This article is part of our FantasyDraft NBA series.
Wednesday features a compact, five-game slate that has just enough star power and value to keep things very interesting for DFS purposes. With quite a few big names in favorable matchups, let's look at which ones are most worthy of your dollars and what value plays can help you fit them in:
GUARDS
Stephen Curry, GS vs. MIN ($19,300): Curry had a down game by his standards (32.75 fantasy points) against a tough Miami defense last time out, but he's still averaging 45.52 fantasy points overall and had scored at least 42.75 in every contest prior to facing the Heat. The T-Wolves are now surrendering the third most fantasy points (54.0) per game to point guards, along with the highest shooting percentage (50.0), second most points (26.3) and second most assists (10.4).
Kyrie Irving, BOS vs. LAL ($16,500): Irving boasts a team-high 33.1 percent usage rate and averages 1.28 fantasy points per minute, numbers that whet the fantasy appetite for his matchup against a Lakers squad allowing the sixth most fantasy points (52.8) to point guards over the last five. Following a season-high 50.25 fantasy points versus the Hawks in his last contest, Irving is averaging 40.09 fantasy points per game and has already eclipsed the 40-mark on six occasions this season, and with Al Horford now ruled out for Wednesday, Irving is poised for an even bigger role than usual.
Goran Dragic, MIA at PHO ($13,400): Dragic takes on his old squad and draws one of the better individual matchups of the night, considering the Suns have allowed the second most fantasy points (57.3) per game to point guards on the season, as well as the most (60.3) to the position over the last five. Dragic has been unfailingly productive, scoring between 28.00 and 42.75 fantasy points in each game this season and compiling over 30 fantasy points in all but two of those contests.
FORWARDS/CENTERS
Kevin Durant, GS vs. MIN ($20,100): Durant is the one clear-cut forward/center option to pay up for Wednesday, and a matchup against a T-Wolves squad allowing the 10th most fantasy points (43.7) per game to small forwards only strengthens his case. Durant is offering his typically superb production in the early going, scoring over 40 fantasy points in all but one game, including two contests over 50 and one over 60.
Kristaps Porzingis, NY at ORL ($16,800): Porzingis is fresh off spearheading an impressive comeback win for the Knicks on Tuesday and takes on a Magic team that's allowed the sixth most fantasy points (49.9) per game to power forwards over the last five and ninth most (46.5) on the campaign. Porzingis is averaging 46.27 fantasy points a game while sporting a 35.6 percent usage rate, and he's scored between 53.25 and 64.00 fantasy points in four of his last six contests.
Jayson Tatum, BOS vs. LAL ($11,400): Tatum should draw another start at power forward with the returning Marcus Morris (rest), ($7,800), who's also an appealing value play, likely to be deployed at small forward Wednesday. If that's the case, the 2017 first-rounder will have a chance to build on the 40.00 fantasy points he compiled versus the Hawks in his last start, considering he'll be matching up against a Lakers defense allowing the fifth most fantasy points (48.3) per game to power forwards, along with the second most blocks (2.1). Moreover, with Horford's aforementioned absence on tap, Tatum should certainly see a nice bump in usage in the frontcourt.
UTILITY
Hassan Whiteside, MIA at PHO ($13,300): Whiteside was benched for a large portion of Monday's contest against the Warriors for lack of effort, but he's in a prime spot to right the ship Wednesday. Prior to Monday, the big man has scored over 50 fantasy points in five of seven contests, all which featured double-double efforts. The Suns have been about middle-of-the-pack versus centers in most categories, and Whiteside is sporting the price of a significantly less productive player, making him a great candidate to pounce on in tournaments.
Tobias Harris, DET vs. IND ($12,300): Harris has had his share of ups and downs in terms of production, but he's had enough big performances to generate an average of 30.80 fantasy points per game thus far, along with a career-best 19.7 points and 45.9 percent success rate from three-point range. He'll be in a favorable position for one of his stronger efforts Wednesday, considering the Pacers check in allowing the most fantasy points per game to power forwards on the season (52.6) and over the last five (67.2), along with the most points (27.5), second most rebounds (14.0), second most made three-pointers (3.4) and second highest field-goal percentage on the campaign.
