This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Following an 11-game slate Monday night, Tuesday's schedule is much lighter with only three contests on tap. Even so, there will still be a handful of stars in action and plenty of value plays to scoop up for your FanDuel lineup.
If you've yet to plug in a lineup with FanDuel this season, you should know that all nine of your players' scores will count towards your overall total. With that said, it'll be vital to carefully select each player on our squad. Let's get to it!
Slate Overview
Of the three contests scheduled for Tuesday evening, there's one game in particular that stands out as a matchup to target for DFS production according to FanDuel's Sportsbook:
Atlanta Hawks at Miami Heat (Projected total: 224.5)
The Heat are already dealing with a few injuries early in the season, but they'll get a huge boost Tuesday, as Jimmy Butler will make his team debut after missing the first three games due to a personal matter. Miami is averaging 120.0 points through the first three matchups of the 2019-20 campaign. The Hawks are a young team, but they showed in the season opener that their offense can be explosive, dropping 117 points on Detroit.
The lowest-scoring game of the night is projected to be:
Dallas Mavericks at Denver Nuggets (Projected total: 216)
Although this is expected to be a low-scoring affair, it'll be tough to completely steer clear of the contest given the slate. In both of the games the Nuggets have played in this season, the total points scored has been equal to 215 or lower. Not to worry, there is plenty of star power within this matchup to target, which is something we'll get to later on.
Positional Breakdown
Shooting guard is one of the positions with the least amount of depth, with Jimmy Butler ($9,000) listed as the top option followed by Delon Wright, who's valued at just $5,600. The good news is that you can get away with selecting a starting shooting guard for a cheap price in this slate.
Center is another position with a huge drop off after the top choice -- Nikola Jokic is the top-tier option at $10,700, while Jonas Valanciunas ($6,300) follows. It may be wise to pay up at both of these positions with plenty of value to be had elsewhere.
Injury Situations to Monitor
Kelly Olynyk, MIA
Olynyk is being considered probable for Tuesday's matchup against Atlanta due to a bruised left quadriceps. He's come off the bench in all three games this season, and considering the nature of the injury, he figures to be available. The team should confirm his availability closer to tipoff.
Dion Waiters, MIA
Waiters is listed as out for Tuesday's matchup after missing the first three games of the regular season while serving a suspension. He's technically been reinstated, but the team will hold him out of at least one more game.
Dwight Powell, DAL
Powell has been nursing a left hamstring strain, but he managed to participate in Monday's practice and is questionable for Tuesday's game against the Nuggets. If he's unable to go, look for Maxi Kleber and Boban Marjanovic to see an uptick in minutes.
Ja Morant, MEM
Morant was added to the injury report Monday night, and the team is considering him probable with right ankle soreness. All signs point to the rookie point guard being ready to roll, but if he is held out, Tyus Jones and De'Anthony Melton would be in line for an increase in minutes.
Kyle Anderson, MEM
Anderson is a game-time call for Tuesday's matchup due to left calf soreness. Solomon Hill and Bruno Caboclo could see more playing time if Anderson is ultimately ruled out.
Rajon Rondo, LAL
Rondo has yet to make his 2019-20 debut due to a mild calf strain, and he's questionable for Tuesday's showdown with Memphis. Should Rondo miss another game, expect LeBron James to get the nod at point guard, which would likely allow Avery Bradley to draw another start at shooting guard.
Elite Players
Even with the limited number of games on the slate, there are still a few starts in play. Luka Doncic ($10,400), Nikola Jokic ($10,700), Anthony Davis ($12,300) and LeBron James ($11,300) are just a few big names in play Tuesday night.
If you're unwilling to spend the big bucks on Davis at power forward, Kristaps Porzingis is a rock-solid option for around $3K less. He's been red hot to kick off the year, averaging 44.8 FanDuel points over three contests.
At point guard, Doncic tops the list, but you'll be able to save some cash by targeting guys like Trae Young ($9,400) or even Jamal Murray ($7,600) both excellent options. Young is averaging 59.4 FanDuel points over three games while Murray is averaging 36.5 FanDuel points through two games.
Expected Chalk
With regard to elite chalk plays, Jokic, James, Davis and Doncic are sure to lead the pack, especially with only six teams in action. With respect to lower-priced common plays, Bam Adebayo ($7,800) and John Collins ($8,000) are sure to be in the conversation at power forward, given each player's early success.
In Miami, Justise Winslow ($7,500) is likely to be a popular option at small forward, mainly because he's listed nearly $4K less than James. Winslow has the ability to produce across the board, and he's shown early on that he can score, rebound and facilitate the basketball, even with a team that's been without Jimmy Butler ($9,000) to this point.
Speaking of Butler, he's another popular choice at shooting guard. After averaging 20-plus points in four of the last five seasons, he'll make his Heat debut against a team that's allowed 57.8 FanDuel points to opposing shooting guards so far this year.
Key Values
Delon Wright, DAL at DEN ($5,600):
There's some good value to be found with Wright here, as he's started two of his team's three games this season and has been able to put up solid numbers across multiple categories. His inconsistency in the scoring department is mildly concerning, though he typically makes up for it by crashing the boards and by distributing the basketball. Wright is averaging 27 FanDuel points over three games.
Jae Crowder, MEM @ LAL ($5,600):
Similar to Wright, I like Crowder as a value play here because of his ability to impact a contest in a number of ways. Despite only scoring six points Sunday against the Nets, he registered seven rebounds, five assists, two blocks and a steal while turning the ball over once, resulting in 29.9 FanDuel points. Crowder has also played 30-plus minutes in each of the first three games, and I don't expect his opportunities to dwindle heading into Tuesday night.
