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All throughout the 2014-15 NBA campaign, RotoBaller will be analyzing the top NBA DFS lineup picks and providing our expert advice for the best sleepers at the guard, forward and center positions. Below are some DraftKings DFS picks for February 8th, 2015.
Keep in mind, fantasy basketball is a fickle game when it comes to injured players, so be sure to check all lineups prior to tip-off. If you want to chat about your roster picks, check out the DFS chat room at the bottom of this post.
Editors Note: If you have not tried out FanDuel 1-day fantasy basketball leagues, RotoBaller offers the best bonuses around. Signup and make a deposit for a new FanDuel account, and receive a 100% bonus on your deposit up to $200.
Top Picks
George Hill (IND, PG) - $5,000
Hill has been injured for the majority of the season, but has returned to play in the last seven games for the Pacers. They are easing him back, but his minutes are trending upwards. In his last two games, Hill has put up 34.75 and 37.25 points on DraftKings, despite only playing 26 minutes in each game.
Today he draws a nice matchup against the Charlotte Hornets. They have really struggled to defend point guards this season, and it has only gotten worse since Kemba Walker got hurt. Brian Roberts certainly does not scare anybody. Hill is a huge part of the offense for Indiana, and is primed for another big game. His price has not yet caught up to his play, so take advantage while you still can.
Tobias Harris (ORL, SF) - $6,300
Harris appears to be loving life following the firing of coach Jacque Vaughn. He is playing huge minutes right now, at least 38 in each of his last three games. The increased playing time has shown up in the stat sheet as well. He has scored 47.5 and 49.75 fantasy points in his last two games, including a career high 34 points against the Lakers on Friday.
Harris is another guy who has been vastly outperforming his salary of late. It is always a good idea in daily leagues to target guys that play a ton of minutes because the more time they spend on the court, the greater the opportunity to put up more fantasy points. Harris is red hot right now, so keep riding him on Sunday versus Chicago.
DeMarcus Cousins (SAC, C) - $10,500
Okay, so I have saved you some money with the rest of my picks, so here is the place to spend it. Cousins is going to destroy the Phoenix Suns as long as he stays out of foul trouble. They already have a hard time against opposing bigs, and now they are without Alex Len. The Ukrainian 7-footer is pretty much the only semblance of interior defense the Suns have, so Cousins should have a field day against Miles Plumlee.
If that is not enough to convince you to play Cousins, I will give you more incentive. Darren Collison did not play on Saturday, and it would be surprising to see him on Sunday as he recovers from a hip injury. Rudy Gay also injured his foot on Saturday. He played through it, but was terrible. The Kings may consider sitting him out on Sunday. Cousins already has one of the highest usage rates in the NBA, but figures to be even more involved if Collison and/or Gay cannot play. Either way, get Boogie in your lineup. This game has the highest over/under of the day, along with a close spread. The stage is set for a monstrous game from him.
Top Sleeper
Ramon Sessions (SAC, PG) - $3,000
Collison did not play on Saturday due to a right hip injury, and he could be out Sunday as well. Any time Collison misses a game, Sessions is worth a look. He assumes the starting point guard role, and routinely sees 30+ minutes of playing time.
The biggest appeal to Sessions is his minimum salary. He is probably not going to blow doors down, but he does not have to do much to pay off his price tag. Playing him at this price also allows you to afford to get some studs in your lineup.
On Saturday, Sessions put up 11 points, four rebounds, and five assists. This was good for 22.5 points, or 7X value. If he puts up that same line again, owners will be very happy. However, there is even greater upside in playing Sessions on Sunday. He draws a favorable matchup against the Phoenix Suns. The Suns struggle to defend the point guard position. Phoenix is one of the faster pace teams in the league, and they give up 104.7 points per game, ranking 28th in the NBA.
Remember to check and make sure Collison is out again. If so, Sessions becomes an outstanding play. He should easily pay off his price, and has a ton of upside as well. It would not be surprising if he puts up 10X value on Sunday.
