Cash Plays
Kyrie Irving ($8,900) – Kyrie has now strung together 8 straight games of 30+ fantasy points. Tonight he gets a good matchup against the bulls who are on the second night of a back-to-back and are in the bottom 10 in the league in defending against the point. Also keep in mind LeBron is questionable tonight. Kyrie is already a great start, but if James sits out, expect him to be the most owned player on the slate.
Dion Waiters ($7,300) – Waiters couldn’t find his stroke last night, going 6-19 from the field en route to a win over the Hawks. Despite his poor shooting, Waiters still managed 36.6 fantasy points, giving him 7 straight games with at least 30+. Tonight he gets a good matchup against a Pacers team that is in the bottom half of the league when it comes to guarding the SG position. Waiters should see no problem reaching value with his guaranteed 30+ minutes and involvement in the Heat offense.
Andre Iguodala ($4,400) – Kevin Durant has already been ruled out tonight against the Nets, opening the door for Iguodala to get a start. Iggy has proved to be more consistent recently, scoring 20+ fantasy points in 4 of his last 5. He usually gets 25-30 minutes a game, so he won’t see an insane jump against Brooklyn tonight. However, Golden State will probably have to call his number to help a little more on the offensive end, making him a great start for his $4,400 price tag.
Dario Saric ($5,700) – Fanduel is a little slow in raising Saric’s price tag, something we should all be taking advantage of. Last night he showed off just about every aspect of his game, posting 20 points to go along with 11 rebounds and 4 assists. He had seen his minutes slowly rising throughout the year, but with most of Philly’s front court now traded away, he’s a lock for 30 minutes a night. He has a fantastic matchup tonight against the Knicks who will be without Kristaps Porzingis and are in the bottom 3 over their last 10 games defending the power forward position.
Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,300) – Looking at the slate, it seems KAT may be the star to buy up for tonight. He has shown insane consistency over his last 13 games, posting at least 40 fantasy points in 12 of them. His time on the court is also consistent, as he is 7th in the league averaging 36.5 minutes per game. These two factors make Towns a very reliable option at center. Tonight he faces a Houston team that has been struggling against the big man, as they are 2nd to last over their last 10 games defending the center position.
GPP Plays
Derrick Rose ($6,400) – With a few higher priced names and consistent options above him I expect many people to pass on Rose tonight. It may be a little awkward in New York after the Knicks were actively trying to trade him over the all-star break, but that doesn’t mean he can’t help your GPP lineup get to the top. The minutes are still there for him and over the last month there have been a few instances in which he’s shown he can still produce at a very high rate. If you’re looking for a middle-priced option with a good matchup, Rose is your guy.
Kyle Korver ($4,500) – Kyle Korver has consistent minutes, but not always consistent production. LeBron missed shoot around this morning and, if he is unable to go, the scoring load will have to be picked up throughout the Cavs lineup. His price is low enough to not be a crazy option and even if James does play, Korver still has the potential to put up big numbers at a very low own %. He should be a strong consideration in GPP lineups.
Paul George ($8,100) – Tonight Paul George is considered a game time-decision, though he did state he would play. Most people will end up scrolling right past him, considering that yellow “GTD” badge next to his name isn’t the most appealing thing. He has some head-scratcher type games, but obviously has the scoring potential to be a backbone of your lineup. George should be another guy on this slate that has a low own % and can definitely fit nicely into GPP games.
Ryan Anderson ($4,800) – The recent trade has changed the dynamic of the Houston backcourt as the Rockets attempt to divide minutes between their guards. In the frontcourt, however, things are relatively the same for Ryan Anderson and company. He should continue to see his 30+ minutes a game and offers great scoring potential. He gets a good matchup tonight against the Timberwolves who have been struggling to defend the PF position over their last 10 games. Anderson also terrorized the Wolves in their 2 meetings earlier this season, posting games of 41.2 and 34.4 fantasy points.
Kyle O’Quinn ($4,700) – With Kristaps Porzingis out tonight there are minutes up for grabs for the Knicks big men. Most people will probably flock to Willie Hernangomez for their lineups, but O’Quinn is also a lock to see some added run tonight. He doesn’t offer the kind of consistency we would want out of him for cash games, but he is a great GPP pivot tonight as he will probably see 25+ minutes against a feeble Philadephia frontcourt.