This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Tuesday's NBA schedule is a light one, with only four games after 7:00 PM Eastern time. This slate's most high-profile game is also the least fantasy-friendly, so avoid chasing big names from the Nuggets-76ers game and instead focus on exploiting favorable matchups elsewhere.
Slate Overview
Game to Target
Wizards (-1.5) at Hornets O/U: 232.5
The Wizards play at a breakneck pace and rank third in points per game (118.2) while leading the league in points allowed per game (122.5). Charlotte has some intriguing options capable of capitalizing on Washington's defensive ineptitude.
Game to Fade
76ers (-4) vs. Nuggets O/U: 206
This heavyweight battle is likely to be more of a defensive slog, as Denver allows a league-low 101.9 points per game, while Philadelphia is fourth stingiest with 104.0 points allowed per game. In a slate that features five defenses that rank worse than league average and two of the three most generous, it doesn't make sense to go after these elite units.
Positional Breakdown
You can argue shooting guard is actually the premier position in this slate. Shooting guard and center both have multiple options priced at $9,000 or higher, and the guards have much easier matchups. Point guard's the deepest position as usual with six healthy options priced over $7,000, while the power forward position tops out at $7,000.
Injury Situations to Monitor
Bam Adebayo is questionable against the Hawks with a groin injury, but he played 41 minutes Sunday against the Bulls after coming in with the same injury designation.
Adebayo's Heat teammate Justise Winslow (back) has already been ruled out and will miss a third straight game. Goran Dragic (groin) will miss a fifth straight game for Miami.
PJ Washington sprained his ankle in Charlotte's last game, but he's listed as probable.
Josh Richardson (hamstring) is questionable to make his return for Philadelphia after missing the past six games.
Elite Players
The two most expensive players on this slate are Trae Young ($10,400) and Joel Embiid ($9,500), but both guys will have a hard time living up to their lofty valuations in difficult matchups. The same goes for Nikola Jokic ($9,000), who will be matched up against Embiid.
Shooting guards Bradley Beal ($9,300) and Jimmy Butler ($9,100) are more appealing. Butler has been the more productive of the two recently, and he'll have the more favorable matchup at home against Atlanta.
Damian Lillard ($8,800) will be firing at will from deep against a Knicks team that allows 13.4 made three-pointers per game — third most in the league.
Expected Chalk
Devonte' Graham ($8,400) is Charlotte's best player, and he'll be eager to bounce back after scoring only 12 points in his last game. He still managed to salvage a passable fantasy night in that one thanks to eight assists and six rebounds, and Graham's averaging a robust 19.8 PPG, 9.5 APG, 5.0 RPG and 1.3 steals per game over the past four. He's capable of carrying your lineup in this matchup against the league-worst Wizards defense.
Tyler Herro ($5,900) has stepped up with the Heat battling injuries, averaging 24.5 PPG and 6.5 RPG over the past two games. The shooting guard should continue to put the ball in the basket at a high rate against a Hawks team that's allowing 117.3 points per game — third most in the league.
Rui Hachimura ($6,500) is playing huge minutes for the Wizards with Thomas Bryant (foot) out, averaging 39 minutes per game over his past five. The ninth overall pick out of Gonzaga is making the most of the added playing time, averaging 22.6 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 2.6 APG during this recent stretch. Hachimura's scoring ability gives him a much higher ceiling than fellow Wizards PF/C Moritz Wagner ($6,000).
You know Carmelo Anthony ($5,600) will be amped up against the Knicks, and he's displayed a high ceiling by topping 40 fantasy points twice in his past seven games. Portland's unlikely to be tested by the team with the worst record in the league, so look for Anthony's teammates to feed him some extra looks from deep against a team that struggles to defend three-pointers.
Key Values
Julius Randle ($6,400) gets a lot of looks on a Knicks team that doesn't have many other places to go. He averages 16.7 PPG and 8.6 RPG, and Randle should be able to bully his way inside against a Portland team that's struggled to defend the power forward position.
Cody Zeller ($4,600) should find success on the inside against Washington's beat-up frontcourt. With plenty of scoring and rebounding opportunities in what promises to be a fast-paced affair, Zeller's primed to provide nice value, even though he's not playing as many minutes as he was to start the season.
