RADIO
All the late news, injuries, and tanking may have you ready for some DFS baseball action, but we've got to finish the NBA season strong. Thankfully, we're missing one of the biggest culprits of putting DFS players on tilt (looking at you Grizzlies), but there are still landmines to watch in the form of Phoenix and Atlanta. Both are porous defensive teams that are worth targeting, but the risk of limited minutes go up. That said, at this point in the season, my objective is usually to target my high-priced players on teams with playoff aspirations and with something to play for.
In those terms, the Timberwolves-Clippers game stands out with a current total of 227. Jeff Teague is a point guard I'm likely to target as the Pelicans are porous at guarding opposing players at that position. I'll also lock in Anthony Davis as my stud and fade James Harden (the reason behind this is discussed a bit more below).
Below you will find our daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 3/20/18. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options, to lower-priced players and value picks on FanDuel.
FanDuel DFS Guards
Yogi Ferrell- PG, @NO ($4,900)
Dennis Smith Jr. was announced out well in advance of this slate, so neither Ferrell nor Barea are really at bargain price points. Ideally, the Mavs will continue their more subtle tank and hold Barea out again on Tuesday. That would keep a ton of usage open for Ferrell as he has taken 14 and 16 shots respectively over his past two games. He wasn’t efficient either night so we haven’t seen him score efficiently with his increased playing time yet. More importantly, in the game Barea missed he notched 12 assists. While that isn’t a projection anyone should be making for tonight’s slate, with Smith absent from the lineup both his usage and ball-handling duties should remain intact. If Barea is out, Ferrell is a core play. However, I feel comfortable playing him no matter what as the Mavs will have their pace pushed by the Pelicans, who rank as the third fastest paced team in the league.
C.J. McCollum- SG, vs. HOU ($7,200)
After going through about a five game stretch of consistently not reaching value on his price tag, McCollum has turned into a nice cash game play again. He has hit at least 30 FD points in nine consecutive games, but only topped 40 once. That said, there isn’t a lot of upside with McCollum, so you may want to pay up for Harden or Holiday in GPP contests but McCollum is a nice cash game target. One word of warning not specific to McCollum but to this game atmosphere in general is that despite their reputation as offensive teams, both the Rockets and Blazers are top five in defensive efficiency over the past 10 games and are both in the bottom half of the league in pace in that same span. The matchup screams shootout but the offensive pace may not be what you’re expecting so this isn’t a game I’d be looking to stack.
Also Consider: Jamal Crawford - SG, vs LAC ($3,900)
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Harrison Barnes- SF, @NO ($6,500)
Like Barea and Ferrell, the price tag isn’t the most inviting on Barnes, as at his $6,500 price tag he has met 5X value only 39% of the time and 6X value just 9% of the time on the season. However, with Wesley Matthews, J.J. Barea, and Dennis Smith Jr. off the court this season, Barnes has posted a 33.6% usage rate and scored 1.2 FD points per minute. With Barea on the court, those numbers dip dramatically to just a 24.2% usage rate and .79 FD points per minute. That said, the implications are clear that if Barea is in, Barnes should be out of your lineup. If Barea is ruled out, Barnes is a fine option in all contests.
Nemanja Bjelica- SF, vs. LAC ($6,100)
Bjelica recently cooling down from his three game heater isn’t a surprise as he was relying somewhat heavily on defensive stats to boost his value. However, his price has now fallen a bit, we know he’s going to get massive minutes, and he is in a friendly matchup in a paceup game once again. The Clippers have struggled against wings all season and that hasn’t changed, so despite his recent down performances I like Bjelica in all formats for this slate given the game environment, matchup, and guaranteed minutes.
Jae Crowder- PF, vs. ATL ($5,400)
Crowder is fantasy relevant once again and his role should be secure with Derrick Favors ruled out. Crowder didn’t see a bump in price despite the news, which is understandable given that the absence of Favors doesn’t bump Crowder’s numbers much in terms of usage or FD points per minute. However, it creates a safe floor for his minutes, working off the assumption that he doesn’t sit for a blowout. The Hawks are in full on tank mode, so the possibility of a blowout is relatively high. If you feel that makes Crowder too risky, paying down to Jonas Jerebko is a punt option with slim chance of hitting and a GPP play at best.
FanDuel DFS Centers
Steven Adams- C, @BOS ($7,600)
Picking a center is not for the faint of heart lately, as FD has priced them up to the max across the board. Price alone basically moves me out of the first tier and to the second-tier of centers as a result. Of the group, Adams gets the most consistent minutes and has the most consistent role on his team. He’s shown a 30ish point floor, so he isn’t likely to derail your night even with a sluggish performance. The Celtics are a difficult matchup, but Adams still remains one of the lower risk options on this slate at the position. If you’re looking more for a GPP play, DeAndre Jordan stands out as an option.
