This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
With a huge 13-game slate on tap, filtering down the options with the most overall upside can make the difference between rising to the top in your GPPs or missing the money in your cash games. We're here to help you separate the best from the rest.
Point Guard
Tyreke Evans, NOP vs. HOU ($7,300): For every double-double performance he's posted in the past two weeks, he's had a letdown game in between. Along with a reduced price from a player like John Wall, Evans is an ideal tournament play. His uneven game logs should help create lower ownership, and the matchup should help his overall upside. Teams that have to travel for the second game of back-to-backs are exactly what we're looking for, and Rockets will have to do that tonight against the Pelicans. Houston and New Orleans are both ranked in the top nine in pace, and this game features the top total on the board at 211.5.
Ish Smith, PHI vs PHX ($4,400): Smith's role hasn't been defined since his trade to Philadelphia, he makes for a great GPP play for a number of reasons. Obviously, the price is right. He won't need much more than 20 fantasy points to reach value. Secondly, the Sixers likely did not trade for him to be a backup. Point guard is a position of need, he has experience starting for Brett Brown last season, and they were willing to cut Tony Wroten to make room for him. The Sixers literally have nothing to lose by playing Smith big minutes (since all they do is lose), and he did perform well while filling in for Jrue Holiday earlier this season. Phoenix also ranks in the top five in pace, which also helps create more possessions and fantasy scoring opportunities.
Shooting Guard
Joe Johnson, BKN vs. WAS ($5,300): Johnson can be helpful in GPPs and cash games because he is a small forward but is still listed as shooting guard eligible on FanDuel. That's great news because the Wizards have been ranked in the bottom two in fantasy points allowed to opposing shooting guards all season. Johnson's price has been depressed a full $1,500 from the season opener, and he's returned value on that discount in the past two games, posting 27 and 28 fantasy points, respectively, good over 5x value. Vegas also expects the buckets to fly in this game, with a total of 206.5 that is currently second highest on the board.
Small Forward
Khris Middleton, MIL vs. TOR ($6,200): After struggling out of the gate for the Bucks, Middleton has really stepped up over the past month. His price has climbed $700 in the past month, but the production matches it. He's coming off his best two games of the season, posting 41 and 42 FanDuel points, respectively, which was good for over 6.5x value. Toronto has good defensive metrics against opposing small forwards, but is still missing DeMarre Carroll (knee) and may also be without their second-best wing defender in James Johnson (ankle).
Power Forward
Anthony Davis, NOP vs. HOU ($10,400): All the same research that made sense for Tyreke Evans makes sense for Davis. Brow is at home, rested, playing the Rockets, who are traveling on the back-to-back, and have the worst performing power forward defense in DFS. Clint Capella, Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas all have been weak spots defensively for Houston. The price has also come down $700 from last month, making it a bit easier to return value at his already elevated price tag.
Jon Leuer, PHO vs. PHI ($4,400): Leuer has scored at least 5.2x his price in nine of 13 games this month. He was able to do this while only averaging 25 minutes per game. Leuer should also benefit from the second-worst power forward defense in the league, which has been amplified by Brett Brown taking his best defensive player, Nerlens Noel, and moving him to the bench.
Center
Marcin Gortat, WAS at BKN ($7,100): Gortat's calling card has been providing a solid level of safety for DFS owners in their cash game lineups, scoring no fewer and 21 fantasy points in every game this month. Recent standout performances against Sacramento and San Antonio have increased his price a bit, but the matchup Saturday should make it worth it. Brook Lopez and the Nets have never been known as defensive stalwarts, and with a bottom-five defensive ranking against opposing centers this season, that narrative hasn't changed.
