RADIO
We're just about a month into the 2017-'18 season, and we should have a clear idea of the kind of year each player is having. That said, daily fantasy salaries still fluctuate on a regular basis, and it's important for DFS owners to monitor these changes and take advantage of the best value plays.
Here are three players whose recent struggles have made them too affordable to ignore, and three others who have been playing over their heads and are now far too expensive.
Let's take a look.
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DFS Value Risers - Week 5
Kemba Walker (PG, CHA)
After two straight years of making major strides as a scorer, Walker has taken a slight step back through 12 games in 2017, averaging 21.7 points on 43.5 percent shooting and 33.8 percent from beyond the arc with 6.6 assists and 0.8 steals. The former UConn standout is coming off a rough four-game road trip during which he knocked down just 21 of his 62 shot attempts and five of his 25 triples. However, the Hornets return home on Wednesday and will be joined by Nicolas Batum, who is set to make his season debut. Walker is already dishing out assists and getting to the free throw line at a high rate, so if he can begin to improve his shooting efficiency, he’ll pay dividends in both cash games and tournaments at roughly a $7k price tag.
Carmelo Anthony (SF/PF, OKC)
Anthony is currently sporting career lows in points (20.3), field goal percentage (42.4 percent) and assists (1.6) through 12 games with the Thunder. After averaging close to 23 points over seven games in October, the 33-year-old has managed just 16.6 points per game through five contests in November, including a 3-for-17 showing (0-for-5 from deep) against the Celtics on Nov. 3. He scored more than 20 points in each of his first six games this season, so there shouldn’t be concerns that he will not be able to coexist with Russell Westbrook and Paul George. Anthony should be in for a scoring surge sooner rather than later, and could provide solid value in all DFS formats as long as he remains below $7k.
Dirk Nowitzki (PF/C, DAL)
It’s fair to say that Nowitzki is a shell of his former self, as his 10.1 points per game are the fewest since his rookie season in 1998-’99, which is also the only year in which he shot worse from the field than he is currently shooting (41.4 percent). That said, the 39-year-old future Hall of Famer remains capable of hitting jumpers in bunches — nine games with double figures in scoring — and is averaging just north of five rebounds. He posted five consecutive performances with at least 23 Draftkings points earlier this season, and can return massive value at just $4k. Nowitzki is worth taking a flier on in the right matchup.
DFS Value Fallers - Week 5
Tyreke Evans (SG/SF, MEM)
Through 13 games with the Grizzlies, Evans is averaging 18.5 points — his most since 2009-’10, when he won the Rookie of the Year award — on 52.3 percent from the floor with 4.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists. The 28-year-old has been particularly hot of late, managing 24.7 points on an absurd 60.9 percent shooting across six games in November— a pace that is undeniably impossible to sustain. Not only has he shot under 45.0 percent in each of the last five seasons, but he hasn’t even played 30 games in a single year since 2014-’15. Evans’ inflated price (close to $7k), injury history and inevitable regression make him a strong fade candidate.
Jaylen Brown (SG/SF, BOS)
In his second year in the league, Brown has stepped up for the Celtics in Gordon Hayward’s absence, averaging 14.7 points on 43.5 percent shooting with 6.9 boards, 1.1 assists and 1.0 steals. The 21-year-old has eclipsed 20 points three times, but has also shot under 30 percent in four of his last 10 games. While he has surpassed 25 DK points in seven of his last eight contests, he hasn’t hit even 5x value at his current salary, which has shot up close to $7k, since Oct. 24 against the Knicks. Brown is best left alone in all DFS formats until his cost comes back down to earth.
Derrick Favors (PF/C, UTA)
Favors is enjoying a solid bounce-back season this year, with 11.2 points per game on 52.7 percent shooting with 5.4 rebounds. The 26-year-old forward managed 46 Draftkings points against the Nets on Nov. 11 (24 points on 9-for-5 shooting, 12 rebounds, two blocks), but he has not reached 30 DK points in any other game in November. His cost has shot up into the mid-$5k range as a result of that one monster performance, and he is no longer an appealing option. Feel free to stay away from Favors until his price drops back down to a more favorable range.
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