On FD, you can utilize Bam Adebayo who finds himself in a spot against the Celtics that are bottom 10 in both points and rebounds allowed in the paint. Additionally, Al Horford has not played back-to-back games yet so it wouldn’t be a shock to see him get ruled out. Bam could feast on a depleted front-court in that case, just be aware of how many Heat players are in your lineup. His 1.27 fantasy points per minute are very appealing. 

If you like other Heat players better, just slide Christian Wood into that slot because he’s way too cheap on FD. Wood can get it done inside with six points in the paint per game but he’s also shooting over 35% from beyond the arc. He can stretch the floor however he pleases and leads the Rockets in usage over 24% and FPPM at over 1.20. Even if the Suns get back Deandre Ayton, this isn’t the easiest assignment for him. On DK, the salary is getting up there. 

As far as center goes, there appears to be some confusion. Rudy Gobert is listed as OUT on the DFS sites but he was not on the official NBA Injury Report last night. Even a quick check on Thursday morning does not show him listed. IF he does turn out to sit, Hassan Whiteside is your center of the night. He has a 1.27 FPPM and gets a Hawks interior that can be tough, but is on a back-to-back. Whiteside would not be priced accurately if Gobert is out and you just gobble up that chalk. 

We also have situations that need to be resolved in Phoenix and Houston. For Phoenix, Ayton was out last game and both Frank Kaminsky and JaVale McGee played at least 20 minutes. Kaminsky wound up with the bigger fantasy score but both are cheap enough to consider and both have a FPPM over 1.10. 

The Rockets could be without Daniel Theis and that allowed Alperen Sengun to play 25 minutes. Granted, the production wasn’t there but going against Anthony Davis isn’t the easiest assignment for a rookie. We could have strong value options from both of those teams. Lastly, if Horford gets ruled out, Robert Williams will be chalky since he’ll need to play as many minutes as he can handle against the Miami big men. His FPM is over 1.05 with Horford off the court so we’ll see how this shakes out during the day. The easiest solution is Gobert is actually out, but that is not the case as of 9:00 AM. 

You can find us on Twitter @DFS_Ghost and @Bucn4life

NBA DFS: Gems with Ghost and Adam 11/2

After a wild nine-game slate last night, we only have five games tonight and that’s a little more manageable. It’s a very interesting slate because there are some strong mismatches on paper and major style differences clashing. We have a bunch to get to for just five games and it’s Taco Tuesday in the Gems article – Let’s Ride!

One thing I want to clarify based on the questions I have received over the past few years is that I will never list a player under the $5,000 price tag simply because I use the projection model to identify all targets in this range and below. While there are often plenty of options that I like at $5,000 and less, since I often find myself with not only one – but multiple – in my NBA DFS lineups, you all have access to the very model I use to make my own selections, so when asking yourself: “Should I use player X or player Y?”, make sure to check the model because that is how I make all of my own decisions and I truly ride or die by it on a daily basis.

Before running to the DraftKings, FanDuel, or Yahoo lobby to construct your NBA DFS lineup after reading this article, please make sure to utilize the abundance of tools we have at Win Daily:

• Proprietary Projection Model
• Articles of the Day
• Cheat Sheet (coming soon)

Point Guards

Luka Doncic ($11,100 DK/$10,400 FD)

This slate is a little bit odd. Luka is one of the most expensive players on the slate and I’m betting there’s a certain power forward that will draw much ownership in a better spot. Luka also draws the Heat, who sit first in defensive rating and 16th in pace. That’s not normally a spot to attack but Luka matches up well with the Heat in one aspect. He is 11th in attempts in isolation and is only shooting 33.3% from that play type. Last season he shot 46.3% with about the exact same attempts and the Heat are the fifth-worst in points per possession defending that play type. They also allow the eighth-highest points so if Luka finds a natural positive regression, he could get back to what we’ve known him to be since he entered the league. The usage is still there at 35.1% and his fantasy points per minute won’t stick at 1.39 because his true shooting rate of 49.9% isn’t in line with his career mark of 57.1%. 

Chris Paul ($7,600 DK/$7,800 FD) 

This is the first time that Paul has been a member of the Gems but the matchup against the Pelicans guards tends to do that. CP3 has a 48.1% usage rate and 1.22 fantasy points per minute so far and both teams are in the top 15 in pace. The Pelicans are 26th in defensive rating at 110.2. I reference that because both Devonte’ Graham (if active) and Nickell Alexander-Walker have individual defensive ratings of right about 110. Not only that, Paul runs the highest frequency as the pick and roll ball handler of anyone in the league. He shot 51.9% on that play type last season and this year is only shooting 37.8%. The Pelicans allow the highest frequency, the most field goals made and attempted, and the second-highest points per possession to the pick and roll ball handler. They of course allow the most points at 25.6 and the second-place team allows 19.8. We could be in store for vintage CP3 tonight. 

Honorable Mention 

Kevin Porter Jr. ($6,200 DK/$5,900 FD)

George Hill ($3,800 DK/$4,600 FD) – Gross but if he gets us to other studs on a smaller slate, I get it.

Shooting Guard 

Devin Booker ($8,000 DK/$8,200 FD)

I can pretty much promise I’m going to have one of the guards for Phoenix in part because of the matchups I mentioned for Paul. I’m not likely to have both so ownership could help decide. Regardless, Booker leads the team in usage at 32.3% and his fantasy points per minute are at 1.19. Booker is another player due for positive regression because he’s shooting 28.6% from deep. The Pelicans are allowing the fourth-highest percentage from deep and one of these guards is set to go nuts. 

Jordan Clarkson ($5,600 DK/$5,400 FD)

This is not the deepest position on the slate but Clarkson has a boom game coming at some point and it could be tonight. His usage trails only Donovan Mitchell at 31.9% and his true shooting is just 48.5%. That is horrid, as is his shooting 24.1% from deep. The Kings are 11th in pace and 25th in defensive rating, which is a big boost. Clarkson is playing 25 minutes per night and could be the type of play that nobody is on before that big boom game. 

Honorable Mention 

Tyler Herro ($6,900 DK/$6,400 FD)

Cade Cunningham as a punt on DK

Small Forward 

Jimmy Butler ($9,100 DK)

He’s pretty pricey on FD so I may not go here on that site. I suspect that Butler is going to be fully engaged for this contest and he has 1.41 fantasy points per minute, in large part because he contributes everywhere. Miami is playing him 34 minutes per night and Buckets even kicks in almost three steals per game. Doncic is seventh in turnovers and Butler should be able to snag at least three steals in this contest. He’s fourth in points from transition and we’re always after stat-sheet fillers in this price range. 

Honorable Mention

This position is gross and I may wind up playing Luka here on DK. We can also consider Brandon Ingram (if active), Harrison Barnes, and likely Bucks value to fill this out. 

Power Forward 

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,600 DK/$11,300) 

He may not have hit the ceiling against the Jazz but this is a very different matchup. Milwaukee continues to run without four of their five starters and Detroit is 16th in points in the paint allowed and 28th in rebounding. Through 86 minutes without the players missing for the Bucks, Giannis has a 34.5% usage rate and 1.68 fantasy points per minute. He is expensive but with the majority of the lineup out, there’s a better chance at a closer game tonight. 

Christian Wood ($8,300 DK/$7,900 FD)

I’m cheating a little bit because Wood is only C-eligible on DK but he’s in a quietly good spot. Wood sees the exact same matchup and scored 35 DK points despite going 1-6 from three and 1-7 from the free-throw line. Considering he’s shooting over 40% from deep and 57% from the line on the season, that game should be cast aside as variance. The Lakers have allowed over 40 points in the paint this season and are 17th in rebounds allowed in the paint. Wood has 1.20 fantasy points per minute and a usage rate over 24%, both marks that are worth chasing. They need him to play a lot of minutes to help with Anthony Davis so we should expect another 35 just like last game. 

Honorable Mention 

Harrison Barnes ($7,400 DK/$7,700 FD)

Value Spot 

Center 

Jonas Valanciunas ($8,500 DK/$8,600 FD)

If Deandre Ayton doesn’t suit up for this game, JoVal might be the highest priority on the slate for me. Valanciunas sits eighth in paint touches per game and only Joel Embiid attempts more field goals from a post up than JoVal. The Suns haven’t faced that play type a ton and are allowing a 43.8% field goal percentage. The big man leads the Pelicans in touches and has 1.33 fantasy points per minute, all while finally playing big minutes. He’s averaging just over 34 per night and that makes a huge difference. 

Honorable Mention 

Rudy Gobert ($8,100 DK/$8,200 FD)

Deandre Ayton ($6,800 DK/$7,800 FD)

You can find us on Twitter @DFS_Ghost and @Bucn4life

NBA DFS: Gems with Ghost and Adam 10/25

We get a nine-game slate tonight and there is already one game that we’ll have a bullet point by for how much appeal it has. There are also multiple key injuries that we need to monitor for NBA DFS: Gems with Ghost and Adam 10/25 that could throw the slate on its head, just like any other day in the association. Ghost may not be writing this but just for him – it’s Mojito Monday so let’s ride! 

One thing I want to clarify based on the questions I have received over the past few years is that I will never list a player under the $5,000 price tag simply because I use the projection model to identify all targets in this range and below. While there are often plenty of options that I like at $5,000 and less, since I often find myself with not only one – but multiple – in my NBA DFS lineups, you all have access to the very model I use to make my own selections, so when asking yourself: “Should I use player X or player Y?”, make sure to check the model because that is how I make all of my own decisions and I truly ride or die by it on a daily basis.

Before running to the DraftKings, FanDuel, or Yahoo lobby to construct your NBA DFS lineup after reading this article, please make sure to utilize the abundance of tools we have at Win Daily:

• Proprietary Projection Model
• Articles of the Day
• Cheat Sheet (coming soon)

Point Guard 

James Harden ($9,500 DK/$10,000 FD)

The Nets are down in the bottom five in defensive rating and while the Wizards are sitting in the top 10 through two games, that’s not likely to stick for long. Things can always change but as of Sunday night, I will have either Harden or Kevin Durant in my lineups. Harden has started a little slow but 1.32 fantasy points per minute is dynamite for other players. The Wizards have been one of the fastest and defense deficient teams in the NBA in the past couple of seasons and we’re talking about James Harden with a 29.4% usage rate and he’s under $10,000. Do we need to say much more than that?

We’ll also just mention Durant here but he’s flirting with 2.00 fantasy points per minute so far. Perhaps the field just takes the discount and goes Harden but KD is averaging 33 points per game and is only shooting 31.6% from deep so far. Not that anyone in the league can stop him but who on the Wizards has even a chance of slowing him down?

Damian Lillard ($9,300 DK/$10,100 FD) 

This is more of an option on DK in my mind and almost certainly GPP only. I expect Harden to draw a healthy chunk of the field to him, and Dame Time has multiple factors going for him. One, he faces the Clippers and in this house, we play primary ball handlers against the Clips. Yes, I’m going to say it every time I write so get used to it. Lillard has started the season shooting just 2-16 from deep which needless to say isn’t going to stick. It has been surprising to see C.J. McCollum sport a 34.5% usage rate so far with 1.55 fantasy points per minute but his true shooting is over 70%. Dame could be largely ignored and I will pounce if that’s the case. The Clippers sit just 29th in defensive rating so far on top of everything else. 

Dennis Schroder/Ricky Rubio 

I like both of these plays if injuries break the way we think. For Schroeder, he replaced Jaylen Brown in the Celtic’s starting lineup last night and played 33 minutes. He took 14 shots and posted 32.25 DK points and frankly if you get that many minutes as a secondary scorer, I’m at least interested. 

On the flip side, I would love Rubio if Darius Garland continues to miss for the Cavaliers. The veteran point guard played well over 30 minutes in the last game and has at least eight assists in each contest so far. $6,000 seems like it is a lot but truthfully, the 46.2% assist rate and 1.27 fantasy points per minute is very appealing at that salary. Rubio is in the top 10 in time of possession so the ball has been in his hands an awful lot early. 

Honorable Mentions:

Trae Young ($9,300 DK/$9,300 FD)

Malcolm Brogdon ($7,900 DK/$8,300 FD)

Shooting Guard 

Note – Bradley Beal is questionable but if he plays, I will have him in a Nets/Wizards stack with others we’re going to talk about. 

Anthony Edwards ($7,500 DK/$7,800 FD)

The second-year player looks like he could be taking a step forward and maybe he can become more consistent this season. We know the ceiling is there but the every night aspect wasn’t the strong suit for Edwards last year. So far, he’s sharing the usage with Karl Anthony-Towns and D’Angelo Russell right about equally at 30% each. He is shooting well from deep at 9-20 so far but he’s been hitting the glass as well with 15 total rebounds and is averaging 34 minutes. His fantasy points per minute are at 1.30 so far and these teams are both in the top 10 in pace so far. 

Tyler Herro ($6,400 DK/$6,200 FD)

You never want to put blinders on with NBA because things can change so fast but I’m not sure you can get away from playing Herro on FD, if nothing else. A Ghost favorite from before the season, Herro has somewhat backed up his (very strong) take of being in the Luka class of the NBA. He’s still not but he leads the Heat in usage rate at 34.3% and fantasy points per minute at 1.33. Perhaps one of the ways this veteran-laden team gets through the regular season grind is to give a lot of responsibility to Herro. The true shooting rate is 58.1% so this isn’t a case of unsustainability in that respect. There will likely be some blowout concern against the Magic but if they got hammered, Herro is likely to be at the front of the pack. 

Eric Bledsoe ($6,000 DK/$5,900 FD)

I’ll be clear that I likely do not end up playing Bledsoe but we have to mention him with his hot start and examine it. Surprisingly, he has the second-highest usage rate on the Clippers so far at 22.7% and 1.20 fantasy points per minute. The Blazers are once again in the bottom 12 in defensive rating and it’s almost like the coach was not really the issue there. The true shooting for Bledsoe is 54.9% but he also has a 22% assist rate. We could do worse against one of the worst defensive teams in the league. 

Honorable Mention:

Zach LaVine ($8,400 DK/$8,500 FD)

C.J. McCollum ($7,500 DK/$8,200 FD)

Nickell Alexander-Walker ($6,700 DK/$6,100 FD)

Small Forward 

Paul George ($10,100 DK/$10,200 FD) 

If you decide to play Lillard, he has a ready-made run-back option in PG13. George has started like a house on fire so far with a massive 33.1% usage rate and 1.74 fantasy points per minute. He’s shot a little over his head so far but he is also the man responsible for carrying the Clippers through the West. Even if you don’t turn to Lillard (or McCollum), George is in play in all formats and he is eighth in touches per game while playing almost 36 minutes. You can’t ask much more than that. Of the five games that are posted in the sportsbook, this one has the highest over/under at 234.5 with a three-point spread. 

Jayson Tatum ($8,700 DK/$9,700 FD)

If Brown remains out, Tatum is arguably $1,000 too cheap on DK. He put up 31 points on 24 shots last night and his usage rate is already over 30% when Brown is not on the floor this year. Both teams played yesterday so there could be some tired legs but Tatum would simply have too much on his shoulders to be worried about. Both teams are inside the top 12 in pace to this point and you can virtually guarantee 18-20 shot attempts again from Tatum. 

Kyle Kuzma ($6,700 DK/$6,000 FD) 

The salary is a hair more palatable on FD but regardless, Kuzma is a strong play. I didn’t think I’d be saying that so early in the year. He’s really hitting the glass early with 13 boards per game and the Nets are 20th in rebounding so far. You may think Kuzma has just gotten lucky with the rebound but he’s tied for 13th in rebound chances per game so far. He is the only non-center on the list outside of Harrison Barnes and Julius Randle (I’m counting Anthony Davis as a center and he can’t stop me).

My point is that is a distinct effort to be an asset in this aspect of the game. The shot comes and goes to be sure but this game should be up and down all night long and as long as Rui Hachimura is out, Kuzma is starting and on the court for more than 30-32 minutes. The usage rate hovering around 23% could be a lot worse as well. 

Honorable Mention 

Brandon Ingram ($8,300 DK/$8,200 FD)

Khris Middleton ($7,200 DK/$7,800 FD)

Scottie Barnes ($5,900 DK/$5,100 FD)

Power Forward

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($10,600 DK/$11,200 FD)

It oddly doesn’t feel like it, but Giannis has a 37.4% usage rate and 1.73 fantasy points per minute when Jrue Holiday is off the floor this year. The Pacers have guarded the paint well with the sixth-fewest points allowed but Giannis cannot be defended by mortals. The Bucks will also need his size with no Brook Lopez as Indiana throws out Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis (always in play) at the same time. The Pacers are 18th in defensive rating and they’ve given up a little over 116 points per game so far. 

My plan with this position is to utilize positional flexibility and move the pieces around. Many of the small forwards can be played as a power forward and we may well have a punt at SF on DK in Nassir Little. He probably replaces Norman Powell in the Blazers starting lineup and as long as the model agrees, he’s one of the prime salary savers. Don’t forget we’ve talked about KD as well so you can anchor with an expensive one and move the rest around. It’s not the best position tonight as of now. If Al Horford is active on a back-to-back, I’d be interested there as well. If not, keep an eye on Grant Williams. 

Center 

Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,700 DK/$10,900 FD)

Especially on DK where he is under $10,000, I love the idea of running it right back with KAT. The last game saw him foul out in the fourth quarter with a good chunk of time left. Towns has only played 29 minutes in each game but the fantasy points per minute are over 1.60. All the same reasons we liked him last game since the Pelicans are still without Zion and they are 19th in rebounds in the paint and 25th in points allowed in the paint. KAT is tied for seventh in post-ups and while playing traditionally in the paint isn’t KAT’s game, he put up 25 points in a limited time last game and I doubt he only grabs four rebounds again. 

Clint Capela ($6,800 DK/$7,500 FD) 

The veteran has seen his minutes rise to 27 in the past game and he’s fourth in paint touches, second in field goal attempts and sixth in rebounding chances. Those have come in limited minutes, which is pretty impressive. Detroit is fifth in rebounding in the early going so I think we see Capela clip 30 minutes in this game. Capela also has 1.37 fantasy points per minute so far on an 18.8% usage rate so Capela is very affordable for his role. 

Montrezl Harrell ($5,400 DK/$5,800 FD)

Trez can be used as a power forward on FD, adding some depth to the position. In 12 minutes playing with Bradley Beal, Harrell has 1.13 fantasy points per minute and he is going to be a problem down low for the Nets. He’s already seventh in attempts inside the paint and Brooklyn is 30th in points allowed in the paint. They were 23rd last year so this is a stable trend that we can take advantage of. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Trez gets the double-double bonus and I’m interested in both sites. He’s played at least 26 minutes in both games and logged 34 against the pacers in overtime. 

Honorable Mention 

Nikola Jokic ($11,000 DK/$11,100 FD)

Jonas Valanciunas ($7,900 DK/$6,600 FD)

Precious Achiuwa ($4,500 DK/$4,600 FD)

You can find us on Twitter @DFS_Ghost and @Bucn4life

NBA DFS: Gems with Ghost and Adam 10/23

We continue forward with NBA on tonight’s eight-game slate and this will be the first time we’ve had teams on a back-to-back situation. It’s early enough in the season that I don’t think it poses a huge issue (and the Pacers are still very short) but with NBA, it’s always on our minds in this scenario. Let’s get right to work in the NBA DFS: Gems with Ghost and Adam 10/23 and carve our path to green screens again! 

One thing I want to clarify based on the questions I have received over the past few years is that I will never list a player under the $5,000 price tag simply because I use the projection model to identify all targets in this range and below. While there are often plenty of options that I like at $5,000 and less, since I often find myself with not only one – but multiple – in my NBA DFS lineups, you all have access to the very model I use to make my own selections, so when asking yourself: “Should I use player X or player Y?”, make sure to check the model because that is how I make all of my own decisions and I truly ride or die by it on a daily basis.

Before running to the DraftKings, FanDuel, or Yahoo lobby to construct your NBA DFS lineup after reading this article, please make sure to utilize the abundance of tools we have at Win Daily:

• Proprietary Projection Model
• Articles of the Day
• Cheat Sheet (coming soon)

Point Guard 

Ja Morant ($9,200/$8,500)

You can absolutely play Damian Lillard, who will likely never shoot 0-9 from deep ever again. My eyes (and heart) are with Morant tonight because, in this house, we play primary ball handlers against the Clippers. Ghost has been beating that drum for over a year now and it pays off constantly. Morant was fabulous in his first game, driving to the hoop 26 times and attempting 17 field goals when he drove. For context, Kevin Durant was at 13 in his game against the Bucks. Morant also had 87 touches and the fourth-highest time of possession coming out of game one, with a usage rate over 38%. Give me all the Morant and if came in under 2% in GPP like Wednesday, I’d be ecstatic. The price barely moved on DK and its criminal on FD. 

Malcolm Brogdon ($7,300/$7,900)

Alright so we’re not going to discuss our favorite play later but we’ll talk about the Pacers now. They are on a back-to-back set but I don’t think we’ll have to worry about that quite yet. You may have to set a limit on how many Pacers you play because DK has lost its mind. Brogdon’s price won’t move despite two 50+ DK point games to start the year. He’s played at least 40 minutes and taken at least 20 shots in both games and dished out at least eight assists. His salary is too cheap and on DK, Chris Duarte will likely be a free square. They priced him at $6,000 last night but have him at $3,900 tonight. I would be stunned if he’s not a cash building block and you can play Brogdon or Sabonis along with him. 

Devonte’ Graham ($5,500/$6,000)

We’ll be kicking this theme off early but I want all sorts of this game. Graham has played at least 29 minutes so far in both games and the Pelicans have gotten smoked in both games. That means the potential for minutes is even higher and he’s had a 22.8% usage rate. That’s not massive but that’s more than passable. New Orleans is average in pace so far but Minnesota was second in their first game. This game should be up and down all night and on a seven-game slate, 3-4 players from this game even in cash games are not out of order. 

Also Consider:

Luka Doncic 

Reggie Jackson 

Nickell Alexander-Walker 

Shooting Guard 

Zach Lavine 

Chicago will continue to feature their new-look offense in Detroit but one thing looks the exact same – LaVine is going to be one of the best pure scorers in the league. He scored 34 points in the first game and on top of that, he sported a 29.4% usage rate in this exact matchup. One of the encouraging aspects of that game is LaVine only took 17 shots. He got to the free-throw line 11 times and if LaVine adds that aspect to his game, he’s going to be difficult to deal with. LaVine was under six attempts per game last year and this would be a welcome addition, although he did back that up with just five attempts last night. LaVine has scored at least 30 points in each game and is contributing in other categories. The 32.5% usage rate is fantastic. 

Fred VanVleet

Toronto is on a back-to-back but it’s not going to matter because VanVleet is going to continue to play a boatload of minutes. The Raptors will be without Pascal Siakam for quite a while and VanVleet is going to be counted on as a primary scorer. With a usage rate over 25% and looking at 35 minutes on the floor, that’s a strong start right there. Now throw in a matchup against the Mavericks who played at a top 10 rate and we have a nice play a position that is not always that fun to find multiple options. Dallas allowed 35 attempts from deep and that can be right in FVV’s wheelhouse. He has been over 34 minutes in both games and he won’t continue to shoot 26.7% from the floor including 21.4% from three. 

Tyler Herro ($5,500/$5,500)

This may look like we’re just chasing points but let’s talk about it. One of the metrics that jump out at you is Herro sported a usage rate over 32% in the first game. That’s massive so I checked out the rotations and he played quite a bit without Jimmy Butler or Kyle Lowry (and sometimes both). 

It’s a strong decision to stagger this trio to always have someone on the floor to help run the offense. Now Herro gets a tired Pacers team coming off an overtime game and he played 24 minutes to start, even in a massive blowout. In a competitive game, we could get another 4-5 minutes and he is still very affordable. 

Also Consider:

C.J. McCollum

Anthony Edwards

Chris Duarte (Chalk on DK)

Small Forward

Paul George ($9,800/$10,200)

George will be expensive for the season but he absolutely should be. The usage for him was over 30% for the first night of the year and he took 23 shots. That’s going to happen pretty much every night this season and PG drove 16 times on opening night with eight field goal attempts. Somehow he didn’t get a free throw but an aggressive Paul George is the player I want to see and is most important for fantasy. To quote the great Ghost from Discord, Steven Adams (center for Memphis) has the cardio of a koala. If George drives another 16 times, he’s getting to the free-throw line way more than zero. 

Brandon Ingram ($8,000/$8,300)

Ingram is potentially one of my favorite plays on the entire slate and could be until Zion Williamson is back in the lineup. The usage rate is far over 33% and Ingram is carrying the offense with over 20 shot attempts in both games so far. On top of that, Ingram has averaged 25/7/7 in the first two games while playing 35 minutes per night. That’s the kind of player we’re looking for since the Wolves are playing at a top-five pace. The defensive rating was good for the first game but it will take far more than one game for me to believe they care about defense. 

Scottie Barnes/Desmond Bane

These players are a little bit more expensive on FD but are still strong values. On DK, your builds need to start with Duarte, Barnes, and Bane. Barnes was massive chalk last night and went for over 40 DK and his price went down by $500. That’s literally enough said. For Bane, he posted a 28.2% usage rate on 30 minutes in his first game and went for 10x at his current salary. We won’t normally dip this low, but it is vital to start building with this trio today unless I am WILDLY off base for DK. I honestly won’t consider much else with two players borderline locked up. Their flexibility can also be used for Power Forward. We have three other players that you can happily play for that position and we’ll move to Center. 

Power Forward

Note – Both Domantas Sabonis and Giannis are always in play and could wind up being extremely popular options tonight. We’re going to skip them because everyone will get bored if we just talk about the same players every other day. 

Jerami Grant ($6,700/$7,400)

As long as Cade Cunningham remains out, Grant is going to be a strong target. He did fade a little bit at the end of last season but there were points towards the start where he was approaching $8,000. He played 32 minutes in the first game and with Cunningham out, his usage rate was almost 31%. I will grant you that the pace was slower when these two teams matched up last time but Grant’s role on the team negates that. He took 20 total shots and the price is still right. I likely do not land in this range since I can play Barnes and slot in Bane at SF. 

Also Consider:

OG Anunoby (make sure to limit how many Raptors you have)

Jarren Jackson Jr. 

Bam Adebayo (FD)

Center 

Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,200/$11,00)

Regardless of format, I do really like the idea of a KAT-Ingram mini-stack. Towns looks slimmed down and focused and his usage rate was 28.2% in that first game. Considering he’s sharing the court with Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell, I can live with that usage. Towns dropped 30 real points and collected 10 rebounds in just 29 minutes. KAT is capable of scoring from anywhere on the court but the Pelicans have been pummeled in the paint so far with over 55 points in the paint allowed per game. 

Jonas Valanciunas ($7,200/$6,300)

The game log may not look amazing for the big man from game one but the usage rate was over 22% and he’s taken 19 and 11 shots in the first two games. The Pelicans need him to hang with KA as long as he can, which isn’t going to really work out but the size is important in the paint. JoVal was third in rebounding chances last year and was second in field goal attempts in the paint. With Towns not exactly being the toughest defender ever, JoVal is very sneaky here. As it was, Minnesota allowed 44 points in the paint in that first game which was in the bottom 12 to start the season. 

Also Consider:

Jakob Poeltl

Precious Achiuwa

You can find us on Twitter @DFS_Ghost and @Bucn4life