RADIO
Euan Leith highlights the top FanDuel NBA DFS lineup picks for 3/3/20, and a couple of sleepers to consider while building daily rosters.
Hello RotoBallers! I hope you are all having a terrific Tuesday and are ready to win some money on tonight's eight-game main slate on FanDuel. We've only got one team playing the second game of a back-to-back, San Antonio, but there is a ton of injury news, so make sure to check out Rotoballer's injury updates throughout the day so that you don't get burned. In what would've been a great matchup three weeks ago between the Lakers and the 76ers, we will miss Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and possibly Anthony Davis from the main event card. That will take off some of the usual go-to studs, but, at the same time, it will open up some value plays at those positions for tonight (Hello Shake Milton). Still, we are living in a golden era of talent right now in the NBA, and there is plenty of high-salaried and value players around the league to make up for their absences.
As of this writing, only three of tonight's eight games have an over/under because there are a lot of lingering injuries floating around the association on Tuesday, and it is preventing the lines from being released. The highest of the three lines is the New Orleans Pelicans-Minnesota Timberwolves matchup. It has an over/under set at 247.5, and both teams occupy the top two spots in terms of pace for tonight's slate. It should be a priority for all players to have at least a piece of the action from this contest if they want to boost their chances to take home some winnings.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 3/3/20. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on FanDuel. You can also check out today's DraftKings lineup picks. Find me in the NBA Chat Room or @EuanOrYouOut on Twitter, and remember to check our injury updates before the games start at 7 pm Eastern tonight.
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FanDuel DFS Guards
Jrue Holiday - SG, NOP vs. MIN ($8,100)
$8,100 is the lowest price that Jrue Holiday has cost since the first game back from the All-Star break. That would be fine if he were in a slump, but he has been averaging 39.3 fantasy points per game and has been putting up 17.4 points, 9.0 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 2.4 made threes over those five games. Bradley Beal is going to get a lot of play tonight, but the savings you could have with Holiday make him another top option at shooting guard on Tuesday. So he's cheaper than he should be, he's saving you $2,200 compared to Bradley Beal, and we haven't even reached his opponent for the night. Minnesota allows the eighth-most fantasy points to two guards on the season, and, over the last 30 days, have gotten worse and allowed 43.18 points to the opposition. Start Holiday with confidence, and if you use some of the value plays I mention later, you could even come back and slot Beal and his $10,300 salary into your lineup.
De'Aaron Fox - PG, SAC vs. WSH ($7,500)
Speaking of terrible defenses versus the guard position. De'Aaron Fox and the Sacramento Kings welcome the Washington Wizards to town on Tuesday, and the third-year guard should be in for a big game. Fox has the skills and the speed to give us great value on Tuesday night. He's played in five of the Kings six games since the All-Star break and is putting up 23 points on 50 percent shooting, 5.8 assists, three rebounds, one steal, and 1.6 made threes per game. Over the last 30 days, the Wizards have given up 48.4 fantasy points per game to the opposing point guards, and it's been that ugly all season as well. The Wizards average 107 possessions per game, and that comes in as the third-fastest team on tonight's slate. The extra opportunities should put Fox over the top as his 30 percent usage rate makes him the primary offensive option for the Kings this season.
Jamal Murray - PG, DEN vs. GSW ($6,900)
Maybe you're just not feeling it with De'Aaron Fox tonight and want to save even more money for some of the higher-priced ticket items on Tuesday's slate. Could I interest you in some Jamal Murray? He is facing the Golden State Warriors and their turnstile of a defensive unit in Denver on Tuesday. The Canadian is coming off his best month of the season in February, where he averaged season-highs with 23.6 points on 53.6 percent shooting, 5.7 assists, and 40.7 three-point shooting. The fourth-year guard also saw his usage rate spike to 28.2 percent and seems to be back to full strength after he missed 10 games from the middle of January to early February with an ankle injury. The Warriors give up 49.08 fantasy points per game to rival point guards, and Murray should be in line for a better than the usual box score on Tuesday. Count on him to provide some value if you are looking to add a mid-tier guard to fill out your lineup.
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Brandon Ingram - SF, NOP vs. MIN ($7,900)
Last week, I recommended Ingram against the Lakers, and he rewarded us with 47.4 points against a top-10 defense versus small forwards. We are going right back to the well this week when Ingram faces off against the Timberwolves and their 26th ranked defense. This game has the highest over/under of the night at 247.5, and although Ingram is slightly more expensive than he was at this point a week ago, the night is lining up for him to produce another 40-pint effort for his fantasy owners. He has broken the 35-point barrier on FanDuel in each of the last four games, where he has seen a 30 percent usage rate.
Another thing that could play in Ingram's favor is that the Pelicans are playing their third game in five nights, and tonight is their first game of a back-to-back. New Orleans wants to win games but also keep Zion Williamson healthy. If he were to see fewer minutes than usual, it could open the door for Ingram to have a huge night. With his price tag sitting where it is, Ingram is worth the investment with the potential of a massive Tuesday night ahead.
Juan Hernangomez - SF, MIN @ NOP ($4,800)
I'm adding a couple of deep cuts at the end of the forward pool tonight because if you want to play the studs, then you are probably going to have them in your lineup whether I recommend them or not. That's part of the fun with daily fantasy: pick who you want. But that whole preamble brings us to Juan Hernangomez. He was a forgotten man in Denver but has turned it around in his nine-game Minnesota career. He's averaging 13.8 points on 45.7 percent shooting, to go along with 6.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 2.2 made threes per game in 28.7 minutes. He is facing a bottom-10 New Orleans defense and has given his owners at least 29 fantasy points in five off his previous seven games. The Timberwolves like to play him, and with Karl-Anthony Towns still out, there is no reason not to have the Spaniard in your lineup if you are looking to save some cash tonight.
Eric Paschall - PF, GSW @DEN ($4,700)
Eric Paschall has given fantasy players at least 29 points in each of his last three games. The $4,700 is Paschall's highest salary since Jan. 28, but it still seems on the low side to me for Tuesday's main slate. The rookie is averaging 31.9 minutes per game since the All-Star break, and that is an important number for the former-Villanova Wildcat. Paschall has played 25 games this season, where he has cracked the 30-minute mark and averages 18.5 points and 6.1 rebounds when he gets that opportunity. The Nuggets are middle of the pack in the last 30 days versus power forwards, but that shouldn't cause people to shy away from Paschall too much. Paul Millsap is questionable for Denver and would be replaced by Jerami Grant if the veteran misses the game. Grant has a worse defensive rating compared to Millsap on the year, so Paschall could gain an advantage if Millsap misses another game.
FanDuel DFS Centers
Deandre Ayton - C, PHX vs. TOR ($8,600)
Deandre Ayton has been proving the doubters wrong for a while now, but his recent form has gone unnoticed because the Suns have faded from playoff contention. That is where it is your job as a fantasy manager to take advantage of salary dip. Ayton has been phenomenal since the calendar flipped to February. The second-year center is averaging 21.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.9 blocks in 33.5 minutes over 11 games. Ayton sat at $9,00 in his previous two games, but with Toronto coming to town, it seems to be an overcorrection in his price. On the season, the Raptors have the fourth-best fantasy defense versus center, but it's been a different story recently. In the last seven days, the Raptors have given up 58.77 points to the centers they face, and that has them ranked inside the bottom-10 of the association. The recent production from the No. 1 overall pick has given him a safe floor and is a smart play in cash games on Tuesday night.
